Better Than We Could Ever Have Said It...

Last week, Sean Kirst of the Post-Standard did a two-part story on a young man - a graduate this past weekend - who worked incredibly hard for his diploma.

Quiet work and dedication, amid the noise

Did Jerry Kelley III pass his English Regents? 

By profiling one child, Sean was able to shine a spotlight on the many students who struggle daily - in similar circumstances - with or without the family supports that Jerry Kelley was blessed with. Jerry is among the lucky ones.

Not all of our kids are so lucky... Kirst's article was an eye-opener regarding the daily challenges countless kids face outside of school that create and/or contribute to their struggle. Jerry spoke of the "noise" all around him and it really resonated. How many of our students are living in the midst of this "noise?" All too often those are the kids who are lost in the cracks.

How do we better support them?

In school, we can strive for chaos-free classrooms that become a part of that solution by creating a "noise-free" safe place for kids to land. We need to seek out creative ways to minimize distractions outside the classroom for students, even where our influence is minimal. We must continue advocating for supports for those kids who are struggling. We should be asking for professional development for all student-facing positions to ensure that all staff receive cultural diversity awareness training. We must continue to do all that we can to foster school-parent partnerships that are open, honest and always with the best interest of the child at heart.

Acknowledging the need that exists on all of our parts is not a weakness, but a strength. By working as a team and committing to becoming a part of the solution, we can ALL make a difference in the lives of the students in the Syracuse City School District.