Dear Parents,

Just the other day I had the most amazing and satisfying bowl of chicken soup ever. It was made with precisely the right amount of spices, a perfect balance of vegetables, grain, chicken, and broth, and, as it simmered on my stove, it smelled absolutely fantastic. When it had warmed enough and I finally got to eat the soup, each spoonful seemed to satisfy me better than the last. But even though it tasted great and filled me up, that wasn't the best part. The best part was that the soup had been given to my by a parent of one of my students.

On Thursday evening I felt myself coming down with a cold. I pumped myself full of vitamin C and got to bed early. About Friday noon I realized that, although I wasn't going to stop fighting it, I had definitely caught a cold. That afternoon, as students were being picked up, I had the chance to check in with one of the parents. Somehow the fact that I had caught a cold worked its way into the conversation and I talked about how a good bowl of chicken soup and some bed rest over the weekend would probably take care of it. I thought nothing more of that part of our conversation as I watched her drive away and I began talking with another parent, and then later to some staff members. Just as I was about to head back to my classroom, the first parent I talked with came up and handed me a large bowl of chicken soup! It made my day. I went home that evening with a smile across my face and, although the cold's symptoms were still there, I felt warm inside and happy that I had someone to help me fight this cold.

Sometimes it is the little things that make us happy. Sometimes it is the unexpected bowl of chicken soup that warms our hearts, but always it is family that makes life such a wonderful adventure. Swan School is filled with people just like that, people who truly act like a family that cares deeply for one another and insures that, at least in our small part of the world, we are all valued. Recently I presented my class with a math problem to solve. It deeply affected one student who, surprisingly to me, became quite frustrated with it. At the end of class I took him aside and gently reassured him that he would be able to solve this puzzle. The next day he came straight to me and declared that he got it! He had not been able to sleep well that night until he had figured out a strategy to solve the problem. When time for math came around, I discovered that several other students also had not figured out the problem. This boy proudly took each under his wing and helped them understand a strategy to solve the riddle. It wasn't long until the whole class was grinning with understanding and with the knowledge that they were all part of our school family.

Swan School really is an extended family for us all. Whether it's help with math or a bowl of chicken soup, there is always a Swan School family member there for support.

Russ