Partnership Educators,
Joanne takes the long walk to the second-floor bleak apartment and thinks to herself, “How did I get here.” The deep depression that she is feeling as she considers her circumstances just makes the vision of her living conditions that much more depressing. Everything had gone wrong for Joanne for her entire life she lamented. Her father had been impossible to grow up with and not speaking with him now only made it easier. It was her mother’s death after 10 years of suffering from multiple sclerosis that had contributed greatly to her spin out of control. The divorce from her husband and her struggle to raise her young child while living off public assistance had fed her depression as well. As she made her way into the apartment and walked over to the desk, where she could escape her current situation, the feelings of failure subsided. As far back as she could remember writing had been her passion and her comforting activity. Even when she was teaching English in Portugal, she had started working on this book idea that now took all of her days. She poured all of her life experiences into the story that was unfolding before. She would show up each and every day to work on her story with the same passion and love as the issues of her life continued around her.
In 1995 with her manuscript in hand, she marched to all the twelve major publishers only to be rejected each time. Then in 1997, a small publishing house, Bloomsbury, accepted it and extended a small advance. She was thrilled with the $4,000 dollars in her pocket and the promise from Bloomsbury to publish 1000 copies of her little story.
Joanne went from being a jobless single mother living off unemployment benefits to one of the best-selling authors of all time. She faced rejection most of her life. It was that rejection that convinced her to strive harder for success. You know her as the multibillionaire J.K. Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter series.
Have a fantastic weekend and thanks for your continued work helping our students develop their eagerness to learn and to develop that into a passion that helps them get past the constant rejections that life throws at us. It is showing up each day and pushing through our failures that will make a difference. Thanks for helping our students to learn these lessons in a safe and loving place where they can achieve at higher and higher levels.
Congratulations: Kim Miller - Elementary Principal of the Year That is correct. Our very own Kim Miller was named ACSA Region 1 Elementary Principal of the Year for the 2022-2023 school year. Let's all thank her for her dedication to her students and staff.
Have a passionate weekend,
Rob