We turn the calendar to May today. I recently sent out to the faculty and parents a calendar of events from now to the end of the year. I do this so that everyone is aware and can mark their calendars and save the dates for the many special events coming up from testing to awards ceremonies to school dances. In compiling this list of events, I realized that we have just eight weeks left in this school year. There is so much to do to finish this year strong and also prepare for next year with scheduling and staffing.
Living on an island that is a vacation destination for many (The population increases from about 12,000 year round residents to 65,000 summer residents) this last two months of school presents a challenge. At all schools, when the weather starts to improve, students and staff start to get spring fever or summer anticipation. It becomes challenging to stay focused on the work that we need to accomplish. On an island, the added challenge is we look outside our windows and more and more people are here on vacation while we are still at work. So, collectively, we need to work together to stay on task and finish strong. There is so much to do, so the time will pass by quickly. Let's keep our eye on the moment and resist the temptation to be on summer vacation prematurely. For students in particular, this is challenging. As educators we need to work doubly hard to keep students engaged right up until the end of school. Eight weeks. We can do it!
