A Welcome Back Message from Mr. Meyerle
We are looking forward to the 2023-2024 school year as it rapidly approaches. It is always a good feeling to get school off and running in the fall and look forward to all of the opportunities it brings for our students. School is like a lot of things in life, it is what you make of it. Some maximize their time and experiences in school. Unfortunately, others waste the experience.
We have expectations of our students at school. We expect them to listen, be respectful, work hard, and become productive citizens.
When it comes to school, I reflect back to what I learned from Larry Shoff in the 27 years I knew him. The lessons are still relevant. Larry left a lasting impression.
With Larry there came many, many humorous stories. One time we were getting ready to play a home football game in 45-degree weather with a chance of rain. Larry came out with about 8 layers of clothes, a fur hat and rubber shoes. I told him he looked ridiculous, and that we were coaching football not getting stranded. However, he stayed warm.
Larry’s advice and guidance helped so many people. He was always his own harshest critic, but the truth was he made everyone that he encountered a better person.
Larry was always a defender of teachers and education. Larry was always quick to see what kind of help a student may need. He never worried about what he was getting paid for a job, but worried whether he was doing enough to help. At one point, Larry mowed the football field with a push mower, got it ready for football games and never was paid anything extra for that work or being AD.
Larry expected people to do their best and do things right. He expected people to treat others with courtesy and counseled many young men on the proper way to treat women with respect.
Larry demonstrated how important it is to care about people and that is okay if you gave students a hug, as it made their day.
A lot of good lessons. Those of us that knew Larry will always miss him, but he taught us a lot about important aspects of education.
Parents and schools can have a great partnership with collectively pushing kids to listen, be respectful, work hard, and become productive citizens. When people feel like they are slighted and can only talk to some chat group about the world, they are going on a train that is going the wrong way. It’s too bad they don’t have Larry to talk to. Larry would say to push kids to do the right thing and teach them to grow up to be young men and women that we can all be proud of.
We look forward to our fall sports teams getting us off to a great start. Team success only occurs with maximum commitment, dedication and effort to the team. If players are only concerned about themselves, and are unreliable, their train is going the wrong way.
I look forward to some fall weather, having football start so there is something to watch on TV, and flipping the calendar to get to the holiday season. See you at a ball game. Go Griffs!
Superintendent Meyerle