All the Things I Didn’t Do

During the week of Thanksgiving, I traditionally write about things and people I am grateful for. This year, I have been reflecting on how much I don’t do at school and wanted to give thanks to those who make it possible. I began by walking around the school and taking pictures of our incredible staff doing what they do every day without realizing how special they are and the incredible impact they have on our students.

I began the long list of things I didn’t do in the front office. I didn’t put ice on a child’s head and comfort him, because our fabulous secretary had already done it, just as she does for each child who needs a kind work or some TLC. I strolled into gym, art, and music and noted that I didn’t teach these important skills to our students, because our awesome specials teachers were already doing this. As I walked down the hall, I didn’t help with a struggling reader, because a parent volunteer was working one on one with children. I didn’t help our community through service projects, because our Elementary Support Teacher had already organized a canned food drive. I didn’t need to post a display of our character elements, because our art teacher and a parent volunteer had already done that. I didn’t help students learn to find the books that they love to read, because our media specialist was doing that. I didn’t prepare meals and serve several hundred students, because our cook had done that. I didn’t spend all day in the classroom teaching lessons and dressing up in pajamas to make learning fun for our students, but our teachers did! (well, actually I did wear pajamas:) I didn’t clean the building or direct traffic in our parking lot, because our building supervisor had done that. I didn’t pick up our students early in the morning and drive them safely home at the end of the day, because our bus drivers had already done that. I didn’t plan out events and raise funds for our school, because the PTA had done that. I realized as I walked through our halls that I have so many people to be thankful for here at school.

I was recently given the book “It Takes a Village” as a gift. As I made my list of all the things I didn’t do each day at school, I realized that, like the book, each one of us plays an important role in making sure our students have a positive and productive experience at school. None of us can do it alone. We need each other and we need to appreciate what each person brings to school each day. Thank you for all you do for our students and for doing all the things I didn’t do.

“Gratitude is when memory is stored in the heart and not in the mind.” – Lionel Hampton

“Silent gratitude isn’t very much to anyone.” – Gertrude Stein

“Gratitude is the most exquisite form of courtesy.” – Jacques Maritain

Monday, November 27: REED for PS (Trantham) 8:15 AM, Student of the Month Assembly (GRIT) 9:05 AM, PTA Meeting 7:00 PM
Tuesday, November 28: REED Follow up for MB (Ringler) 8:15 AM
Wednesday, November 29: Battle of the Books Planning Meeting 8:20 AM in LMC, Elementary Principals Meeting 1:00-4:30 PM
Thursday, November 30: Staff Meeting 8:05 AM
Friday, December 1: Records Day (Optional Report Day for Teachers)

Monday, December 4: Celebrate Monday Assembly 9:05 AM
Tuesday, December 5: Achievement Team Meeting (Kurtjian) 8:15 AM
Wednesday, December 6: Jon at MEMSPA Conference
Thursday, December 7: Jon at MEMSPA Conference, Staff Meeting 8:05 AM
Friday, December 8: Jon at MEMSPA Conference