A Million Dreams: Conclusion

Authors Note: This will be my final blog post until August. While the office will be open daily during regular business hours, I am going to use this time as a break from my weekly writing. It is sometimes difficult to come up with just the right thing to say each week, and going through the motions Doesn't always result in a good finished product. Even so, the district office will remain open throughout the summer during normal business hours; with the exception being Friday by appointment. Have a great summer and please stop by to say hello!

At the beginning of the school year, I challenged each of our employees to be the champion and guide for our students as they aspired to realize, reach for, and uncover their dreams. As we stood at the dawn of a new school year, I encouraged them to imagine a blank canvas that was ready to be filled with the dreams and possibilities that await our students. Two short weeks ago, we sent the Class of 2025 out into the world. In my final remarks to them, I encouraged them to be flexible and to understand the dreams they have today are not static entities. They will adapt and evolve as they encounter new experiences.

The school year we have experienced is one that certainly evolved from how it was originally conceived. None of could have imagined the challenges we would face that hot August day when we first gathered. We experienced unwelcomed detours that were not anticipated. It required each of us to be flexible and to adapt as life threw us curve balls. But it was in these moments of distress that the true strength of their character shined. They stepped up for one another in their times of need. They stepped up for me. Their kindness to one another, commitment to our shared work and vision, and the long hours put in on behalf of our students were truly inspiring. It's part of what makes this school district and community such a special place. 

The sun has set on the 2024-2025 school year. The faculty and staff have worked hard this year and earned this respite. I hope they, and you all have a wonderful summer.  

While the end of a school year is an important milestone to be celebrated, it is also one that is perhaps a bittersweet moment for some as they will turn off the lights one final time when they leave our institution. Making the decision to retire is a difficult one. There are many mixed emotions. On one hand they are closing the page on a chapter in a book that has largely consumed their entire lives. Like the Class of 2025, the unknown of what happens next might be a little scary. Think of this: they have been involved in education since they themselves have been five years old! I guess they finally get to graduate! It is an exciting time! Maintain flexibility. Your new dream awaits!

So then, congratulations to Sharon Christopher, Sandy Keith, and Jan Brandhorst. You have worked your entire lives for this moment and you deserve it. I am happy for you as you embark on a new great adventure. It has been an honor to work with each of you. 

Sharon: What an outstanding teacher you have been for us! Your hard work, perseverance, and love for math will be missed. Year after year, we were always in awe with the progress students made in your classroom. 

Sandy: She was someone that I really enjoyed bantering with. We used to play little practical jokes on one another, particularly in the summer. I’d like to change the radio station when she wasn’t looking or unplug her vacuum when she was deep into her routine. She also had to remind me that, yes the sign that says “This means you, does [in fact] mean me”. 

Jan: Jan, I feel like you and I have gone to war together. It’s been five years since those dark days of COVID. I can remember the meetings, the quarantines, the daily case counts, and the phone calls with public health. I don’t know what I would have done without you!

I wish you all fair winds and following seas. You have served us well and we are better because of your contributions. Enjoy a well-earned retirement. 

For everyone else, you too have earned a well-deserved break. Use it wisely. Take time to enjoy your family and create new lasting memories. As we have learned all too well, you never know when things will take a dramatic and unexpected turn. 

I’ll see you in August where we’ll be back to do it all over again. Have a great summer!

Superintendent's Message to the Class of 2025: A Million Dreams

Good afternoon to the Hudson High School Class of 2025. On behalf of the Board of Directors, I would like to congratulate you, and welcome all our guests who have taken time to join us! Today is a special day!

These past few weeks, days, and even moments have been filled with both reflection and anticipation. We’ve looked back at the journey that brought you here. And now, seniors—the Class of 2025; you stand on the edge of something new. We are all eager to see what unfolds as your dreams become reality. 

As your superintendent, I have held a unique role in your lives. Granted, to some of you I may be bit of an enigma, a mere presence always in the background. But I have been here since you took those first steps in your formal education. From my seat in the balcony it has been a thrill to cheer you on and it has been an absolute joy to watch your grow from tiny young people to the impressive individuals you are today, ready to shape the world. 

Indeed, I can remember watching, as you ran around our gym—not yet old enough for school, without a care in the world, and wondering what mark you would make on the world.  

