On January 20, we celebrate the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  His life was spent in service to others. This year, I challenge you to honor Dr. King by serving others, especially on the day set aside in his name.  The history of our community runs deep and wide and service is an important part of where our community came from. And in our community, there are many opportunities for us to volunteer to work with those in need either through retirement communities or through churches and hospitals.  Think about what you can do to give back to and support those in our community who need it. Just visiting someone in a retirement home can fill their day with light and hope. Going to visit someone in a hospital who has no family to visit them helps ease their worries and makes them know they are not alone.  Reaching out to help those in our community who are in need of patience, kindness and happiness will change both their life and yours. And maybe, just maybe, your day of service in memory of Dr. King will turn into something you continue throughout your life.

It’s the start of a new year, so I know many people are taking this time to assess their life, their health or their job and are deciding how they can improve as an individual.  A lot of resolutions are being made and can be kept with hard work and determination. It’s not uncommon for people to work together on a resolution, like changing their diet. These offer an opportunity for us to encourage and work with others, helping another reach a goal and cheering for them along the way.  I propose for CHCCS to work together towards a common New Year’s Resolution. We’re half way through our Strategic Plan’s timeline and I can see all the incredible work being put into our plan by both staff and our community. So let’s resolve together to continue to work to strengthen our district. Let’s resolve together to support our staff.  And let’s resolve together to make sure that EVERY child will succeed.

This time of year, everyone is trying to figure out what gifts to get.  Stores are full, packages are exchanged and gratitude is given. Giving and receiving gifts throughout the year is a big part of our culture.  We like to give things to others so we can see the person’s joy upon opening our gifts. Giving gifts can be powerful.

The gift of service is one of the most compelling gifts to give.  Those who share this gift have made a selfless commitment to another.  With this gift, they’re telling someone how extraordinary they are. And there are many gifts of service to share.

We can volunteer to help others, giving of ourselves and our personal time.  So many people in our community benefit from this. If you help a neighbor in need, volunteer in our schools, in hospitals, in retirement communities - all of these help not only our community by ourselves.

There are so many ways to offer gifts of service and I would say our educators offer this gift every day.  I see many staff members who work through lunch and stay after school to help students with school work or to sponsor a club or athletic team.  I see staff members at plays, concerts, athletic events and other competitions, supporting their students long after a school bell has rung. I see staff members volunteering in our community, showing their students the importance of giving to others.  I see how much of themselves CHCCS educators pour back into their schools, loudly cheering for their students, bringing their own families in on the support.

I don’t have to tell anyone in our community how our educators work in a field where their pay isn’t a reflection of the importance of the job they do.  We know that. I don’t have to remind anyone we don’t have an approved state budget. Our community knows what’s going on in education. But I do want to remind everyone, regardless of any negative factors which may be out there, our teachers, staff and administrators are continuing to do what they do: give of themselves to make sure every child is learning.

As we head into Winter Break, please make sure you get plenty of rest and enjoy time with loved ones.  Be sure to unplug and de-stress - all of us have earned the opportunity to enjoy this time away from school.  Then be prepared to come back on January 6 energized and ready to finish the school year strong in 2020!

Have you thought about where CHCCS would be without all those who volunteer in our district -  without those individuals from our community who give their time throughout the school year? Have you thought about all the different types of volunteers we have?  In addition to all our individual volunteers, we also have groups of people who volunteer to work together to better the district. Our Equity Advisory Council (EAC) and Business Advisory Council are both examples of community members volunteering their expertise and voice to elevate and work for students.  There are many positive ways to give back in our district and not only the students will benefit from your time. I promise, you will get more back than you put in.

Mentors are some of the most influential people in our lives.  I am proud of the mentors in my life, as well as the opportunities to serve as a mentor to others.  In our district, we have many kinds of mentors and not just those who mentor our students. We have teachers mentoring other educators in their schools, administrators who mentor people in the district and throughout the state.  We also have students who are mentoring other students. And mentoring isn’t always something organized. Many mentors don’t even realize they’re mentoring someone - they view it as just helping another. When you look at all those who give of themselves in the district, it is truly inspiring.  If you aren’t a mentor, please think about taking that step. During this Season of Giving, there are many ways to give.

For my November blog posts, since this is the month of Thanksgiving, my theme has been gratitude.  And there is much to be thankful for in CHCCS.

As a community, I am grateful for everything our members bring to CHCCS.  No request goes unfulfilled. No call to action is ignored. Instead, whenever there is a need, our community jumps right into the fray, ready to help out whoever is in need.  

Our district is full of incredible staff members and administrators.  From the people who answer the phones, support our administrators, drive our students, guide our instruction and manage our resources, CHCCS has some of the best people in those roles.  Not only are they assets to their school or department, but to the district as a whole. They see things big picture and are always working towards solutions and efficiency. When they work together, I know there’s nothing they cannot accomplish for our students. 

When I think about the teachers and educators in CHCCS, I can’t help but be motivated.  The dedication, knowledge and inspiration they bring into their classrooms ensures the future of our students’ education.  I visit schools, go into classrooms, talk to students and parents and am proud of the level of learning. Our students have welcoming learning spaces where they feel safe to explore and take responsibility for their educational journey.  I have very high expectations for our teachers, and in return, know they have high expectations of our students. Because of these circumstances, CHCCS students will leave our hallways more prepared to face the world outside their school.

