Morning grade-wide meeting in the cafeteria this morning.

Morning grade-wide meeting in the cafeteria this morning.

I am so exhausted I can barely keep my eyes awake, but it’s a good kind of tired. After weeks of team building, inquiry into our own pedagogical practices, building units, discussing and working out details on school operations from scheduling the first day to student flow through the building, loading up UHaul trucks with furniture and carrying a conference table up three flights of stairs, today was the ultimate truth. The kids arrived.

I couldn’t have wished for a better first day.

There were smiles, nervous looks, timid questions and laughter. We had hiccups (including me being locked out of my classroom for 45 minutes), but it was humbling to see how all of the hard work that each member of our team has done pulled together today. There’s something unique about creating a plan and seeing it through until the end. I’ve never opened a school year with such ownership over the process.

I know that this year will not be perfect. I know that there will be times when we will not always agree on how things are done. I know that we will make mistakes….and learn from them. I also know that we are dedicated to doing great things for kids and that is the underlying force behind everything we do. I have complete confidence and trust in the team that has worked so hard to get to this day.

I am sure that the best is yet to come….

Thanks to the awesome SLA@Beeber folks:

Chris J, Diana, Dave, Luke, Karthik, Matt, Max, Marina and Leroy!

 

6 Comments

  1. Reply

    Congratulations Mary Beth and team. I know this will be a remarkable school year for you because it already is. I hope we’ll get to see the new building during Educon.

    • marybeth

      Reply

      Thanks, Deven. Great point…I wonder if we can open both buildings during Educon so people can see them. They are pretty far away from each other, though ๐Ÿ™‚

  2. Nancy Hertz

    Reply

    You are able to achieve such great things Mary Beth because you lead from the heart, and this post another display of why people are so eager to work with you. Put aside any concern about mistakes in your new role as teacher and leader. Be as kind to yourself as you are to your students. Keep rockin’, girl. I am so proud of you!

  3. Nancy Hertz

    Reply

    There are many people in your life who have shown you the door. Own that you walked through it dear girl.

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