A Tribute to Educators, Support Staff and Volunteers

Each year Cochise County has an awards dinner celebrating teachers around Cochise County. Douglas Unified always has three teachers up for awards because we are one of the biggest districts in the county.   We have an elementary teacher, a middle school teacher, and a high school teacher submitted as nominees.    My first year as superintendent, I felt that we should honor the teachers who were nominated from each school at a reception.  In addition, I thought it would be nice to honor an administrator.  So we had a very nice evening honoring these wonderful people.  

Last year, we added a support staff employee and parent volunteer from each school for our Douglas ceremony.  It was a very nice reception held at the Douglas Visitor's Center.  One of our academic coaches, Ken Cormier, did all of the work for the reception and everything was great.

What I didn't think about was all of the support staff who are at the District level.  So this year, we added an employee from food services, district, maintenance, transportation, etc.  Ken and his crew really out did themselves.  Ken had a catered dinner at the Knights of Columbus Hall last Thursday to honor all of these wonderful people who do so much for the students in our District.  

What an incredible evening it was!!!  I was so proud to be a part of this ceremony for so many reasons.   There are so many dedicated employees here in Douglas who truly want what is best for our kids.  And they do this without the compensation that they deserve.

Our Governing Board President, Mike Ortega, gave out the awards. Two of our Board Members helped us in congratulating the honorees.  They were Patty Lopez and Natalio Sabal. 

Ken had local merchants donate gift certificates.  They ranged from $25 Walmart cards to a free oil change.   He is an amazing person and he gets his entire family to help with this event.  What a great human being he is!!  I am  privileged to work with him.

This quote is a familiar one, but I think a powerful one.  It sums up our evening last week.  So many people in attendance that night embody what this quote states.

One hundred years from now,
It won't matter what car I drove,
What kind of house I lived in,
How much I had in my bank account,
Nor what my clothes looked like,
But, the world may be a little better
Because I was important in the life of a child. 

 

A Tradition of Love and Family Friendship

I have done a number of posts about the importance of family and traditions that are so meaningful.  In January I did an entry on the passing of our wonderful family "friend" who was a wonderful friend who was truly part of our family --Dennis Reidy.  The Reidy and Scott families go way back to the early days when our families were first in Douglas.  They all lived on the 800 block of 14th street in the early days where Teresa and I still live.

Our families were in each others weddings and were godparents to each others children through the years.   I   don't ever remember the Reidy's not being a part of our family.

My mom was the Godmother to Adena Reidy, Jerry's daughter.  Jerry's good friend, Art Atonna, served as the Godfather.   I know that there were others who were Godparents over the years.  When Kerri was born, I asked Jerry to be Kerri's Godfather along with Judy as her Godmother. 

   

Recently, Adena and her husband, Rich,  asked Kerri and Eric Atonna (Art's son) to be the Godparents of Maddux, their son.  

So this past weekend, Teresa and I went to Tucson for the baptism.  It was so good to get together with Jerry, Marilyn, Janet, and all of the family for such a happy occasion.   We all stayed at the same hotel and had dinner Friday night together and talked, laughed, and reminisced.    

Saturday afternoon was the Baptism at St. Odelia's Church.  After that, we went to the house to celebrate.  There were a lot of little kids there and it always warms my heart to see how Cameron interacts with little kids.  He loves them and is so good around them.   The kids had a wonderful time, as did the adults.

Needless to say, this was an important event for all of us.  I was proud of Kerri.   I know it meant a lot to everyone to see this  tradition continuing.  

Susan Lieberman says that "family traditions counter alienation and confusion.  They help us define who we are.  They provide something steady, reliable, and safe in a confusing world."  And yes, the world is confusing in so many ways.  Even though all of our elders except Teresa are gone, it is so meaningful that our children see the importance of these family connections!  When our generation is gone, I know that our families will still be important and continued.  I am grateful for that in many ways, but most importantly for Cameron!   The Scott Family will live on as strong and as caring as it is today, I have no doubt!

Dena holding Kerri in Douglas.

 

Chicago, March 2013

Over the course of the time that I have been here in Douglas as superintendent, I have attended several conferences.  The majority of the ones I have attended have to do with school law, Governing Board protocols, and mandates.   

My job description is all-encompassing.  However, first and foremost, it is as the instructional leader of the district.  A typical day in my life is very busy with many diverse issues, most of which aren't curriculum related.  However, teaching and learning is what we are all about.

