Special Message from Mr. Meloche
Dear Berkley High School community,
As we ease our way into November, I think it’s important to acknowledge the milestone of reaching the quarter mark of the school year. For me, these milestones mark a time of reflection on the things that are going well and those that, perhaps, need some more work.
Over the nine weeks of the school year, I’ve talked to a lot of students, spent time in many classrooms and have heard from numerous staff members. Through those interactions, I’ve been finding a common thread: it’s been a really great school year. In full disclosure, that’s the first time I can make that claim in early November for a few years now.
Personally, I’ve been so impressed with the energy and dedication our students have returned with as they stepped foot in BHS this year. They entered this building as energetic participants, engaged in their classroom learning. Additionally, our staff continues to blow me away with their constant adaptation and improvement to the post-pandemic high school realities. This is hands-down the strongest team of educators with which I’ve had the pleasure of working. Not to be forgotten, however, is the parental support. Last week, for example, we had almost 60% of students represented at conferences by a parent or guardian. That is an astounding data point and a testament to this community’s strong support of their kids and the work we do at BHS.
From a personal perspective, however, it’s been a little more complicated. So before sharing further, I would like to state that this is not, in any way, to put a damper on what was previously written (I promise that isn’t my intention). Instead, it’s to tell a story that hopefully resonates with the different ways some of us may have been feeling this year, myself being included in that group.
Thinking back to these first nine weeks of the school year, I often reflect on the most commonly asked question I receive: “how’s your year going?” In full honesty, I’ve done my best to deflect that question. Rather than dwelling on the parts of this year that have been difficult for me, I instead found myself redirecting my response to highlight the successes of the staff and students at BHS.
Now, the funny thing about feeling “stuck” is that you don’t always realize it. Rather, you continue doing the things you know need to be done. In checking boxes and completing tasks, we often fail to take time for reflection and redirection. In thinking back to my own start of the year, I can see now that my mindset was likely a combination of being equally busy both at work and at home, not taking any sort of time for myself. Luckily, I had some great reminders yesterday of why I love what I do and what I’m truly here to accomplish.
Unbeknownst to me, the staff coordinated on Halloween to dress as “Principal Meloche” (see pics below). The costume was simple as, abashedly, I really only have two looks: “work Andy” and “after school Andy.” When I first walked in and saw Mrs. Coleman I initially thought that my team was playing a prank on me. Very quickly, however, multiple staff members began coming down to the office to see how their costume matched up to what I wore that day (spoiler alert: they were all really close). By the end of the school day I couldn’t help but continue to smile about how it all went down and the complete surprise of it all. Additionally, I was incredibly touched by the time and effort some members of the staff took to do this (several wore bald caps and one staff member even shaved their head!).
After walking around while my kids trick-or-treated last night (see pics below) and getting a good night’s rest, I woke up this morning with some important realizations that felt worthy of sharing. The first of which is that we need to take time for ourselves. School, work and life can get hectic at times. Each of us, however, needs to find our own way to decompress and apply self-care (even when we don’t think we need it). For me, personally, I’ll be firing up my woodworking shop this weekend, queuing up some George Winston and doing what I love best: creating. While it may look vastly different for you, I hope that you can find time this weekend and in the coming weekends to do the things that you love and that bring you joy.
Secondly, and most importantly, I was reminded of the power of our interconnectedness and the care we show for each other. Whether my colleagues realize it or not, each staff member that dressed up yesterday made me feel incredibly valued and appreciated. I know it sounds silly, but it was a very George Bailey-ish feeling yesterday and I have them to thank. In turn, I’m going to carry that forward as I, too, try my best to support others and let them know how much I value and appreciate them.
In closing, I wanted to share a poem by Louise Erdrich, called “Advice to Myself” (to listen to her read it, you can click here). In my opinion, it is both fitting for the message of this email and the fact that today marks the first day of Native American History Month (Erdrich is enrolled member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians). In particular, I love her advice to “Pursue the authentic…decide first what is authentic, then go after it with all your heart. Your heart, that place you don’t even think of cleaning out.”
Here is the full poem:
“Advice to Myself” by Louise Erdrich
Leave the dishes.
Let the celery rot in the bottom drawer of the refrigerator
and an earthen scum harden on the kitchen floor.
Leave the black crumbs in the bottom of the toaster.
Throw the cracked bowl out and don’t patch the cup.
Don’t patch anything. Don’t mend. Buy safety pins.
Don’t even sew on a button.
Let the wind have its way, then the earth
that invades as dust and then the dead
foaming up in gray rolls underneath the couch.
Talk to them. Tell them they are welcome.
Don’t keep all the pieces of the puzzles
or the doll’s tiny shoes in pairs, don’t worry
who uses whose toothbrush or if anything
matches, at all.
Except one word to another. Or a thought.
Pursue the authentic-decide first
what is authentic,
then go after it with all your heart.
Your heart, that place
you don’t even think of cleaning out.
That closet stuffed with savage mementos.
Don’t sort the paper clips from screws from saved baby teeth
or worry if we’re all eating cereal for dinner
again. Don’t answer the telephone, ever,
or weep over anything at all that breaks.
Pink molds will grow within those sealed cartons
in the refrigerator. Accept new forms of life
and talk to the dead
who drift in through the screened windows, who collect
patiently on the tops of food jars and books.
Recycle the mail, don’t read it, don’t read anything
except what destroys
the insulation between yourself and your experience
or what pulls down or what strikes at or what shatters
this ruse you call necessity.
As always, I appreciate your time in reading this email and supporting our efforts at BHS.
Take care,
Andy Meloche
Principal
