Prior to the dreaded C-word, Covid, the middle/high school building would have monthly birthday celebrations where one department would bring in a variety of treats for the staff of the building to enjoy. This was a day that most looked forward to. Then Covid came and it was another thing that went away and never came back. That is until this school year.
This is the first school year in quite some time where our middle school staff strictly teaches middle school classes; in years prior we had a few middle school teachers who also taught a high school class or two as well. With our staff teaching all middle school classes, I thought it was worth a try to bring this back with a little bit of a change, and to say it was welcomed with open arms is an understatement. We don’t have one every month like in years past, but we do try to have one each quarter.
Yes, potlucks leave us with full stomachs, but more importantly, it also lets us, a middle school staff, be able to slow down, connect with each other, and enjoy some good food and laughs. It has also helped with building upon an already established culture. Taylor Edwards, a first year teacher, said that this was a great way for him to be able to meet other staff members during this time in a different setting than in a classroom or a meeting.