Learning with Leaming

Story by Adam Leaming, Ponca City Public Schools / Contributing Writer

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! As the Christmas holidays quickly approach, your local school district is preparing for the upcoming 2023 New Year. In the past twelve months, we’ve experienced record investment across our district and we’re actively preparing for more projects that will bolster and enhance the services we can provide to our students and the community as a whole. Not only will the next twelve months be transformational for the district from a facilities standpoint, but it will also be a beneficial time to pause, collect ourselves, and transition into the promise of a new spring.

This Spring not only refers to the season, but to the business principle of hope and new life. The winter is upon us, and as we experience the closure of this year we will look eagerly to the spring for new opportunities and new hope. Our classroom teachers, administrators, and students will be in the midst of their school year, but big ideas, new opportunities, and new processes will come to life in the upcoming Spring.

My goal this month will be to remain open to change and new ideas. I’d like to foster a spirit of openness to new ways of thinking and new experiences. I fear if I remain closed off, our school district could miss a golden opportunity for positive change. One of my changes moving forward will be to find more positives in my day. In the school setting, getting out of my office and being with the teachers, students, and staff that run our buildings fuels my spirit. Plus, some of the best feedback and best ideas I hear come from the people doing the front-line work day in and day out. Finding that raw uninterrupted time to be present with members of your team is extremely powerful. As your school district is preparing for the spring, know that we are working diligently to educate the children you entrust with us each day. But also know we’re looking for ways to close this winter chapter in a positive way and look to the spring with hope. I hope you can take a moment to enjoy a special moment this holiday season. It’s my pleasure to serve our community.