June, 2015© © April 2024
Hello Students!,
I want to leave you with a small message from me as we end this school year. I have truly enjoyed being your principal. You are remarkable! You are memorable! You are beautiful! You are talented! You are smart! And you have brought me much happiness and joy.
When I first started as your principal I wanted to have a signature statement to say at the closing of each announcement. I thought about many fancy statements such as “Reach to the Heights” or “Always Give Your Best”. Yet none of those were really satisfying. I wanted my closing statement to you to be something you would love hearing and something that would edify you and build you up.
I thought long and hard and then I remembered what I always wanted to hear when I was little. I always wanted to hear the words, “I Love You!”
You see as a child, I knew that my parents loved me dearly. They would work long hours to feed and clothe me. They would take me to church and buy me nice things for Christmas. They would take me on family vacations to see my favorite cousins. They would sit up with me at night when I had a fever. They would kiss my forehead and give me warm hugs. But they never said the words, “I Love You”. That just wasn’t a way they were used to communicating. Yet I always wanted to hear the words, “I Love You”.
Then one day when I was much older, I went to college and joined a Christian group called the Navigators. During one of our Bible Studies the leader asked, “How many of you have ever heard your parents say, “I Love You?”. A lot of us in the study group raised our hands. The leader went on to say, “Then here is what you should do. Every time you call your parents, say the words “I Love You” at the end of your conversation and then watch and see what happens.”
So I decided to try this. I did it over and over again. Sometimes my mother would just say “me too” or “I know”. My dad would just say “okay”, or “I know”. Then one day something marvelous happened. I had just finished talking on the phone with my mom about something and just when we were about to hang up she said, “Shelia, I Love You!”
From that moment on both of my parents continued to say “I Love You” to me. I can still hear echoes of it now even though they are both no longer living.
Students that is why I decided to make my signature closing line “Mrs. Burlock loves you!” You need to not only see it and feel it but you also need to hear it.
This simple statement affirms you. It lifts you up. It values you. You are valuable! Your dreams and desires, thoughts and opinions, comments and suggestions, ideas and creativity matters! You are a Star, no matter who you are. You can and will achieve, if you just believe. Believe in yourself. And believe that Mrs. Burlock loves you and always will! ©
Shelia F. Burlock
