The Riverwalk Roar

Happy Sunday, Pride!

I hope everyone is doing well and that you, and your students, survived the first full week of school. I'm not sure about the students, I know the staff are tired. There's nothing like the first week of school tiredness.

I normally write these on Sunday, but my wife and I are heading to a concert Sunday night, so I'm writing this on Saturday, which happens to be National Happiness Happens Day.

Believe (in Happiness)

Anyone else excited about the return of Ted Lasso? I personally have mixed feelings that it came back for a 4th season since I thought the end of season 3 was a perfect series wrap-up. Anyway, to prepare for the season 4 premiere, I just finished rewatching seasons 1–3.

As I finished the Ted Lasso binge-watch, I couldn't stop thinking about how much Coach Lasso gets right about choosing happiness . . . even when it's hard, even when things don't go your way, even when it would be easier to be cynical . . . make the choice to choose happiness.

That's something I want our students, and honestly, us grown-ups too, to hear again and again: happiness isn't something that just happens to you, it's a choice you keep making. As we settle into these first few weeks of the school year, I'd challenge our Riverwalk families to try it at home: one small "choose happiness" moment a day. You might be surprised what it does for your kid, and for you.

So here's to choosing happiness this week — one small moment at a time. Thanks for being part of the Pride.

In Pride and Purpose,
~Dr. Compton