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| photo courtesy Donna Yingst Shenk |
I cleaned out my classroom on Wednesday. It was the first time I'd been in there since March 13, with the exception of two 20 minute "grab and go" opportunities during Virtual Learning this spring. It was weird to be there, and the experience was emotional. I packed away several boxes of books, including class sets of "On Grief and Grieving" by Elizabeth Kugler-Ross. Now I'm wishing I'd brought one copy home to re-read.
The year is over, and we didn't get to say goodbye.
After dinner, I took my llama-like chair down the street to watch the 2020 version of The Senior Parade. It was a little comforting, and a lot bittersweet, to see the eight minute parade led by our SRO, Scott Ney, and firetrucks from all three municipalities, followed by car after car filled with seniors celebrating the previous night's "Virtual Graduation." Many wore caps and gowns, some had signs, some threw candy. It was a giant rush -- that same rush I get when I have a truly wonderful day of meaningful discussions in my classroom with my students. It made me grieve the loss of the "real" school year all the more.
I've previously mentioned the TDO, the Talent Development Opportunity, project that is part of my Themes in Lit course. A week after school closed, I received an assigned reflection from one student which included a sentence that said:
"I really hope we go back, because I don’t
want that random Friday to be my
last day of high school ever."
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| photo courtesy Donna Yingst Shenk |
Those words have haunted me since Taylor wrote them in March, and they make me incredibly sad. All of the "what might have beens" are still tumbling through my awake mind, and my dreams, and I'm forty years older than the kids who are making history by living through their high school years during a pandemic. I should be able to handle this better than they are -- yet, somehow, they're demonstrating strength in accepting change much more readily than many of us.
Thursday morning, I awoke to seeing the Tribe perform the ritual senior circle and tossing of caps in a field at a neighborhood church after the parade. I was crying, before I even got out of bed - for the loss I felt for this year, for the safety of the non-social-distanced circle, and the downright glory I felt for the sense of normalcy that existed for that brief moment in the twilight hours of June 3, allowing the class of 2020 to gather together and celebrate because a wonderful group of community members made it possible by collaborating on social media.
Everything is not normal, and random is the only word we can all claim at this point. Somehow, with the support of a wonderful community, the class of 2020 picked up the pieces and satisfied the challenge Dr. Lausch had offered to all of us this year at Donegal:
Every Name, Every Need, ONE TRIBE.
It remains our duty as educators to identify the struggling, figure out what they need, and continue to bless and nurture every member of the Donegal community. Amazing things have happened, and will continue to happen, because of the parents, teachers, friends, and surrounding neighbors who love and support our graduates and graduates-to-be. It's easy to say that we'll come together, one way or another, in the fall to welcome the next class of seniors, and we'll improve upon what we've learned and make better use of technology or ramp up the quality of our lessons, all while focusing on Every Name, Every Need. It's really hard to do that without looking back, and shedding more than a few tears for what could have or should have been.
To the class of 2020, I say congratulations on your graduation. Please, go change the world, using the compassion, kindness, and unconditional flexibility you've learned. We need you, now, more than ever, to constantly remind us of our need for flexibility and imagination to solve whatever obstacle we encounter.
To the teachers and parents, it's officially summer, after a few more professional development days. Restoration and renewal will be replaced by getting ready for the next level of Jumanji 2020.
