At least once a year while growing up, my parents forced us to clean out our toy chests, closets and desk drawers. While my siblings and I loudly complained about this task, we secretly enjoyed it. There was something satisfying about intentionally making a huge mess of our rooms, re-organizing the clutter while re-discovering hidden treasures, and parting with items that we no longer used.
This week our teachers returned to campus and began the messy process of setting up their classrooms. Not to be outdone by Marie Kondo, the teachers are deciding what items will create a meaningful learning environment and what might be better used in another classroom. Our hallways look a bit like a swap meet where one teacher’s trash is another teacher’s treasure. The sounds of furniture being moved, books being stacked, and teachers happily greeting one another mean that the school year is about to begin.
This morning, we had our first full day of in-service for the entire faculty – it was truly wonderful to reconnect. Our new principal, Doug Hinko, asked everyone to prepare a slide of what brought them joy this summer. While none of them had pictures of reorganizing their closets, there were common themes of spending time with family, traveling, and relaxing.The slides allowed us to reconnect with one another to further strengthen our bond as a community; we are excited to re-engage with our families to strengthen the community bond that makes Yavneh a special place.
We know that sustained happiness comes from gratitude and purpose. We will never take starting the school year together for granted and are truly grateful to be starting the year together. We look forward to seeing you virtually for family conferences next week and in-person for our Welcome Back Bash on Sunday, August 22nd.
