Colleagues –
Well, we made it.
The end of what we arguably can say was the most trying year of education is complete, and I hope you use this summer to reset and replenish the energy that it took for all of us to complete this past year.
As my time in this position draws to a close, I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to each and everyone of you for what you were able to accomplish this year with your students under circumstances that none of us could have even comprehended 18 months ago.
There’s a story that we’ve probably all heard – a child walking along a beach desperately throwing back into the ocean all of the starfish that have washed ashore during the storm. Someone approaches the child and asks why they are doing this – you can’t save them all….you can’t begin to make a difference” .
The child is at first crushed and defeated, but then picks up another star fish, throws it into the surf, and says “Well, I made a difference for that one!”
We all stared into the black void of muted cameras and microphones this year. We have stared at rosters that are a fraction of what they were. We have looked at music in our libraries that we probably won’t be able to perform again for awhile.
But remember this: we all made a difference for at LEAST one of our students. And if we were able to reach at least one…as miniscule of an accomplishment that is…then we WERE effective in what we did this year.
Thank you all for everything you did this year. Stay on the lookout for information in the coming weeks by our incoming president Steve Selfridge on all of our plans for the next school year for both professional development opportunities and in person festivals.
-Justin A. McAdams
Thank you, Justin, for being at the D12 helm during this surreal year!
YOU have made a difference to all of us!
Blessings,
Sister Kathleen Doutt, IHM, D.M.A.
Immaculata University
Just your luck to be the prez during this year! I really appreciated your efforts to be on top of the NFHS study information that was sent out. Thanks, Justin
Tom West
PA Leadership Charter School
Thanks, Justin, for leading us through this.