Hi Team,
Welcome back. I hope that everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. I know it's difficult to get back on track after an extended break and doing whatever it is you wanted to do. Don't forget it's going to be the same for our students so give them a good reason to come together and learn today. Let them know that you feel much like them, but it's worth it to gather, learn, and create today. Tell them that they're building a strong foundation for their future with this study, and that's worth it.
Give them some time to tell their stories, ask questions, and play with/greet friends too. You might want to toss a ball around and let anyone who wants to share, share a memory from the holiday. Whatever you decide, bring a positive attitude and a smile.
It's likely that the next month will bring with it a lot of emotion. Whenever there are numerous holidays outside of school, school feels the affect, an affect that ranges from elation to exhaustion, happiness to sadness. Don't forget students, like us, experience a range of holiday emotion. It's great to celebrate with family and friends, but it's not so great to miss loved ones who have passed, deal with family changes, and experience increased struggle due to financial constraint, addiction issues, and differences of opinion as it relates to holiday events.
Before you begin your day, I want to thank you for all the time in school and outside of it that you devote to the welfare of children. We're so lucky to work with a dedicated team of child advocates, educators, health professionals, coaches, counselors, and mentors. Keep reaching, but keep your expectations realistic too. Especially at this time of year, it's important to provide students with a safe, loving, and engaging routine. They find solace with routine and the fact that they can rely on you.
Let me know if you need me, and in the meantime, I wish you a positive day back. We can do this!
