What You Don't See

I have been able to contact most of the parents with children in my class in the last two weeks. Everyone has been very positive. I enjoy calling each parent and giving them time to talk. Well, we all know my gift for gab... maybe I should say give us time to talk. I found out this year, like every year, that people love Park. No, I mean LOVE, no, really L. O. V. E. Park Elementary. I know why. Park is not just the place to be. Park is a family. I mean a real family. We are not a zone. We are part of something bigger than that. We are a chance. We are support. We are where to find answers. We are a shoulder to lean on, a hand up, and plate of fried chicken when it's needed. We love our school and we love our students. We are not a zone. We are a part of something bigger than that. We are what you don't see:

Mr. C., who stops his break to help children cut up food at lunch time.

Mr.T., who dances with first graders and holds baby chickens with second graders and then stands up for teachers in meetings...all on the same day.

Mrs. R., the teacher, who has visited more than one student in the hospital and the home of another after tornadoes hit Hamilton.

Mrs. W., the teacher, who drove to a student's house when he didn't show up for school on the day his class was giving him the first birthday party he ever had.

Ms. M., who gives music lessons for a far less expensive rate than anyone around so that all kids can learn to play music.

Mrs. P., the parapro, who gives her own money on Relay for Life day so that every child can have a treat.

Mrs. O., who knows every child's name in the school and who they are related to and advocates for them at every meeting.

The ladies at Focus along with Mrs. S., who saved books all summer to give to the school book giveaway program.

The parents who worked and worked to raise money for our playground.

Park's PTA, who organize some of the best events in the least intrusive ways for our school.

The owners of Blimpie, who give proceeds to Park on Spirit Nights and cookies for good grades every nine weeks.

The owners of Fox's Pizza, who also give proceeds to Park on Spirit Nights and twenty tiny pizza boxes to my class every year to make solar ovens when we study energy.

Students at HCHS, who didn't need teachers to prompt them, that donated books, games, and clothes to students at Park.

FBLA at HCHS organized a book drive for Park's book giveaway program.

The Front Porch Gang, who will do anything to help from Work Days on the Grounds to being a class reader every week for as long as I can remember.

Allen Levi, who wrote and recorded Park's theme song; I wonder if he has ever heard 400 kids singing his song at one time. It is ours and we sing it every day.

Mr. O., who manned a grill at Park for a loooong time to feed every staff member in the building.

This post is not even near being finished, I can and will continue to post examples of how Park is the place to be because of the people that are committed to our school and our students. I found out, just like every other year, that people love Park. I found out, just like every other year, how much more I come to love Park. Great things happen here and people don't see them happen. Great people work here but people don't understand the work that is done. I think the biggest thing that causes the dedication so prevelant in those involved at Park is the knowledge in this community that anyone can bring a child to Park and be confident that no matter what that child's ability may be or how little a person may have, he or she will be accepted and valued, taught and provided for because all of our students belong to all of us and we know the meaning of family.