Graduation 2011

So here we are, Graduation 2011; the end of an era and the beginning of another one. As one of my favorite writers Dr. Seuss once said:
“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. You're on your own. And you know what you know. You are the one who'll decide where to go.”

Graduation is a bittersweet time; a time to recall all the good times you have had here and a time to say goodbye, a time for celebration and a time for apprehension. You have accomplished many goals through your time here at Rye Junior High School including surviving the middle years. You have grown and developed into fine young adults. I am very proud of you.
When I think back about this class, I have such fond memories. We started in the jungle three years ago. Which leads me to a little story… When the sixth grade does their Africa Unit, there is a sort of culminating activity that combines all that the students have worked on and learned through this interdisciplinary unit. The sixth grade teachers had a little activity planned that would include the students but for this class, it just wasn’t going to do. These students started putting together a demonstration of their learning with the assistance of the teachers that turned into quite a spectacle. A river system went through Mr. Bissonnette’s room. There were songs performed in French from various African nations. Folk tales were told and acted out that students had done in language arts. And of course, the rock band performed their own (and appropriate) version of “Welcome to the Jungle” with lyrics about their teachers.
This class has certainly shown their own flair. It is the group that signed up in droves for the Talent Show. From comedic MC’s to rock songs, this group has blown the roof off the gym two years running. The band and chorus performances have been second to none.
Students of this class have showed perseverance. Despite some challenging times, this group has persevered through it all. Tough assignments, social situations, and competitive endeavors have never held this group back.
Intelligence. This class has an intelligence that will serve them well. Not only in test scores but in truly understanding what they have learned, this is a class of scholars who can speak about what they know. It is a rare combination to not only be intelligent but articulate. Every visitor to our building this year was amazed about how each student could talk about what they know in a thoughtful way. This intelligence will truly serve you well.
This class has shown Respect to its community and all the students of Rye. They are the leaders of the school and have helped to make it the community it is. For that, I say thank you and I will miss your leadership. Students look up you for your commitment to the underdog and underprivileged. You share your gifts of caring. For after all “And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make,” right Charlie? This group is full of love and caring and that all I could wish for in all of us.
So what do I have to say as you leave us? What words of wisdom should this principal pass on to you as you move onto the next station of your life? I believe there is greatness in this class. Not for the talents you possess which are many but for the people you are. I believe you can change this world. I believe you have the human qualities that will make this world a better place; a world that desperately needs compassion and caring in a time becoming more electronic and impersonal. As Mahatma Gandhi once said, “ Be the change you want to see in the world.” Lead with the qualities you have been instilled with, that you possess, and that you wish to have.
So today was the last time at the front door I greeted you. The last day for “Good Mornings”, high fives, comments about the cool t-shirt or the nice shoes. I will miss you and your bright smiles, cheerful hellos and great optimism. I will miss your flair, perseverance, intelligence, and respect. I wish you all the best.
Chris Pollet
Principal
Rye Junior High School

How do you separate?

How do you separate your experience as a young athlete from your child's experience? Youth coaches have been dealing with this issue since the advent of youth sports. A coach wants his son or daughter to be their best and sometimes it comes at the expense of other kids. The competitive nature of the coaches sometimes overwhelms the experience for the kids and then its get ugly. How do we balance our desire for our kids to do well and the needs of all the kids? Anyone got an answer?

Graduation 2011

It is always a melancholy time of year for students moving onto the next challenges of their lives. Graduation represents that rite of passage that is filled with hope and regret. Hope for all that is ahead of you and regret for the loss of all that was good and safe. As we approach the end of middle school for this class, I cannot help but wonder what the students are thinking. Are they looking forward to their next school? Are they lamenting the loss of this school? Are they just looking forward to the short respite between this school year and the next one? Are they thinking about Monday? I think kids of this age are just insolated enough from serious concerns that this time passes quickly without melancholy. Time is irrelevant in some respects. Time is for someone else to keep. Hope and regret are for us older folks to feel.