The Principal's Perspective
December 8-12, 2025
The Golden Ticket
The winter festive season always brings a sense of wonder and reflection for me, and this year has been no different. I love setting family traditions for this time of the year as my parents did the same for my siblings and I. Every year around this time we knew we would be going to see the Nutcracker and eat dinner in Greek Town (the flaming cheese was my favorite). Then oddly enough my mom would require that my dad drive to White Castle (remember this was way back in the day when White Castle was only in the city) to get some of those little burgers to take home. So I want to carry on those fun, family traditions. So, this year I decided to get tickets for my grands and my girls to ride on the Polar Express. It was a magical experience and of course, I am always looking at the bigger pictures as our experiences always tell us a story.
As we boarded the train, every child (and adult!) proudly held a "Golden Ticket," granting us access to the journey. And that's exactly what education is: a golden ticket that gets our students on the train to their future.Once on board, I began to notice how different the experience was for everyone. Some of the kids couldn't get enough of the dancing elves; others squealed with delight at the hot cocoa and chocolate chip cookies. My girls, surprisingly, seemed to enjoy the simple pleasure of looking out the window at the dazzling winter wonderland lights even more than my grands did! Everyone shared the same access with that ticket, but everyone had a unique, deeply personal experience.
The grand finale, of course, was to see the "Big Man in the White Beard." You actually see him twice, once when the train passes the "North Pole" and he is outside waving at the train, and then again as he boards the train to walk through the aisles. And here, the wonders and dreams came to life through the requests made of the man in the red suit and big white beard. My grandson, Mars, asked for a spaceship (he’s set on becoming an astronaut, naturally). My middle daughter, asked for a Kia (which, being a driver in Chicago, I’m still trying to understand!). Listening to others share their requests meant the big man in the red suit had a BIG job in front of him!
This ride perfectly illustrates the journey our students are on. They all hold the golden ticket of education, and that ticket is getting them access to the train.
I recently had the pleasure of attending the Doughnut Den with the AVID classes where their career exploration presentations were on display. Our scholars are already articulating their destinations: med school, USC, Harvard, Morehouse, Howard, and U of I. Their career aspirations are just as varied and ambitious: speech therapists, chefs, pilots, sportscasters, entrepreneurs, scientists, architects, and everything in between.
The sheer scope of their dreams is inspiring. Our job, as educators and parents, is not to tell them where to go, but to ensure that their golden ticket is valid and secured. We are all crew on this journey. We must work together—at school and at home—to provide the support, resources, and encouragement needed to keep the train moving toward each scholar's desired destination.
Every single student deserves to get on that train, and we are committed to making sure they do.
Here's to their Golden Opportunity!
Library Announcement
The D65 Librarians have put together a list of the best books they read in 2025, stories that moved us, challenged us, and stayed with us long after the last page. We hope you find something great to add to your TBR (to be read) pile.
Please be mindful of winter Drop Off and Pick Up. In the winter months, particularly when there is snow, sleet and ice, it is hard to see students who are walking and/or crossing the street. Please do not drop students off in the middle of the street and please do not block the parking lot when dropping off students. We kindly ask that you safely pull over to avoid blocking traffic.
