Trying to Make Sense of This
Source/Author: Mike Murphy, Headmaster
April 24, 2020
“A long time ago in a galaxy far far away…” I had the choice of taking a course on Shakespeare or one on the history of Science Fiction. A week into Shakespeare I switched into the Sci-Fi class. It did not take long to realize the Sci-Fi students and professor had their own language. Robert Heinlein, Ray Bradbury and Issac Asimov added new ideas to my way of thinking. I did not know what a cult was back then, but four months with the Sci-Fi class gave me an insight. Four years after taking that class George Lucas released the first of the “Star Wars” movies.
Obviously Coronavirus is not science fiction. It will get cured by science. But it has occurred to me that Shorecrest teachers banded together like Jedi behind Yoda and Obi-Wan. The masters from our Technology Team staged an educational revolution. Armed with Apple devices of all kinds, the teachers united to support students and do our best to provide educational continuity and continuous learning experiences. As in any battle, there have been challenges, and we know we are winning.
Like in “Star Wars,” a Force has existed in our Shorecrest community. The Force has glued us together. #ShorecrestTogether. I find that the Force is a combination of dedication to students and their families, dedication to the importance of learning, and a dedication to continued improvement. The Force binds us together. Love your students, love your subject, collaborate with your peers, and partner with parents and families and you will succeed at Shorecrest. This is the guidance I share with all candidates for positions at our school.
I doubt if any of the administrators or Board members ever imagined they would be thrust in the role of Jedi High Council, yet here we are. All of us are united by the work of the teachers and our belief in the importance of Shorecrest for our students and future generations of Chargers. The short-term and long-term decisions our school leaders are making today are providing Shorecrest students with the best educational experiences in the region during this time of distance learning and will continue when we return to campus.
I am mindful that families - like our teachers, administrators, and Board members - have experienced significant disruption to their lives. We are doing everything possible to ensure the return to school in August will be safe and uninterrupted. We will need the Force of the entire community to make the plans work. I do not doubt that the next generation of Jedi are developing because of this historic experience. We talk about teaching students to be resilient and innovative. We have all had some recent opportunities to develop those traits.
Stay Healthy - Stay Positive - and May the Force be with you.
Cheers!
Mike