I had the opportunity to attend the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development international conference in Chicago last week.   I am not sure how many people were in attendance, but I am thinking it was in the thousands.     So many respected voices in education today were there doing workshops, keynote speeches, etc.  I attended an all day session on academic coaching, which was excellent.  

On Saturday my hero, Consuelo Castillo Kickbusch, was one of the invited speakers.  We had talked earlier and I was able to get to her session a little early so we could visit.  Consuelo spoke to a packed room with probably  1000 people in attendance.  I have heard her speak so many times now, but I can honestly say that I could listen to her every day.  Her message is so powerful!!  In the middle of her talk, she asked me to come up and introduced me to the audience.  She asked me to speak of what we are doing in Douglas with our Family program that is part of her company--The Family Leadership Institute.   I was touched and honored to be able to do this.    I truly believe that this program is powerful and I believe that it will make a long term difference in our community over the years.  I feel privileged to be a part of it and to call Consuelo my friend.  She is AMAZING!    

The keynote speaker on Sunday was Maya Angelo.  The room she presented in was HUGE and you could hardly see her.   They placed television screens all around so that she could be seen.  Her message was inspiring and very supportive of educators.

On Monday, another invited guest speaker was Tim Shriver.  I was so excited to get to see and listen to him speak about The Special Olympics that his mother, Eunice Shriver, started.  He also spoke about teaching values and compassion to our children, not just reading, writing and math.  I was disappointed that not many people attended that session.   Tim was great and so personable.  They had a presentation from a group of high school students and Tim was up dancing with them.   He is a genuine person who truly   believes in what the Kennedy family has always stressed--the importance of giving back.   I wish more educators could have heard his message.  

It was a great conference and I am glad I went.  It reinforced to me that we are doing a lot of things right and it rejuvenated me in many ways.  

Chicago was cold and I am not a cold weather person.   It was nice to get away for a few days, even though I was "learning" most of the time I was there!

Carmen Agra Deedy--Storyteller and Author Extraordinaire

"Storytellers are the most powerful people on earth.  They might not be the best paid, but they are the most powerful.  Storytellers have the power to move the human heart--and there is no greater power on earth." --Laurie H. Hutzler

I love to read and always have.  My grandmother instilled this love of reading in me.  I remember sitting in her chair with her while she read books to me.  I was very young and she always took the time to read whatever book I brought for her to read to me.  My Aunt Teresa also contributed to my love of reading as she had me enrolled in several book clubs as I was growing up.   Books would be delivered in the mail on a monthly basis.   Although my mom was not a reader, she also contributed by never questioning anything that I ever read. If I was reading, whatever the book was fine with her.

After becoming a teacher, I saw first hand the power of children's literature.  There are so many picture books and children's books that are amazing and very powerful in many ways

Several years ago, I found a book that to me is the most beautiful book I have ever read.  It is called "The Last Dance" written by Carmen Agra Deedy and illustrated by Debrah Santini.   

This book is about the cycle of life, the importance of family, and the limitless power of love.  

I was so excited to meet Carmen several years ago when I went to the International Reading Association Conference.   She gave me her card and phone number and I had hoped to have her come to Gilbert El sometime.  That never happened, but she visited Douglas Unified School District on February 6.   

Carmen is a warm, funny, sincere human being.  She told three different stories to our fifth graders and then to parents and families after school was over.  I was fortunate to hear two of her stories.  The children were totally into the stories she told.   There was so much laughter and joy that day.

I had the great fortune to go to lunch with Carmen.   And she is a warm, funny, sincere human being.   I love all of her books, but I shared with her what "The Last Dance" has meant to me.   Through the years, I have given this book to friends after they have lost a loved one, particularly a parent.   In the book, the grandfather tells his grandchildren that every human being has the right to three things in life:

TO DANCE.  The great thing in life is   not so much to dance well,

but whether one is willing to dance at all.

TO SING,  Even if you   sing off-key.  The crow has as much right

to a voice as the nightingale.

TO TELL STORIES.  Those we love are 
 never  really gone as long as their stories are told.

Every October, we try to get together as a family and tell stories about my mom.  She died Oct. 6 and her birthday was Oct. 8.   Although Cameron was only four when she died, I believe that the times that we have told her stories makes him think that he remembers her more.  "Those we love are never really gone as long as their stories are told."

Through the years, I have been honored to deliver eulogies for special friends and relatives.  I have used this quote often.  And this is so true.

Last week, I got an email from our cousin, Allyson, who teaches in Atlanta.  Carmen is from Georgia and she was at Allyson's school.   She told Allyson that she loved coming to Douglas and is looking forward to coming back!  What a small world it is!!

