Welcome teachers and staff to the official start of the 2021/2022 school year. It was my pleasure to have the opportunity to speak to our incredible staff during our back-to-school kickoff on August 30th. For those not able to tune in to our live event, I wanted to share my message and wishes for a wonderful year. 

Despite all the difficulties, frustrations, and yes, even tears of the last year, we are stronger. I spent time this summer reflecting on all that I learned in the last year like be careful what you wish for; remember when we heard we were closing for two weeks... and it was just a little exciting?  

In all seriousness, there are other important lessons I want to hold on to from the past year. For example, I thought I knew and understood the importance of the teacher-student relationship. The relationships we form with students is the foundation of our classroom and vital for success. I will never again take for granted the student that wants to tell me every single detail of their weekend or the student that asks for just one more hug before they leave because they won’t see me “for one whole sleep.” In my excitement to be back in the classroom full time and face-to-face, I am reminded that this is not just another year. Some of our students will be returning to us after almost a year and a half at home. They come to us having lost loved ones, suffering missed opportunities and disappointments, and like us, having endured a year of uncertainty. We need to find ways to meet our students where they are, not where we wish they were. As teachers, we are community creators. This year, I am committed to building deeper relationships than ever before.  

More than ever, I learned that mental health matters. We are not all counselors or psychologists, but it is important for us to know where to send students and families who need help or who we as teachers can go to, to get help when we need it. Because when we are healthy, our system can be healthy.  

   I learned that technology can be leveraged to work for even our youngest students. “Yes. THEY. CAN” is the biggest lesson I learned regarding technology this past year. While I am excited to once again be back in the classroom, I know that I need to continue to build on this foundation and help prepare my students for a future in which the only constant is change. Access to technology is no longer a barrier we face. We cannot go backwards. We need to keep this momentum going.  

Lastly, I learned that we are truly stronger together. I cannot undervalue the importance of our relationships with each other. My teammates and Hickory family were my strength and my light during this time of constant change and uncertainty. Likewise, the relationships that I built with the families of my students was a special gift. We had no choice but to work closely together during this time. Parents were given an opportunity to have a front-row seat in their child’s education. Many will want that to continue. How can we help parents continue to feel connected and a part of their child’s education, while helping them to transition back into more of a supporting role?  

   As we begin a new school year, we know that the COVID disruptions are not over, but we are all stronger having overcome many of the challenges of 2020. This year, I look forward to sharing the learning journey of my team, 5XStronger, as we discover ways to enhance and improve our own understanding of mental health, technology and the transition back to school full-time. 

I wish you a year filled with a sense of love and belonging, stability, and the simple pleasures of seeing a child’s joy as they learn something new.