Closing the Door

June is here.  Most of you are sitting on your deck this fine morning drinking your HOT coffee, not thinking about school.  You have been able to decompress and unwind from the craziness of this past year.

It is hard to think that it has been three weeks since our students were last here.  In that time, A LOT of changes have taken place.  The building looks completely different.  It is exciting to see all the visions we had come to life before our eyes.  It has meant that I have moved three times during these three weeks.  My little mobile crate is getting a workout.

I have found myself working on tasks to end the 2020-2021 school year, but also tasks to prepare for the 2021-2022 school year.  In the past, the passing from one school year to the next was pretty uneventful.  I knew the tasks that needed to be completed, got them done, and prepped for what the year would bring.  While the construction and remodel is adding a degree of uncertainty to that prep (as well as the nagging c-word...what will that add to planning for the year?), the biggest uncertainty for me is the change in tasks for myself.  We all experience a bit of fear of the unknown for the new year.  What classes will I be teaching?  What students will I have?  How will this new curriculum work?  Will my supplies all be here in time?  We may prep ourselves and classrooms for things we will use every day or perhaps that we will never use.  What is great is that every year brings the opportunity for growth, change, and success.  That is what I am looking for with this new opportunity for me.

I thought I would share the following with you as I begin to close the door on the 2020-2021 school year and walk to a new door (while there is no door on that office...or walls...but there is a BIG beautiful hole to the outside for a window!).  I shared this with friends and families after graduation.  

I have just completed my last official duty as the high school principal in Elkton. I graduated my last class of seniors today.

As I close the door this afternoon on the junior high and high school principal’s office, I have many feelings.

-I am sad to leave a JH/HS staff that was always up for my crazy team-building ideas. I am grateful for them and what I have taken away from my experiences in their rooms.

-I am sad to leave a level where you see students really start to get “it”. By “it”, I mean life. They understand that what we as educators are doing goes way beyond just academics. We want them to become good people. They become adults right before our eyes! It is a really cool thing to see!

-I am excited to get back to my roots. I am an elementary person. I like Go Noodle. I like songs. I like when kids like my songs. I am excited to be the person to lead our fine elementary school.

-I am nervous. Change is always hard but I know I have a great staff that is in my corner. I don’t want to let them down. I worry about what I am leaving behind but I know this split will allow me to narrow my focus. Our JH/HS students and staff will be in good hands.

-I can’t really explain how grateful I am for the 10 years I have spent at Elkton as a K-12 principal. I am a better educator and better person for having been in the position to help students through the entire gamut of their education.

Thank you to all for the support!

I thank you all for all you do.  Those are not just words.  I truly thank you for everything you do for our school and students.  May you have a summer full of laughs, relaxation, and fun!