Open Letter to My Students

Dear Students,

This is certainly not how I imagined the culmination of our face-to-face school year. The last time I saw you, I never imagined it would be for the last time. The selfish truth is that I'm still not ready for it to be the end. I thought we would have so much more ahead of us... Time to use all the tools we've sharpened over the course of the year to put together some incredible performances. Time to get out on the stage and leave it all out there for audiences to enjoy. Time to create, time to play, time to laugh, time to grow, time to cry, time to celebrate, time to say "good bye". 

The irony of it all is although we supposedly have "all the time in the world", that time won't look like anything we imagined. This isn't what anyone imagined or anticipated. Not for you, not for ourselves, not for our world. But the good news is this isn't the end. Buildings might be closed, face-to-face instruction may not be possible, but the future is still ahead of us for the shaping. It may not look the way any of us envisioned, but it's still there and we can still make of it what we will.

That being said, there are also some core truths that remain in the midst of all this uncertainty. I need you to know that:

• YOU ARE LOVED. Your teachers, your families, your communities love you a great deal. So much that the world has been brought to a screeching halt to protect you and your loved ones. We might not be able to say hi to you in the hallways, ask you how your day is going, or show you how much we care in the ways we normally would do, but we still think and care about you. A LOT. (Seriously. That isn't rainbow fluff. It's fact.)

• None of this is normal. NONE OF IT. You are allowed to feel whatever you are feeling. Overwhelmed. Tired. Frustrated. Angry. Sad. Upset. Unsure. Scared. And when you're not sure what to do next or where to turn, re-read my first bullet point. Know that there are a lot of people who love and care about you, myself included. And if you need help processing what you are feeling, reach out to to someone. Which brings me to my next point...

• Remember that physical distance doesn't mean disconnection. Our buildings may be closed, but we can still talk. We can still laugh. We can still learn. We can still connect with one another. In fact, there's nothing most teachers want more than to stay connected with you right now. WE MISS YOU. (Again, no rainbow fluff here. Only facts.)

• What you are being asked to do and understand right now is nothing short of heroic. You are literally saving lives and preserving the future for your generation. Pick your favorite hero, because you are IT. Iron Man. Luke Skywalker. Wonder Woman. Black Panther. Doctor Who. Harry Potter. Baby Yoda. Just know that no matter who you picked, YOU are our favorite heroes.

• We still want to celebrate you. And we will. You will be celebrated. In fact, we are scrambling, collaborating, and brainstorming with every fiber of our beings to find the best ways we can honor you in any way we possibly can. Whether we are inches or miles a part, distance will not keep us from finding ways to celebrate your accomplishments.

• No matter what the future might hold, it can't take away the growth and progress you've made over time. You are not the person you were at the beginning of the school year; you've grown. Physically, emotionally, skillfully, creatively. That growth should not be downplayed or blown off; it should be honored. We might not be there to help you see it when you are lost or overwhelmed (totally normal BTW), but you can and should step back to respect your growth journey. 

• While most of this is out of our control, you still have the power to make the world a better place and bring healing to yourself and others through creation- whether music, story, or other art form. Never doubt your power. Go make something. Music, writing, art, invention, journal, video, blog... Even if you only do it for yourself and never share your work, you make yourself better through creating & thus, the world for your existence in it. That is the power of the arts. 

Again, the future is ours for the shaping. It may not look the way we anticipated even a few weeks ago, but I can't imagine a better community to be a member of while weathering this storm. I also can't wait to work together to shape that future into something that is as special as you all are. Now go back and re-read that first point again, take a deep breath, and please don't be a stranger. 

Mrs. Staniszewski