Our middle school choir recently put on a wonderful production of Aladdin. I’ve been thinking about the scene where the genie comes out of the lamp and offers up three wishes to Aladdin. How many of us have mulled over this question? If I had three wishes to be granted, what would they be?

 

When I think about our school district and all that we have achieved and all that we have yet to accomplish, these are the three wishes that come to mind.

 

First, I would wish for the physical and emotional safety of each of our students. Whether it be an outside threat, a bully in school, or a problem at home, I would ask that no child ever feel anxious, bothered, worried, or scared. We have programs and systems in place to offer help and support for our students; however, we continue to see an increase in students that are experiencing mental health concerns.  We work with the Ohio School Safety Center on various objectives, including their Safer Ohio School Tip Line. We partner with Ohio Guidestone to bridge the gap on mental health services for our families without insurance, and of course we have our wonderful school counselors and social workers who are at the ready to support our students.

 

Secondly, I would wish that each and every senior feels prepared and excited to leave high school and make their mark on the world. I hope they are looking forward to making a difference and making their dreams come true. We are so proud of all they have achieved and have worked hard to provide them with many opportunities to explore career and educational avenues.

 

Finally, I would wish that all parents and guardians know how grateful we are that you put your trust in us as teachers, staff and administrators. We appreciate the partnership between the community and the school district, and are hopeful that we continue to see such great family involvement. We hope we can continue to provide resources and support for struggling families, but also many opportunities to become active in parent-teacher groups, booster clubs and other volunteer activities.

If you are looking for ways to help or resources that are available, stay connected with us! Use the  Firelands App for your phone. You can get notifications about events and information. If you haven’t already, please scan the QR code below to get started! We also encourage you to read our monthly Firelands Express and the weekly Blog to get some great information about what’s happening here and in the community at large.

Gratefully,

Mike Von Gunten