As we approach the end of the school year, there seems to be
many opportunities to honor people. As you know, this is Teachers Appreciation
Week as well as Nurse’s Day today and Lunch Lady Appreciation Week. May is also
School Board Appreciation Month. Yes, all rolled into one.
I was told this morning that it “must be nice to be a short
timer and be able to tell people what you really think.” It is nice and I am
going to take this opportunity to tell you all what I think. I hope you take
the time to read the whole thing.
I picked up on a theme yesterday in church from Pastor Jon
Anenson at Hope Des Moines Campus. It made me think about the world in which we
all have chosen to live, the world of education. There is a lot of darkness in
our world and whether you wish to view it as our world of education in
Pleasantville or the entire world, I think it would fit either way. When I
speak of darkness, I speak of things such as poverty, kids making bad choices,
adults making bad choices, government interventions and mandates and we could
go on and on. Many people might ask, “Why is
there so much darkness?” I would suggest that we need to turn that around to
ask, “Why isn’t there more light? How can we create more light?” Richard Alvey
wrote a blog about Robert Louis Stevenson, the acclaimed author and it spoke to
me about education. Here’s an excerpt:
Robert
Louis Stevenson, the author of classic books like Treasure Island,
spent his childhood in Edinburgh, Scotland, in the 19th century. As a boy,
Robert was intrigued by the work of the old lamplighters who went about with a
ladder and a torch, setting the street lights ablaze for the night.
One
evening, as young Robert stood watching with fascination, his parents asked
him, “Robert, what in the world are you looking at out there?” With great
excitement he exclaimed, “Look at that man! He’s punching holes
in the darkness!”
When we invite students into our lives, we are punching
holes in the darkness.
When we sacrifice our comfort, our family’s comfort and our
own resources to help our kids, we are punching holes in the darkness.
When we take time to listen to our kids, really listen, we
are punching holes in the darkness.
When we overlook bad choices made by others and love them
anyhow, we are punching holes in the darkness.
The people associated with the Pleasantville Schools do a
tremendous job of punching holes in the darkness and creating more light. This
is such a great place and you all have such a great moral imperative to help
our kids. I really, really appreciate all you do for our kids, be that in a
classroom, an office, a lunchroom or at the Board table. You have created light
for our young people and will continue to do so. God Bless you in this
extremely important life journey that you have chosen. Thanks!
