FROM THE PRINCIPAL...TONY WHITE
For much of my adult life, I would not say my opinion of Britney Spears was very high. Press coverage was not flattering as they cast aspersions on her as a mom, wife, daughter, friend, and human being. However, with our better understanding of mental health and trauma over the past several years, we now can look at what she did as a desperate cry for help. In the moment, she was publicly and widely mocked and ridiculed when she needed the most help.
You may be asking yourself, "What in the world does this have to do with school and raising kids?" I'll admit this was the most roundabout way of getting to my point this week: As human beings, we naturally make evaluations and judgments based on the information we have. We form opinions on everything and everyone we come into contact with because that's just how our brains operate. As parents and guardians, making these judgments can keep your child safe.
It is very important, though, that we teach our Eagles that when they are formulating these opinions of other people, places, and things that they make sure they have all of the facts in order to have a fully (and well!) informed opinion. The "why" behind the "what" and "how" give us critical insight and the more we know about one another, the more likely we are to have empathy. As Brene Brown says, "People are hard to hate close up." In my nine years as a school leader, I've heard folks say from time to time, "Can't you just send that kid to a different school?" Instead of pushing away, let's move in for a closer look.
Have a wonderful weekend staying warm with your favorite people in the world, Norton Creek!
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NORTON CREEK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL