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Cherrie MacInnes is a fourth-grade teacher in MSAD 51. She was the 2016 Penobscot County Teacher of the Year and a 2017 Finalist Maine Teacher of the Year.
On Sunday, for the first time, I hiked the Prouts Neck cliff walk from the opposite direction. Viewing the trail and shoreline from a different angle opened my eyes to new and beautiful views, but also presented new challenges.
Usually, I anticipate the possibility of navigating water and slippery mud near the end of the trail. Today, I faced the mucky, difficult section first. Two wrong turns on the less familiar path made me pause and rethink the direction I needed to take.
Along the way, I saw lone flowers in full bloom, confused by the late October warmth. The spray of the waves, elevated by the full moon, rose above the rocks in spectacular fashion. My shadow, usually behind me, was leading the way as though it were my walking companion.
When I reached the end of the trail, the tide was so high, I was unable to walk along the beach to get to the parking lot where my car awaited. I adjusted my course, and traveled along a paved road that lacked the expected scenic ocean view.
I am an educator in Cumberland Center. My walk was not only a time for me to find calm in nature and reflect on the unfathomable events of the past week, but also a metaphor for returning to the classroom this week. Each of my fourth-graders will enter our classroom with a wide range of feelings and connections to the horrific killings that occurred in Lewiston Wednesday night. I need to be prepared for the unexpected.
We have a school family whose dad is a victim recovering in an intensive care unit. A mom emailed to let me know her son had been at his cousin’s birthday party in the very same bowling alley just days before the shooting. A newscaster recently mentioned how being so close to a tragedy means that Mainers are separated not by 6, but 3 degrees from someone who was directly affected by the actions of this killer. I believe many of our staff and students are likely to be less than 3 degrees away.
So, when we return, I will welcome my students with a smile, a hug and lots of love. I will listen to those who need to share their stories, feelings, worries and connections. I will seek extra support from our incredible guidance counselors and social workers. I will bring back normalcy to the best of my ability, because I know the importance of routine. Academics will be a part of our day, but I will also plan a craft, extra recess or whatever lighter activity is needed. I will make sure every single child feels safe in our classroom.
Like my walk this weekend, I will make decisions along the way, changing course as necessary to meet the needs of each and every student. All educators will be doing the same thing for their students every day for as long as it takes for our school family to heal.