The Staples of a New Year

Hello CRCSD Community,

I am so pleased to begin the 2019-20 school year as the Interim Superintendent of Cedar Rapids Community School District. This blog is intended to share moments that I witness and experience to capture the essence of our district; support our families, students, and employees; and, hopefully, just get to know each other a little better.

Our oldest son, Tom, is headed to college in about a week. It is his first year, and up until about a week ago, I have been excited, proud, and “ready” for his next step. That is, until we went school supply shopping.

I love school supply shopping...EVERY school year...the lists, the new folders, the joyful displays in the middle of Target or Walmart. When you are a teacher and a parent, it is our HAPPY NEW YEAR preparation. This year, like every other year, we waited until tax-free weekend and were ready to tackle the parking lots and aisles to fill our basket with backpacks, pencils, and zip-loc baggies. My younger son, Goose, and husband were not “into” it this year, so Tom and I agreed to venture out as a pair. 

There were a few additional items on the Target list this year: DORM ROOM supplies. We started with organizational items. Oh, the options! Roller bins, see-through bins, wire bins, modern metal bins...what is a mom to do?  I could not get over how much cooler the dorm accessories had become in 30 years. Tom, as usual, was price matching and finding the best deals for his needs without skipping a beat. His motto, “That’ll do.” Quickly, our shopping cart was loaded with organizational dorm items, and we were feeling quite accomplished. Then, Tom said, “So, I guess we’d better go to the school supply section.” 

In “Tom-mode,” he tossed folders, pencils, and composition notebooks in the basket quickly and efficiently. Then, in the last school supply aisle, we approached the “office staples”: tape dispensers, hole punchers, and staplers. 

Tom said, “So, I guess I’d better get some of this stuff for my desk.” 

I responded, “Really? You think you need all of that stuff?” 

Tom replied, “Umm, yeah, Mom. I’m not going to be taking the staples from our desk at home.” 

Without any warning, just like the moment he popped into this world, tears just started rolling down my face. Over staples. He wasn’t going to use our stapler anymore--the stapler that I purchased for my dorm room 30 years ago. I wiped my tears, Tom tilted his head and gave a supportive smile, and I finally uttered, “Ummm...OK...get what you think you need.”

As we unloaded the cart at the check-out, Tom put his hand on my shoulder, “Thanks, Mom. Love you.” 

I don’t know if I have ever felt more proud, excited, and sad all at once. 

August is funny for parents, educators, and students. We know it is the beginning of the school year. It comes with new grade levels, new teachers, new students, and new school or district initiatives. However, we hold the tension of wanting those last days of summer, the memories of the year before, or even the “way we used to do it.” 

It is the August cycle. 

In the past week, I have witnessed teachers prepare their classrooms, administrators fine-tune school improvement plans, students at band-camp and athletic practices, and parents with lists in hand at the store. Everyone is “getting ready,” and I just LOVE IT! However, I also recognize that August is also an emotional time when we embrace next steps, new things, and a lot of change. It can also cause stress with added expenses, new bus routes, and just organizing life. Know that CRCSD wants to assist with all of that stress. We have been working on accessibility through a new e-registration system, a bus/transportation app, and have many community partners who have donated school supplies. We encourage families to reach out to their schools for support and assistance.

He is ready, and I have to be ready, too. 

I won’t quite look at a stapler the same this school year, but I know every time that I use one, I will think of Tom on his new journey. He is ready, and I have to be ready, too. The best I can do to prepare for all the “new” is count on the staples from my past: love each other, support each other, and get after the work for improvement. It is what my husband and I have taught Tom, and I trust that it will be enough for him to succeed in his first year of college. 

Those will also be my staples as the interim superintendent of schools: love and embrace what we do everyday together; support educators, students, and families; and get after the work to improve...just get better each and every day. 

Happy New Year, Everyone!

Noreen