Another school year has come to an end - year 10 for me. And what a school year it was! With the close of each school year comes a mix of emotions. There is the excitement for the summer break and the many adventures that lie ahead as well as for the opportunities to rest and refresh. I have yet to decide where my travels may take me but I will undoubtedly find myself in the mountains for a period of time. There is the bittersweet feeling as I must say goodbye to 8th graders heading to high school, students who will be moving, and coworkers moving on to new chapters in their lives. Coming to grips with the reality that my time with some of these people has come to an end is always a challenge. I ask myself, did I do enough? I continue to brainstorm what could I have done differently to better help a student. I know, that while I always walk away wishing I could have done more, I did my best every day to do what is best for the students in my care and for the students in the classrooms I support. While the Math, ILA, Science, and History is important, it is the relationships developed and the life lessons taught that will hold the most significance for so many students. Knowing that they are loved as they are but challenged to become the best they can be, knowing someone believes in them can change their lives. I know because I was blessed to have my life changed by wonderful educators as a student; I know because year after year I witness extraordinary educators change the lives of students. The end of this school year is especially hard because several of those extraordinary educators I have worked alongside in some capacity are moving on to new chapters in their lives. My program's teacher is moving on after three years to start the next chapter of her life. We have laughed and cried and picked each other's brains as we sought to do what is best for our students. One of my school "next door neighbors" is moving on after four years. She is one of the kindest ladies I have ever known! An assistant principal is moving on after four years with us. She has been such a strong support to our program and I will greatly miss our times hanging out chatting at various sporting events. A coach that has been not only one of our programs biggest supporters but one of my biggest personal cheerleaders is moving on. A social studies teacher - the teacher whose classroom I have spent the most time in - that I have had the privilege to know and support in her classroom for ten years spanning two campuses is moving on. She is one of the best educators and one of the best people I know. She has positively impacted the lives of so many people and I consider myself blessed to be one of them. While change is bittersweet, there are so many positives to reflect on from this school year. After a few weeks of virtual learning, at times with three Chromebooks in front of me and a different zoom class in each ear, we eagerly welcomed students back to campus. Yes, some aspects of campus looked different; new protocols were in place to maximize the safety and protect the health of students and staff. Pencil and paper all but disappeared. With each new challenge, both students and staff rose to the occasion and exceeded expectations. I watched coworkers creatively figure out how to reach and teach students on and off campus, how to make sure everyone was included. Students were resilient and continuously adapted as needed to be successful throughout the year. As we held awards ceremonies this week, the number of students who received awards for academic excellence served as a testimony to the hard work put in throughout the year by the students and staff on our campus. Throughout each school year, one of my favorite things to do is to support our students both current and those now in high school through their extracurricular activities. Like everything else this school year, extracurricular activities looked different as well. I was blessed to be afforded the opportunity to be in attendance for 81 of our campuses games as well as 100 games involving Reedy High School students. Almost every night of the week, you could find me hidden away in the corner of a gym or the bleachers at a stadium. I was able to support our students, reconnect with past students and their families, and encourage them in the process. It is so much fun telling parents how amazing their child is! It was by no means an easy year but it was absolutely a good year! Now it's time to get some rest.
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