Back to School

So far, I am in love with this school. These people truly do go above and beyond and you can tell that every single one of them absolutely loves being an educator, so it's a fantastic environment.

Plus, they're, like, the beautiful people.

Actually the whole place looks like something from TV. (It's a bit of a money town.) All the women dress in Dillard's or something comparably upscale, while the men are cut out of J.Crew or L.L. Bean. It's somewhat intimidating knowing that someone's short-sleeve polo cost more than my entire outfit...

Eh, whatever.

The first day was teacher orientation and they brought in a guest speaker. His name was Travis Roy and he has a crazy inspiring life/presentation.

From his website:

Travis Roy first put on ice skates when he was just 20 months old. As years passed, his love for the game of hockey quickly became a passion. In the fall of 1995 Roy accomplished one of his dream goals by earning a hockey scholarship to Boston University. At twenty-years of age he entered into his first collegiate hockey game. Eleven seconds into his first shift, his life changed forever as he crashed into the boards and cracked his fourth and fifth cervical vertebra, paralyzing him from the neck down.

He talked about how he made it through and what kept him going. He explained that "having a positive attitude will get you further than anything else" and to reach your dreams, you need to set up small goals as rungs on the ladder to get you there.

I'm not doing it justice, but he really was amazing. Some audience members were getting a little emotional although the older gentleman next to me was more so than most. Turns out I was sitting next to his father.

Not only am I impressed that the school brought someone in like this for the orientation, but they continue to impress with what they have lined up for students. Example: next week every grade will rotate through and go biking/canoeing/hiking. But here's how it works- on the biking days, for example, they set out with their social studies teachers and are taught the history of the town through a bike tour. Isn't that amazing?

I definitely have a crush on my place of work. Ew.