“How lucky I am to
have something that makes saying goodbye so hard” A.A. Milne
There are not enough words that can be said to the gratitude
owed to an entire school community. In
the fall of 2010 my family was faced with a very difficult decision. Should we pick up and leave something so
familiar for something exciting, scary, and full of opportunity at the same
time? In making that decision we endured
many sleepless nights, and showered many tears. But eventually, we did decide to move and
start a new chapter for our lives.
We were welcomed into the communities with open arms. The support that has been bestowed upon my
family and I will forever be in our hearts.
I’ve personally never felt more supported and loved in my entire life
than I have these last five years at Griggs County Central. I've said a number of times over that the
world is a beautiful place and positivity is all around us. You don’t have to look much further than the
communities of Cooperstown and Hannaford to be reminded of this. If the saying is true that North Dakota is
God’s country, then I must say that Griggs County is God’s living room.
I believe that God has a plan for all of us. I believe he put us in Cooperstown for a
reason. I know that I have grown greatly
through the relationships and experiences that have presented themselves. I would also like to think the communities
have benefit in some way, shape, or form from us as well.
Over the past years since I've begun writing blogs on a
consistent basis, it’s been primarily on the premise of trying to inspire
others. I've had many sleepless nights
racking my brain on what more I could be doing to impact the world in a
positive way. How can I show people that
the world is a positive place? How can I
inspire people to inspire others? How
can we get people to think better and do better to ultimately make the world a
better place?
So I have taken to writing, and more importantly I have
tried to turn my writing into action.
This has lead me on a journey to make a concerted effort to bring out
the best in people, and with that to bring out the best in myself. I truly believe that I was called to the
field of education, and have no doubts that I’m fulfilling God’s plan for me.
With that being said, about a month ago I applied for the
Superintendent position at Shiloh Christian School in Bismarck. The position appealed to me because of the
long standing tradition of education excellence founded and supported by
Christian principles. The opportunity to
move closer to family, and the opportunities that my own children would have
were also ideals that pulled us in that direction. I believe in my heart that this is the right
decision for us. I see the Shiloh
district as an opportunity for our family to grow in our faith, and enrich the
lives of others.
Goodbyes are never easy, and I have so many people to thank
for the support over these past five years.
Naming every individual that has touched our lives would be a cumbersome
task. A genuine thank you to the
education community is in order. I could
not ask for better colleagues. We have
surrounded ourselves in a vision and mission to improve the lives of our
students and I believe whole-heatedly that we are succeeding. Thank you to the students, parents, and
community members for being part of my professional growth as an educator. I would not be where I am today without each
and every one of you.
On July 1st I will be transitioning to the Shiloh
Christian School District. We are
excited for the opportunity, and sad for what we are leaving behind. The relationships that we created will last
forever, and forever I will be indebted to the Griggs County Central
communities for enriching our lives.
Thank You.
