Its not the school it’s the people that make the difference…
When one is stuck in ice and snow it is always a treat to stand in the sun. Such was the case last week as Anne and I visited several therapeutic schools and programs in Arizona as part of our research for appropriate placements. We played hooky one day and snuck up to see the Grand Canyon. WOW! It was my first time on the rim. The canyon is 10 miles wide, 1 mile deep and 277 miles long. As I stood there taking in 6 million years of work, I could not help but notice the varying layers of earth stacked one on another creating this wonder. It made me consider children. By the time they are adults they too are a wonder made up of many layers. Layers formed from personal experiences and the experiences of generations that have gone before.
While touring schools and programs I was reminded that we enroll our children with people not physical structures. These schools and programs all enjoy a fine reputation earned by a record of success. However, if we were to just drop in from the sky and land in a dorm room, classroom, dinning hall, art room or athletic field, we would be hard pressed to know which school or program we were at. Really the difference between all of them is the people, the staff. After all, it is the staff and their ability to connect with students that is the greatest outside force for change.
