Year-End Odds And Ends

It's about 2:00 on Graduation Day, June 17. As I look onto the front lawn at the stage and chairs, I am put at ease by what is most apparent...big blue skies and a great temperature. It looks like we are most blessed with a terrific day and evening for our Commencement ceremonies.

Even though classes were dismissed for the summer earlier today, there is still a beehive of activity in preparation for this evening. Chairs are still being arranged, sound systems are checked, and flowers are staged. There is a lot of positive energy. It's an exciting time for more than just the graduates, as the families and our staff put a lot of emphasis on this day.

On another note, we have 17 teachers that will be taking advantage of the retirement proposal that recently passed through the state legislature. When that change was combined with the "early retirement incentive" from the district, it became an offer too good to pass up.

This is unfortunate for those that remain because by my conservative estimates, we will have more than 400 years of successful teaching experience walk out our doors for the last time tomorrow. So we have big shoes to fill. There will be many interviews conducted over the summer with the intent of finding replacements that can quickly get up to speed with our curriculum and course expectations.

Wish us luck with both the events of this evening and in finding replacements for such a terrific group of veteran teachers.

And many thanks to everyone for another successful year at South!