A gift I can never repay

ded·i·cat·ed–adjective

1. wholly committed to something, as to an ideal, political cause, or personal goal: a dedicated artist.

Our last daughter graduated this past weekend, and we have now formally ended our close relationship with our public schools.
It seems that so many people openly criticize our public school teachers; they snipe about summers "off", "shorter" work days; salaries too high, etc etc.

I challenge each and every one of these naysayers to spend one day in a classroom, and one evening of grading papers, writing reports, preparing lesson plans, etc etc.

As John F. Kennedy so succinctly put it...“Modern cynics and skeptics see no harm in paying those to whom they entrust the minds of their children a smaller wage than is paid to those to whom they entrust the care of their plumbing.”


I can guarantee that those naysayers would button their lips for the rest of time.

All three of our children were given an incredible gift when they entered EHS.
They were all assigned this teacher you see in the picture above with Taylor.

Mr. P.
Only the best educator in town, in the state, probably in the US.


As Jim said "There are not many things that all three of my kids agreed upon throughout their years in school, but the one thing they did agree upon without hesitation: who their favorite teacher was..Mr. P".
Not only did he motivate and inspire in the classroom, he also shared his amazing talent with the drama department at EHS, raising it to a level that few schools could ever aspire to.

He was a friend, confidant, mentor--a teacher so dedicated that he would spend hundreds of hours of his own time during every school year bringing amazing productions to our small high school stage.

We will miss you, Mr. P.
We dearly wish your sabbatical year will bring you new rewards that you so justly deserve.
And, for the sake of other parent's children who have not yet set foot in EHS,
we hope you will be back.

And one more quote by William A. Ward that sums it all up...
“The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.”


So long, dear friend.