As year-end looms near, and our minds begin to wander away from the tasks at hand to the many things to accomplish in so few weeks, and the promise of summer vacation, I find myself a bit reflective.
You see, I won’t be returning to regular teaching next year. The tug-of-war between home and classroom is being laid to rest for a while. But, this school, these halls, these staff and students, they fill my heart and mind.
Can I give you a glimpse of my ACS?
We’ve all heard about the amazing experience we had of producing The Sound of Music (see Tym Berger’s post). On stage, the voices and capabilities of many were celebrated, but let’s look behind the curtain.
This is Daniel.
Daniel was our microphone tech. At each scene change, there was some shuffle of the 14 headset microphones between cast members. The first tech rehearsal was overwhelming. Then Daniel was brought in. With his list, and his pencil chewing, he was calm, organized, made judgment calls, and managed us all. We didn’t mic up until Daniel was in the house. This is my ACS.
Meet Aaron, Benjamin and Ethan.
These guys were part of our set crew. Missing are Johanna, Erin, and Blake. This team stepped up and moved all of our set pieces without complaint for every single scene change. You may have seen them, in all black clothes, one fedora, a dancing shrub or a waving hand behind the projection screen. This is my ACS.
Here’s Jake, Angel, and Lucas.
The music, the lighting cues, the mics on and off. These three were up in the sound booth with Mr. Berger (and sometimes alone) for each performance. These guys are my ACS.
The teachers and staff.
On Saturday mornings, you could find them leading rehearsals at school, providing snacks, and delivering coffee. Giving their Saturdays and their energy. Thrift store shopping for costume pieces. Texting about paint colours, styrofoam thickness, and set pieces. This is my ACS.
The community.
Bibles for Missions Thrift store, lending us items, or selling them to us for a bargain. Amy Van Belle, splashing through mud to help us find the right shrubs in the nursery. Teachers’ spouses, editing photos and hanging curtain rods. Don Kowalchuk, taking time from his busy life to meet the need of a set change coordinator. Henri Hoekstra, sewing countless costume pieces. This is my ACS.
And my ACS extends beyond a musical production.
It’s what we teach, and how we teach it. It’s the community in the classroom and on the field. It’s a walk through the halls and classrooms this Friday morning. It’s costumes and smiles, meeting a need, being a friend, family members in the hallways, a smile over a computer screen. It’s art on the walls and projects on the desks and counters.
This is my ACS.
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
Wow, Cheryl. I love this post! It’s so great to learn about the kids who were behind the scenes. I love seeing the pictures of the students and the talent they brought to this giant project. The play was incredible and I think anyone who watched it was blown away. I’m really sad to hear that you’re leaving. We will all miss you.
So very true. You describe what we, as parents, see and the atmosphere we walk into every time we enter ACS. Thank you for being such a positive part of the ACS team that has created that amazing community. You will be missed. All the best in your other commitments.