Dog Days of School 

It’s that time of year - the “dog days” of school when the days are long, and there is more work than you could possibly get done in one lifetime. The kids and your coworkers are pushing your every button and you are in survival mode - just clinging for dear life. There are a couple of verses that I hold onto this time of year. They keep me grounded and help me remember – this too shall pass! 

Here is the first one: “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.”

The kids are feeling spring in the air. They’re tired. You’re tired. Your second wind has come and gone. But the race isn’t over. We can see the finish line, barely. Now is when you find out what you’re made of. Now is the time to dig in and strengthen your resolve. More than ever, it is important to remember your “why”. That is what will get you across the finish line.

You’ll see the other verse at the bottom of my emails. “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen but on what is unseen, for what is seen is temporary but what is unseen is eternal”. It is just a reminder that what you do every day is so much more than the things upon which the state places importance. If you don’t believe that, ask Casie Granado about it. She’ll tell you about planting seeds. Some, you get the privilege see come to fruition in beautiful ways. Others, you just have to have faith that you did your part. Not all seeds grow at the same rate nor produce at the same time. The things you do day in and day out have the potential to impact lives for generations to come. And if that is not a reason to keep running the race, I don’t know what would be.

I had a small project I was working on earlier in the week to be ready for TELPAS testing. Magdeline Cook came in and asked me what she could do to help. I hesitated because I know she’s already so busy, but then I remembered something I learned a long time ago: don’t steal somebody else’s blessing when they offer to help you with something. So I told her what I needed and she walked away with it, a smile on her face, leaving me feeling a little lighter. She sent me an email later with a very important, very small message in it. That message was, “Together, we can“. I’ve been thinking about that over the last few days. You’ve heard me say over and over that Bonham is family. And one thing I have seen over and over is that Bonham sticks together. So right now, when we have added responsibilities given to us by the district, testing after testing, and all of the extra duties and paperwork that seems to pile up at this time of the year, remember that we are in it together. And together, we can! Let’s show our community and our students how far teamwork and resilience can take an organization. If you have an ounce to give, give it to someone who needs it. The giving will strengthen you that much more. If you are down to nothing, and someone offers to help you out, then accept it gladly and know that it will help fill your reserve so that you can then give to someone else.

And don’t forget our students are in this too. As much as the faculty and staff are Bonham family, the students are Bonham family as well. Granted, there are some who seem to act like they could care less about anything going on. I don’t believe that to be true. I believe that is a function of the climate in which they live. However, those kids aside, we have many, MANY more students who are here every day doing exactly what they are supposed to be doing. They deserve to know they are not struggling alone and we believe in them. They deserve to know that you are going to fight for them and run this race with them until the very last day of school.