Superintendent's Focus

Heidi Ruckle

“Spring Fever”

We have spent this 2023-2024 school year with the theme: Focused, fearless, faithful. I would like to take just a few moments to revisit and sum up this theme as the school year draws to a close. This is the time of year that we in education know as “spring fever”. The kids are tired, the teachers are exhausted, and everyone is on the countdown to the last day! Even with all of that in mind this is the time to remain focused on learning, fearless in the face of tough days, and faithful to the mission of Adventist education.

The final days can be some of the hardest of the entire school year, these are the days when you know you still have so much to do but the clock and the calendar just keep ticking…it seems faster by the second! How do we finish strong? How do we stay focused, fearless, and faithful?

·      Focused-(Philippians 4:8-9) These are verses that we all have read and may even have hidden in our hearts and minds. They remind us to fix our minds (or FOCUS) on things that are true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, and admirable. To keep putting into practice all that we have learned. When we make a choice to see the good in the students that fill our classrooms (even when spring fever hits), when we love them like Jesus, and when we focus on all that is lovely, we find strength that is not our own.

·      Fearless-(Isaiah 41:13) “For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand—And I say to you- Don’t be afraid. I am here to help you.” We never enter a classroom alone! God goes before us, He goes behind us, and He holds our hands on the most difficult days.

·      Faithful-(Matthew 25:23) “His master replied, “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things! Come and share your master’s happiness!” We are each looking for a “well done!” teaching is a high and worthy calling. It is hard yet sacred work, when you are faithful God sees all your hard work and is with you each day. 

As the end approaches for each of you, I remember well the silence of my empty classroom at the end of the school year. As the last student is picked up there is a momentary feeling of pure bliss that rolls over your very soul! It is quickly replaced by the knowledge that your classroom will never again look like it did that morning when the bell rang. Tiny humans will go onto the next teacher, and you will get new students in August ready to learn and grow. It’s that feeling of bliss and sadness all wrapped up in a single moment. It is a bit like laughter through tears. Yes, soon the “spring fever” will break, summer will come! Enjoy these last few days with your students for the 2023-2024 school year. Take a deep breath, focus on the lovely, have no fear Jesus is with you, and stand faithful in the work you are called to. We are all so proud and grateful for the mighty Kingdom work done this year in the schools of the Kentucky-Tennessee Conference schools! Thank you!

Joshua 1:9 

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.

School Safety

Trainings helpful for Emergency Operations Planning (Safety Plans):

• Using a Six-Step Planning Process to Develop Emergency Operations Plans: https://rems.ed.gov/Resources/Specific?Topic=EOPDevelopment

•  REMS School EOP Planning 101: Creating High Quality School Emergency Operations Plans that Address all Threats, Hazards, Settings, and Times: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdUp4fgqsB0

• FEMA G364 Multi-Hazard Emergency Planning for Schools Toolkit: https://training.fema.gov/programs/emischool/el361toolkit/coursematerials.htm

• FEMA IS-100 Introduction to the Incident Command System: https://training.fema.gov/is/courseoverview.aspx?code=IS-100.c&lang=en

• FEMA IS-700 Introduction to the National Incident Management System (NIMS) https://training.fema.gov/is/courseoverview.aspx?code=IS-700.b&lang=en

• Campus Safety Training Program: Introduction to Incident Command System (ICS) for School Personnel: https://copstrainingportal.org/project/introduction-to-incident-command-system-for-school-personnel/

Retirements

Graduation Season