Wednesday, November 25, 2020

A Mindset of Gratitude

I have been a little bummed about how the pandemic has changed my family plans for the holidays.  Still, the meaning of Thanksgiving is significant, and I do not want to forget just how important it is to be grateful and generous.  I reflected on this as I drank my coffee this morning and was reminded of a few things I think are worth sharing. 

Being grateful is helps people in many ways.  It can help them to be more optimistic and work through challenging times. According to some research, if a person has a gratitude mindset, it can even improve their health and general well-being.


Friendships and relationships with coworkers are often improved and enhanced when we express gratitude.  Simple things like taking the time to say thank you, sending a note, and acknowledging another person is often the cornerstone of a new relationship. It can also restore a damaged relationship. It is good to recognize and be genuinely appreciate the success of others. I know this is much easier to do when I am focused on appreciating what I have rather than being envious of others.


I believe that expressing gratitude has psychological benefits as well.  I know I am much happier when I remember all that is good, right, trustworthy and my blessings. I tend to be far less frustrated even when I face adversity and difficulties in life.  It also helps me to be more empathic to others and willing to lend a helping hand.


While this is more of a personal post, I wanted to share my thoughts and message with you as I think it is important for me to take a moment to express my gratitude and appreciation for the students, staff, families, and community members who are a part of the Shenandoah CSD learning community. You are a wonderful gift and blessing that I will list and count on Thanksgiving Day. I appreciate your time and talents and our relationship as they contribute to making Shenandoah CSD the place to be.


Friday, November 20, 2020

American Education Week & Thoughts About the Holidays

This week is American Education Week; I cannot express enough appreciation for our staff and what they do for our students and school learning community.  I am so fortunate that each day I have the opportunity to witness the impact of their commitment and dedication. Truly fantastic work is accomplished. It is also evident that they have genuine care, concern, and compassion for our students. It was very kind of several different community groups to provide acknowledgment for our staff members this week.  The staff warmly received these actions. 

Some have asked me how the staff is continuing despite the concerns over COVID 19 they face each day. The honest answer is that we have some of the same range of emotions that the community has about the effects of COVID 19.  It can be challenging to set aside when we see it has affected some of our students, coworkers, and members of our own families. Our concern and compassion for students and each other has moved us to make large adjustments in our learning environment to mitigate the virus.   

 

On Monday, the School Board met to discussed COVID 19. They took time to review and discuss information related to the Page County positivity rate and the Shenandoah CSD area. They also reviewed information about the percent of students/staff who are ill, the percent of quarantined students, and the implications of moving to remote learning should that become necessary. It was a quality discussion; I commend their willingness to take the time to understand the data and discuss what next steps may or may not be necessary to take.

 

As I shared with the Board, please know that I am in continuous communication with Page County Public Health and consult with Shenandoah Medical Center (SMC) about COVID 19.  We agree that the community positivity rate is of great concern and find it necessary to continue using robust mitigation strategies. There has been some improvement in the local area, but it is not wise to let go of the practices that are known to be most effective. It is critical that you stay home if you are sick and monitor your family members for signs of illness. Doing this is one of the best ways we know how to stop the spread of the virus.  

 

This weekend marks the start of a very busy holiday season, so I hope that you will take the opportunity to rest up a bit before some of the festivities begin. I am regretful that COVID 19 may influence how we celebrate this year, but some things will remain. The meaning of the holidays commonly celebrated over the winter months has not changed. However you decide to celebrate holidays, I would encourage you to consider ways to keep yourself and others safe and healthy as you do. 


Emerging Leaders

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