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06/09/2020 12:00 AMA note from Zip06/The Sound: On June 9, 2020, Totoket Valley Elementary School (TVES) principal Carter Welch, Ed.D., submitted the following message to fifth grade students who began their educational journey in kindergarten with Welch as their principal at Jerome Harrison Elementary School and moved with him to TVES in grade 3. They will be going on to attend North Branford Intermediate School next year:
There have been many stories written and messages shared over the last few months about how our world has changed and how stress and worry are the new norms. However, I wanted to share a message of hope, gratitude and inspiration. This week, our fifth grade students at Totoket Valley Elementary School are moving on to middle school, and although that might not seem like much; I hope to convince you that it is!
As any administrator knows, it is always hard when your students leave for the next phase of their educational　journey. We all reflect on the experiences over time and the ups and downs of our time together. For me, this year is more emotional than most, yes because COVID-19 school closures put a damper on our typical traditions and experiences, but even more so because the students moving on have been with me since kindergarten. I have been their principal in two different schools for 6 years, nearly half of their public education experience.
To say these students and their families are like family to me is not just words; it is truly a reality. I can remember the tears separating from parents on the first day of kindergarten, I can remember the community of first and second graders shaving their heads to support St. Baldricks, I can remember learning together at recess about solving disagreements with empathy and understanding, I can remember celebrations of gratitude and respect at wonderful Veteran's Day ceremonies, I can remember amazing celebrations of reading and the transformation of school to real-life book journeys, I can remember countless peer mediations to repair harm from unkind moments, I can remember the fun of Halloween, Glow Party, Color Run, Eco Fairs, Wellness Fairs, and family nights, I can remember learning from families what it means to be in true partnerships, I can remember community connections with Evergreen Woods, our senior center, the NB Food Bank, NB libraries, NB Police and Fire Departments, I can remember true teachable moments when students learned to care and respect their custodians, bus drivers, and cafeteria workers, I can remember the amazing Dream Team partnership between our high school and elementary school students and how it helped bring so much to North Branford, I can remember processing and learning about appropriate use of technology, navigating issues of growth and development, and navigating issues of race, sexuality and acceptance, I can remember Student Senate and Little Leaders and embracing the idea that even first graders have leadership potential, I can remember families with histories of trauma and loss that resulted in very challenging behaviors and school performance and together we learned to accept, love, and appreciate each of us for who we are and the stories we have, and I can remember embracing and rewarding countless acts of kindness, leadership, empathy, academic risk taking, and perseverance.
The memories are ups and downs, moments when we were at our worst and at our best, examples where we learned together (principal and students), and the countless moments of decisions made (positive and negative), reflecting together, and growing as human beings. The memories are that of a family growing up together, myself as a leader and 5 year-olds becoming 11 year-olds. I hope this all serves as a strong foundation for future success!
This is a story of inspiration in that I have been inspired by the way this group of fifth graders has grown up together and learned along the way. They have found "the good" in difficult situations like distance learning. They have persevered through difficult times (school closure at the end of their last year together in elementary school). They have rallied around each other and stayed together as a family as many students have been affected by COVID and other diseases and family traumas, and they have been there for each other.
This is a story of hope in that our fifth graders have found their voice (speaking and writing) on social issues like racial inequality, cultural awareness, and economic disparities as they have been inspired by amazingly caring, dedicated, and talented teachers. They are proving to be advocates of social justice and leaders in their community. This is a story of hope in that the future is bright with what these students have to offer the world in their talents, their kindness, and their social, emotional, and academic intelligences.
This is a story of gratitude in that as a principal and as a human being I am forever grateful for our time together. I am grateful for the trust that students and families have placed in me over time. I am grateful to have learned so much in six years. I am grateful to be a part of so many families. And this is a story of gratitude because I am thankful for the many blessings that our journey together has provided to all of us, and to our entire community of North Branford.
North Branford should be filled with hope by these 150 students moving to grade 6, and they should be encouraged by how this group can help lead our community through times of fading hope, stress, and concern...these students are tested in character, emotions, and academics and they are ready to be problem solvers. It has been my privilege to be their principal and I hope I will always be a small part of them as their journey continues.
To the fifth graders...always stay together and pick each other up when you are down, always challenge yourselves academically and socially, and always, always treat others the way you would like to be treated!
With gratitude,
Principal Carter Welch