Happy Friday Murch Families,
I used to think of my career in steps: teacher, assistant principal, principal, adjunct…now I view it more as pre and post pandemic. I am currently finishing year 2. As parents and educators, we have both faced challenges these past two years that were unlike many before. Things have changed radically yet we find ourselves looking for normal. Let’s get back to the way we used to do things. Pre-pandemic, the Murch community looked and acted a bit differently than it does now. I try to put my finger on the differences as to why and sometimes end up saying to myself, I’m not quite sure what it is but I know that it feels different.
As a generalization, I think many of us yearn to return to the way things were, yet I often wonder what missed opportunities we may overlook if we did that. As we have already begun thinking about and planning for the next school year, there are a few things I think about, and hope others will, as well as the opportunity to rebuild and create a stronger Murch community is at hand.
Are we an inclusive community – does every family feel like they belong, and this is a community they are proud of being a member?
Do we actively cultivate respectful, supportive relationships among students, teachers, and parents?
Do we emphasize common purposes and ideals?
Do we provide regular opportunities for service and cooperation?
Do we have fun as a community?
What will Murch look like next year? Much of what will be known is still unknown and will make for a very busy yet productive summer. The district has already begun to develop its districtwide focus and relationships will be at the top of the priority list. It will be ours as well.
As we are all aware, life is busy and we all get bogged down and at times take on way more than we can handle, yet it all must get done. This creates a lot of stress, communication can break down, misunderstanding can be commonplace, and perception can become reality.
We have an incredible staff and community and if we examine how we do our work and what our focus is, I believe we can accomplish almost anything. This will take a lot of coordination, time, effort, communication……and so on.
One of the things we did years ago was to invite parents in to work with students in an area of expertise. One dad who was a cartographer on Mt. Everest brought in his tools of the trade, pictures, and other things to a first-grade classroom. It was memorable and the experience was worth its gold in weight. This sort of initiative is a big lift and will need help getting this up and running but I think it is an effective way to build community with a focus on learning.
There will be many changes in how we do our work as educators, and I am excited about what the future of this school community is and know that we have learned many valuable lessons from the past. This is an opportunity for history not to repeat itself but to be a time where we can make history.
Have a wonderful weekend and end to this school year!
Principal Cebrzynski