I live near the San Antonio River, and I start most days either running, walking or bicycling along the Mission Reach. I love starting my day in nature, and a bird I pay particular attention to is the Kingfisher. There are several on my route, and one has a spot he returns to one a telephone wire that spans the river.

The Kingfisher is a migratory bird who arrives in San Antonio just before the weather starts to cool. One of the reasons I love this bird so much is that his arrival foreshadows an end to our searing heat and my favorite months of the year. I am similarly heartbroken when I no longer spot him at his perch on my morning run, as it is a signal that the weather is about to become unrelentingly hot.

I work in education, which also follows very specific seasons, though not the same ones the Kingfisher observes. At CAST, we have been talking about those seasons. The beginning of the school year is a hopeful time, one we call: New Year, New You. But October often feels like the longest month. Teachers have settled in, built relationships and made game plans, and the amount they need to accomplish by year’s end lies dauntingly in front of them. We call the season from October to December: The Grind.

Teachers, and all educators, also live in the same world as everyone around them, and now the holiday seasons are upon us. This is a joyful time as we head into one of our longest breaks of the year, an opportunity to recharge with friends, family and loved ones. Fittingly, we call the season when we return to school after the first of the Year: The Reset. 

I am a person who loves the holidays, the joy of spending time with my children, my parents, and my extended family, and the emphasis on togetherness and generosity. I know that not everyone feels this way, and that the holidays can be hard. This will be one of the more bittersweet ones for me, as it is the first time without my Dad, who loved Christmas. Though our family is smaller, we take comfort in being together.

When I was in the classroom, I often found myself falling ill during Thanksgiving and/or Christmas. This is super common among educators, who push themselves and then collapse into the break. I have a theory that people who work in highly human-centered environments rely on scheduled times to decompress.

If you know or love an educator, please listen to what they are saying (and not saying) this holiday season, and if it is in your power to help them recharge, that is an immeasurable gift.

Whoever you are, whatever you do, we at CAST hope that this holiday season will bring you what you need, whether it is time to reconnect, to unplug, or to simply rest. We will see you during the reset, which takes us right into our final few months of the year, which we call: The Hustle.

Jeanne Russell

Executive Director

CAST Schools