A Busy Summer (07-23-07)

Small town schools never sleep. As I witnessed the constant stream of activity surrounding our schools this summer, I was impressed with the importance of the school system in the life of a rural community. As long as the school is active, the town is active.

This week was as busy as ever. We started our two-week summer school session at the elementary and it was wonderful to again feel the energy of our children resound within the halls and classrooms. I got a taste of what I hope to experience as a K-8 administrator: watching caring teachers greet students in the morning with hugs and smiles; walking by active classrooms where students are engaged in a project or a book; hearing students laugh on the playground or chatter as they walk to and from classrooms; and finally, getting a hug or two at the end of the day from students who had a good time and who appreciate your presence as their principal.

I am going to have to get used to all the hugs. Understandably, high school kids (and high school staff) are not usually that affectionate. But I have already discovered that for younger students and their teachers, a hug is as much a part of the elementary vocabulary as raising an eager hand, or putting a star sticker on a good paper. Somehow, I don’t think it will take all that much for me to acclimate to such a warm and appreciative gesture.

Now, back to my point about how active our schools are over the summer. Along with summer school, several of the K-8 staff participated in a week’s worth of computer training. Part of the EET (Excellence in Educational Technology) Grant, these teachers learned all about how to use the latest communication technologies to enhance and expand their curriculum. I floated in and out and I was impressed at the freshness of the training. The teachers were learning to use the very latest features that I learned many new things in just the short time I observed. I was especially impressed with the units these teachers produced during the week. I think our students will be in for some fantastic surprises.

Of course, this last week was not by any means the first summer activities to be held at our schools. In my last month at the high school, I was astounded by all the activity going on in our secondary facilities: driver’s ed, Colby Community College summer courses, high school and junior high camps, M.A.Y.B summer league basketball, and summer weightlifting. Of course I added to the summer fun by holding our Melodrama practices and performances in the high school as well.

I can’t forget to mention our extraordinary custodians. They have been hard at work, cleaning and painting and repairing and replacing. We have some of the best-maintained facilities in the state due to their unwavering diligence. Summer is their busiest time, and they have really risen to the challenge.

With less than a month remaining, the summer is beginning to slip away. I know that my children will be happy to return to school, especially once they learn all the wondrous educational opportunities their hard-working teachers have waiting for them to experience. However, don’t be fooled by the myth that we’ve had the summer off. We’ve been busy providing classrooms and practice spaces and serving the needs of active little town, all while planning and preparing for what promises to be another productive and fun-filled year.

I hope you enjoy the rest of your summer. Feel free to drop in to the schools to say hello. We’ll be there, ready and waiting.