A Message to my Teachers (yep, it's got me teary-eyed)

Hi there,

I'm so excited to be here with you today.

As you probably know, I've been in the independent school world for about 15 years. And I've loved every minute of working in and with independent schools.

But what you probably don't know is that I come from a long line of school educators.

And I just wanted to share a little bit about my history with teachers because I think as we're journeying into the unknown (cue Elsa song) a lot of teachers are having to do things that they never thought they would have to do (and certainly weren't in their job descriptions).

I just wanted to take a moment and give gratitude to those teachers and to share how much they mean to me. And if they ever start to wonder if this whole teaching thing is worth it, I want them to listen to this.

Let's travel back in time to young Aubrey. I grew up in a household of educators. My dad and mom both taught and served in several roles at public high schools and then colleges. 

I have fond memories of visiting my dad (he was a guidance counselor at one point) during summer school. I would bring my box of art supplies and spend the day coloring away in his office. Everyone knew my name and I often dropped into the principal's office.

And then there were the times I spent with my mom at the local community college. I brought my stuffed animals and set them up all over her work cubical while she taught computer operating systems to students (that was back in the day of DOS). 

I have countless memories of school life and of the amazing teachers who worked there. So, I guess with a past like that it really wasn't too surprising that I ended up working for independent schools. 

But beyond the experience with my parents, I can vividly remember the teachers who impacted my own life:

• Ms. Simpson in 4th grade who engaged my quiet-girl self in what she was teaching. She also sparked in me a curiosity about Europe as she was from Norway and told of a magical place that was in the dark for part of the year. 
• Ms. Grenfeld, my 6th-grade teacher, read to our class for 45 minutes every day. It was through those books that we adventured to far off places. And it was then that I fell in love with reading (and I've had stacks of books by my bedside ever since). 
• Coach Link, a high school teacher, who even though I was in the midst of my torturous teenage years, stayed after school searching for a necklace I'd lost. During those dark days, I didn't think that anyone cared enough to do something like that for me. 
• Mr. Kelly, my world religion teacher in high school, for introducing me to other cultures, ideas, theories, and histories. It was then that a deep desire to travel the world blossomed inside of me. 
• Ms. Beldorf, my high school marketing teacher, for seeing through my angry teenage facade to the leader inside. She gave me the opportunities and responsibilities that allowed me to see my potential. 

It's been many, many years since I was in school. Yet these people remain in my heart. I am forever grateful for their service as teachers, for the tremendous impact they have had (and continue to have) on my life. 

And so I give thanks and gratitude to the teachers from the past and present, to all the teachers - both public and private - who encourage, engage and impact the lives children.

Thank you for your service. 

Cheering you on every step of the way! 

Aubrey 

P.S. Looking to dive into your online presence? Join me on July 29 at 10am for a great webinar hosted by the Association of Independent Schools Maryland. See you then!