Hey Friends! Did summer fly by for any of you? This definitely felt like one of the fastest summers of my life but I can say that I was able to enjoy some much-needed time off. While we didn’t go on any vacations this summer, I definitely had my hands full with Baby #2! Our son, Oliver, was born in June and I have been enjoying maternity leave with my family. I am soaking up the last few weeks of daytime snuggles while I can! 🙂

In just a few weeks, I will go back to work and I am SO excited to start a new school year and leave the old one behind. (Although I am going to miss my little ones at home!) Don’t get me wrong – I absolutely LOVE what I do. However, last year was definitely…unique, to say the least.

I certainly do not need to recap the last school year because I am pretty sure that everyone reading this blog has a similar story. It was an exhausting year – mentally and emotionally. It was a difficult year to watch and hear the stories of our struggling students, families, and staff. It was a confusing and frustrating year as federal and state legislation constantly changed. It was an isolating year where we didn’t often get to see family, friends, coworkers, and students. Due to all of this, I am sure summer break was much needed for many educators and I hope you took some time to refresh and rejuvenate for the new year.

As we move into a new school year, I am looking ahead and excited for what is to come. There is going to be a lot of support that our students will need as we come into this school year, whether that is academic, emotional, or social support. It will be challenging for students and teachers to readjust to being on campus. Even though we will have a variety of challenges, adjustments, and struggles as we head into the new year, I believe that we can be successful by keeping this very, simple motto at the forefront of our minds:

Do what’s best for kids.

That’s it. Just keep kids and their best interests at the forefront of your mind. I know, it’s kind of a “duh” motto. However, it can be easy for it to slip our minds from time to time as we get into the daily routine of life. As educators, our focus should be doing right by students and that extends far beyond their academic needs. Quite frankly, we will never be able to successfully educate our students if we do not keep in mind their emotional needs.

Our students have an entire world beyond the four walls of your classroom. As educators, we only see them for a tiny fraction of their day. Don’t forget that. Our world is only their world for a small portion of their day. Try to keep in mind that every student has a story that affects the way they will behave and/or perform in your class. To do right by our students, we must always consider their untold stories – even if we don’t get to know these stories.

Do what’s best for kids this year – and don’t forget to enjoy them, too!