The big finish... or not.
As previously mentioned, I have been avoiding writing this piece. I avoided starting it...and I have been avoiding ending it. The problem is, I could probably keep writing the middle and call it a book before ever running out of material or motivation. But for many reasons, I am going to resist going in this direction any further for now. The first is that I have been asked to write a letter to the Burke community, since my retirement was already announced about four weeks ago by the Head of School and it is probably long overdue. I feel like once I write this letter it will officially be time for me to close this chapter. In addition, despite not being a writer, I have come to love writing...at least this Blog. I'm pretty confident I would still loathe writing an English essay! Regardless, there is so much that I want to write about and only so many hours in a day. Thus, outside of general references that I'm sure will come up now and then, we shall call this the last chapter.
Building on the last piece, yes, the little people grew on me. They grew on me big time. And, they really aren't such little people. In fact, they are very much young adults "in training." Aren't we all? I think that is the beauty of working with high school aged students, at least for me. In my 22 years, I have had some of the most challenging, inspirational, interesting, funny, intellectual and engaging conversations of my life with these folks. Did I mention funny?
It might sound cliche, but I'm certain that I learned more about myself and life through these conversations than they could have possibly learned from me. As they were growing up, so was I. During this time, I coached basketball, volleyball and track and field. I coached middle school, junior varsity and varsity. I coached boys and girls. I became the Athletic Director, earlier than most people would have been granted this opportunity. I retired from Burke the first time from 1998-2000. Thinking it was time for a career change, instead I found myself serving as primary caretaker for a sick nephew and mother. I would grow in ways beyond my wildest imagination from this point on and Burke would support me and welcome me back in 2000. Upon my return, I served as the President of the PVAC and began teaching my 12th grade Human Sexuality class, one of my true passions. In 2007, I became the Dean of Students, another golden opportunity to learn. For the most part, they liked me:) I was lucky.
It really isn't what I did at Edmund Burke that made my time there so special, but who I became and who I was lucky enough to call my friends. Even more, Burke is like my family; the students, teachers, staff and parents have contributed to my growth and happiness more than they will ever know and I love all of them. I am forever indebted. I am forever changed.
Building on the last piece, yes, the little people grew on me. They grew on me big time. And, they really aren't such little people. In fact, they are very much young adults "in training." Aren't we all? I think that is the beauty of working with high school aged students, at least for me. In my 22 years, I have had some of the most challenging, inspirational, interesting, funny, intellectual and engaging conversations of my life with these folks. Did I mention funny?
It might sound cliche, but I'm certain that I learned more about myself and life through these conversations than they could have possibly learned from me. As they were growing up, so was I. During this time, I coached basketball, volleyball and track and field. I coached middle school, junior varsity and varsity. I coached boys and girls. I became the Athletic Director, earlier than most people would have been granted this opportunity. I retired from Burke the first time from 1998-2000. Thinking it was time for a career change, instead I found myself serving as primary caretaker for a sick nephew and mother. I would grow in ways beyond my wildest imagination from this point on and Burke would support me and welcome me back in 2000. Upon my return, I served as the President of the PVAC and began teaching my 12th grade Human Sexuality class, one of my true passions. In 2007, I became the Dean of Students, another golden opportunity to learn. For the most part, they liked me:) I was lucky.
It really isn't what I did at Edmund Burke that made my time there so special, but who I became and who I was lucky enough to call my friends. Even more, Burke is like my family; the students, teachers, staff and parents have contributed to my growth and happiness more than they will ever know and I love all of them. I am forever indebted. I am forever changed.
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