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Administrator’s Corner by Nick Sofio

As we approach the week of Thanksgiving it is often common practice for many of us to reflect and appreciate the simple things in life for which we are thankful. This year, especially, I have  extended my reflective process to our school community at Lakeview. Although there is an exhaustive list that could be compiled I would like to highlight a few areas in particular.

I am thankful for the support the Albert Lea community provides Lakeview and the other schools within our district. Whether it is our school parent-teacher organization, local community service groups and businesses, or individual citizens, it is heartwarming to know that we have so many kind and caring community members who value an educational partnership to benefit our students and staff. School supplies, winter weather gear, classroom snacks, volunteerism and supporting our school fundraisers are just a few examples of the community generosity that has had a positive impact on our school community. I am truly grateful for the high level support from our Albert Lea community.

I am thankful for how engaged our Lakeview families are within our school community. Our PTO continues to be incredible with supporting our teachers and students. I appreciate our parents taking time out of their day to help plan fun activities, fundraisers and various ways to partner with our teachers to positively benefit our learning experiences for our Lakeview students at each grade level. Our families have also significantly stepped up over the course of the last 20 months to support student learning at home, and have continued to stay actively engaged this year with our return to five days of in-person learning each week.     

Lastly, I am thankful for our Lakeview teachers and staff members who work tirelessly to ensure our students are growing academically, socially and emotionally each and every day. With student growth at the center of our work, I am constantly amazed by the creative and innovative strategies our teachers and paraeducators implement to meet the varying needs of our students. In our current school environment that is ever changing, our staff have shown an incredible amount of grit, determination and flexibility on a daily basis to provide our students with a top-notch educational experience each day.

Nick Sofio is the principal of Lakeview Elementary School.