Making It Over “The Hump”

I find few things more entertaining than a camel pestering “Mike” regarding his fervor to all things “hump day.” This camel lacked a level of social awareness but was doing his best to ignite the flame of celebration knowing that more of the week was behind us than in front.  

I’ll be honest, I have been waiting for the Geico Camel to show up the past two years to inform us that we just passed “the hump” of what has continued to be the most challenging few years in education. I stopped looking at the door for the camel a while back. Accepting that nothing will be more challenging than these days, I have learned to celebrate that we are thriving in the midst of these challenges. We are growing, achieving, and learning how to face these challenges with hopefulness, well-being, and grit. 

Being present in the moment instead of continuously looking forward or looking back will do that. But while I may have stopped looking, sooner than later, we will reach that “hump.” Once we move past it, we can get through anything. Until then, we must remember that we need each other. We need to love one another, support each other, and continue moving in one direction with a focus, unlike anything we have mustered before, together.  

This goes beyond wishful thinking, in Wylie ISD we comprehensively, proactively, and intentionally inspire our kids to be self-aware by 

• Developing a personal mission statement and what they want to be known or stand for
• Measure their personal level of hopefulness. A healthy hopefulness score ranges from 24-36. You can find your child’s score on their achievement profile in grades 3-12
• Identify roadblocks they believe stand between them and achieving their goals
• Develop a personal plan to achieve their goals by overcoming the roadblocks and achieve greatness and hopefulness, the Wylie Way.

Just the other week, we celebrated our first Wylie Way Day of the school year. It was a day centered around hope and engagement. 

Parents can find all of this information on their own child’s Achievement Profile where this information is collected and stored to measure progress in a way that helps them face challenges and bust through roadblocks. The challenges we are facing today will require all the resources we have socially and emotionally to overcome. 

I believe that one of the primary reasons we continue to thrive is that we work together, as a family. Families rely on each other for help, show grace and encourage each other with love, support and kindness. Like a family, we may not always agree about everything, but this does not diminish our dedication to each other and support. Getting over this hump can only be accomplished by coming together, with love, hope, and support, the Wylie Way!