All the Best for 2016 TKAS

I always find the end of a school year to be a strange phenomena. 

There are celebrations of what has been achieved but also regrets for what has not been done.

And when the end of the school year also means its moving on time there are even more celebrations, and probably a few more regrets as well.

(I think you understand teaching more fully the day you accept it will never all be ‘done.’)

I left behind people I fully intended to catch up with one more time, but didn't in the craziness that was the last month. 

I brought with me work that wasn’t quite finished. 

And I know I left behind things in the rushed packing.  (And yes TKAS staff it has been passed onto me that you are all having competitions about what to do with the lovely big pink that I left in the office.) 

Leaving very quickly after school finished, as I needed to for a variety of reasons, I got to my first stop and was feeling I had real unfinished business, and that I’d left too many things started but not finished. And then a staff member- completely surprised me by sending out of the blue a text with this image attached.

with a text that read:

Recharge those batteries and don't worry

we will step up

we will plan

we will implement

we will make mistakes

we will reflect

we will adapt

we will overcome

(Thanks Sol)

And that just reminded me that it really is all about the kids and the learning. That’s always held the highest and strongest priority and when sometimes the paper-war went sideways that was ok because from Day 1 I remember Scott always saying people before paper. We really tried to live that as much as we could over the last five years.

And it also reminded me that I’ve done my part as best as I possibly could at the time, and its other peoples time now.

So to all those about to head into another year at TKAS:

• Stand tall and proud.
• You are leading some ground breaking learning.
• Share it. 
• Tweet, Facebook, Talk- whatever you prefer, but share your stories and your magic. There is incredible stuff happening in your school.
• Look after each other.
• Be like geese! (You all know the story….. and the lessons from the story!)
• Look after the plant I forgot and left in my office. It speaks to challenges of a time gone past, and I did keep it alive for two years more than everyone thought I was going to!
• Enjoy what you do. 
• Laugh and cry with your learners.
• Be human. 
• Be amazing.
• Be you.

All the best for the year ahead.