As our country honors the veterans who have gallantly served for us, it is important to reflect on the true measure of what it means to serve our country. These men and women deserve our gratitude and our admiration.

“Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply.” ~~Stephen Covey

A speck of sand inside an oyster’s shell is an irritant, so the oyster coats the speck over and over until it is round and smooth. The round smooth object is now a gem—a pearl. All of us can point to things that have irritated us during the pandemic. Recently, I recognized that one of the things that had originally irritated me as the pandemic began was now something I value. I dubbed it a "pearl of the pandemic."

Teachers, parents, administrators, and any adult supporting our students recognizes the impact of the pandemic on the social-emotional wellbeing of our students. However, it is vital that the adults focus on their own social-emotional wellbeing, too.

Teachers have a significant impact on student performance, which is why FCPS has always worked to recruit and retain “champions of excellence.” The importance of the teacher has never been more significant than it is now during the COVID pandemic.

Historically, innovation often occurs out of necessity during a crisis. In FCPS, we have been encouraging staff to innovate as a way to break from the status quo of a century-old school model. During a recent visit to Waverley Elementary, I was inspired to see “learning families” and hear about a team who did not allow the pandemic to deter them from the innovative approach they had planned. Thanks to Waverley Elementary Principal Dr. Allie Watkins for sharing their story as my guest blogger!

This is a phrase we have heard often during the pandemic. For school systems, this means refining nearly every procedure, protocol, and process.

The death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has touched the hearts of many Americans. Her inspirational words will continue to offer wisdom for generations to come.

It is easy to talk about the things we are missing due to the pandemic. However, we are also learning things that I hope will guide us going forward.

Guest blogger FCPS Deputy Superintendent Dr. Michael Markoe writes about overcoming adversity.