Meeting Carmen and seeing what a wonderful person she is means so much to me.  I feel honored and privileged to have been able to share her with our kids and families!!

"After nourishment, shelter and companionship, stories are the thing we need most in the world."--Philip Pullman

I couldn't agree more!!   

'S'now Joke!

During the last 2 1/2 years that I have been back in Douglas, there have been two weather "crisis."   In all of the years I was in Gilbert, the worst thing we ever had were heat advisory days.    

I had forgotten how cold it gets down here in the winter.  My office is 3 1/2 blocks from the house and I wear a heavy coat and gloves most mornings.  In addition, there are many days that it takes me ten or so minutes to get the ice off of the car windshield so that I can see to drive!

Two years ago this month, we had the coldest temperatures on record down here.  It was 0 degrees and was below freezing for two days.   That was my first really big decision as superintendent when we cancelled school for those two days.  

A couple of times this school year, snow has been in the forecast, but didn't happen.  On Monday, the weather forecast was for some possible light snow showers, but it didn't appear to be really going to happen.

I woke up about 4:00 a.m. and looked outside and there was snow!  At about 4:30, I got a call from our Transportation Director.  All of the highways coming into Douglas were closed.  That meant that he couldn't send any buses outside of Douglas and we have a lot of kids who live in outlying areas.  In addition, we have 30 or so teachers who don't live in Douglas, so they wouldn't be able to get to school.   There was no way we could find 30 subs!  So I made the decision to call a snow day!!

We called all of our principals who started calling their staffs.  I called all three of the Tucson television stations to ask them to announce it, as well as our local radio station.  We had it posted on our website and sent out messages to parents.  We have enough academic minutes required by the state, so we don't have to make up the day.  

My puggies didn't know what to do when I let them out.  They have never seen snow before.  It was really funny watching them trying to figure out what to do.  Of course, Lucy, didn't like it at all.  She would rather stay in where it is comfortable no matter whether it is winter or summer!

I had to drive up to Tucson yesterday.  Although it is winter,  the desert between here and Tucson is absolutely gorgeous.  It was a clear day and you could see snow on the tops of the several of the mountain ranges around us.  I wish I could capture that beauty with photography.  Maybe someday I will learn how to do that.  For some  people, it is natural.  I don't have much artistic ability so I am thinking I will need to take some classes.  Maybe that will be a goal when I finally retire down the road!

Dennis J. Reidy (1945-2013)

Saying   good-bye to someone who has   been such a big part of my life has never been easy.  I think it is one of the hardest things as I get "older" and it has happened more often.    However,  this past weekend   was especially difficult.  Our family had to say good-bye to someone who has meant so much to so many of us--Dennis Reidy.   Although we are not blood relatives, Dennis was my "cousin."   I valued his advice, respected his work ethic, am thankful for the many times were were able to stay at their house  when my mom was in the hospital in Tucson, and more than anything, the opportunity to hear stories and laugh.   

Last summer at the family reunion, Dennis did not look very good.  He was on oxygen, which I know was very difficult for him to have to accept.   But in the true Dennis fashion, he just made a joke of it and went on.  I know he didn't feel that well, but you would have never known it.

When we got the call a week ago Saturday   that Dennis had passed the night before, it was very difficult news.  Although I can say I wasn't    terribly surprised,  it still was unexpected.   Dennis lived every moment of his life to the fullest and not many people can say that.  It was a difficult week, and Teresa had such a hard time.

Janet asked me to speak at the funeral about Dennis' roots and Douglas.   I was so honored to be able to do this.  She told me to keep it short.  For those of you who know me professionally, you know I am not one for long speeches, etc.  However, trying to  condense so much about Dennis into something short, was hard.  I asked various people if they had any stories from growing up in Douglas.  I got quite a bit of information and was able to put it into a tribute to this wonderful human being.

I would like to share it on this blog with those of you who didn't get to hear it last Saturday.  Dennis meant so much to so many people, and that was evident in the   huge number of people who attended the viewing, the funeral, the burial and the reception.

Here is what I said:

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I am Sheila Rogers, member of the Scott Family of Douglas, Arizona.    When Janet asked me to speak about Dennis’ early years in Douglas, to say I was honored would be an understatement.   The Reidy and Scott Families go way back.  I asked our Aunt Teresa, who is 90,  when the families met.  She wasn’t sure, but  she  told me that she doesn’t ever remember a time when our families weren’t friends.  My grandparents moved to Douglas in 1912 and to the current house we live  in on 14^th Street in 1918.   The Reidy family, and their cousins, the Joyces , all lived in the 800  block on 14^th for many years.   The Reidys, Joyces, and Scotts were godparents to each other, in each others weddings, and were truly an extended family.    Our families share strong Irish Catholic roots.

