Our graduating seniors and retirees are both closing their final chapter with Frederick County Public Schools and preparing to write the next chapter in their lives. Their parting words have much in common!

I will deliver a commencement address to all of our FCPS graduates this week. However, as I reflect on some of the issues we face as a nation, I feel compelled to offer some additional insight.

For a decade, I have spent time with seniors at every high school talking about their school experiences. Their candid feedback has led to improvement and innovation for our school system. This year, their reflections on their school experiences during the pandemic have again provided powerful lessons for us to consider.

As we celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week, it is important to recognize the ways in which a teacher’s role has changed in the 21st century and the critically important ways in which the role remains the same.

Visiting science classrooms and watching students engaged in discovery and exploration is always exciting. One “silver lining” in the pandemic crisis cloud has been the opportunity for everyone to see science happening in real time.

Have you ever noticed that many of the lessons found in Aesop’s fables are still relevant today?

Throughout the pandemic, I have often heard people talk about getting back to “normal.” I wonder if that is what we really want or need in education.

Attending AASA’s National Conference on Education is always a wonderful professional growth opportunity. This year’s virtual conference focused on reopening schools, equity, and social-emotional learning. Timely, relevant, and thought-provoking!

As we welcomed the new year 2021, people across the globe looked to the future and overcoming the global pandemic. We embraced “hope” for better days ahead.