Dear Bloomfield School Community,

I hope you all had a wonderful week. With Thanksgiving just around the corner (and no superintendent’s message going out next week), I wanted to take this moment to reflect on gratitude.

I am deeply thankful to work in a profession that means so much to me. Earlier this week, as I walked down our primary hallway reading the “hopes and dreams” shared by our students, I was reminded of the incredible privilege we have as a District. We not only help students reach the dreams they already hold close, we help them imagine possibilities they may never have thought were within their reach.

Our younger students are growing each day, preparing to become contributing members of the Middle and High School. They’ll pursue sectional titles, shine on stage, share their musical talents, and explore clubs, activities, and BOCES programs that help them discover new passions and skills. Our High School students are developing the confidence and readiness to step into the world and make meaningful contributions.

Our students are remarkable, and the work happening across our District plays a vital role in their success. Our graduates go on to become pilots, business owners, doctors, nurses, electricians, scientists, medical professionals, teachers, and so much more. Their accomplishments remind us of the power of the collective work we do here.

This Thanksgiving, I am especially grateful for the incredible people who make up the Bloomfield School District, for the students who bring energy and purpose to our days, and for the community whose unwavering support makes it all possible.

This week, we asked our faculty and staff to share what they’re thankful for. Here are some of the things they had to say:

• I am thankful to be able to be a part of a school community that cares for one another and is committed to making a positive impact in the lives of the students we serve! 
• My 8th graders! They make me smile every day, and I couldn't be prouder of the wonderful humans they're becoming. 
• The faculty and staff in our district are always going above and beyond to support our students in any way they can!
• Belonging to an amazing 8th Grade Team! We've had our fair share of stressors this year and the team has come together to support one another. There's more to our careers than just academics, and our team rallies around one another to provide understanding, compassion, and encouragement. Thanks, Fam!
• Working with students to create a safe and positive school climate, and working with hard-working teachers who deserve praise for their strengths and success.
• I am thankful that our school feels like a family. All of our staff work so hard together and support each other, which makes Bloomfield such a caring place to work. Because we are a small community it is so nice to get to know families, teach multiple children from a family, and be able to watch them grow up. I feel so lucky to have this family to come to every day!
• The positive work environment my coworkers create.
• My supportive family and friends, my goldendoodle (Dexter), continued good health, reading a good book, getting outside for a walk in the fresh air! There is no place like NY in the fall!
• Being able to teach here long enough that I'm now teaching children of the students I taught when I first started here.
• I am truly thankful for the mentor program at Bloomfield. This program has supported me immensely during my first two years here – through weekly meetings with my mentor, meaningful professional learning opportunities, and everything in between. It has helped me feel prepared, confident, and supported as a new teacher in Bloomfield, and for that I am incredibly grateful. 
• Two happy, healthy sons who make me proud every day...they are my heart! 
• Colleagues who choose to see the positive and put students at the center of our work.
• Supportive colleagues that make even a hard day feel manageable!
• Coworkers who will support you in life, both during the workday and outside of it.  
• Being able to give back to the community that provided so much for me when I was growing up. I couldn't imagine growing up or teaching anywhere else!
• I am thankful to be part of a school community where caring for one another is shown through genuine actions, not just words. From smiles in the hallways and checking in with students during study hall, to high-fives for improved grades and warm hugs after absences, our school truly feels like a family.
• Great coworkers who have become wonderful friends!
• I am thankful that I have been out at the bus loop the last two weeks as it gave me a chance to greet students that I don't see as often!
• The opportunity to teach curriculum that matters to me and I believe is a key component to a long, fulfilled, healthy lifestyle. 
• I’m thankful for Christine Bernhardt’s delicious, surprise baked goods that periodically pop up in the staff lounge! 
• I am thankful for being able to witness strong dedication and teamwork in my department and across the District. It's a point of pride to be part of a team that really cares about making sure students have a safe, clean and comfortable learning environment.
• The ability to help nourish the students and make connections with them "over food." Connecting during meals is a tradition that has deep roots in all cultures and one that is important to help build "families."
• The people I work with. The teamwork and laughter makes coming to work a joy.
• I am thankful for the small acts of kindness we see throughout our building every day – students helping one another, offering a smile, or even taking purposeful steps to brighten someone else’s day. 
• An environment where I can laugh and joke with great people while getting a job done!
• The wholesome environment BCS offers. It’s amazing to come to a job I love and amazing coworkers.
• My family, friends and students.
• The colleagues I work with! We support each other and lift one another up. We share ideas to best support our learners and we are constantly learning from each other. I love the people I work with.
• Witnessing random acts of kindness in the hallways each day. 
• New curtains for the Elementary School Stage. Thank you to the District for providing us with a beautiful and professional space for our youngest performers!
• The appreciation that I receive from parents and staff for work performed by the transportation staff. Along with the extra effort the department does daily. The way I was welcomed into the Bloomfield family when I first arrived three years ago.
• The hardworking caring department I have opportunity to lead. They make it enjoyable to come to work daily. 
• My life, my health, my God, my family, my job, and grateful that God has a bigger plan.
• Being able to work with such kind and caring people. 
• Getting to know the wonderful students, parents, teachers, and staff in my first year here as school nurse!
• My counseling team I work with. They are all great people with big hearts. It's apparent that kids come first here in our counseling department. I wouldn't want it any other way. It's a joy to come to work each day and work with such a great dedicated team. 
• I am thankful for my family, health, and the opportunity to work in a community where I feel supported, seen, and respected.
• Being part of incredible teams! This job cannot be done solo, and I feel so grateful to be part of a grade level and departments that are kind and professional.
• It may sound simple, but I am thankful for smiles :) I encounter countless smiles each and every day from numerous students and colleagues working in our building. When someone smiles at me, I in turn automatically smile back and in those few seconds experience a moment of joy. Hopefully the other person does as well. I am thankful to be a part of a school community where simple acts of kindness, such as a smile, are second nature. :) 
• I am thankful that I get work with loving and dedicated staff, and that I work with a brilliant and compassionate teacher who shines with everything she does. But mostly I am so very thankful that I get to be in a job where I spend time with amazing young minds whose smiles and hugs make my day. I can't imagine being anywhere else.
• My family and I really enjoy seeing all the students happy and smiling. It truly brings me joy to see their cheerful faces.
• My amazing team! They are so knowledgeable, easy-going, and helpful. I couldn't do it without them!
• The warm welcome the Bloomfield school community has extended to me. It's not easy to start a position in a new district, but the staff, students, and parents have made the transition seamless.  
• Having a job that I love to do every day!
• The small-town environment with so many kind, caring people in our school buildings
• Bloomfield faculty and staff that support each other, problem solve together, check in on each other, and lift each other up!

Thank you, as always, for your ongoing support and partnership. We’re proud to celebrate the incredible things happening in our District.

Please remember to let us know if you ever have any questions or ever need anything. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Andy Doell

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Picture of the week: Our Elementary Cares Club is collecting toys to donate to Toys for Tots. If you are interested in helping our Cares Club out, please consider making a donation by sending in an unwrapped toy to the Elementary School Office.