All Hands on Deck
As I write this message today, I am reminded that we are one year removed from the murder of George Floyd. It has dawned on me that we are still in the middle of a fight. We are decompressing from a multitude of traumatic experiences that have occurred over the last year. As an adult, I have acquired the necessary skills to process these complex issues. However, as I think about our children who need more support than ever, I am flummoxed at the enormity of the situation. The distinction between home and school environments has been blurred, and today it becomes almost impossible for people to compartmentalize the two. For most of us, it would be hard to personally identify a time that has been more challenging in contemporary society. And for our young people, I hope this past year will be the hardest collective challenge they have to face.
We have been called to this vocation to give back to our young people and to do so with love, empathy, and compassion. We are called to give the absolute best of ourselves every day so our youth has confidence that we have their back. It is integral to approach education with an equity-minded lens to ensure the success of ALL our students. No matter how we approach our jobs as educators, there will always be students that need extra support, and we should gladly oblige their educational needs.
As we close on a year characterized by the pervasiveness of trauma, I am compelled to remind you that there is hope and a brighter future on the horizon. Yet, we should not be content with just going back to “normal,” because our normal didn’t work for so many students. Even though this past year challenged us all in enormous ways, we made great strides in how we delivered educational services, and that is a win of great magnitude. Please remember that you are so important and that education is one of the greatest professions we can be engaged in. Take time to rest, heal, love, laugh, and cry when needed because we will need you to come next fall. You are the link and what matters to the success of our students.
Be Well!
