Punching Holes

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!