It’s that time of year to set goals and reflect on all we have done. My own soul searching came to an epiphany level while spending the afternoon sledding. Yes, sledding. I was with my children and most loyal dog having the time of my life. The whoosh of the cold air while zooming down a hill with both my children on my lap not only conjures huge smiles but allows time for some perspective. The laughter that emerged that afternoon brought balance back to my soul and suddenly things seemed so clear. What have I been doing with my time? Has it been worth it? Have I made a difference?
Making a difference in the quality of education our children receive has always been the big picture for me. This is what all of our work and effort this year has been about, making our schools better for our kids. Can we say all the effort we invested this year in meetings, and blogging, and presentations made an actual difference in the classrooms of these little people? Honestly, I am not sure. It helped bring awareness to the problems in our schools. It helped align people and ideas. It helped start discussions. It helped show the teachers our community supports them. This is an awesome beginning. Now, as we enter into a new year we have to move past the “talking” and start “doing.”
This is a personal issue, giving back time and money to our schools, especially for me. These teachers, principals, and support staff are not just colleagues they are my friends. They are my clan. These students we keeping talking about are not just nameless, faceless children to me. They are my own children, they are my children’s friends, they are my friends’ children; they are my former students. Every meeting, comment, interview, discussion, blog post was always about helping them. Again, I asked myself, “How have I helped them?” And again, I am not sure. I do know that all my kids can express was that Mommy was stressed out all the time, always on the computer doing research or trying to prove a point, and going to meetings; lots of meetings.
It took Christmas break and a day of sledding to realize I was wrong. I am doing it all wrong. I believe trying to fix things from the top down never works. It’s too big, too established, too entrenched in itself. Take me to the place where the impact starts; locally, in a classroom. Let’s kick off a grass roots effort to say, “If our district won’t provide what our kids need. We will.” Our teachers are already doing so much good work I had to ask, “How can we reinforce that?” I have spent months working with principals on organizing and training volunteers at the Elementary level. Our plan is to do just what I mentioned above: reinforce all the good that our teachers are already doing. If support is desperately needed, and support is cut, why can’t we as a community provide the support? Our volunteers, our rangers of reinforcement, have specific tasks and goals provided to them by the teachers. My time, my energy, my passion needs to be invested in making an impact on educational outcomes. Organizing, training, and implementing a team to accomplish this goal is paramount. Priorities are shifting to something more tangible.
I thank everyone who has stepped up to stay informed on legislative decisions, budget facts, the superintendent search, the status of buildings, and school board meetings. It is daunting but important to keep the flow of information open. It is wonderful there are people built just for this kind of task and they thrive in these environments. But I don’t want us to forget about the most important part of all, our children. I fear, I might have and I must get back to them.
I may not be at as many meetings, I may not be arguing budget facts or putting people on notice, but I will be where my heart and soul feels that rush, I will be with the kids. I will be playing with my own and helping in the schools. Look for me and an army of volunteers. We’ll probably be sitting on the floor listening to someone read and asking them meaningful questions about the text. I encourage anyone who is looking to take action to consider trying to help make a difference by helping one child at a time.
Next week everyone is back in school. The long haul to testing will begin and we will start to see the true effects of all of the recent cuts to staffing and programs. What are we going to do about it? Talk or take action? Call a principal and volunteer, ask a teacher how you can help in their classroom, donate to the various educational organizations in town, just do something. This change we want in our schools is brewing and we want our community to be a part of it. Ask yourself, “How can I help?” In the meantime, if you need some clarity…. go sledding.
Making a difference in the quality of education our children receive has always been the big picture for me. This is what all of our work and effort this year has been about, making our schools better for our kids. Can we say all the effort we invested this year in meetings, and blogging, and presentations made an actual difference in the classrooms of these little people? Honestly, I am not sure. It helped bring awareness to the problems in our schools. It helped align people and ideas. It helped start discussions. It helped show the teachers our community supports them. This is an awesome beginning. Now, as we enter into a new year we have to move past the “talking” and start “doing.”
This is a personal issue, giving back time and money to our schools, especially for me. These teachers, principals, and support staff are not just colleagues they are my friends. They are my clan. These students we keeping talking about are not just nameless, faceless children to me. They are my own children, they are my children’s friends, they are my friends’ children; they are my former students. Every meeting, comment, interview, discussion, blog post was always about helping them. Again, I asked myself, “How have I helped them?” And again, I am not sure. I do know that all my kids can express was that Mommy was stressed out all the time, always on the computer doing research or trying to prove a point, and going to meetings; lots of meetings.
It took Christmas break and a day of sledding to realize I was wrong. I am doing it all wrong. I believe trying to fix things from the top down never works. It’s too big, too established, too entrenched in itself. Take me to the place where the impact starts; locally, in a classroom. Let’s kick off a grass roots effort to say, “If our district won’t provide what our kids need. We will.” Our teachers are already doing so much good work I had to ask, “How can we reinforce that?” I have spent months working with principals on organizing and training volunteers at the Elementary level. Our plan is to do just what I mentioned above: reinforce all the good that our teachers are already doing. If support is desperately needed, and support is cut, why can’t we as a community provide the support? Our volunteers, our rangers of reinforcement, have specific tasks and goals provided to them by the teachers. My time, my energy, my passion needs to be invested in making an impact on educational outcomes. Organizing, training, and implementing a team to accomplish this goal is paramount. Priorities are shifting to something more tangible.
I thank everyone who has stepped up to stay informed on legislative decisions, budget facts, the superintendent search, the status of buildings, and school board meetings. It is daunting but important to keep the flow of information open. It is wonderful there are people built just for this kind of task and they thrive in these environments. But I don’t want us to forget about the most important part of all, our children. I fear, I might have and I must get back to them.
I may not be at as many meetings, I may not be arguing budget facts or putting people on notice, but I will be where my heart and soul feels that rush, I will be with the kids. I will be playing with my own and helping in the schools. Look for me and an army of volunteers. We’ll probably be sitting on the floor listening to someone read and asking them meaningful questions about the text. I encourage anyone who is looking to take action to consider trying to help make a difference by helping one child at a time.
Next week everyone is back in school. The long haul to testing will begin and we will start to see the true effects of all of the recent cuts to staffing and programs. What are we going to do about it? Talk or take action? Call a principal and volunteer, ask a teacher how you can help in their classroom, donate to the various educational organizations in town, just do something. This change we want in our schools is brewing and we want our community to be a part of it. Ask yourself, “How can I help?” In the meantime, if you need some clarity…. go sledding.