“Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings,
turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.”
–William Arthur Ward
We have much to be thankful for: family, friends, health. The list goes on an on. In fact, we should also give thanks to George Washington, our first President, who issued the Thanksgiving Proclamation back in 1789. On October 3rd, Washington designated this special November day as a public thanksgiving marking our first national holiday.
Research continues to prove that being thankful has tremendous benefits on the quality of our lives. In Verona, we continue to reap the benefits of a common vision, hard work, persistence, and teamwork. The success of our district and staff directly translates to the success of our students. I am thankful for that. We have a wonderful community and much to be proud of. But we should also be mindful to pause, to disconnect, and simply enjoy the important moments during these holiday seasons.
This holiday weekend marks another homework free weekend, a progressive initiative focused on maintaining an important balance in the lives of our students. The spirit of setting school work aside is intended to recharge the battery, come back to school energized, while enjoying some of the simpler things in life like spending quality time with the people that matter most.
In the same vein, I encourage our teachers and staff to do the same: the lesson planning can wait, leave the grading of papers until Monday, disconnect from email and social media, and enjoy the simple things in life that we should all be grateful for. In essence, it is also a moratorium on schoolwork for our faculty. So please hold off on your emails until next week when we return.
From our schools to your homes, we wish each and every one of your families a very Happy Thanksgiving holiday.
All my best,
