A Notable Day in Education

There is no greater gift than seeing a student with whom you've worked for four years finally hit that finish line and graduate.  Covid-19 impacted so many families in vastly different ways. Some of the families I work with had to quickly get access to internet at home. Others had to establish work areas for multiple children while figuring out their work-from-home situation. Others had it much, much worse. Luckily, our school district was nimble and resilient; we quickly mobilized to offer the 40,000 students breakfast and lunch pick-ups. We partnered with broadband companies to offer free hotspots for families in neighborhoods. Students in the class of 2020 didn't get a graduation. Instead, they got a virtual recognition and yard signs. Staff had to quickly get online and figure out a new LMS platform that we hadn't been previously introduced to. It was a lot. I heard from families and then I didn't. I had kids graduate and I didn't. The 2020-21 school year brought about more adjustment and more change. We did a hybrid learning model and by January about 50% of our students were in the classroom at least two days per week. One of my students, a senior, was set to graduate that May; however, online learning wasn't working well for her. There were other obstacles too. Her brother had been arrested; her living situation was tenuous. As a result, her focus towards her senior year was not where it needed to be as the semester approached the end. In May of 2021, she did not graduate. She'd failed multiple classes. We had a conversation about what needed to happen next, and that was she needed to return in Fall of 2021 to complete her studies over the first semester. She could be a potential December graduate if she returned. I spoke with her father, who stated that he understood the situation and that it was up to her to complete her diploma requirements. She assured me that May of 2021 that she would be back in August and would complete her requirements. 

In August of 2021, she did come back full-time with the rest of the students in our district. She completed her requirements with ease now that she could report to school and complete her work at school. She maintained a job outside of school and attendance was not a concern. She graduated in December of 2021 as we had planned. Her brother was still incarcerated awaiting trial; she was still in a tenuous living situation, but she had earned her diploma. In January of 2022, I received this email from her. 

My best days in education: Watching my student set a goal and achieve it

This email brought tears to my eyes. She had set a goal for herself, faced setbacks; she did not achieve her first goal of an ontime graduation, but she persisted. And. She. Did. It. It was a special moment to receive this email, and I have many other examples like this. When families show their appreciation, it makes all of the hard work worth it. 

So, if you're a teacher, counselor, social worker, bus driver, teaching assistant or food service employee, know that every smile, kind word and effort may not be verbalized or appreciated, but every so often, people notice. And you help. Just by being you. So, keep going.