Principal's Pride Page
Keeping you Informed
"Summer dreams ripped at the seams..."
Hello All,
There's no other way to put it: the first day of school was amazing! The positive energy throughout the building was palpable. Everyone, especially the seniors, are looking forward to a great year.
As part of the Opening Day activities, I went to first period classes and introduced myself while going over the rules and procedures found in the the handbook. The students were attentive and receptive, the teachers were gracious with their time, and the message was short and sweet. I told the students that they have three simple things to do this year: show up, do their work, and be nice. I also told them that there was a big difference between simple and easy. I explained that if they were having trouble in one of these areas that they were to use their resources -- friends, parents, teachers, administrators, counselors, and community -- to help them out.
As the day was winding down, I went out to check on our crossing guard, Mr. Pappart. He told me that students had been polite and attentive in the morning and afternoon. Feeling good, I wished him a successful year and began walking back to my office to finish my duties for the day.
...and that's when I saw it.
I had a flat tire.
Happiness quickly turned to annoyance. How could the universe have been so cruel after such a great day? Were the forces of yin and yang trying to balance themselves?
Then I remembered the words I shared with the students just a few hours before: simple, not easy.
Many times life asks of us to do what to the untrained eye would seem to be fairly simple: wake up, wash up, get dressed, eat breakfast, brush teeth, comb hair (this one's easy for me), go to work, do work, come home, make dinner, eat dinner, go to bed. These are indeed simple tasks, but they are far from being easy. We don't just wake up -- we wake up every day, even when we're tired, aching, or ill. We don't just eat breakfast -- we eat breakfast while simultaneously getting children ready for school AND making them breakfast as well. We don't just go to work -- we go to work when the pressure of a deadline looms or the weather is ferocious.
...and we do it every day.
Our students face their own daily struggles. They will stumble over seemingly simple tasks. They will fall...and it can be sad and frustrating to see it and go through it with them. Many times it is the repetitive nature of these tasks and/or the random variables thrown in that make it so difficult for our kids. As part of their support system, it is up to us to help them through it.
Help our kids. Simple, not easy.
So like the flat tire, know that the next hardship we and our children face could be sooner than we think. It is up to us to face it and work through it as best as we can, if for no other reason than that is what we do. We work. We strive. We prevail.
I put on my spare tire, drove to the service shop, and had them plug the hole in the flat. I did some work in the lobby while waiting. I had a nice chat with the service technician, making sure to thank him for helping me get home.
I guess you could say that I showed up, I did my work, and I was nice. Simple.
Now I have to make sure to do it every day. Not easy.
Thank you for your continued dedication to the success of our students.
IT'S NEVER TO EARLY TO BE THINKING ABOUT THE YEARBOOK:
Yearbooks are on sale at Balfour.com. For any questions, comments, or details, please see the following people:
Mrs. Liberati - Yearbook Adviser
Alexis Adams - Student President
Emily Gray - Student Vice President
HIGH SCHOOL STAFF
SENIOR WING
THE LAST FIRST DAY
VARSITY HOME FOOTBALL GAME ON SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 12TH VS. MIDLAKES HAS BEEN RESCHEDULED to 3PM
- Senior Parent Night is September 22nd starting at 7 PM.
- HS PICTURE DAY HAS CHANGED! It will now take place on September 25th so as not to conflict with Spirit Week.
- Open House is October 6th at 6:30 PM.
Contact Information
Email: Samuel.Martina@redjacket.org
Website: www.redjacket.org
Location: 1506 State Route 21, Shortsville, NY, United States
Phone: (585) 289-3966
Twitter: @RJHSPrincipal