Tribute to our Little School

Six years ago when I was looking for a house to buy here, I was a bit shell-shocked. Not that this is a big city or anything, but compared to where I was coming from, it felt quite overwhelming. The traffic, the cost of housing...it was freaking me out. But not as much as the fact that someone made the mistake of telling me that at Christiansburg Primary there were eight kindergarten classes. Eight. In the school we were coming from, there were two. I may have pulled a paper bag to my face and started breathing in and out. In and out. IN and OUT!

I remember the first time I saw Belview Elementary. I was with my realtor, driving away from a possibility. We passed the little brick school and I pointed, "Could my kids go there?" It reminded me of the school we were leaving--little, intimate, underwhelming. Nope, the realtor told me. The house I'd just looked at was in the 8 Kindgarten School's district.

Cutting to the chase. We ended up in Belviews boundaries wtihout even knowing it. I could call it a happy coincidence, but I've seen too many miracles to believe in those. When I found out, I was thrilled. Until someone told me they were having accredidation problems. The school we'd left had just jumped that hurdle and it felt burdensome to be back in that situation. But I prayed. A lot. And God whispered to stay and give them a chance. To see if we couldn't help turn things around. Man, am I ever glad I listened.

From go, when I walked in Mrs. Baker's office to hash over some issues I had with the school, I knew this was a principal I could work with. Within two hours, she'd implemented my first suggestion: having the kids in the car rider line wait inside the cafeteria and be called out via walkie talkie, rather than all of them sitting out in the cold. And I never stopped seeing improvements the entire time I was there. From turning the old basketball court into a new parking lot to accomodate the overcrowded parking situation at school functions, to smartboards in every class room, to updated playground equipment, all the way to full accredidation (which actually came by the end of that very first year) to winning the Panasonic National School Change Award. It was like The Little Engine that Could, climbing up, Up, UP.

But none of that compared to the people inside the school.

Mrs. Wasky and her deep love for all three of my kids. And her love for dogs. Mrs. Gilliams video playing skills. Mrs. Stafford's patience with a child who works at her own pace. Mrs. Rettig's amazing ability to lasso in twenty kindergartners without ever losing her cool, Mrs. Kathy's nuturing skills. Mrs. Jenny's light-the-room-up smile. Mrs. Bibb? You must be doing something right. To this day Will still says you were his favorite in fourth grade. Mrs. Furrow's amazing green car and genuine kindness. Mrs. Buck? Hats off to you after going to Jamestown. I have no idea how you didn't lose it half a dozen times. I am in awe. Nurse Robin, with whom I have a love/hate relationship. I will always love you for not calling CPS on me and hate you a little for turning my knees to jello for a good two minutes. Mrs. Newcomb for never letting my kids fall behind in reading, for cheering on their successes and for telling me over and over, 'your kid is doing so fine.' Mrs. Phillips for her fashion sense and general coolness. Mrs Novy and Mrs. Amy's ability to put up with more drama than any daytime t.v. can dish out. I do not envy you. Mrs. McNeill's friendliness and constant interest in our lives. Mrs. Taylor who has now moved on. There are not words. Your never-ending enthusiasm for teaching blows my mind. Mr. Cook for thanking me for bowling every year. My pleasure. The ladies in the office who are so welcoming and the cafeteria chicks who never tell me I should've ordered ahead. Each student teacher from Radford. Emma cried at the end of every semester when you left. And all the other people not on this list.

And finally Mrs. Baker who always made me feel like my opinion was important and valued. Belview rocks because you are amazing.

My cup runneth over. We will miss you. Every single one. And we will never forget the way you nutured, loved and changed our family. If only every kid was blessed enough to have a school like yours.

You really are the B.E.S.T.