Some Things Never Change

If you are like me, your car radio is usually dominated by whatever the kids can listen to while they are with you. That means I can't listen to my podcasts on reality TV or true crime, no vintage 90s hip hop, and even pop radio stations can get a little inappropriate.

To clarify, I have the. worst. singing voice. But if it's just me and kids, I am going to belt it out (at least for now, when they still like me. Give me a few years and it will be so embarrassing even though they are the only ones in the car). We play Hamilton soundtrack, whatever Kennedy play we are currently practicing for (Shrek Jr songs were my fave), and most recently, the Frozen 2 soundtrack. I am loving it.

The second song on the soundtrack is titled, "Some Things Never Change" which just makes me so happy. It's upbeat, it's fun. It reminds me of education a whole lot too.

As a fresh teacher out of college (a "noob" as the kids would say), I was shocked when a veteran teacher told me "don't worry about <insert new mandate here> it will change in a few years." Boy was he right. There is "new math" and common core and writing strategies and changing graduation requirements. We have social-emotional learning and project-based learning and 21st-century learning. Cursive is in! Cursive is out! Sight words! Phonics! Creative spelling! (I never understood that last one).

At Kennedy, where we have some of the most ambitious attitudes towards future-ready learning, Some Things Never Change.

We are prayerful and compassionate through our faith-based programming and dedication to service to others. We constantly strive to create authentic learning experiences that are innovative--whether listening to my husband and his classmates talk about their marriage project in the late 90s to today's Business Math Stock challenge. Our students have extensive experience in becoming articulate--from our Kindergarteners "Thanksgiving Traditions" presentations; to our grade school "Timelines" and Science Fair; to junior high History Day; to our high school Science Court and Wolves of Warren Business Club pitches...not to mention the largest and most successful Speech and Debate team in the area. We are global! We host international students from Asia, Europe, and Central/South America looking to get a rigorous education before moving on to college in the United States and also take our service projects global by contributing to the Catholic Relief Services Rice Bowl project, among others. Our students learn to be resilient through tough times, together, as our Kairos Retreat chaperones will tell you.

Innovative. Prayerful. Articulate. Resilient. Compassionate. Global.

We strive to grow and change but these characteristics stand the test of time. I am really proud of our curricular programs, our extra-curricular offerings, and the faith-based component that makes kindness as important as chemistry. We talk about how it was the library that became a computer lab that became The Think Lab. Someday it might be something different. It will surely look different and have different tools in it. But Some Things Never Change. We will innovate in it. We will try and fail and be resilient because we will keep trying. Like Elsa says, "these days are precious, can't let them slip away. I can't freeze this moment, but I can still go out and seize this day." We are making the most of every day with the qualities that matter most.

I choose Kennedy because all of these things are in front of our mission. Not the new math, or the high-stakes testing, or even graduation requirements. Those will get taken care of. Those don't make leaders of Courage, Integrity, and Dedication. Do what's right and you can't go wrong.