Well we’re here, 2017.  Every year brings the opportunities for goals, dreams, things you want to change, ways you want to improve.  For a few years now I’ve seen the idea of choosing “one word” that you want to define your new year. I really wanted to think about this, and truly choose a word I wanted to encompass my goals for the year.

So the word I chose this year was, “hope”.

 

Hope for growth…there are so many ways that I want to grow.  As a person, a husband, a brother, a friend, and as a educator and leader.  I tend to be a pretty reflective person who easily notices my shortcomings.  I see constant opportunities for growth and betterment.  So this year I hope to make more headway in those areas.  That I am not defined by the things I lack, but instead seek to become the best person I can be. 

Hope for change….I hope that more and more educators can bind together to continue to make changes within our field that will be in the best interest of our children.  Far too long I’ve sat silent, or allowed others to stand up and speak out, and this year I seek out to stand up myself.  To use my voice to work more closely with policy makers, politicians, parents, other educators, and more.

Hope for compassion…..I hope to continue to see people of all backgrounds come together.  To continue to see walls torn down and not built up.  I spent a lot of 2016 (and 2015) educating myself on other cultures, religions, upbringings, parts of the country/world, and I want to continue to educate myself.  We have to seek to learn about others if we ever will seek to empathize with them.

There are so many things I look forward to doing and experiencing this year.  From more writing, to continuing to work with my team to make changes at Webb Elementary, and more.  My word is “Hope” but I know it’s more than that.  You can’t just sit back and have hope.  You also have to have action.  And through my hope I will choose to act.  I will not be silent.  I will learn, change, grow, speak up, be more visible, connect face to face more, read more books, continue to find ways to embrace creativity and imagination, to be a voice for those silenced, to empathize more, and the list goes on and on.

I know there will be many times I will fail this year.  Many lessons I will learn.  But I also know that my hope will not be shattered.  I may fall, but I will rise again, ready to tackle the next moment. Our #KidsDeserveIt