Opening day 2011: 'Making the best possible place for our children'

Editor’s note: The following is an abridged version of remarks Monroe-Woodbury School Board President Dr. Michael DiGeronimo made to faculty and staff on their opening day of the 2011-12 school on Thursday Sept. 1: As this school year begins, you as educators, have an enormous gift to give. The gift of enhancing the lives of our students. The gift of teaching the children of this wonderful community, of helping them grow and succeed. I read once in the journal “Psychology Today” that by the time a child reaches the age of 18, the concept of “No, you can’t!” has been reinforced 187,000 times, whereas the concept of “Yes, you can!” has been reinforced only about 25 to 30 times. Incredible piece of evidence, isn’t it! All of you here today are successful because you were encouraged to set goals and formulate plans to achieve them, and to remind yourselves to never get discouraged. Determination I would like to take a moment to share with you a story of determination that inspired me in the spring time of my career. In 1883, an engineer named John Roebling was inspired by an idea to build a bridge connecting New York with Long Island. Despite the pessimism of other bridge-building experts, Roebling could not ignore the vision he had in his mind. He thought about it all the time and he knew deep in his heart that it could be done. Working together for the first time, the father and his son Washington developed concepts that would overcome the obstacles. The project started well; however, an on-site accident took the life of John Roebling. Later, Washington suffered brain damage from an injury, which resulted in him not being able to walk, talk or even move. In spite of his handicap, Washington was never discouraged and he still had a burning desire to complete the bridge. Only able to move one finger, he slowly developed a system to communicate with his wife, Emily, which he relied on for 13 years until the bridge was finally completed. The Brooklyn Bridge stands in all its grandeur as a tribute to the accomplishment of a man’s determined spirit. His resolve to overcome adversity. It is also an example of team work and the workers’ faith in a man who was considered foolish to most of the world. It also stands as a testimonial to Emily whose love, devotion and belief in him made the dream a reality. There exists a dream Today I challenge all of us to serve as role models and leaders, so we can make a positive and lasting difference to our students in these difficult times. The Brooklyn Bridge shows us that dreams that seem impossible can be realized with determination and persistence. Our students come from a variety of backgrounds and circumstances and possess different abilities, but in each and every one of them exists a dream. You, we, can help reinforce the belief that anything is possible if you truly want it, despite obstacles and naysayers. Just imagine 10 or 20 years from now, you can receive a letter, an e-mail or a text from a successful engineer, or an astrophysicist that says, “Thank you, for believing in me and helping me achieve my dream!” 'We are on our own’ Our world of education continues to change. Although the economy is improving, we are still faced with academic and budgetary challenges. Even with these challenges, it is imperative I emphasize that you, the faculty and staff, are the district’s most important asset. It is the strength of our work force that will carry the district through these turbulent times. The Board of Education, working though the Superintendent, will do everything to preserve this incredible work force. We will not mortgage this district’s future. The reality of the situation is that funding of education has changed and we cannot depend on the state or federal government for very much aid. We are on our own. Because of advance planning which started three years ago, the impact of this paradigm shift in funding has been minimal. The essential restructuring of the district personnel has been through attrition rather than massive layoffs experienced by other Districts. Making sure the budget process is laser-focused has resulted in budgets that are fiscally responsible, protecting the hard earned dollars of our taxpayers while maintaining the quality of education for our children. Three more years The economic conditions force us to live and budget year-to-year. We wait for improvements in the state and federal government’s fiscal situation. It is my belief that we have approximately three more years before the economic conditions will stabilize. During this three-year period, we will have to continue to work collaboratively, collectively, and willingly make the necessary sacrifices to preserve the personnel and programs that continue to ensure our children’s education. I believe the district’s economy, through hard work, is being brought in for a soft landing; the back wheels are on the ground, and now we have to bring the nose wheel down gently. Cooperation This achievement has only come about with the cooperation of all the District’s unions. I would like to take a moment to thank Colleen Buck of the MWEA, Irene Conklin of the CSEA, Ray Hodges of the MWTA and George St. Lawrence of the MWAA, for their cooperation and collaboration during these difficult times. In the last two years, I have seen this group come together and overcome incredible obstacles and adversities. I thank you for your support as we move Monroe-Woodbury forward, to make it the best possible place for our children. You have handled the pressure brought about by the high stakes testing of the No Child Left Behind Act and you have focused on preparing our children for the constantly evolving challenges of this global society. Although our course is set, our journey will take time and courage to finish. Through cooperation and leadership, we can do it ladies and gentlemen! Because you are the best and the brightest. Thank you for your time and good luck this year.