By: Dr. Ryan Giffing, Superintendent, Conrad Weiser Area School District
The 2024-2025 school year is upon us, and, like many other districts, the Conrad Weiser Area School District held an opening day in-service with our entire staff as a kickoff.
This is one of my favorite times of the year because rarely can we have the entire district gather at once, and the energy in the room is amazing. Among other activities that occur on that opening day is a speech that I deliver as closing remarks. The sentiment in this speech is usually one that I feel very deeply about and wish to convey to everyone to set the tone for the year.
A family trip inspired my remarks this year. Below is part of the story and the speech I shared with our staff on our opening day.
Our family, like many, took a vacation this summer. We had an enjoyable time, and my family brought back a few pictures and souvenirs from the trip.
Many times, we bring back souvenirs from trips to help us remember and reminisce … sometimes years, or decades later. We set them in places of prominence on a mantel or shelf. We smile when we look at the souvenir years, or even decades later, because of the memories that item evokes in us.
Something that we do not have years, or decades later, are the receipts. It got me thinking, why do people keep receipts? A receipt is given to us in case we need to return something or provide proof … like when we want to return an item to a store. When asked if we have proof of purchase, we can hold the receipt up at the store and say, yes, see, here it is. It is my proof.
Applying that to our interpersonal worlds, some of us keep receipts in our minds and in our hearts that we shouldn’t. We hold on to those receipts of wrongs that others have done to us, or something our supervisor said that upset us, or what that kid did last year, or even, what that parent was like at the youth sports game with their older child. Sometimes we pull out those receipts, show others, and get them in on the game. Oh, here we go again … just like last year … remember … I have the receipt.
Some of us have so many receipts, it is like the overstuffed Costanza wallet from “Seinfeld!” If young readers do not know the show, just Google “Costanza wallet” and you will get my meaning.
We do not act like that with souvenirs though. Souvenirs remind us of the good. Souvenirs tell a story; receipts hold an accounting. It is easy to do, I get it, and we must do better. We must be conscious of what we take away from each encounter and each opportunity.
Not every day is a vacation, I know. Not every year goes smoothly. I get it. We will have issues to overcome and trials to endure, no doubt, but if we are focused on collecting souvenirs instead of receipts, we will certainly have a better year.
So, let’s get rid of those receipts. You do not need them. This year and in the years to come, be in search of souvenirs. It is going to be a wonderful year and the best is yet to come!
This article was originally published in the Reading Eagle: https://www.readingeagle.com/2024/09/12/superintendents-forum-collect-souvenirs-instead-of-receipts/