The Putnam | Northern Westchester BOCES Curriculum and Instructional Services department is pleased to bring you a monthly learning spotlight; a blog written by members of the department, designed to share regional educators' thoughts and reflections on a wide variety of topics.

JUNE 2022

June... a time to REJOICE and reflect

BY: Samantha Hirsh, Assistant Director of Curriculum & Instructional Services

I have always loved the month of June, both as a student and a teacher. There is a frenetic energy that is palpable amongst students and faculty, a desire to eat lunch and hold classes outside. Mixed feelings of wanting to hurry up, finish the year and start summer, along with a sense of sadness that comes at the close of a school year. And, if you have ever taught middle school, you know June brings us the smell of sweat and AXE body spray :) .

This year has been an unprecedented challenging and trying year for educators. Quarantines, variants, sub-shortages, a change in our students’ abilities, and most recently, a hate crime in Buffalo and a school shooting in Ulvade, have affected us personally and professionally. As you begin this last leg of the school year, I hope you will take some time to enjoy the last few weeks, reflect on the year and all the trials and tribulations you may have faced and overcome, as well as the positive moments. Maybe these moments consisted of not having to teach in a hybrid environment, being able to see your students’ smiling faces in your class, or getting back to teaching practices and classroom traditions that we lost for 2 years.

Over the summer, I hope we all take time for ourselves to focus on us, and do things that make us happy and bring us joy. For me, that is watching my daughter bounce off to camp every morning and come home wet, dirty, and happy. It is spending time in the Berkshire’s, sitting outside when I get home from work, grilling dinner, making s’mores, blowing bubbles, running through sprinklers; and while working through the summer, feeling a little lighter and less stressed during the work week.

In whatever ways you are able to relax and recharge, may you have a wonderful end of school year, as well as a very peaceful and relaxing summer; we will see you in September.