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When I began working at Sequoia, I heard from several colleagues about the remarkable families in our community. I was told of compassionate, generous people who support the mission of public education, hold their kids accountable, and make great partners in the difficult job of transforming clever children into thriving young adults.
Sequoia families, in some cases, span generations. Every year at graduation I meet someone’s grandparent or great-grandparent who is also a Sequoia alum. I’ve been in more than one photo with 3-4 generations of Cherokees/Ravens. History and tradition bind us.
Working with extraordinary students from same-sex parents, adopted parents, foster parents, and grandparents/siblings/aunts/uncles/cousins acting in the role of guardians made me long ago abandon any preconceptions about “traditional” families.
Families arrived at ninth grade orientation with a nervous oldest child, then waved us goodbye after their third or fourth earned the final diploma – and it went by in a flash. Case managers or vice principals unite with divorced-parents or step-parents in the shared interests of a student, altering a trajectory of struggle into one of success. Being a part of each unique four-year journey has been a gift.
Consistently, I’ve been amazed at the lengths our families will go to make their child’s education – and our school community – a success. They show up for our Parent Project or Parent Education Series, volunteer at the Booster Snack Shack, support our SHSEF Annual Campaign, show up for PTSA/ELAC meetings, performances, informational meetings, and athletic events. As a parent myself, I can also speak intimately of the piles of laundry, grumpy wake-ups, carpool trips, and uneaten lunches that slip through in the invisible hours of the week. This is family, too.
Evidence over the past fourteen years has substantiated the extraordinariness of Sequoia families again and again. One of the joys of my job is discovering new ways in which the idea of “family” manifests in our community. New, deeper, understandings can come at the most unexpected times
Thursday, I stood at the James St. exit watching the 200 or so students who chose to walk out of school and join their fellow student protestors downtown, “Please be safe,” I said, nervous about so many of our young people walking – however peacefully and determinedly – into an unpredictable environment.
“Get back to Geometry class!” the parent AND the principal inside me yearned to yell. “Please stay smart and please look out for each other,” I said calmly, instead. One student held a sign up as she walked by and smiled, “My family fought for my future,” the sign read, “So I’m fighting for theirs.” As a parent, an educator, and proud member of our community, I can’t imagine a more noble cause.
Have a great week!
Best,
Sean
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