I’m passionate about our students.  As I interact more and more with them, I see nothing but potential.  Our students are curious, open, anxious, fearful, brave and honest. They are our North Star, the reason we do what we do.  Every child. Students have a way of being so forthright about what they see, it’s humbling to talk with them. Our students know how to make the most of their education, how to support their peers, as well as their teachers, how to keep digging for knowledge.  Everyone in our community knows the power every child holds.

We have such dedicated and supportive families in our district.  They understand the importance of school and education and want to make sure their children have the best.  By recognizing what it takes to ensure their child’s success, our families volunteer, participate in classes, attend meetings and listen to guest speakers.  Parents in CHCCS are always willing to stand up for not just their child’s education, but to make sure every child’s education is stellar.

CHCCS is made up of more than just parents of students or staff members.  We also have community members - with no other ties than they live in Chapel Hill and Carrboro - who want to share their knowledge.  Every day, they volunteer in our schools, enriching the hearts of our students.

Every person in our community has my gratitude and my humble thanks.  This is an extraordinary district to be a part of and CHCCS wouldn’t excel without every one of you.  I am thankful for what you give back to me.

As we go through life, we will meet all kinds of people.  A few may be negative, but most people are positive. I’m thankful for both, as we can learn from everyone.  Whenever I encounter someone who has nothing uplifting to say, I learn how I don’t want to be perceived. I pay more attention to how I come across, how I use my words and whether or not I build instead of teardown others.  As I meet people who are uplifting and inspirational, I see how I want to be. I watch and listen to how they interact with others, how they help others find the best in themselves. So whether a person is a glass half full or half empty, I am always going to learn from everyone I meet in order to continue to grow towards my best self.

The week of November 18-22 is American Education Week (AEW), which was created to help communities better understand their public schools.  As part of AEW, we honor two groups of hardworking educators: Education Support Professionals (Nov. 20) and Substitute Teachers (Nov. 22). All of these educators are necessary to make sure learning continues every school day.

To our Education Support Professionals: Thank you for all your hard work and efforts - what you do doesn’t go unnoticed.  Education Support Professionals are our administrative assistants, secretaries, bookkeepers and data managers at both the district and school levels.  And we all know they’re consummate professionals. If something needs done, our Education Support Professionals do it quickly and efficiently. They’re asked to help with every aspect of the school, from standing in for a teacher, to helping students get on a bus, to comforting an upset child or staff member.  If you ask a principal, they always acknowledge who actually runs their school. Our schools and offices wouldn’t and couldn’t run without our Education Support Professionals - and they know it!

For our Substitute Teachers:  Thank you for being there to help in our classrooms.  Substitutes are crucial to our district and can be overlooked.  Subs help ensure there is no interruption in learning, which is so important for our students.  In our district, many substitutes are teachers themselves, whether retired or choosing not to work full time, they are valuable classroom resources.

Please make sure you let our Education Support Professionals and Substitute Teachers know how grateful we are as a district to have them.  They bring so much talent and expertise to CHCCS.

Reflecting on Veterans Day has always been very personal for me, as I come from a military family and have family members currently serving.  Honoring our nation’s veterans can help shape a generation.

November is traditionally a month for gratitude and I believe we need to share as much thanks as we can with our veterans.  We owe them our thanks, along with their families, they put our country and its safety ahead of their own lives. The men and women in the armed forces stand up for us.

So this year on Veterans Day, November 11, be sure to share your gratitude.  Our community is full of veterans who have served in wars from the current conflicts to as far back as the World Wars.  If you know a veteran, or their family, please extend your hand to them, please help them with whatever task they may need help with, please make sure you show them respect.  And please do these things knowing our veterans will not ask for help, but will take it with their deepest appreciation.

If you don’t know a veteran, please take the chance and get to know some.  There are many volunteer opportunities throughout our community and we have a VA right next door in Durham.  There are so many ways to show your gratitude for what a veteran has given for our country and community. If nothing else, listen to them and their stories.  Veterans are living history . . . history you won’t always read about in books or see in movies. Time spent listening to a veteran will always be more inspirational and interesting than whatever you planned on streaming that day. 

I want to take this opportunity to publicly thank all the veterans in our CHCCS community.  Many take the time to volunteer in our classrooms and schools. We also have many staff members who are veterans and what they bring to their students is irreplaceable.

Veterans have a way of making all of us proud to be Americans.  Veterans stand up for others, help those in need, give back to their communities - and for all our veterans do and more, I’m grateful.

I’m sure you interacted with a lot of people today - some you know, others you don’t.  Did you leave those interactions with the other person knowing they were a benefit to you?  As I go through my day, I try to make sure everyone knows I’m thankful for them. When I visit schools and see the hard work all the staff are putting into the day, I want them to know I appreciate what they do for every child.  I want students and staff to see me in their schools, in their classrooms, at their extracurricular events. I want them all to know how appreciative I am for each of them. I want them to know how proud I am of the exceptional learning going on throughout our district.  I want our community to hear me tell every student and staff member: Thank you for all you do. You are, each of you, my motivation.