Encouragement for Staff and Students

We feel fortunate to be part of a school community that comes together in times of celebration and tragedy to support each other. And in it's short history, it has had both. It has used creativity, love, respect, education, and community to get through it. We can talk about what we love and what we struggle with and ALWAYS there is action that follows. That is true community. --Erik Howard

To Staff: Thank you for helping raise our kids. On the hard days, remember that we would all be lost without you and every day you show up for work you are changing their lives.

To Students: You are capable of great things. Rise to the occasion because it's not about today and doing schoolwork; what you do here today can help shape your future.  --Hilary Young

To Staff: Teaching is hard.  Learning is hard.  Sometimes just getting out of bed is hard.  I long for Southwest DCS to be a place where you feel AWAKE and ALIVE because you are doing things you love with people who love you!  Thank you for dreaming up a beautiful vision and mission.  Thank you for showing up every day with the desire to see them come true.  Thank you for coming to work even when the day before was horrible.  Thank you for your kindness, your courage, your creativity and your endurance!  You are amazing!

To Students: There are things you need to learn, but there are things you already KNOW.  You know that you are at your best when you feel safe and loved and trusted.  You know that telling the truth keeps things clean in your heart and between the people you love.  You know that mean words kill, but kind words raise the dead.  You know what it feels like to be left out, and you know that light and breezy feeling when another takes you in with a smile or a complement or an invitation.  You know that you can CHANGE THE WORLD.  Not someday.  When you're bigger.  When you're smarter.  When you're cooler.  When you're farther.  You can change the world TODAY.  By being a safe place.  By asking tough questions and not settling for easy answers.  By listening to each other.  By fighting boredom with creative risk.  By being yourself.  By thinking for yourself.  By sticking with a task, even when it's hard. By being an inviter.  By speaking life to each other!  Thank you for being.  You are WONDERFUL! --Rachael Sanowski