Tomorrow I will spend the day in search of the perfect photo on the first day of school in our district. I thought I understood anticipation and nervous excitement before I became a teacher. I was wrong. The first day of school redlines both meters. Beginning my second year out of the classroom as communications coordinator for our district, I now share in the exhilaration of eight schools’ worth of first-day energy and share it with our community. It’s not the same as having my own team of sixth graders, but being in classrooms around kids is as good a battery charge as I’ve found so far in the School PR game. (My unofficial rankings of best first-day-of-school visitor experiences: 1. Kindergarten. 2. Everything else.)
Our district welcomes back teachers and staff each year with a convocation one week before our students return. Typically our Superintendent introduces new hires, recognizes service award winners (15 years, 25 years), shares a state of the district address, perhaps a look ahead at initiatives, opportunities, and challenges for the upcoming year, sometimes there is a guest speaker (this year we had the fast-paced and on-point Steve Dembo) and then we eat brunch. This year was slightly different.
After an abbreviated year-in-review, our Super shared some compelling data from our annual Gallup student poll that indicated 57% of our students grades 5-12 were hopeful. Sure, it’s four points above the national average, but can any number shy of 100% be high enough to avoid disquiet? If hope is the #1 non-cognitive indicator of academic success (spoiler alert: it is), then is this welcome back message going off the rails?
He then shifted focus to share a story of one of our graduates from the Class of 2015. The student, Landis, lost his mother to cancer at the start of his senior year. He was losing hope and began to disengage. But through the support of his friends, teachers, and coaches - his “anchors” - he was able to press on. After quitting, Landis rejoined the wrestling team and contributed to a conference championship in dramatic fashion. Landis was in attendance that day. He took the microphone and shared a powerful message of hope and professed his gratitude to the teachers who encouraged him during his darkest hours. In just a few short minutes of heartfelt reflection, he challenged us to be the anchors for students we haven’t even met yet, knowing that we would embark on a year of changing lives. A standing ovation answered his call, followed by tears, hugs, and renewal of purpose.
As our Super concluded his remarks, he encouraged us to reframe our personal mission for the year in terms of hope. He offered to buy a copy of “Making Hope Happen” by Dr. Shane Lopez for any staff member who requested it. The goal is an optimistic effort to start an organic, grass-roots conversation and ignite beacons of hope within our District schools. Earlier in the week he confided that 50 of our 400 teachers taking him up on his offer would represent a heart-warming success. Less than three days later our book order approached 200.
Tomorrow I will head off on the first day of school, camera in hand, in search of the perfect picture to share a message of hope. The educators I work with turn the first day of school into a springboard for what is possible. My best wishes to Teachers, Administrators, and School PR pros out there for a hope-filled first day, and beyond.
Our district welcomes back teachers and staff each year with a convocation one week before our students return. Typically our Superintendent introduces new hires, recognizes service award winners (15 years, 25 years), shares a state of the district address, perhaps a look ahead at initiatives, opportunities, and challenges for the upcoming year, sometimes there is a guest speaker (this year we had the fast-paced and on-point Steve Dembo) and then we eat brunch. This year was slightly different.
After an abbreviated year-in-review, our Super shared some compelling data from our annual Gallup student poll that indicated 57% of our students grades 5-12 were hopeful. Sure, it’s four points above the national average, but can any number shy of 100% be high enough to avoid disquiet? If hope is the #1 non-cognitive indicator of academic success (spoiler alert: it is), then is this welcome back message going off the rails?
He then shifted focus to share a story of one of our graduates from the Class of 2015. The student, Landis, lost his mother to cancer at the start of his senior year. He was losing hope and began to disengage. But through the support of his friends, teachers, and coaches - his “anchors” - he was able to press on. After quitting, Landis rejoined the wrestling team and contributed to a conference championship in dramatic fashion. Landis was in attendance that day. He took the microphone and shared a powerful message of hope and professed his gratitude to the teachers who encouraged him during his darkest hours. In just a few short minutes of heartfelt reflection, he challenged us to be the anchors for students we haven’t even met yet, knowing that we would embark on a year of changing lives. A standing ovation answered his call, followed by tears, hugs, and renewal of purpose.
As our Super concluded his remarks, he encouraged us to reframe our personal mission for the year in terms of hope. He offered to buy a copy of “Making Hope Happen” by Dr. Shane Lopez for any staff member who requested it. The goal is an optimistic effort to start an organic, grass-roots conversation and ignite beacons of hope within our District schools. Earlier in the week he confided that 50 of our 400 teachers taking him up on his offer would represent a heart-warming success. Less than three days later our book order approached 200.
Tomorrow I will head off on the first day of school, camera in hand, in search of the perfect picture to share a message of hope. The educators I work with turn the first day of school into a springboard for what is possible. My best wishes to Teachers, Administrators, and School PR pros out there for a hope-filled first day, and beyond.