The Lion’s Share: Start of new school year is time for connection, joy
It is August – the signal for back-to-school season in central Ohio.
I love the start of school because I once again have the opportunity to engage with our students and staff. I enjoy hearing about all the fun that students had with their friends and family and any memorable travels they might have had.
This year, August brings a new opportunity for my family and me. I am ecstatic to begin my tenure as the new superintendent of Gahanna-Jefferson Public Schools.
For me, the start of school also brings an opportunity to feel connected. Being a team and having close relationships always has been one of the best parts of the education profession. Undoubtedly, the past several years have brought challenges I never expected to experience when I first started out as a teacher over 20 years ago.
About a month ago, I listened to a presentation on positive psychology. In their message, our facilitators encouraged us to be at ‘Peace with the Past; have Confidence in the Future; and have Joy for the Here and Now.’ I had heard the importance of positive psychology many times before, yet this time took on a new meaning.
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Our children also have had a really tough few years, and some might be struggling to find connection. A new school year offers a perfect time to set our focus on modeling “connection” for our children. A Harvard University study found a strong link between happiness and close relationships with family and friends. Personal connection triggers an emotional mood boost.
Relationships are the best predictor of human happiness. Everyday interactions not only contribute to our happiness, but our joy also can spread up to three degrees of social networks. Your upbeat feeling could trigger a chain reaction, whereby those around you become happier by merely being around you, and they in turn help others feel more joyful, and so on.
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Our students need all of us: adults in the classrooms, at home and in the community. People who assist those in need and give back to others and their communities tend to be happier and have higher self-esteem and general psychological well-being. In addition, our students need all of us to celebrate their success and growth – to tell them they are seen, heard, valued and that we have complete confidence in their abilities.
Showing up for our children, showing them we are proud to be in their lives, sends a message that they matter to us and we are invested in their success. When we show up for kids and share our happiness, our kids feel stronger and empowered.
I am excited to begin this school year as the newest member of the Gahanna-Jefferson Public Schools’ team and am committed to modeling connection and joy to our students so they may feel empowered.
Will you join me in spreading joy to our students and GJPS community?
Tracey Deagle is superintendent of Gahanna-Jefferson Public Schools.
This article originally appeared on ThisWeek: The Lion’s Share: Start of new school year is time for connection, joy
