Nota bene (often abbreviated "nb." ) is Latin, for "Note well"

In each edition, I will find some wise words to share that I hope you will think about for a fortnight or so...

To whom does history belong?

Less than a month ago, our director presented me with a challenge: we had to create a plan so that in anticipation of the coming crisis, our students could continue learning. Conventional wisdom would have us wait and see. Many people in his position would wait and see. But our director said, "we must, and now." He said we had to "see around corners" -- I thought, look into crystal balls maybe -- who knew what the Covid 19 virus had the power to do -- to the world, to the country, to our school, to our students. But I did what I was asked to do; our director did what he knew was the right thing. Then something truly amazing happened. We told our teachers what we had to do. And they did it. They stretched and bent and became what their students needed. In ordinary times, a virtual school would take months or years to plan and execute. We did it in three days. We worked together and found a way to keep our students in the world of school -- when they must stay out of the world to stay healthy. We made a little history.

History is made of times like these. Some of these times will be very sad for a very many. But while children all over the world are living in isolation, many hopeless, most at home with their schools simply closed, our amazing and diligent students are "with" us. They are continuing to learn and grow and succeed.

So, Pushkin.

I am a poet myself. But I don't have a single poetic line for these times.

From my vantage point, the people who are making history now are the grocery store workers, the men who collect the trash, the people who check on their neighbors, and check on the aging and alone. They are the school directors and teachers who are keeping education alive when so much potential for death looms everywhere--and the students who will grow up and remember that these times were made better through human kindness, selflessness, and generosity of spirit. We are the makers of history.

The history of the people, belongs to the people.

Until next time, nota bene!

Lynda