And as I look back on my childhood, I don’t ever remember not having the Reidys as part of our family.    Although there are no  blood ties, that never stopped us from being family.

Dennis was born in Douglas on August 29, 1945 to Edna and Corny Reidy.    He was the second child of the family with Cornella being the oldest and Jerry following two years later.  

Corny Reidy died suddenly of a heart attack on June 13, 1951 at the age of 43, leaving behind Edna and three young children.   Edna devoted her life to her three children.   She could have gone to work as she was a registered nurse, but she felt that her children needed a mother at home.   By this time,  all of the extended Reidy family had moved to California.  But the Scott family was still in Douglas.   Throughout the years of our childhood, we were together often.  Edna died unexpectedly in 1971.   That was devastating to Dennis.   Had both of his parents lived to see the adult that he became would have made them very proud.   However, I am sure that they did know.

Dennis attended Loretto Catholic School from first through eighth grades.   We have been blessed because  our principal at Loretto, Sister Ann Patrice,  is still in our lives.   We have kept in touch through the years and I emailed her over the weekend to tell her about Dennis.   She responded to me that she found out about his death on Saturday.   She told me that Dennis and Janet had sent her a floral arrangement this past Christmas and that she had talked to Dennis on the 26^th.   I had asked her if she could share anything about Dennis with me.   She told me that  she remembered talking to Dennis at Loretto’s 75^th anniversary celebration several years back.   He told her that his education at Loretto had the biggest impact on his life.  He prefaced it with telling her “this is the only serious thing  I am going to say to you today.”  Those of us who knew Dennis, can hear him saying this.  She also said that she felt that what he told her illustrated both his faithfulness and his sense of humor.  She further said that he was always a conscientious student and entered into school activities with energy and enthusiasm.    She said his smile often held a twinkle of possible  mischief in it, but evidently he didn’t act on that mischief that she could remember.  I know for a fact  that Dennis saved acting on the mischief until a few years after he left Loretto.

Loretto often had fundraisers.  At Christmas time, we always sold Christmas cards.   Dennis would go out to sell the cards to various people that he knew.    Dennis had a gift of gab at even a young age.  Every year he would go to see Mr. Levy, who owned a local department store.  Mr. Levy reminded Dennis each year that he didn’t buy Christmas cards because he was Jewish.  However, every year Dennis convinced him to support Loretto and so Mr. Levy bought Christmas cards.

Dennis attended Douglas High School after Loretto where he was involved in  many school activities—most notably the yearbook. 

Because of their financial situation, Dennis had many jobs while growing up in Douglas.  Jerry told me  about the first jobs that they had.  They would do odd jobs for people in the neighborhood. One of those jobs was mowing lawns.   Neither Dennis or Jerry were big enough to push the lawn mower, so each of them took a side of the mower handle and pushed together.  I can just picture this!

About the same time, Dennis and Jerry started working for Mr. Stevenson, who had the local franchise for a TV guide type magazine.  In order to sell more magazines, Edna decided to take the boys over to Agua Prieta in Mexico.  They would find the homes that had a television antenna on the roof and then knock on the door.  When the   homeowner opened the door, Dennis would ask “quieres comprar TV guide?”  They sold the magazines for 15 cents and got to keep 4 cents.   Jerry told me that what they were most excited about this job was that actually had a REAL boss.  When he and Dennis were reminiscing many years later, Dennis couldn’t believe that they were excited about having a boss!

Dennis also worked as a paperboy, as a carry  out boy at the Phelps Dodge Grocery store, worked at the Arizona Drug Store, and at the City of Douglas Water Department.   Dennis knew the value of hard work from a very   young age.  And he always appreciated the friendships that he made with the men he worked with doing manual labor.  Dennis had a real heart for the common, working person that he never forgot as he became so successful in the business world.

