Dear Dwyer Families,
Our second week of school has come and gone here at Dwyer. And yes, even with the heat, our students and staff made it through! That said, I could not be more grateful for the new AC units in our main building and that it has held up (for the most part) in our other buildings as well!
Over my years being a principal, I’ve been asked many, many questions. However, the one that I seem to be asked the most is, “How do you do what you do?!” I usually answer back, “With a lot of caffeine, and a lot of help from my team!” Truthfully, there is no possible way one person can operate a school without the help and partnership of so many great people both on campus and within our community!
When considering the day to day of what takes place here at Dwyer, coming from a high school background, I tend to look through the lens of what is often called, “the four A’s”: Academics, Arts, Activities, and Athletics. In my experience, many schools can point to one or two of the four in which they excel. Great schools excel at three out of the four. While exceptional schools excel in ALL four. You can guess what my goal is for Dwyer. I believe that while we are great, we will get better, together!
As we head into next week, it will be our first full week of instruction. Next week begins a very important window of time in the school year for your student. From now until Veterans Day, this is the least amount of uninterrupted stretch of instructional time. It is also the greatest amount of opportunity for them to see growth in their academics because of this. Please encourage them to get off to the best start possible in all of their classes, not miss school unless sick, and come to school prepared to become “Better Each Day”.
Also, I would be remiss if I did not take a moment to reflect on today being the 25th anniversary of 9/11. I am certain, like me, you all can remember the moment you learned of the tragic events that took place this day, 25 years ago. Here is the message I shared with our students at the end of announcements today:
“As we wrap up our announcements today, we take a moment to pause and remember September 11th. Today is a national day of service and remembrance across our country. We honor the brave first responders who showed incredible courage, and we keep in our thoughts all the lives affected by the events of 2001. May we carry their strength with us today by treating one another with kindness, unity, and respect here at Dwyer. Please join me in a brief moment of silence.”
Respectfully,
Mr. Okamoto
