Open thank you letter to d.tech staff

Before we launch into our first day of class in 2021, I want to thank you all for everything you did in 2020.

When we began to shelter-in-place in March, we had no idea what was about to unfold, and as I reflect on where we are almost a year later, I couldn’t be more proud to be part of this staff.

I always say that you really get to know your values during a crisis. When you are acting on reflex, who you are comes out pretty easily, and during the last year I learned so much about you. You are empathetic, diligent, committed and, caring. While this and so much more became clear as the year progressed, I will remember the year as being marked by your relentless optimism.

Being optimistic means that you have hope in the future, being relentlessly optimistic means that you not only have hope in the future, but you are also confident that you can make a difference in bringing about a better future. Relentless optimism is not just a disposition, it is a commitment. Working in a school, we know that the students are the future, and you remained committed to them. Not only did you show your commitment to the students, but you also picked each other up during difficult times. It would have been quite understandable if you had adopted the mindset of “let’s just get through this” as this past year had many reasons to lose hope in the future, but you were relentless.

You brought your optimism each day as our standing parties turned into Zoom parties, when you logged into your class just knowing that today would be the day all of your advisees would turn on their cameras, when community meetings became Koi streams, first live streaming from the beach and student’s houses then from Studio One, during outdoor movie night, advisory camps, learning hubs, office hours, phone call after phone call to families, taking time to talk to a colleague who needed a boost, coming into distribute lunches and supplies and countless other things you did this past year for the our community. You did this because you know that you matter to other people and that you make a difference in their lives.

You are relentlessly optimistic, and I could not be more proud to have been a d.tech staff member during 2020.

Thank you for all the hope that you gave me and our community this past year.