May 1, 2017

Dear Lower School Families,

"Faster than a speeding bullet! More powerful than a locomotive! Able to leap tall buildings at a single bound!"

"Look! Up in the sky!" "It's a bird!" "It's a plane!" "It's…..your child’s teacher!"

Every day I get to go to work with superheroes. Walking into the building you might see one tuck a mask into her bag, or another hang up a cape, as well as a coat. You can’t see her invisible airplane parked next to the basketball court because…..it’s invisible! With Teacher Appreciation Week upon us, I cannot help but reflect on the Teacher Superheroes that surround me each day. Like members of The Avengers, or the Justice League, each brings his or her own unique superpowers into the classroom and work together to transform the minds of children.

Superman could fly! He had x-ray vision, superhuman strength, and limitless speed. Besides her invisible airplane and superhuman strength, Wonder Woman had two super-weapons that accompanied her everywhere: her magic lasso, The Lasso of Truth, and her bracelets, which could repel bullets. The Green Lantern's miraculous power ring could fly him through space, protect him from harm, and create anything the person wearing could imagine! No member of the Justice League had the same powers, and it was important that each member of the team brought a different strength to the table. As I look at the amazing group of educators in this building, I am in awe of the superpowers they bring to our collective good -- each one unique, each one valuable.

While the Justice League may be a vestige of my own childhood, this decade brought The Avengers to the fore. Together, united by a single goal, to keep the world safe from the forces of evil, this team leverages the good in one other. Captain America can’t pick up Thor’s mighty hammer. By the same token, Thor can’t pierce Captain America’s shield with that same magical tool. But anyone who has seen the latest Avenger’s movie knows that both are needed to stop the invaders. Our teachers, focused on the strategic purpose of igniting lives of purpose, tap into their individual strengths and those of one another, to serve the needs of our students.

Over the last two years, all of our teachers have taken the Clifton Strengths Finder, Gallup’s’ tool to help people identify, understand and maximize their strengths. Each teacher brings a unique blend of talents, skills, and knowledge, and an optimal teaching team learns to lean into one another to

4344 COLGATE AVENUE DALLAS, TEXAS 75225 (214) 353-4368 | MAIN WWW.ESDALLAS.ORG apply this medley of strengths for the benefit of all students. Hanging on the wall in our work room is a giant scatter graph that shows the talent themes of all. Most striking is that between the group, we have educators representing every one of Clifton’s identified 34 strengths. This is a strong daily visual reminder to me of the gifts in the teachers surround me.

Next time you step into Lower School, keep your eyes open for the glimpse of a red cape, or a mask tucked into a bag. If you are lucky, you might get here early enough to see someone taking off in the invisible plane. I am incredibly thankful for their creativity, problem solving, diligence, and expertise and it is truly an honor to work side by side with this group.

Warmly,

Chelle Wabrek Head of Lower School