Thanksgiving Break is one of the major markers of the calendar year in all of our lives. It signals the arrival of fall in Texas, the near completion of a semester of school, and the beginning of a long winter break. One of the greatest aspects of this break is the almost forced reflection this day may cause in everyone’s life. The title alone says that this is a day to be thankful - and this is a very personal reflection. As we age, our notions of being thankful have also changed. This quote I chose to share is from one of my favorites of all time. Thoreau immediately takes me back to my senior AP English class. What I was thankful for back in Kingwood, Texas as a seventeen year old is definitely different than a father of three, husband to a wonderful wife, and educator in the best district in the state. Thanksgiving is one of the rare days that you are allowed, and nearly expected, to talk to your children about the important things in life. Take the time to have this conversation during the break. Whether this occurs during the Turkey Trot, watching the first holiday movie of the year, driving to do some shopping, or just hanging on the couch, take the time to discuss the ideas of happiness with appreciation – which is my simple explanation of being thankful. If you pay extra close attention to the Reflections, that was my post from last year. I think the same message rings true this year: take the time to visit with your kids and family about being thankful. As we were riding in today for my daily drop off at CCE and HCMS with my three daughters, one of them made a very simple and profound statement: “I like Thanksgiving for it is simple. Be thankful-that’s a good idea”. I chose to let that sink in and moved on from the craziness of our departure from the house - the wake-up, lunch making, gathering everything for the school day and evening activities, and even the music selection on the way in. There’s always room in all of us for a little appreciation! As I was visiting in our junior English classes on Tuesday, we were discussing the rest of the semester. We would like to put an item on your radar as well. Instead of the normal three weeks between the Thanksgiving and Winter Breaks, we have four weeks. This extra week can feel like it extends the fall semester for an eternity - there is quite the exponential affect. We hope we can all adjust during this change to our normal school rhythms. We will have a Quiet/Dead Week at WHS this fall. Beginning on Wednesday December 13th, our students will have time to prepare for finals without any tests, quizzes, or projects during this time period. We appreciate our teachers for making this a reality for our students. Have a delightful break, and take care.
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Steve Ramsey: WHS Principal BlogPrincipal's Weekly Reflections Archives
May 2019
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