Superintendent's Focus

Matt Pacer

Focused: 

I remember attending elementary school at Adelphian Junior Academy in Holly, Michigan. I believe it was second grade, when one day after school my mom took me to see an optometrist upon the advice of my teacher. A few weeks later I got my very first pair of glasses.  Wearing those glasses for the first time, everything around me came into focus!  I could now see the individual leaves that made up tree branches, my classmate’s faces were clearer, and I could read the chalkboard.  

I Corinthians 13:12 (NKJV) tells us “For now we see in a mirror, dimly but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.”  As teachers we daily spend our time helping students to focus.  We help them to focus mentally, physically, and spiritually.  As Christian teachers it is our privilege to guide our students to see a clear picture of Christ’s love, to have an encounter with him, to see him face to face. I’m so thankful for my second grade teacher, Miss Plumb, who helped me with the right resources to be able to get glasses and grow in my walk with Jesus.

Fearless:

Being fearless doesn’t come naturally to many of us, especially me.  There are plenty of times as a teacher I wish I had done a better job of remaining fearless.  As a principal I learned to be fearless on behalf of teachers that worked in my school.  I sometimes had to stand as a shield between them and an angry parent.  One memory I recall is when a parent insisted that another student (not their own) shouldn’t be allowed to return to school.  The right thing was for this student to stay enrolled.  I wasn’t bullied by this parent, I remained fearless in the face of pressure.  

In the end both students returned to school and received an excellent Christian Adventist education.  “For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.” Isaiah 41:13

Faithful:

When I hear the word “faithful” I think of my dear friend Kathy Smith.  I first met Kathy when I started teaching at Highland Elementary (HES) in 2009.  She was two years in on her eight-year journey of fighting breast cancer.  Kathy worked as a teacher’s aide at Highland for 23 years.  She was amazing to watch in action: positive, patient, proficient, productive, passionate, and above all professional.  I learned so much just from watching her assist in the classroom.  She didn’t have a teaching degree, but she was an amazing teacher, mentor, and coach.  For several years she was assigned to help in my classroom.  

The 2014-2015 school year was her last year at HES.  It was painful to see her dying little by little each day.  She was so faithful in her responsibilities–I was particularly impressed that she still insisted on vacuuming the classroom each morning, until she physically couldn’t anymore.  Kathy, despite the intense pain and suffering, stayed faithful to Jesus right up to the end. Kathy fell asleep in Jesus the summer of 2015. “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised isfaithful.” Hebrews 10:23

If you didn’t have the privilege of knowing Kathy Smith you can read about her focused, fearless, and faithful journey featured in The Tennessean March 2015.  Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9

School Safety

Crisis Management: (Preparing a statement for the media)

1. Your first call should be 911.  

2. Your second call should be to one of the superintendents.   

3. They will gather information from you to create a statement.  

4. “No comment” should never be used with the media.  

5. Your response to media should be “We have a statement that is prepared. Paola Mora pmora@kytn.net is the contact person with the statement."