#Kindness Matters

One of the things that I love most about being Superintendent is spending time with people who I serve with.  More often than not, those people are the students and teachers in our schools.  Sometimes, I am able to carve out time with our staff, people behind the scenes who make sure the "trains run on time."  In one such conversation this week, I was reminded just how much kindness matters.

One of our staff members was visiting grandchildren, away from her home in Central Vermont.  As she was leaving, someone noted that one of her tires looked low.  It did, but the prevailing wisdom was it wasn't too low and she would be able to make it home.  As it turned out, the tire lost too much air, and soon our staff member was on the side of the road closer to where she was than where she was going.  A passing truck driver stopped and offered to follow her to a store where there was an air pump.  This staff member was grateful and took him up on the offer.

Once at the store, our staff member confessed that she didn't even know how to operate the air pump, to which the truck driver responded, "No problem because I do!"  As he started to fill the tire with air, the truck driver discovered what was wrong and showed our staff member: there was a nail in the tire.
Since our staff member had AAA, she told the truck driver to stop and she would call them.  The truck driver protested: "That would take three hours!  Do you have three hours to spend up here today?"  He then invited her to his home (within walking distance) where there was a gathering taking place and went to get his tire patch kit to repair the nail hole.  This gentleman even refused a thoughtful amount of money our kind staff member offered once the tire was fixed.

So in case you lost track, this stranger:

1.  Stopped on the side of the road.
2.  Pointed out the nearest store with an air pump.
3.  Tried to pump the tire with air.
4.  Diagnosed the problem.
5.  Offered to fix it.
6.  Invited a stranger into his home.
7.  Refused payment.

Yes, yes indeed, #kindness matters.

This week, I offer that we be especially kind to our students and to one another.  We all know that there was a death in our MPS Family last week, when Chris Hennessey's father passed away suddenly.  Yet, I personally know there are others who are struggling with things that are not so public, perhaps not so "acceptable," and perhaps who are not ready to share them with everyone.

Since we really never know, please be kind this week.

#Kindness does matter!


In deference to the staff member who was a little embarrassed about not knowing how to put air in a tire, she remains anonymous.  I told her I routinely don't know how to do common fixes in my own home and that she was in good company!