Special Message from Mr. Meloche
Dear Berkley High School students, parents and guardians,
I hope this final message of the 2021-22 school year finds you in a place of both joy and satisfaction. The joy should stem from the fact that you have many summer-filled days ahead of you. Your satisfaction, in turn, should come from the knowledge that you have completed yet another successful year at BHS. All in all, I hope you’re proud of yourself in the same way that I’m proud of you.
As we begin to place this school year in the rearview mirror, I’d encourage everyone to do a little exercise for me and reflect upon your year (I know…homework on the first day of summer…ugh). When you look back, I think it’s important to not only reminisce about the good times, but to also think about the times in which you struggled the most. When thinking about these setbacks, I hope you are proud of yourself for digging deep and persevering through the obstacles you faced. I also hope you can notice the amazing growth you’ve had from September until now. These are important acknowledgements that we don’t always take the time to think about in the moment, let alone afterward.
Now, had I asked you at various points throughout the year to give me a word to describe how you felt in those moments, I’m guessing that the words “joy,” “satisfaction” and “successful” wouldn’t have been the first ones that came to mind (it’s funny how wise we can be with hindsight). During those times, I’m reminded of a Spanish saying that goes “poco a poco.” Roughly translated, it means “bit by bit” or “slowly.” The reason I like this saying is because it values the process as much as the end result.
While we are in the thick of things and, perhaps, struggling the most, it can be hard for us to see the progress we are making. Often, the toils and tribulations of life have a way of beating us down to the point where we are both too hard on ourselves and also unable to see the finish line. However, those small moments of perseverance, setback, growth and triumph shape us into the people we are today. Therefore, I’m hopeful that all of you can take a moment right now and acknowledge yourselves for the work you’ve done, “poco a poco,” to get to this point. I also hope that you feel the same pride in yourself that I feel for you and the growth you’ve made. Although it was a tough school year, we should not lose sight that it was also a great one.
I hope that everyone has a wonderful summer that is restful and rejuvenating. You’ve certainly earned it.
Take care,
Andy Meloche
Principal
P.S. It was all smiles at the Meloche household this morning for the last day of school.
