Finding the Bright Days
It is difficult right now in District 65. I have sat with a range of emotions and taken in an even wider range of perspectives that make up our Evanston-Skokie community.
At the same time, I hold a great appreciation for our classroom educators. My fear, among all that is happening and all that we might be feeling right now, is that their good work might be lost in the noise.
As the leader of Foundation 65, I want to do my part to elevate their great work.
District 65 educators are passionate and committed professionals; they show up every day to support our kids. In this time of crisis, confusion, and hurt, I want to share some of the beautiful things that are happening in our schools.
I am hopeful that the joy and impact of these events shine a bright light while we simultaneously sit with tough times.
Foundation 65 is an independent grassroots organization that supports educators on the ground and gives teachers what they need. Here are some of the incredible things they are doing with that support.
Author Visits
Each fall is a time for Foundation 65 funded author visits within District 65. This means that every single child in the District gets to experience having a real author come to their school and share their craft. This year the District 65 librarians chose local author, Karla Valenti, to visit our elementary schools the week of October 21st. Ms. Valenti shared her story 11 times over 3 days and brought the same energy and enthusiasm to the first presentation as she did to the 11th. Watching kids see an author talk about how she creates her stories and how she uses magical realism in her work was phenomenal. Kids saw themselves as creators and artists as they took in the author’s experience. It was a bright day.
Family Engagement
Next, I visited the Latine/ Indigenous Celebration at JEH. Over a hundred preschool parents and caregivers came with their children to celebrate and gather. This Foundation 65 funded grant is in its second year and educators are proud that the series of family gatherings doubled family engagement at JEH in its first year and is already off to a strong start for its second year. After an opening program and watching the preschoolers sing the Itsy-bitsy Spider in Spanish, families visited activity tables and concluded their evening with a shared dinner. It was a bright day.
Supporting Students
Finally, I ended my week by talking to an educator who needed grant support. Some girls in her school were struggling and needed community and support beyond what the classroom might be able to give them. Last year she created a lunch group for them and this year she wanted to expand it with a reading curriculum and field trip opportunities. Every day the girls were asking when the group could start again. She talked about how she was willing to go above and beyond for these students every single day. We finished this conversation with Foundation 65 committing to supporting her wish for financial support for her program. She will have the resources and support to go the extra mile with these students. It was a bright day.
Every day in District 65 good things are happening with our kids. Every day some teachers are putting in 200% to serve our children. These educators and the children they impact are why we do our work at Foundation 65. We are here to help educators do their jobs and to give them resources beyond what the District can offer. Whether it is being a listening ear, a thought partner in creating a grant, or providing the resources to allow them to make an immediate impact on their students, we are here to let educators shine.
When you get discouraged about the state of things in our community or world, please remember there are always bright days and bright things. Let’s elevate all that sparkles right now.