What does “Back to School” mean to you? As a teacher I take great delight and joy coming back to school. As I am writing to you, this is the last day of “summer break,” I will wake up tomorrow morning and have a set of students with a range of emotions, backgrounds and needs embarking to embark on a new journey in learning. I am full of hopeful uncertainly. This marks the start of my fifteenth year as a teacher, some may say I am a veteran player, but I am learning new plays this year to best serve the needs of students. This year going back to school looks differently in structure, but the things that bring me delight and joy about the return to school are still the same.  

For me, as I think of back to school I think of anticipation, connection, and learning. The anticipation of the first day of a new school year is as strong as that of a Christmas eve for me. Tossing and turning as I think of the fresh start with visions in my first day outfit carrying perfectly procured school supplies. The inner elementary child of me remembers the excitement of meeting my new teacher, the inner middle school child of me remembers checking in with friends and seeing how many periods we would have together, the high school child of me remembers the choices that were made in electives and the new binders to boot, the college student of me remembers walking onto campus and seeing the dreams of my education life coming to culmination.  I will spend this day anticipating the chance to make a first impression on the students that I hope to share a good story with for the duration of this school year. The connections that will be forged between students and with students. Forming relationships through shared experiences with common goals are at the heart of my classroom. This year, more than ever those bonds will need to be intentionally considered. Back to school this year is providing a return to systems that deliver instruction in core beliefs of our culture. Children need access to instruction that will prepare them to lead meaningful lives regardless of the type of contributions made to society in the future. I believe in learning that will lead students to discovery of purpose and of interests. I believe in learning that will connect students to one another, to themselves and to community. I believe in learning that will challenge students to think deeper, perform better than they thought possible and have confidence to move on.  

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