Summer Message
July 31, 2019
Principal's Message
As I write this, it’s 1:00 p.m. on a Wednesday afternoon in Auburn, Massachusetts. That makes it 10:00 a.m. on a Wednesday morning in Southern California. There, just as he has 8 hours a day for the past 10 years, a man named Andrew Cancio is working a jackhammer for the Southern California Gas Company. As some of you may know, working a jackhammer is extremely difficult work. It demands all of a person’s mental and physical energy. But Andrew Cancio is different from most jackhammer operators in many ways. He is very small – about 5’5” tall and 135 pounds; he has a very engaging and outgoing manner, constantly chatting with co-workers as he goes; mostly, he is different because last February, having taken two weeks’ vacation from the Gas Company, he won the World Boxing Association Super Featherweight Championship, defeating the heavily favored title holder in a grueling fight that may very well win the fight of the year award.
Andrew Cancio is a living, breathing lesson in humility and work ethic. Having grown up in debilitating poverty, he lives in mortal fear of not being able to support his family. As a result, even as he earns five and six figure paydays in the ring, he refuses to give up his “day job.” Each weekday, he awakens at 4:00 a.m to run the streets of his hometown. He then prepares for work, arriving by 6:30 to do the demanding work of his primary trade. His lunch breaks often consist of doing interviews and some of the other public relations work that comes with being a professional boxing champion. Then, back to work until 4:00 p.m., a quick, healthy meal and three hours of training in the gym at night. Then, sleep and repeat.
Cancio recently knocked out the former champion for the second time in a rematch of their February classic. His career is truly taking off now, and better things and bigger paydays await. Still, every day, he shows up to the job, working, earning, staying humble and keeping sharp. I often say that almost anything is possible. There are stories out there of the amazing things people do every single day; of regular people overcoming tremendous odds to earn success in their lives.
Andrew Cancio says that working the jackhammer is his job, but boxing is his passion. Isn't it such a blessing that you and I don't need two occupations to have both a job and a passion? Educating kids, as much as any vocation, can be both at the same time. I truly, honestly believe that every single one of our students can do well in school and can become a happy, successful, contributing member of society. But, like Andrew Cancio, they will have to continue to get up every morning and answer the bell.
Is the next world boxing champion in our student body? Probably not. But future teachers, doctors, lawyers, coaches, pastors, artists, musicians, town and state leaders, community members, etc. are in our school. I hope you are looking forward to getting to work with them as much as I am this coming year…to showing them how a bunch of awesome grown ups go about their professional lives...to working with a passion that will be contagious to our kids and to one another...and to making AMS an even better place for middle school kids.
This time of year, the coming school year is a beautiful, blank canvas – it’s perfect still. Every child, every educator may still have her/his best year yet. Why not? We’ve seen time and again that almost anything is possible. Let's get ready to answer the bell.
Andrew Cancio...
Welcome to the AMS "Family"
Emily Wildgrube - Grade 6 Science (Pearl Team)
Joe Green - Grade 8 Math (Diamond Team)
Kelly Ann Walsh - School Nurse
Laurie LeBeau - 1:1 ABA
Shawna McManus - Instructional Assistant
Upcoming Events
Schedule Pick up Day - August 21 / 9:00 - 1:00
Opening Week
*August 26 - First day for Staff
*August 27 - Full day PD (etc.) for Staff
*August 28 - First day for students - special schedule at AMS
*August 29 - Second day for students - regular schedule at AMS
*August 30 and September 2 - No school - long Labor Day Weekend (sweet!)
Curriculum Nights
*Grade 6 - October 1 / 6:00 - 7:30 p.m.
*Grades 7&8 - October 8 / 6:00 - 7:30 p.m.
Schedules and Class Lists
Class lists are subject to change right up until August 21.
Faculty Folder
- Focus on what others have and what you don’t
- Be jealous of other people’s strengths while focusing on your weaknesses
Recipe for a happy life:
- Be thankful for what you have
- Focus on your strengths
- Celebrate the strengths of others"
Jon Gordon