Every picture tells a story. This is the photo that inspired BPS Director of School and Community Engagement, Jessica Jernegan, to tell her story this week, in honor of just how #PublicSchoolProud she is and will always be!
Here is the picture that inspired it all! Mrs. Becki Kidd, a 5th grade teacher at North Intermediate meeting her student right where he needed her! This is what educators do. We sit there...as long as it takes!
Tulsa World Headline: True stories of #PublicSchoolProud
What makes us #PublicSchoolProud this week? The following anecdotes are just a few glimpses of my observations as an educator in my current district where I have taught for 13 short years.
Of course, there are always deeper stories, with names and faces, of a student on the other side of these relationships. But these represent what public education looks like.
It’s the teacher who meets a student on the floor next to his desk, overwhelmed because he never attended school before. She sits there, by his side, as long as it takes for him to feel comfortable.
It’s the counselor who spends her morning braiding a student’s hair because the girl struggled as she got herself ready this morning. And, it's the school nurse welcoming an exhausted student for a nap because he had no sleep the previous night due to his parents fighting again.
It’s the district administrator who organizes a college visit for a student with dreams of becoming an engineer but lacks home support to make that happen. Also, there is the football coach continuing to teach athletes life lessons the 21 hours a day they aren't at practice.
It's the superintendent attending car duty daily.
It’s the school board member standing arm-in-arm with teachers during a historic walkout. There is the special education teacher making sure her student has an accessible swing on the playground. And, it's about the school secretary assisting a new, non-English speaking family with enrollment.
It’s the teacher who keeps a stash of snacks because a child can't learn with a growling tummy. Also, it's about the director of technology spending her free time outside of work ensuring students have wifi access at their homes.
It's the student who asks his Mom to pack an extra lunch for his friend experiencing food insecurity. It's the school resource officer checking on kids at home when a teacher is concerned for their safety.
#PublicSchoolProud is reflected in the child nutrition staff standing outside, rain or shine, providing meals for students during distance learning.
Every, single child in the school experiences the magic of the holiday season - when some would have nothing under the tree - thanks to the generosity of a community organization.
It’s the executive director of operations traveling hundreds of miles to ensure the drama department has a set for an upcoming play, and the custodian taking a student under his wing.
It's a fifth-grade team who plans celebration conferences that changes the climate of parent-teacher communication. It’s the paraprofessional ensuring a student never sits alone at lunch, and the principal spending her evening driving through neighborhoods in search of a missing student.
It's about the assistant principal choosing to be curious about a student’s misbehavior instead jumping to a consequence, recognizing lunch detention isn’t a solution to trauma.
It’s the bus driver making sure a student’s trip to school is safe and welcoming, and the reading specialist visiting the library with a struggling student to help her develop a love of reading.
It's the principal who provides a soft place to land in her office for students needing a breather. It’s the high school teacher attending a student’s sporting event because, otherwise, no one would be there to cheer them on.
It's the teacher running for public office, recognizing the need for our voices to be heard. And, it's the school counselor calling a student every morning to remind her it’s time to catch the bus.
It’s the teacher who assures an anxious student, “You’re not defined by a test score.”
It’s the premise that when students approach our doors, they are welcomed with open arms. No questions asked. No entrance exam. No questionnaire. No limitations. Just a smile, a warm hug, and a greeting of “We’re so glad you’re here!”
It’s the people.
There are so many stories we don’t tell. Countless, unnoticed differences made. It’s an inconspicuous but infinite impact which will outlive all of us.
There’s a simple reason for this: Educators are utterly unconcerned with credit. We discreetly dedicate our careers, evenings, weekends, and often our paychecks to help students realize their potential. When students reach that, there’s no amount of accolades capable of matching the pride we feel.
The impact we make is the reason we are #PublicSchoolProud.
Jessica Jernegan has been an educator in Bixby Public Schools for 13 years and received her education in public schools from kindergarten to a bachelor's degree.