The spirit of giving has been drifting briskly through the air over the path around the Falls. In some situations that spirit relates to family members who may be coming together for an annual gathering. These are special and create treasured memories, especially if circumstances prevented those gatherings from happening for a while.
With a number of families, those gatherings will be special because of a new member joining for the first time, either because of a birth, marriage or a budding relationship. In each case, a new giving tradition is started.
For some families, the tradition includes the baking of Christmas cookies and the sharing of those cookies with friends and neighbors. That process, especially if children are involved, can be especially meaningful, since it plants the idea that this holiday season is not just about receiving gifts. The warmth does not just come from the oven as those creations are brought to the kitchen table.
For many people, that spirit of giving has extended beyond family as people make efforts, in one way or another, to lend support to the less fortunate. This can take many forms, from the coins dropped in the red kettles to contributions to one charity or another.
Understanding that the spirit of giving is alive and well at this time of year and the fact that we are fast approaching the end of the calendar year for income tax purposes, organizations and alumni associations tap into that gift-giving spirit, asking for a nice donation. Timing is everything, and this seems to be the time for those calls.
That effort to show support for the less fortunate appears in a number of forms in our schools. Although it is not part of the Common Core State Standards, the concept of charity for others is a worthy pursuit. The reward for giving to others can be a great feeling that will carry one far in life.
In our schools there have been collections of nonperishable food for food pantries. There have been collections of coats for kids and personal hygiene products. Several schools have an “adopt a family” effort. These efforts are supported by employees in the schools and other community members who understand the significance they can have.
At Oconto Falls Elementary School, where that program has existed for a number of years, the effort has changed focus this year. Instead of a focus on gifts for children in the family, the intent is to provide basic family needs for the families who face major challenges. The number of families touched was fewer than before, but may have had greater impact. The refocused effort was called “Holiday Hope.”
Hope is a concept that is woven throughout the work of educators. Hope for a brighter future and for better times is something we all long for. A solid education can be a bridge to that future. Just as parents hope for the best for their children, teachers share that feeling about each student in his or her class.
When a student shows signs of frustration about something introduced in class, the teacher responds with a different approach or a review of what transpired earlier, with the eternal hope that the student will get it this time. Hope can drive much of what teachers do, especially with those students who find school challenging.
Public education in Wisconsin has seen some dark times in recent days, but hope for renewed appreciation provides the inspiration to start each day fresh and recharged.
Educators are faced with higher class sizes, new initiatives, higher accountability, unwarranted criticism and lack of understanding, and at the same time, there are no more hours in the day. Compensation has remained stagnant. Stress levels are high in many corners of the school building.
Even so, great work is under way. The well-attended holiday concerts were a great example of the excitement and accomplishment in our schools.
School leaders today find that providing hope and encouragement to those who work in our classrooms is a more important part of the job than in the past. Great schools provide hope for communities, hope that communities will thrive, and the young people coming out of our schools will build an even brighter future. Hope can be a powerful fuel for the holiday season.
We extend our wish for happiness and the gift of hope as families celebrate the season.
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