Perseverance. That word hangs in my classroom right when you walk in the door. When my great grandfather passed away this past year, it was one of his things that I took with me to hold onto forever and something that I felt was important to share with my students. Right now, I am trying to show perseverance.

When finding out that our schools would be closing for the remainder of the year, I, like many other educators, felt a flood of mixed emotions. I remember having a plethora of questions. I still have questions. While I have hope, there are still losses that I am mourning along with our schools. I feel pain. The pain of not seeing my kids again until they’re in a new room and with a new teacher. The pain of knowing that my student teacher did not get to finish his placement with us. The loss of field trips, proms, sports, leadership assemblies, and just time with our kids in general. The pain of uncertainty plagues us all.

However, I feel comfort knowing that I have support. Support from my coworkers, my instructional leaders, my administrators, my district, and so many more. I am supported, just like I hope our students and their families feel. We will hold each other up. Perseverance looks different for each teacher and each family, but we are strong and I have hope that we will continue to get stronger through this together, as a TCS family.

As a teacher, I see perseverance daily. I see it when my first graders are learning to decode unfamiliar words and read more challenging texts. I see it in the posters hanging in the halls of Woodland Forrest where third graders are practicing new strategies for solving multiplication problems. I see it in AR Flipgrid videos of our students working together to create and build new inventions for Kid Inventors’ Day.

Now is no different, I see it when our CNP staff and other members of TCS come together each day to pass out meals to our families. I see it when our superintendent, Dr. Daria, and his entire team work together to create review packets and provide clear communication to and from our district daily. I see it when our IT Department and instructional technology coaches work together to provide devices for those who need them. I see it when hundreds of teachers get on Google Meet to participate in and lead different forms of digital professional development. I see it when our principals send call-outs and our school social workers check in with families. I see it when our special areas teachers join together to come up with innovative ways to still reach and meet the varying needs of our students. I see it when families work with their children at home and learn new technology. I see perseverance present everywhere in our district and community.

So, despite all that is thrown our way these coming weeks, I know one thing is certain, and that is that we will persevere.

“The greater the obstacle. The more glory in overcoming it.” – Moliere

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