New School Year, pray

Herr Schweikhard, Herr Merkle, Herr Weihermueller, they were my 1st, 2nd, and 3rd and 4th grade teachers. Mr. Schweikhard was an innovator, he used methods no one else did, but by the end of 1st grade everyone in his class knew how to read. Mr. Merkle was a barrel of fun, you wanted to go to school just to be with him, Mr. Weihermueller, a.k.a. “Kaiser Red beard” was tough as nails but he cared. He took small groups of us, especially the rowdy difficult ones, out on weekends to collect rocks, search for fossils, collect frogs, newts, salamanders, bugs, and other things he needed in class. Those three men impacted me, loving to read has been a blessing to me all my life. When you can read you can learn almost anything. Realizing that learning can be fun is something every child should discover. Seeing tough discipline in tandem with caring and deeply investing in others is invaluable. I suppose that’s why I fondly remember their names to this day.The year I was an exchange student at Mariposa High I lived with the Heath family in Greeley Hill. Mike Heath, my exchange student dad, was the principal/8th grade teacher, as well as coach, and who knows what else. I saw firsthand how much time he put in, how much he cared about his students, his staff, his school.I am married to a teacher and so I know that our teachers are not overpaid. However, I do know how much of her own time and resources end up in her work, how she constantly has to learn new things, keep up with changes in the law, curricula, teaching methodologies, sate requirements, testing, and a host of other things, and how she is continually searching for ways to have her students succeed.As an adult I substitute taught for over 20 years and coached basketball and soccer for 10 years. This brought me in contact with many teachers and administrators right here in Don Pedro and all over several counties. I got to observe what a difference great and dedicated teachers, administrators, secretaries, bus drivers, coaches, and school staff members can make. I saw how important it is to our community to have our schools be well run and staffed with good teachers.Jesus pointed out a reality, “Students are not greater than their teacher. But the student who is fully trained will become like the teacher” Luke 6:40 (NLT). It is in our best interest to support our local schools, to pray for the teachers, the administrators, the support staffs. It is important that our children know how to and love to read, that they develop a thirst and appreciation for learning, that they see and experience what discipline and caring look like together.So, with the beginning of a new school year I hope you join me in praying throughout the year for the teachers of our children, for our administrators, our local Don Pedro Elementary School and Don Pedro High School, to appreciate and thank those who do excellent work, to be slow to criticize but and quick to encourage, to not believe everything you hear, to be involved (especially if your children go to school there), and to remember that our teachers are not the only ones responsible for teaching our children – it really does start at home.To God be all glory, love you Pastor Hans