Meredith's Message - January

Over the past year, as our school community has navigated the pandemic, I have reflected many times on another school year.  In 2005 – 06, I began the year teaching in the Ninth Ward and then following Hurricane Katrina teaching displaced students in a rural community west of New Orleans.  Until this year, and our battle against the coronavirus, I believed that the aftermath of Katrina would be the most difficult year of my career.  That year the teachers were given a poster with the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of convenience and comfort, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”  In the years since, I have always kept this poster in my office to remind me of what is possible and what matters most even during the most challenging of times.At CFEC, it is our teachers, therapists, family support coordinators, administrative staff and custodians who are standing up on the front lines every day to ensure that our children with special needs and their families have what they need to thrive.  The dedication and sacrifice they give to following safety protocols, the creativity they bring to redesigning service delivery to meet COVID-19 prevention procedures, and the inspiration they give to students and families is the heart of CFEC. Thank you to each member of our community for standing up to ensure that the critical early intervention and family support services that our children and families depend on are being delivered daily.Here's to 2021!