School Years
The Story a Principal Shared with Her Staff and Families
School years. They’re made up of months, weeks, days, moments. They have a rhythm, like the pages of a book being turned, that becomes a heartbeat in the lives of us educators.
Chapter 1 of my “book” started in my own kindergarten classroom in 1976 at Virginia Court Elementary School in Aurora, Colorado. Mrs. Burch’s large, inflatable “Letter People” lined the room. Mr. M loved milk. Mr. T had tall teeth. Miss A ate apples. They captured my heart and mind, and I quickly came to love school.
My 1st grade teacher, Miss Kathmann, allowed me to read books that I wanted to read. She got to know me as a person, not just a student, teaching me the value of relationships between teachers and their students. We are still in touch today; I’ll be seeing her when I’m in Denver in a couple of weeks.
Mrs. Miller, my 4th grade teacher, knew how to have FUN in the classroom. She had us build things and write songs to aid our learning. She also had wacky rituals, like wearing roller skates in the classroom…for some reason, though I can’t remember what! She taught me about the joy creative teachers can bring to their students. I’m pretty sure that’s when I decided to become a teacher.
Fast forward to the spring of 1993, chapter 2 of my “book,” when I was a student teacher in 4th grade here at Manzanita, in what is now Kailey Sammons’ classroom. My cooperating teacher was brilliant. She guided me in discovering the true complexity and rewards that come with our calling as elementary teachers. I was hooked.
I poured my everything into teaching 3rd and 4th grades here at Manzanita for 6 school years, that familiar cadence running strong. When I became a mother in 1998, my heartbeat quickened. I was struck with the awesome responsibility that teachers have EVERY. SINGLE. DAY, caring for a room FULL of every parent’s MOST. PRECIOUS. GIFT.
I then had an opportunity to take a leave of absence and work for the University for 3 years, supporting teachers, students, and families, through 3 grant-funded, STEM-related programs.
I returned to Manzanita to teach 5th grade for 3 more years, then left to become principal of Ventana Vista in 2005, where I remained for 10 years.
Chapter 3 consists of my 19 years as an elementary principal. In this chapter, the pages seem to turn faster with each passing year. Its stories are full of passion and hard work; laughter and some tears. They are humanly intense and incredibly rewarding.
My CFSD family has literally watched me grow up. Since becoming an employee here, I was a young bride, became a mother, experienced divorce, lost my own mother, became a grandmother, and got married again.
After following the rhythm of 31 school years (48, if you count the ones spent as a student), I have decided that it’s time to start writing my sequel. I don’t know yet what the first chapter in my new book will look like, but I am anxious to start filling the pages with new adventures. This will be my last year at Manzanita.
And, like a favorite book, whose lessons stay with you long after you close it, I hope that the morals I have learned through the pages of my story, thus far, will remain with you:
Investing in relationships is key. In the words of Maya Angelou, “...people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” I’m certainly not perfect at this, though I try hard to keep it at the forefront of mind in everything I do.
Actively seek ways to find joy and creativity in your work. As Mark Twain wrote, “Find a job you enjoy doing, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” I believe this, wholeheartedly.
Be a life-long learner. Our work is incredibly complex and ever-changing. The longer I’ve been in it, the more clear it has become that we never “arrive” in this field. As Ralph Waldo Emerson eloquently stated about life, “it is a journey, not a destination.”
Take seriously your awesome responsibility for educating children. In the words of Nelson Mandela, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." Let that sink in. Together we are changing the world. And, we are shaping the lives of individuals who have the power to do the same.
And last, but certainly not least, practice gratitude. I hold tremendous gratitude for the time I’ve spent on this campus and in CFSD. It’s been an honor and a privilege to work alongside all of you in service to our students and community.
I assure you that this isn’t “The End.” I am still very much here and plan to finish the year strong. I look forward to the remaining time we have together before jumping into my sequel.