As the year is coming to an end, it has been interesting to see how the thought of a school year ending has impacted many of our students and staff. Whether it is graduating from WHS or simply having a summer break between your sophomore, junior and senior years, I have heard many more conversations about not being with friends and having a common spot to meet daily-our campus. There is a real feeling of anxiousness and loneliness about not being able to see the important people who have become such a crucial part of their daily/weekly experience. Relationships matter, and it is very interesting to see this generation have this reaction. With all the connectivity through social media, texting, FaceTime, etc, it is awesome to see how our kids and staff still want and desire direct, human interaction. We see this during passing periods, lunch, events, and in the classroom. There is a mood of excitement that the academic year is coming to an end, coupled with a little sadness around the departure of their weekly routines with relationships. This is especially true for our graduates who have may have spent many years together in our district from elementary through high school. We look forward to our 2019 Commencement Ceremony on May 30th at 7 pm. This is an exceptional class of seniors who I cannot wait to reflect on during the ceremony Thursday night. We found our earlier start time from last year was a huge positive for everyone, and the time change seemed to make for an even better ceremony. We are extremely proud of the Seniors of 2019! Summer is the best time for many of our families with trips, camps, family events, and absolutely nothing to-do days. We hope everyone will enjoy the break from the school routine and allow themselves to cherish any and all time they get to spend with friends, family, and pets. Be safe and take some time to just relax. Relaxation-the state of being free from tension and anxiety. This is easier said than done but a nice goal as we get our minds and hearts heading toward a break.
Have a wonderful Summer 2019!
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Last year, we formalized one of the more unique experiences for our seniors. Our seniors have the chance to visit their elementary school. They visit with past teachers and are introduced to the current students in an assembly setting. Each school has a different style for this event based on the campus culture. It is a great day, for all involved. Enjoy these snapshots from today's visits... Once a Chap, always a Chap becomes a reality for our seniors and elementary students. Have a wonderful weekend and a very Happy Mother's Day!
Every year there are unique days in a calendar. There are holidays, birthdays, anniversaries positive and sad memories. For our students, there are many events on special days: first day, last day, dances, prom, driver's license attainment, games, rehearsals, performances, contests, dates, and graduation. There is a date that seems to change everything very quickly. This date changes everything. This date profoundly impacts perspective.......the date is May 1st.
May 1st suddenly makes the finality of a school year immediate, sudden, jarring and eye opening. The writing of 5/1/19 or looking at your phone for time with Wednesday, May 1 appearing creates a whole new look at time. There was a new anxiousness and relief with this date for our campus on Wednesday. STAAR and AP testing loom suddenly for they begin next week. May 1st is also National College Signing day which means seniors throughout the country display their post-high school choices with t-shirts and signing of the banner. Summer is less than 30 days away for all our students. Three classes of students prepare and reflect for a move up at WHS while our seniors gear up for a radical experience of university life, gap year, or workforce endeavors. I truly wish I had tallied the number of times I heard "I can't believe it is May. " That was followed by a brief but intense rundown of things to be accomplished in the next month by students, teachers, and parents. We have settled back down into more of a normal groove, but Wednesday was something else! |
Steve Ramsey: WHS Principal BlogPrincipal's Weekly Reflections Archives
May 2019
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