From what I’ve seen as I walk through the schools every week, I see a lot of teachers integrating those principles into their classrooms and into their lives. Seeing teachers take on this challenge head-on inspires me and the other educators around them. Most importantly, by making classrooms fun, having educators that take risks and encourage others, it affects our students in a positive way.
We are in the business of learning. My expectation is for staff to ensure students are learning each and every day, while also continuing their own learning. That being said, our business of learning is also fun. We get to sit on the floor and read to a child. We get to sing with children. We get to see students make connections in their learning. We get to introduce students to the world around them, the world outside their community. We are not sitting in a cubicle for eight hours. Our days run the gamut of emotions. We have happy and sad moments, a constant ride of ups and downs. As educators, we love every minute of every emotion, although admittedly, we may not always love it in that very moment.
I ask that you take some time and reflect back on your 2017-18 . . . now I want you to look back, not as a teacher, but as a student. Was your classroom fun? Did you take risks in your learning? Were you encouraged?
My final challenge to you this year is to encourage you to continue to bring fun into your classroom, as well as take risks. Hopefully, these have become a natural part of your personal and professional life.
I would also like to take this opportunity to tell you how much I appreciate the CHCCS community. Our teachers are some of the most passionate I’ve ever met. Teaching isn’t just an employment opportunity in CHCCS - it’s a fierce opportunity. Our support staff wear so many hats throughout their day, they keep the schools running smoothly and always find the necessary solutions. Our bus drivers take on the responsibility of getting our students to and from school, which is a logistical feat every day, twice a day. Our school and district administrators are incredibly dedicated. They work long and hard, putting in way over 40 hours a week to ensure that CHCCS is the best district in North Carolina. Our families and community are so supportive, doing whatever they can to fill in monetary gaps, volunteer, serve on committees and many other things. Our students are so dedicated. They take their learning journey seriously and understand they help make their learning experience what it is.
Thank you to all of you. I have been so inspired by you this year. You have encouraged me. You have shown me what fun looks like in our district. You have helped me learn to take bigger and bigger risks. You have helped make my first year here more than I could have expected and I cannot wait for my second year . . . I know it only gets better in CHCCS.