Edna expected all of her children to go to college. Dennis received the Logie Scholarship at Douglas High School  which was only for the University of Arizona.   He always leaned towards the U of A, but that scholarship confirmed it.   And that is how Dennis became a “wildcat.”    As a graduate of ASU and a Sun Devil, I can honestly say that is probably the only thing that I ever disagreed with Dennis on!!  We had a lot of fun over the years with the rivalry.    And I am very glad that Dennis did become a wildcat, because if he hadn’t, he would have never met and married his wonderful wife, Janet.  She is our family, too,  and we love her dearly.  She was the best thing that ever happened to Dennis.  Thank you, Janet, for making Dennis so happy !!  And thank you for sharing him with us these many years!  I am sure there were many times that you were ready to go, but Dennis had one more story to share!

Dennis loved Douglas.  When I moved back to Douglas 2 ½ years ago, he was one of my biggest supporters.   Dennis believed in giving back to the community that helped make him the person he was.  Each year, Dennis would send a letter to his clients suggesting that they give their Arizona Tax Credit donation to one of two schools.  The one in Douglas is Faras Elementary in Pirtleville, which is a very poor area of Douglas.   Many people with no  connection to Douglas contributed. Those of us who graduated from Douglas High School have a saying—“once a bulldog, always a bulldog!”  Dennis  did more than say it, he lived it through his support of our schools and his love for his roots in Douglas.

I have spoken of Dennis’ formative years in Douglas.    I have talked about what a conscientious student he was.  And I know you will hear about Dennis as an adult in the next little bit.  Dennis’ sense of humor was second to none.  I loved to get together and talk and listen to his very funny stories of growing up in Douglas.   Our cousin, Ted,  wrote that Dennis was our family’s “Seanachie” (Shawn a key).  A Seanachie  is an Irish storyteller.  They were the oral historians during the great suppression.  Dennis’ stories weren’t bound by dates or events like most histories.  They were about people and characters.  And although they made us laugh, we weren’t laughing at them as much as with them.  They were vignettes of the human condition---the divine comedy.

What I believe I am most grateful for is the many years of friendship that we had.  Dennis was an incredible influence on my life and on the lives of so many others.    In our family, our children considered Dennis an uncle.   I remember him inviting my daughter and some of the other cousins to “Camp Dennis.”   At Camp Dennis, they listened to stories about having fun and of Dennis’ escapades through the years. They learned to not take themselves too seriously and to enjoy each moment in life, and to live life to the fullest.  But they also learned the value of hard work and  the importance of family.   

I will always feel blessed to have had Dennis and all of the Reidys in my life.   I love Irish Proverbs and Blessings and I am going to conclude this with one that I feel is most fitting for his great sense of humor that we will dearly miss.   It simply says,  “May you get to heaven a half hour before the devil knows you’re dead.”  I have no doubt that Dennis made it to heaven in record time!

To quote my favorite author, “those we love are never really gone as long as their stories are told.”  Dennis stories will live on with the many people whose lives he touched.

Thank you, Dennis, for enriching our lives with your presence, your stories, and most importantly,  your friendship!  You will be sorely missed!

Quiet Heroes

This is a copy of an email I sent to everyone who works in our District today:

DUSD Administrators, Teachers, and Staff,

I just wanted to share a few thoughts with you today as we come back after the horrible events that happened in Connecticut on Friday and all of the news coverage over the weekend.  Every shooting that we have had in this country has been a tragedy.   However, what happened on Friday is nothing that can even be processed.   Losing 20 six and seven years olds is beyond belief.   It seems that this has touched the core of everything that is right and wrong in our society today.

I don't believe that we will ever be able to fully understand or know why  Friday's massacre happened.    There will be all kinds of theories and all kind of reasons that politicians and the media will suggest caused this horrific event to happen.

I would like to share with you something that I feel strongly about and maybe one thing good can come out of this horrible day.   Public education has been neglected and put down by politicians and the media for quite sometime.    We have had to listen to people saying our schools are failing, teachers need to work harder, we have too many administrators, etc.  But I believe public education is the backbone of our society and has made this country what it is today.  Anyone here can get an education at any time, at any age.   This weekend, we heard about the heroic actions of many of the educators.  Some of them lost their lives trying to protect their children.   This did not surprise me at all.  I have been in education for many years and I don't know of an educator who wouldn't have done exactly the same thing faced with these circumstances!

As you work with the children in your schools today, please know that you are truly heroes in our society!  You come to school every day, walk into your classrooms or offices, and give our children the best that you can.  You do this under difficult circumstances, without adequate funding, and low salaries.  Public education must take every child who comes to us.  We can't be selective.

We hear how first responders are heroes and they are.  However, teachers and educators are the quiet heroes!    The DUSD administrators, teachers and support staff do an incredible job every day and I am proud to be a part of such a wonderful group of people!!!

You are all HEROES!!

Sheila