I’m sure that many of you, like me, spent more than enough time this past year finding things to complain about, areas that were out of our control, especially when it came to a virus.
But now we’ve reached 2021. It’s time to look forward to better days as the vaccine starts to roll out. We can’t let up on our vigilance, but it sure feels like we’ve rounded a corner.
With that in mind, I thought about what could change in 2021 for me. I don’t often make New Year’s resolutions, but I thought it would be appropriate this year to try to appreciate what I have more and complain less. Don’t worry, we won’t hold hands, sway, and sing “Kumbaya” in this space every week. There might also be some airing of grievances from time to time.
I work with a lot of amazing people. One person I appreciate who doesn’t get the recognition she deserves is our district secretary, Sue Kulseth. Sue has more energy than anyone I know and is so bubbly and positive all the time that she is an inspiration.
This is a woman of many talents. When I was still coaching basketball, she crocheted me a hat that looked like a basketball hoop, complete with a mini basketball. She also made some bags for my cornhole boards. I’m not sure when she rests since Sue tends to be a whirlwind of activity.
I can even get feedback from Sue on my column. She has offered up some good reading recommendations after seeing what I have suggested here. I also know that she feels the Beach Boys should have been in my Top Five list of rock and roll bands!
During distance learning, I have been in my classroom most days. There are a lot of reasons for this. However, one reason is seeing some of the wonderful people who work in the New Richland building. Two of these are the ladies with whom I get to eat my lunch many days, Barb Hagen and Teri Kormann. Don’t worry, we sat at separate tables, but we’re so used to eating with each other during normal times that it made sense still to do it in these abnormal times.
While Barb works most closely with our guidance counselor, I know she wears many other hats. She is a go-to for students to take care of scholarship materials and just to stop and say hi, needing a friendly face. Barb is rarely seen not smiling, and she has laughter in her voice that is infectious.
While Teri might not be the captain of the ship, she is the one who keeps us afloat many times. I’m not sure anyone outside of the office knows just how much behind-the-scenes work she does, but she is an extraordinary woman. She has to have patience with students, parents, and we adults who work in the building, sometimes all within a short amount of time. When we need something done or a question answered, our best bet is to ask Teri. If she doesn’t know the answer, she’ll find it.
During regular school times, we have others who join us for the late, late lunch. However, it’s been nice to have some measure of normalcy with these two ladies over the past months. It’s a chance to figure out what’s happening in the school, but we also spend plenty of time not talking shop. Recipes, good deals at the grocery stores, and just life outside school are talked about more than what’s going on between the walls of the school, and I appreciate that so much.
At times, we have pop-ins from the other wonderful ladies that work in the office, Karla Christopherson and Corrine Schuller. These two work with a lot of complex numbers that an English guy might not understand too well. From everything I know, Karla does a great job of keeping our finances where they have to be. And Corrine makes sure I get paid, which is always a good thing!
When I walk the halls, I have been seeing some of my co-workers in new spots. The cooks in New Richland don’t have to prepare meals for nearly as many kids, so they have been helping freshen up the building. I wonder how long it will take the kids when they come back to notice that the hallways have been painted a new, less institutional color. That’s been a collaborative effort between our cooks and custodial staff. It really looks fantastic!
As much as we keep pivoting how education looks, the custodians have to keep pivoting as well. Just like the cooks, there isn’t as much of the normal work as there is with students roaming the halls. In addition to the paint job, I’m sure they’ve been catching up on the little things that always need doing. I know, too, that Jim Steen keeps track of those of us working in the building and continues to empty my garbage and recycling, which is appreciated.
When I was a student teacher, my principal at Houston High School told me to recognize the work of all the employees of the school. The building doesn’t run itself, and teachers are only one small part of the machine. I know we have plenty more people in the district who deserve thanks, but this is just a small sampling of my appreciation to the folks who keep things running smoothly! Happy new year!
Word of the Week: This week’s word is deontology, which means the study of duty and obligation, as in, “The employees of the school could all have been awarded a degree in deontology since they continued serving the needs of students and staff during the pandemic.” Impress your friends and confuse your enemies!