Staff and Teacher Appreciation

Staff and Teacher Appreciation
picture of chalk written thank you messageAs we celebrate Staff and Teacher appreciation weeks, I wanted to share the story of Mrs. Beneduci. Mrs. Beneduci was a fourth-grade teacher. As a special education teacher, in the 1960s, she was committed to the notion of bringing the best out of people. During her tenure as a teacher she encountered a very shy, introverted student who suffered from retinopathy of prematurity. And although Steveland Hardaway Judkins had tons of promise - he learned to play the piano and harmonica - he lived in a single-parent household and had recently moved to Detroit, Michigan after his parents separated.

As fate would have it, one day while teaching a history lesson, Mrs. Beneduci was interrupted by Steveland. He informed the class that he heard some noise coming from a corner of the classroom. Considering that no one else heard the noise, she was faced either with dismissing Steveland or taking the time to allow him to explain. Because Steveland was blind, she asked him to guide her to the sound, at which time she found a small mouse in the classroom, which would eventually become the class mascot. When she found the mouse, she stated that "Stevie you are a little wonder!" A name that would stick with Steveland when he signed with Motown records two years later.

Mrs. Beneduci had a choice. She could have dismissed Stevie Wonder or could have nurtured his given talents. Luckily, she chose the later! And while we can credit Barry Gordy with helping to develop his talent even further, it would not have been possible without the tireless encouragement, dedication and determination of Mrs. Beneduci. She helped Steveland realize that despite being born blind, he had something amazing to offer the world.

So, I want to thank each and every one of you. Not just because of your dedication to our kids, but also for the warm smiles and welcomes that you give to them, me, colleagues and parents each day. I want to thank you on behalf of all the gifted, shy and introverted kids who need more from you even though that was never written in the job description. I am grateful for the countless thankless things you do, and for the sacrifices you make with your family and friends in the name of our students. Without staff members like you, and the countless others that have come before you, there would be no Teslas in space, no cellphones, and thousands of other advances that make our world such a wonderful place to live and work.

On behalf of them, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

This year, Wednesday, May 9 is designated as "Day of the Teacher."

The Legislature of California has designated May 20-26, 2018, as Classified School Employee Week.

On April 19, 2018, the Mountain View Whisman School District Board of Trustees unanimously passed resolutions to express their gratitude and commend our teachers and classified staff for service to the District.

Respectfully, 
Dr. Ayindé Rudolph
Superintendent

Website by SchoolMessenger Presence. © 2024 SchoolMessenger Corporation. All rights reserved.