Seeing rows of school supplies at the local store, my favorite store crowded with kids trying on shoes and pictures of " First Day of (insert grade level) "on Facebook are just a few tell-tale signs that a new school year has arrived. This is an exciting time of year for everyone. We see our co-workers for the first time since May and catch up on all the summer happenings. We meet new co-workers and maybe take a freshly minted teacher under our wing and show them the ropes, you know things like how to fix the copier that always jams, where the caffeine is kept and the ins and outs of lunch and bus duty.  As educators we have chosen to celebrate the first days of school for many more years than most. Enjoy this time. It is a gift that only those of us in education get to enjoy.
     Your ARI Regional Support Team is excited too! We get to see the coaches and teachers that inspire us, amaze us and encourage us with their hard work, ingenuity and willingness to dig in and make change possible. We look forward to working with you again this year and we welcome all of our new colleagues too. Remember, help is always just a call, text or email away. Have a great year!
ARI Region 1 Support Staff
Susan Thornton, Robin Tingle, Tonya Moore and Jina Smith