End of Year Speech

The teachers were asked to take a survey about different random elements.  I took that information and quotes to create this that was read on the last day. (Pardon the typos)

What we will remember….

Ok, so it has been said that what matters in life isn’t the year of your birth or the year that one passes from life.  The thing that truly matters is the dash.  It is the smallest part of the tombstone, but I think the most important. 

What is the legacy that you are leaving behind…what does your dash say?  For many of us, it is the jobs of life …. Parent, teacher, good friend…but it much more than jobs….the dash is experiences….it is events….it is creating memories that you didn’t know you were creating. 

Without a doubt, you do this every single day.  Your dash speaks volumes.  I see you get up way too early to teach way too many kids way too much information in way too short of time when they would rather be sleeping, playing video games, texting, watching tv, talking, playing outside, or a host of other things.  Your dash is moving kids that don’t want to moved….loving kids that don’t know how to love or be loved….and giving kids hope and a future that didn’t know they were missing either one.

I see teachers like Ms. Lang who wants her tombstone to read “her children are her life” or Ms. Crissman’s to say “she made a difference.”  Ms. Kulpa wants her to say “She left the world in a better place” and Ms. Hodges’ to say that “she always did it with a smile.” 

It is with that mindset that we got so many things done this year.  It is with the drive and determination that we are like our super heroes.  Many of you are like Jennifer’s, Stephanie’s or Kim’s favorite “Wonder woman who is strong, beautiful, and can tackle anything” and “takes care of business.”  Or you are like Ms. Jurkowski’s, Ms. Neiman’s, Ms. Ramos’, Roberts’,  or Ms. Krahn’s  favorite superman who has perseverance.  And have to be made of steel as well as travel in a blink of an eye by flying! As well as have “wisdom and power” or hey even knowing that “great things come in small packages” like Mighty Mouse helps like Ms. Walker pointed out to me.  Or maybe you are like Ms. Kulpa who wants Batman’s car or Ms. Lang who wants Betty Boop’s shape…. I don’t think she is really a super hero though….  Regardless, we all do the same amazing things.  Humans have a great scope of power that any superhero has. 

That is why we look up to real life heroes like Ms. Neiman’s husband the Iraq war vet.  Or so many “moms and dads” that was pointed out by Ms. Lang, Lewis, Williams, Jaster, Kulpa, Krahn, Ramos, Haines, Ms. Blasé, and Ms. Hagensick.  Seeing so many people that have been touched by their parents in such a life-changing way makes you wonder the legacy that we are leaving.  Whether it is our personal children or our students…are we being the hero that they need?  Are they seeing us display integrity, citizenship, work ethic, fairness, and overcoming obstacles?  Can we be that real life hero that someone remembers in 30 years….?

It is evident that you guys do.  I see classes like Ms. Jurkowskis that are “busy, silly, and entertaining”…or Jennifers that is “loud…in a good way”   or see Ms Hodges being “Wild, Crazy, Wild, Loveable, and Wild”….or Ms. Ramos being “lively and energetic. “…or Ms. Krahn’s crew that was “chatty, lovable, and leaders”….or across the hall in Ms. Lynch where they are “challenging, quirky, and brilliant.”  -- those seem to always go together….Or Ms. Jaster’s class that is “energetic and special.”  Or Ms. Williams that are “caring and inquisitive”….And some days they may be like Ms. Hayes’ group that is just “full of gas.”

Whatever the make-up of the class…you put your personality in the mix.  You made it yours, and you developed a family with your relationships.  You made the dynamic not only work for you, but for the kids….you made a difference because you cared.

You are great for so many reasons like Mr. P relating to students…not sure what that says about his maturity, but it is a skill nonetheless.  Like Ms. Williams craziness…really??? Nooo???  Or the patience of Ms. Jaster…with the “special class”….We all the ability to laugh at ourselves like Ms. Lewis does or be like Ms. Kulpa where the “kids like her, and learn anyway.”   Some days takes Ms. Ramos’ “organizational skills”  to get through while others take Ms. Hayes’ “meds and patience.”  But above all it takes Ms. Krahns and Ms. Hoth’s “passion for kids”….Passion to change the future….passion to make a difference.

So looking back on the year…we saw a great Kinder/First Mother’s Day tea or kids beam with pride from accomplishing something or being on an awesome team.  We had talent shows, girls on the run, night events like McDonalds, and field trips….oh yea and we taught a little between all of that too!  Ha.  We had kids in jammies, a great 5^th grade Main Event, great teacher appreciation week, and even a snake running across the doorway.

Every day here is an adventure…we are all not sure what is around the corner, but we know that we want to find out and we want to do it together.

So take a moment and find that teacher that you wanted to say something to.  You told me…but you didn’t tell them.  Tell them what they do for kids and what they do for you….they make a difference in tomorrow….but they make a difference in today.  They even make a difference in your dash.  Your dash isn’t just what you have done…it is what others have done with you and for you.

So, wherever you go in the years to come…whether a Hound or another mascot or moving on to something entirely new and different…we are better because of you.  We were a team that will never be exactly the same as today, but we learned something and we got better every day.  Always remember that you can make a difference, you can affect the future, and you can leave each place you touch better because of your time there.