Principal Amy Deffenbacher counters feeling of fall

When we think of the start of the school year, there are many things that come to mind – fresh starts, reconnecting with friends, new classes, different teachers, back to school shopping, fall.

After seven weeks, back to school shopping is long past, including purchasing dress-code appropriate summer clothing. This past Monday was the first official day of autumn. But, it is still hot!

It sure doesn’t feel like fall. All of the things that go with cooler weather: sweaters, leaves, pumpkin spice everything. I am not ready for any of them. And yet, it is fall. The fact that it doesn’t feel like fall doesn’t change the fact that it is fall. 

So much of what we do these days is based on feeling rather than fact. “I’m not feeling it” is an all too common response. Now that September is nearly over, you may be feeling a little weary, overwhelmed, bored, or defeated. As with the heat and temperatures in the high 90s, ‘not feeling like doing school’ doesn’t change the fact that education needs to be a priority!

Keeping this in mind, how can we all band together to make every day great? How can we help ourselves and others to approach each day with a bit of the excitement and anticipation we all felt back on August 12?

Our theme verse for this year is Philippians 4:8: “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”

Ouch! On my ‘not so great days’, I can say with certainty that I am not focusing on the things named in this verse. Things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and admirable should inspire me to feel great about what I am doing. 

As we continue through the change of season, where it is easy to fall into the trap of “not feeling it,” will you join me in the challenge to shift our focus to all we have been blessed with and all we have to look forward to?

We’ve got the rest of this school year to view each new morning as a fresh opportunity to start again, no matter how we feel.

For more words from the principal, read COLUMN: Principal Amy Deffenbacher reflects, shares attributes of small school community. For another article, read Disneyland’s Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge opens to public, receives mixed reviews.