I don't always win points for being a comforting and understanding parent. As my girls have grown up, they have learned that if they need emotional reassurance, they almost always choose their mom to go to. They have learned to guess what Dad's response will be. When things are difficult or life doesn't seem fair I'm more likely to ask, "What are you going to do about it?' than to comfort them. And sometimes your kids, maybe especially daughters, don't want to hear that. I get it. But it's what I value. I appreciate doing the hard work, especially in times when you might not want to or when the odds don't quite seem fair.
I struggled this week to find the words to say about Stephanie Snow because she had that quality that I admired so much. Anyone who worked in this building for just a short time could recognize that about her. She found a way to solve problems, get creative, meet deadlines, and promote students. Most people will never know how essential her contributions were during COVID. She and I constantly worked together to find ways to balance classes and keep as many kids in school as we possibly could. There were many days that I knew she almost worked around the clock. In short, she never turned away from doing the hard work and that's why we all admired her. And while I'll miss her, I'm happy that she has new challenges ahead of her and new opportunities. She's earned it.
Stephanie is not alone, however. There are plenty of others that we work with and interact with that also do the hard work. This week we got to celebrate a beginning teacher that I already see similar characteristics building in her. Congrats to Ali Lewis on what she's doing and for the recognition of her efforts. She joins the ranks of many others on our campus who share that same belief in taking on challenges when you see a need. We may not always love it. We may sometimes grumble. But we get up the next day and do the hard work and that's what makes it a better place in the end.
