I have moved on from one of the most impactful adventures of my life, the GLOBE Academy. I am proud of my contributions and will miss the little people most of all, but life calls me forward to a new adventure. Farewell GLOBE...
To
the Teachers, Staff, Families, and Governing Board of the GLOBE Academy,
I am deeply honored to have served as
Director of Policy and External Affairs in the six months prior to the opening
of school, helping to raise GLOBE from an idea to reality; from 15 students to
a lottery and waiting list; from an empty, shuttered building to a beautiful
and warm home for learning; from the chaos of the first few months to a foundation
for years to come.
I am
also proud of my effort as Interim Head of School, to step in at a time of
crisis and step up to the challenge of leading a new school in a new building
with a new staff, parent and student body.
I worked hard to create a sense of teamwork and shared commitment among
teachers; to encourage and empower parents to self-organize their invaluable contributions
to the many needs of a fledgling school; to warmly welcome and engage students
with compassion, joy, and meaningful experiences. My effort was more than matched by the
countless sacrifices of my immensely strong, encouraging, and supportive wife
Jessy, and my two patient and loving children.
I
would like to acknowledge the efforts of Reshma Kakkar and Karen Gravel, Cindy
Thigpen and Maria Ceballos, Patricia Holiday and Davina Marraccini, all former
board members who poured their talent, treasure, and time into this
school. Some of the founders and former
board members of GLOBE are parents among you who helped create the charter,
helped develop the vision, helped open the building, attract families and hire
teachers. And many of the parents and
teachers who put blood, sweat, and tears into making GLOBE what it is today
remain present and accounted for. To the
teachers, staff, and supporters who built GLOBE, thank you for the great honor
of working with you.
I
would like to thank DeKalb County Director of Charter Schools Dr. Jose Boza for
his constant encouragement and support during my time as Interim Head of
School. I’d also like to express
gratitude to Director of Planning Dan Drake, Assistant Legal Officer Marcee
Cambell, Technology Specialist Marcus Browning and the many people at DeKalb
County School District who were helpful throughout the first semester of GLOBE. I am certain that they will continue to be
great resources as GLOBE grows on.
Most
of all, I would like to thank the families of GLOBE for entrusting your sweet,
beautiful, brilliant children with me for a time. I will miss their laughter, compassion,
insights on life, the sincerity of their hugs, and the joy of their voices
calling my name. What a blessing it has
been to experience them. I hope that
somewhere, deep in their memories, they will recall the love I felt for each
and every one of them. I hope that I had
a positive impact on their lives and I pray for their continued health and
well-being as they grow. I know that our
effort to build GLOBE for your children will not be in vain.
GLOBE
will succeed because of the many hands that built it. I urge each of you to always remember the collective
effort that took this school from concept to classroom. Keep an engaged, committed, and passionate
parent body and this school will never fail.
Continue to support and honor excellent educators and they will make
GLOBE a world-class school. Stay rooted
in love and compassion for all your children’s schoolmates and the positivity
of GLOBE will never be overshadowed by the grass-top politics of the day. Keep making GLOBE magic and the difficulties
of this founding year will be the storm that fed the field.
I
can assure you of this. You can feel the
promise of GLOBE in its skin. It is
wrapped around your hands. It is echoed
in the voices of your children. It is
moving through GLOBE’s halls in small, silent intentions that come true through
commitment and necessity-bred invention.
Be encouraged. I believe in you,
GLOBE. Thank you for the experience of a
lifetime.
Sincerely,
Michael
Otieno Molina, Esq.
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