To My Educator Friends: Tomorrow is a New Day

Tomorrow is the first day of school.  What an exciting time! For many, it's a fresh start and a new beginning.  It's always sad to let go of summer,  but it's also exhilarating to get started on the exciting adventures a new year will bring.

This year is different for me. For the first time in 20 years, I will not be starting with a new class of students.  My girls are worried that I'm going to be sad tomorrow,  and I will admit,  there may be a little truth to that. But I am determined to make the most of the new opportunities I have been given.

Last week at Open House, one of my second graders from last year came looking for me. She said she just needed to know where I was in case she needed me. Though she warmed my heart, she also reminded me of the huge impact educators have on students.

You will not find me in a classroom tomorrow, but you will definitely see me at Lee-Jackson Elementary School,  Thomas Hunter Middle School,  and Mathews High School.  I will be welcoming students to a new school year, but in a different capacity. Change is good, and I'm excited for the opportunities I have been given.

So to all my educator friends, remember this: What you do matters.  You have a major role in the lives of our children. Embrace the promises this new school year brings, work hard, love hard, and may each of you have an amazing day tomorrow.