Got Juice...?

Last week, Harwich High School principal Kevin Turner and I attended a meeting of the newly- formed Harwich-Chatham Regionalization Committee where we discussed the relative strengths of our respective schools, the problems faced by small schools with declining enrollments and, more importantly, what a merger of the two schools would look like should that occur. I think we did a pretty good job of identifying the benefits that would result from regionalization. However, we are aware that there is a long road ahead with many obstacles to overcome. That will be the task of the new committee. For our part, we appreciate being asked for our input and have both enjoyed the discussions we have had over the past few months because it is exciting to develop a vision for a new school and dream about how we might be able to improve teaching and learning and increase opportunities for our students.

Apparently that excitement was apparent to reporter Alan Pollack who, in his article in the Chronicle described us as "juiced up." (http://www.capecodchronicle.com/chatnews/chat111209_3.htm) I am not sure I would go that far, however given the potentially dire consequences of doing nothing in the face of clear demographic data, declining enrollments, and increasing costs, the alternative does inspire some sense of optimism. That evening we spoke at length about capacity, sustainability, and viability and how regionalization, in our view, would affect those issues. It is clear that before too long we, both Harwich and Chatham, will need to take some action to ensure that we both can continue to provide quality educational opportunities for our students. That, as we said several times during our presentation, is the ultimate "bottom line." Ultimately, it will be up to the citizens of both towns to decide whether to regionalize or not. However, any action that is taken should be governed by how that decision positively impacts our children. Now that is something I can really get "juiced up" about!

Greetings and Conversations...

I am very happy I that I avoided establishing this blog as some daily musing on my part. Even if it were a weekly venture, I would be deemed a dismal failure. Time and the other demands of my job always seem to get the better of me. It's not that I do not have ideas to share or things to say; I often wake up in the night and process weighty topics worthy of this space. Somehow those ideas never make it to the blog in a timely fashion. All I can do is try to be a bit more regular in posting comments and ideas or get up at 3:00 AM and write a post!

One thing I have been thinking about lately was prompted by several recent inquiries by parents. They asked why I am often seen standing out in front of the school nearly every morning (I tend to draw the line on windy, rainy mornings!). In response, I often joke that it is my way of preparing for my dream job when I retire...to be a greeter at Walmart! The real answer, however, is quite simple. I enjoy greeting the students as they arrive to begin their day, yawning from lack of sleep, grumpy at the perceived inconvenience of having to rise at such an early hour in order to learn, and most often armed with a Dunkin' Donuts' latte, hot chocolate, or an occasional iced coffee. I wish them a "good morning", compliment them on a great game played the previous day, or thank them for coming to school on time. I almost always get a "good morning" in return and, more often than not, a smile thrown in for extra measure. For those of you who are intimately familiar with adolescents, that is no small feat at 7:25 AM!!

I also enjoy waving to all of the loving, supportive parents who also rise at an inconvenient hour to brave the cold, the traffic congestion, and the aforementioned grumpy adolescent, in order to further their child's education by depositing him or her at our door. We provide free bus service but most parents prefer to drive their children to school. There is something special about that despite the traffic headache it frequently causes. I think it is one of the many things that sets Chatham apart from other schools and communities. It's all about family.

So, if parents are willing to make that sacrifice to drop their children off, I can certainly find the time to spend a few minutes outside greeting them as they arrive. Actually, except on really cold days when I lose sensation in my toes, I really do enjoy it. In many ways, it is a great way for me to start my day. Now, should the bitter cold morning ever come when a student steps out of a vehicle and hands me a small coffee, black-no sugar, that will definitely make my day!