Dear Colleagues:

As we enter the Thanksgiving holiday break, I am reminded to slow down and take the time to express gratitude for family, friends and colleagues. I also am grateful for the privilege of having a career in the service of young people. I value Thanksgiving as an opportunity to bring together families, friends, neighbors, colleagues, those known well to us, and some who may be new to our neighborhoods and workplaces. Such gatherings matter, because when we break bread together, we become closer to one another.

When I first moved to Virginia and was unable to return home for Thanksgiving, I was invited to the home of an educator who I did not know very well. My host shared that his family had established a tradition of inviting people to dinner who otherwise would be alone on that day. Looking around the table, I realized he had brought together people from varying generations, from the elderly to college students, as well as community members of different races and backgrounds. I was grateful to be among them—it was when I began to think of Thanksgiving as a celebration of inclusivity.

Thanksgiving was first established as an official holiday by Abraham Lincoln in 1863. In schools, our students continue to learn the stories of the Pilgrims’ first Thanksgiving in November of 1621. What I find most important about the narrative of the Thanksgiving holiday lies in our taking the time to express our gratitude for all that we cherish and hold dear. As author Melodie Beattie writes:

“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a HOME, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow.”

Best wishes for a wonderful Thanksgiving break.

Regards,

Pam