The school year is coming to an end. With summer right around the corner, now’s the time to reflect on the past while looking toward the future. While there are lessons to be learned, what’s equally important is recognizing the positives and focusing your energy on the year that lies ahead.

Your school community has been working hard all year. Congratulate them (and yourself) on everything they’ve accomplished!

Celebrate the positives from this year

Take this time to reflect on all the positive things that happened during the school year. Too often, we tend to focus on the negatives. We let challenges overshadow the achievements and little moments of joy happening all around us. When you think about it, there’s actually a lot to celebrate!

Invite others to celebrate the positives with you. Ask teachers, staff and administrators about their favorite memories from the school year. Sharing stories can show your fellow school community members that the year was filled with more positives than they originally thought.

Nothing’s ever too small to celebrate. The positives could be something as little as seeing students cheer on their basketball team or bringing donuts to the office on Wednesdays. Or, they could be something bigger like a charity concert or the state championships. When you look for the positives, you will always find them.

Get ready to start fresh in the fall

This is a time to reflect, but it’s also a time to look forward. Summer presents a chance to wipe the slate clean and get excited about what the future may hold. Learn from the negatives, then leave them in the past. Every new school year is a fresh start!

Start thinking about what you want to accomplish in the 2023-24 school year. What programs or initiatives do you want to explore? What curricula or facilities can you improve? What goals did you meet, and how can you make them even bigger? Brainstorm some ideas over the summer so you can start the new school year strong.

As the year comes to a close, take a moment to celebrate not just the good moments, but all the people who made them happen. Let everyone in your school community know just how much they’re appreciated. Pack up everything you’ve learned, and bring it with you into the 2023-24 school year.

Have a great summer, everyone. Let’s make next year the best one yet!