Hampton Bays Middle School
Monday Memo #7
Cubs vs. Indians
Dear Faculty,
Today at 4:00 pm, we will honor the memory of Matthew McKinnon. Today would've been Matt's 19th birthday. For or those of us who were here when Matt was a student, it's easy to remember his smiling face. He brightened our days as he navigated and endured through a lifetime of complex health challenges. We'll plant a tree in a brief ceremony remembering his life. Join us if you can, at the middle school baseball field.
Matt embodied what we now commonly know as "Baymen Pride". And, he was a big (Mets) baseball fan. I can't help but wonder what he'd have to say about the Cubs taking on the Indians in the World Series, starting this week. The last time the Cubs were in the Fall Classic was 1908. For the Indians, their last trip there was 1948. These two teams never quit, knowing someday each would make it back to the Series. And now, here we are; two teams that have persevered will battle for the World Series Championship. It was not a matter of if, but when.
Stories like Matt's, the Cubs and Indians match-up not only remind us to focus on and celebrate perseverance, progress, growth, and our definition of "success". They can also remind us that we have opportunities each and every day to advocate for kids and to help them learn how to advocate for themselves, to never quit and to never surrender. Today's a great day, in Matt's memory, to let a middle schooler know, he or she is not alone, and we're ready to help and are eager to celebrate his/her personalized success.
Let's commit ourselves this week, in Matt's memory and his honor, to look more closely and listen more carefully to our students. I bet we will see we're surrounded by students just like Matt in our school. Kids navigating their own complex lives; kids who don't quit.
So that's our challenge for this week. Find that kid. Be that advocate. Be the reason a kid comes to school, and is inspired to seek his or her own personal success.
Thanks for your dedication to our students and our program. Let's have a great week together.
Sincerely,
Dennis
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