Today we celebrated our beloved art coach, Judy Klima. We conducted the celebration at our weekly town meeting with a video expressing our love and a flash mob. We kept the event a secret from Judy. During the week as I was gathering video footage and asking parents to participate in the festivities many children and adults asked with trepidation, "Is Ms. Judy leaving!?" Fortunately the answer is no. But it made me reflect on how we share love and appreciation with those who so positively impact our lives and the work we do.
In the work environment, as in life, it is important to give and receive love. It is a unique gift that demonstrates our humanness. Typically, within our personal and family lives, this showing of love comes naturally. In the workplace it can be challenging to collaborate, demonstrate deep respect and share love. We recognize that these are important aspects of our work and contribute to developing a more positive and fulfilling work environment. However, the love can be quickly forgotten when the pressures and stress, times when we need love the most, of the work day consume us and bring us down.
IAA is special in this regard. We recognize that friendship and family are words we often use to describe our colleagues. We celebrate, that even through the darkest of times we feel we can rely on one another and find solace and comfort in the connections we have. This translates into a community of tolerance, understanding, caring and love. It also makes us aware of what we have and that we should appreciate and acknowledge each other more often than when someone leaves. This level of love and respect is a tangible thing at IAA and often commented on when people new to the building join the community, tour the school or stop by for a visit. The students develop a sense of comfort as a result of the climate here as well.
So really it was just another day at IAA. But what a great way to end a week, to just say, "we love you Judy," for no other reason, than the fact that we do.
In the work environment, as in life, it is important to give and receive love. It is a unique gift that demonstrates our humanness. Typically, within our personal and family lives, this showing of love comes naturally. In the workplace it can be challenging to collaborate, demonstrate deep respect and share love. We recognize that these are important aspects of our work and contribute to developing a more positive and fulfilling work environment. However, the love can be quickly forgotten when the pressures and stress, times when we need love the most, of the work day consume us and bring us down.
IAA is special in this regard. We recognize that friendship and family are words we often use to describe our colleagues. We celebrate, that even through the darkest of times we feel we can rely on one another and find solace and comfort in the connections we have. This translates into a community of tolerance, understanding, caring and love. It also makes us aware of what we have and that we should appreciate and acknowledge each other more often than when someone leaves. This level of love and respect is a tangible thing at IAA and often commented on when people new to the building join the community, tour the school or stop by for a visit. The students develop a sense of comfort as a result of the climate here as well.
So really it was just another day at IAA. But what a great way to end a week, to just say, "we love you Judy," for no other reason, than the fact that we do.
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