High School

Hello Falcon Family.

I wanted to wish each and every one of you the warmest of welcomes, as we venture back into another school year. It’s absolutely wild to me that 365 days ago I sat down to write my introduction letter, and now here we go with Round 2.

Growing up with both parents as teachers, the educational world has always been a part of my DNA. I suppose because of that, the ending of the summer months and the beginning of the fall ones have found a special place in my heart. Sure, the weather shift to those cool evenings which give me the ability to don a sweatshirt comfortably, the sound of the Husker Tunnel Walk blaring out of my tv speakers while the chili is cooking on the stove, and of course the high hopes I build up every year for another Denver Broncos Super Bowl run factor into the equation. Nonetheless, as I’ve gotten older, I’ve pinpointed another significant contributor is the reality that a new school year is upon us.

Everything…and I mean everything starts afresh. It’s this newness that assists my mind in wandering to Hogwarts as Dumbledore introduces his pet phoenix, Fawkes, to Harry:

“Standing on a golden perch behind the door was a decrepit-looking bird that resembled a half-plucked turkey. Harry stared at it and the bird looked balefully back, making its gagging noise again. Harry thought it looked very ill. Its eyes were dull and, even as Harry watched, a couple more feathers fell out of its tail.

Harry was just thinking that all he needed was for Dumbledore's pet bird to die while he was alone in the office with it, when the bird burst into flames.

Harry yelled in shock and backed away into the desk. He looked feverishly around in case there was a glass of water somewhere but couldn't see one; the bird, meanwhile, had become a fireball; it gave one loud shriek and next second there was nothing but a smoldering pile of ash on the floor.

The office door opened. Dumbledore came in, looking very somber.

"Professor," Harry gasped. "Your bird- I couldn't do anything- he just caught fire-"

To Harry's astonishment, Dumbledore smiled.

"About time, too," he said. "He's been looking dreadful for days; I've been telling him to get a move on."

He chuckled at the stunned look on Harry's face.

"Fawkes is a phoenix, Harry. Phoenixes burst into flame when it is time for them to die and are reborn from the ashes. Watch him..."

Harry looked down in time to see a tiny, wrinkled, newborn bird poke its head out of the ashes. It was quite as ugly as the old one.

"It's a shame you had to see him on a Burning Day," said Dumbledore, seating himself behind his desk. "He's really very handsome most of the time, wonderful red and gold plumage. Fascinating creatures, phoenixes. They can carry immensely heavy loads, their tears have healing powers, and they make highly faithful pets.”

If you can allow yourself to shift past the ridiculousness of my analogy, I would argue that lying somewhere underneath you’ll find an appreciation for the simplicity of the whole matter. For myself, it’s the understanding that every fall we are blessed with a sort of rebirth of identities, if you will. All those immensely heavy loads we carried into May have been burned away. From this point on, we begin, or in many students’ circumstances we continue, the processes ultimately tied to the mission that is Freeman Public Schools; “Preparing our students of today for their lives tomorrow.”

And I for one, am beyond excited for such a purpose!

  • Cody Wallinger, 7-12 principal