I took a walk around the darkened halls of AAK recently and found myself thinking of the wonders our students will experience over the course of this new school year. This surreal moment exposed each closed doorway that I passed soon to be a portal for a student to enter. What will they learn? What will they do? Who will they become? What will you mean to them?
This Tuesday will be my nineteenth “Opening Day” and I still get just as nervous as I did on my first. The sense of excitement and anticipation which I feel surely pales in comparison to what a young student feels. We are challenged to live up to their expectations. I am confident that you will continue the tradition of excellence that is AAK. I am proud to be the leader of such a tremendous group of professionals.
With that said, this year will be full of challenges for us. A new Grading and Homework policy, shifting cut-scores, more rigorous assessments (or elimination of some exams), budget woes, bullying, and the list goes on. As Superintendent Brady mentioned in his opening speech, there are now more requirements on public educators than ever before. It is imperative that we succeed.
In an attempt to add some humor to my prosaic start, I found the following:
You Might Be in Education if...
• You believe no one should be permitted to reproduce without having taught in a middle school for at least one year.
• You want to slap the next person who says, "Must be nice to work 8-3 and have your summers free."
• You can tell if it's a full moon without ever looking outside.
• You can't have children because there isn't any name you can hear that wouldn't elevate your blood pressure.
• Your personal life comes to a screeching halt at report card time.
Thank you, in advance, for your prodigious efforts this coming week. I can’t wait to see you all in action. You hold the power to shape tomorrow.
Have a fantastic Labor Day weekend,
Jamie
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