Week of Sept 27, 2021

My wife and I are watching a television program called, Ted Lasso. This comedy is about a small-time American football coach who is recruited to be a soccer coach in England. Coach Lasso knows virtually nothing about soccer but agrees to take on the challenge. The entire community loves their soccer team, and they take considerable pride in having a local team. As you can imagine, Lasso encounters significant anger, frustration, ridicule, and doubt from the majority of his players and the community that he can actually coach this team.

Lasso finds himself in a very difficult position, and few believe he will ever enjoy any degree of success. However, Lasso continues to be positive, energetic, and committed to helping others – even though there are many who attempt to humiliate him and sabotage his plans. He continues to perform random acts of kindness to everyone within his sphere of influence. He actually goes out of his way to show kindness to those who have been the worst to him. He never loses that positive spirit and constantly looks for the good in others. He takes the time to know those with whom he works and does a host of little things to let them know they are special. He goes out of his way to befriend those who have no social or political influence. He simply befriends them because he is a good person with no expectation that he will receive something in return. He never seeks the spotlight and is eager to give praise and recognition to others. He is not focused on primarily winning a soccer match but on creating better character, integrity, and resolve within his players. He seeks out those who are unrecognized and does his best to lift them up.

The show is not transformative, but it has had a positive impact on me. Each show helps to creates a desire to be a better person and do more for those around me. It creates a sense of urgency within me to do a little extra to make those around me feel more special. It helps me realize that many among us are struggling with so much and a small act of kindness can have a tremendous impact on them. It helps me to realize that we need to slow down a little and focus on relationships as much as doing the work. The show reminds me that we can have a positive impact on this world if we elect to do so.

The last several months have forced us to look at the world in many different ways. For many, we have struggled with a host of challenges, and we may be focused on grinding it out to survive. This self-focus prevents us from seeing the needs of others and denies us the opportunity to make life better for someone else. Although life is difficult at this point, we should take the time to look up and see if those around us need attention.

Please take a moment to review the following and contact us if you have any questions or concerns. We will respond to those concerns in our next article. Please email Mrs. Karlene Webb (webbk@hcboe.net) with any concerns or questions.

1. Our active case count continues to decline, and we are seeing fewer staff/students become infected. Last week our active case count was 65. This week our active case count remains stable at 65. This is the lowest our case count has been since the second week of school. Of our active cases this week, 59 are students and 6 are staff.

2. School will be closed October 11 – 15 for fall break. We hope everyone is able to enjoy a safe and relaxing fall break.

3. October 28 will be an early dismissal day. All schools will dismiss at 1:00 p.m. This early dismissal is part of the school calendar.

4. There was a Federal Court Case decision out of Knoxville last week which has created some discussion in our community. We are not absolutely sure about the full implications of the verdict. It appears that a federal judge ruled in favor of parents wanting a mask mandate. Local news stated the court decision declared the Governor’s “opt-out” provision for a mask mandate was unconstitutional because it violated certain students’ right to have a free and appropriate education. In this case, the students in question were primarily children with an IEP and thus would have some federal protection rights. This case will generate a great deal of social media comments and discussion. However, it is important to note that this case does not apply to Hamblen County. It only applies to that school system. Hamblen County is not making any changes to our current policy, and the Board of Education does not intend to pass a mask mandate.

5. In many grades, students are currently taking benchmark assessments. These assessments are administered throughout the year to determine if students have mastered specific skills that have been taught during a certain period of time. We use these benchmark assessments to determine what skills we need to reteach. These assessments are not used as a grade, but they do provide valuable diagnostic information which we use to direct our instructional program. Please encourage your child to do his or her best on these assessments so we will have a clear picture of their academic skill level.

My mother once told me that I would be a little part of everyone that I came in contact with during my life. She told me to be careful who I associated with because they would have an impact on my character. This impact could be good or bad. I thought about this advice after one of the Ted Lasso shows. I do not watch a great deal of television, but most of the shows I watch are action or thrillers. I am not sure many of those shows always encourage me to think, reflect, or become a better person. However, I do think that many of the fine arts, whether it is music, art, poetry, dance, plays, or others forms of expression can positively impact our life if we are open to that experience. Perhaps our world could improve a little if we were a little more conscientious about what we chose to give our attention to and attempted to surround ourselves with those who were positive and encouraging. Thanks for your attention to this article and remember, School Matters!