There was also the time I took a phone call from your parents before the first day of kindergarten. They were worried about where the bus would stop and anxious about whether or not we would be able to get you safely to and from school. 

I also saw you that day in the nurse’s office, with tears in your eyes from an injury on the playground. 

Then along with your parents, I held my breath on the day you got your school permit. 

I’ve shared in your triumph and beamed with pride when you were selected to All-State, competed in the state tournament or qualified for the Drake Relays. We have had a remarkable journey together. While watching you over the years, I’ve often wondered what your dreams are for the future. What will you become? How will you leave your mark on the world? 

So then we arrive together, one final time: at today. Today you stand on the precipice of possibility, poised to embark on a journey as unique and compelling as the dreams within each of you. 

For most of your young lives, this school has been your home. Within these walls and amidst the rhythm of each academic year, we’ve watched as your dreams have begun to take form. Some of you had clear visions, unwavering from your earliest of recollections. Many found their passions gradually, whether it was a spark ignited by an engaging lesson in the CAPS program, or finally mastering the hand-eye coordination that is so crucial to a successful welding career. 

Think back on your time here with us. What was your spark? Was it simply navigating the journey from the junior high to the high school for 8th grade algebra? Maybe it was the exhilaration felt with the curtain parting and the lights coming up on the stage? Or perhaps it was finally understanding the nuances of conversational Spanish? All of these aspirations in their own way have been woven into the fabric of your growth and have helped determine who you are. And now as we gather here this afternoon those aspirations have coalesced into something magnificent—the potential to turn those dreams to reality. 

Consider the dreams that are now within your reach. Some may envision careers that reshape industries, innovate sustainable solutions, or to become a doctor that tends to the vulnerable. Perhaps you dream of artistic expression—finding your home at the potter’s wheel or performing melodies that stir the soul. Others of you will be called to service, taking the noble path of education or social justice, eager to make a difference in the lives of others. 

Yet, I encourage you to be flexible for the dreams that you have today are not static entities. They will evolve and adapt as you encounter new experiences beyond our walls. Outside this institution, there will be moments of uncertainty and detours that were never anticipated. Yet it is in these moments that the strength of your dreams will be tested, and ultimately revealed. 

Our journey together ends today. When you pass through those doors one final time together here momentarily, what happens next will be up to you. I know the world can be a big scary place! But remember the lessons that we have taught you. We’ve taught you to question, analyze, collaborate, and persevere in the face of adversity. Not only do you have the academic skills to succeed, you have the essential tools that will be necessary to navigate the complexities of life and to actively shape your future. Approach your dreams with intention, dedication, and a willingness to learn and grow. 

So then, as you look toward the horizon and the dreams you have beyond these walls, I encourage you to acknowledge your shared journey and experience during these formative years. You have laughed together, celebrated together, and grieved together. This class is bound by a unique set of experiences, memories that will be forever etched in your minds and hearts. It is with that sense of poignant reflection that the memory of your absent classmate will forever be part of your story. As you step into adulthood, carry those memories with you and allow them to inspire you to live your own dreams with greater purpose and meaning. 

Your future beyond Hudson High School is one of unprecedented change and opportunity. Technology is rapidly changing and reshaping our known paradigm. Global challenges demand innovative solutions, and the interconnectedness of society calls for empathy and understanding. Therefore, your dreams cannot exist in a vacuum; they must instead be informed by a sense of responsibility, and a commitment to make the world a better place for generations to come.

So then, today is an important milestone. It marks both and ending and a beginning. We have taken you as far as we can on this part of your life’s great adventure. Welcome to the great unknown. I realize it is both exciting and scary at the same time. But you are ready! Remember the power of connection. The relationships you have formed here will continue to be invaluable sources of support and inspiration. Stay in touch with one another—celebrate each other’s successes and offer comfort during times of difficulty. 

Yes, today our time together ends. But you are ready. The diplomas you will receive momentarily are not merely pieces of paper; they are symbols of your dedication, hard work, and the potential that resides in each one of you. They are a testament to the dreams that have been nurtured and the futures you are poised to create.

As you leave our care, I hope you do so with gratitude for the past, courage for the present, and an unwavering belief in the power of your dreams. Your world awaits, so go Class of 2025 and weave your own extraordinary threads into the ever-unfolding tapestry of the future. 

Congratulations and good luck. It has been a thrill to watch you grow up!