This March I’m “slicing” a piece of my teaching day every day with the Two Writing Teachers community.
A school community is held together by people outside our classrooms. They connect us to each other and to the outside world. They smooth out the bumps that could derail us.
At my school, the office staff of two deal with all the little and big people and their many needs. The teachers, parents and over 700 students. They handle humanity consistently with efficiency and kindness providing the oil the soothes and the glue that binds.
Yesterday marked the last day for one of our two office superheroes, Gloria. She’s one of those divinely inspired people who sees the good and makes good happen while dealing with all the troubles that filter into a school office.
Yesterday we honored her as best we could.
Teachers and students dressed in purple, her favorite color.
A morning assembly with a rock’n rendition of Van Morrison’s “Gloria.”
A kindergarten choral reading of a poem inspired by her daily tending to their many needs.
A staff celebration at recess in the lounge covered with purple heart messages from students.
It went on all day.
And she glowed throughout it all. This is her way through good and challenging times. Taking 
it in,
believing this is as it should be,
moving through it with grace.
Today I celebrate Gloria. Read more celebrations here on Ruth Ayres Writes.
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Wonderful ways to honor her! Celebrations that were appreciated by her, I’m sure!
The oil that soothes and the glue that binds. Exactly. What a beautiful tribute to an even more beautiful woman.
God bless the office superheroes that make a school run. Sounds like you had a true gem in Gloria. What a nice way to celebrate her!
Sounds like a great celebration. She must be a special lady!
Office staff is essential to the survival of all within the school walls. What a lovely memory for Gloria to take with her.
It’s such a classy move to honor those unsung heroes in our school communities. Great move!
How very special! I learned my first year teaching that it was easier to replace me than the “office ladies.” 🙂
They are the people who make school lives good ones, all day, every day. I know how much you will miss Gloria, and what you did to celebrate her sounds wonderful.
Our office staff is the “glue that binds” at our school, too. It sounds like you gave Gloria a farewell she’ll always treasure.
I bet Gloria felt appreciated–sounds like everyone pulled together to let her know how much they recognize the talent of dealing with little and big people with a smile and grace!
Office staff are the absolute glue of the school. So lovely that you celebrated her here!
“They handle humanity consistently with efficiency and kindness providing the oil the soothes and the glue that binds.” I’ve subbed quite a bit for one of our front office staff and I love your phrase “the oil that soothes.” Especially this year as we’ve transitioned to a new building on our campus with some of our staff staying in the old building. I love all the ways that Gloria was honored by your school community.
What thoughtful ways to celebrate someone so central to the school community! It makes me think maybe we should celebrate in small ways every day while those difference-makers are still with us.
They handle humanity consistently with efficiency and kindness providing the oil the soothes and the glue that binds.- This lines rings true, Julieanne.
[…] was reminded of the many important people outside the classrooms of our schools by Jarhartz’s post. Without these people the copiers would stay jammed and so would conference room schedules and so […]