As another school year comes to a close, the longer days bring time for gratitude, for the many people who have gifted this past year with positivity, kindness, intelligence and compassion. The work in schools moves at a relentless pace; it is intense and exhausting, uplifting and inspiring all at the same time. While public education continues to be infused with complexity, it remains, in my humble opinion, the most exciting and rewarding profession imaginable.
It is the quiet, unseen moments that sustain our work in education. The phrase lift me up has felt like a quiet refrain this year, a powerful reminder of our collective why. In moments of challenge, it is the unexpected acts of kindness and care that re-inspire educators. It is the moments with our students when we feel their excitement for learning and living. It is the connection with parents when we collaborate and experience the collective sense that we are in this together.
June in schools is a time of commencements, recognitions, and celebrations. There is a feeling of wrapping up, and as many school staff move into their summer break, the desire for closure is real. In my work, however, most situations don’t fully wrap up, some may pause, others may reset, but the work doesn’t look like it did when I was in the classroom or in school-based administration. This past June was one of starting and stopping, with nearly a month between spin posts, breaking my at-least-every-two-week writing streak of the past year. Surrendering to the urgent in June was necessary, usurping some of my intentions. In a moment of recent frustration, when I couldn’t seem to finish anything, I realized that completion isn’t the work right now, and that there is something bigger at play… perhaps even something about allowing ourselves to be lifted in the unfinished.
Each new day gifts us the opportunity to lift up, to restart, and to continue to commit to doing better for ourselves and others. My colleague and dear friend, Moray Mclean, has lifted me up and inspired me for many years. We have often presented on the concept of “educare,” as so much of our work together over the past two decades has bridged the professions of education and health care.
Moray’s background in health care and mine in education has gifted us with complementary perspectives on how we can, and do, create integrated, wraparound support structures for families. Her wealth of knowledge and experience in self-regulation, and her deep understanding of how critical the body and sensory system are in the learning equation, is a gift to our schools. As an experienced Occupational Therapist, she has an uncanny ability to walk into any learning environment and quickly zoom in on areas for consideration to better both student and staff learning experiences.
Still grappling this past week with that feeling of restlessness in the unfinished, Moray sent me the following picture. It came at the perfect time to reset my unsettled vibe with a poignant reminder of why. With her permission, I am sharing this, as I suspect I’m not alone in this year-end feeling, and in the quiet gratitude that sits alongside it.
Here’s the backstory on Moray’s pic. At the start of this school year, my creative colleague, Corrine Kinnon, made fortune cookies for our district inclusive and alternative education team. It was part of our district opening day meeting, and not only did Corrine make the fortune cookies from scratch in her home kitchen, she thoughtfully ensured that each cookie held a special message for the year ahead. To be honest, I had forgotten about her generous gesture, and I wish I had held on to my message. There was so much happening then that I don’t even remember taking a cookie for myself, but I’m so glad Moray did.
This past week, Moray sent us an email in preparation for our upcoming annual year-in-review meeting with her and the BC Centre for Ability leadership. Alongside her fortune cookie message were pictures of our district’s incredible new Hippocampe chair in action, with smiling students enjoying time together on their beach day field trip. Her why resonated and, in typical Moray style, lifted me up at a time when I was feeling weighed down by complexity. It felt like a quiet reminder of how we lift one another up in both the expected and unexpected moments.
I’ve been sitting with that reminder. It keeps bringing me back to the why behind it all. For me, that why shows up in four ways: the people, the work, the learners, and the moments.
The People
When I think about the why, the people I work with come to mind. There is an energy in our schools and offices that is a direct result of the people who commit their days to public education. They care deeply, think deeply, and feel deeply. From our administrative assistants, custodians, and education assistants, to our teachers, school administrators, and district leaders, there is a quiet tenacity that anchors our system in a deep set of shared values and respect for students and youth. Their ability to see the good in our work, and in each other, is part of the why that lifts our schools up.
The Work
There is a lot of noise around the complexity in today’s classroom. Some of it is on point, and some of it deserves deeper analysis. Regardless, the work in public education is exciting and alive. Schools are human systems that quite literally live and breathe, populated by people who are constantly finding ways to be in community. No other public institution asks this of what are, essentially, groups of strangers of all ages, and no other public institution is able to succeed in this interesting mix of personalities, interests, and desires.
It is complex work, and sometimes human dynamics can be very tricky to navigate, but more often than not, it is beautiful and powerful to see caring communities emerge, where lifelong friendships and relationships take hold and ground our collective why, and in turn, lifts us up.
The Learners
My mind goes quickly to our students when I think about the learners, but the longer I do district work, the more I realize how important adult learning needs to be a core part of our why. Shared learning between students, staff, and families alike is the essence of public education.
The energy of education is in the synergy of expansion—expanding ideas, awareness, knowledge, and human connection. It is in the Physics 11 course, right alongside the Kindergarten friendship circle. It is in the professional learning experiences where staff delve into new ways to teach and support students. It is in the staff wellness sessions where the priority of care expands into the adult community, ensuring mental health is embedded in school improvement cycles.
It is the quiet recognition that learning happens everywhere, and that the four walls of the traditional classroom are not the end game, but part of a much larger landscape of learning that continues to lift us up.
The Moments
As I reflect on the school year that has passed, there are countless moments of why. The kindness of our families, our students, and staff, sometimes in situations where things are not okay, reminds me of how important our shared humanity is. The ability to see beyond yourself and to care for others is a core driver in why schools work well.
The moments when students find solutions and build knowledge together are powerful, and they don’t have to be flashy exhibitions or shows of learning. While those moments are always impressive, what stays with me are the quieter ones, when students share their discoveries or invite you into their questions.
They are the small moments when a student surprises themselves with their bravery and willingness to try something new, taking risks to explore what they may not have imagined they could do. It is the smile that comes your way when you see their pride in discovering a new sport, reading a powerful novel, painting a lovely picture, or making a new friend. These are the moments that lift you up and remind you of the real why in what we do each day.
As we move into the summer months ahead, I hope you find time to finish, or not finish, projects and adventures, to rediscover your why, and to enjoy moments that lift you up alongside those you care about.
Author's Note: A special thank you to Moray, and to the amazing team I work with every day, for reminding me of my why. You know who you are, and I hope you know how much I appreciate working alongside you.
Once again, in the spirit of author integrity, I note that my Copilot AI thought partner assisted with light editing and grammatical revisions to assist with publication.