This past spring I accepted an offer to return to St. Augustine Catholic High School to teach theology and percussion after spending a decade of teaching theology at Salpointe Catholic High School. My time at Salpointe has been amazing and I have nothing but good things to say about an amazing school whose graduates have been making a huge impact all over the world. To be part of such a community as a member of such a distinguished faculty was always an honor and something I will never forget.
Anyone who teaches in a Catholic school setting knows that we identify our profession as a vocation and the one thing about a vocation is that it has a life of its own because it is in the hands of Providence. My journey back to St. Augustine's began as a parent in late 2016 when my son took the entrance exam and was later accepted. This was the school that my wife and I sought out for him because he is autistic and even though he wanted to attend the school where his father worked we knew that the size, the pace and the expectations would be too much for him. From that point on my wife and I started to make plans in terms of what we had to do in order to get him to and from his future school on the other side of town with the assumption that our work situations would be the same the following school year. There was never a thought of inconvenience because as any good parent knows you do whatever if best for your child without regard of what is most convenient for you.
Providence had other plans as within a few months I received an email from St. Augustine's that I didn't expect when they asked if I would be interested in a teaching position. I agreed to come in for an interview because as far as I was concerned, there is no crime in having a conversation. Once the conversation began they threw something at me that I didn't expect: they asked me if I would also be interested in teaching a percussion class with me having the freedom to teach the class they way I see fit while also being able to incorporate whatever I thought would be best for public performances.
The interview also went in depth with various other things from what we all thought I could bring to the school both in the way I teach as well as in what type of classes I could teach and/or create right now. This was more than enough to keep me awake the next few nights because I didn't know what to do. After spending ten years at Salpointe it was more than obvious that I was committed to this community with the belief that this would be my last stop as a teacher. I have taught so many great students, made lifelong friends among my peers, learned a lot about the teaching profession and had pretty much cemented myself in the proud Lancer tradition. This is why I was really confused as to what I should do once I received the offer of employment from St. Augustine.
There was so much more to consider aside from teaching because on a personal level Salpointe was right along side me when other important things happened in my life. When I started in the fall of 2007 my children were very small so many of my colleagues had a chance to see them grow to where they are now every time I brought my family to an extra curricular activity. I was also blessed to have my family close to me on daily basis as my wife worked for seven of these years at nearby Saints Peter and Paul Catholic School, which is a major feeder school for Salpointe. I have also taught many of my colleagues' children as well as many of my wife's colleagues' children while also seeing how my wife's experience at SSPP influenced her to seek entry into the Roman Catholic Church. My children also attended SSPP and would also receive numerous Sacraments at this parish so my family had a lot invested within these two great communities.
On an emotional level I have some memories that I will never forget. There were numerous Kairos retreats where I had a chance to get really close to many of my students. There were also service opportunities where I took students out into the community to serve the less fortunate, which was always a very powerful experience. Of course the main thing I will always remember was in March of 2012 when my father passed away. The Salpointe community was such a support system for myself and my family as we went through this difficult time. I will never forget that.
But there are times when God has other plans and in this case I could feel that He was pulling me back to St. Augustine. I know that there is more to this than just my son. Many of my colleagues have said that they are confident that I will have a great impact on my future students and how I would be a great benefit to that community. This really meant a lot to me because I was told the same thing by St. Augustine's administrators during my interview. This has been so overwhelming because I just don't see myself in this way.
So aside from obeying the will of Providence I must say that I do understand the weight of this new task. I do believe that 21 years of teaching has prepared me for this new challenge and that I really need to do this because after all, is there another theology teacher in the Diocese of Tucson who also has a percussion background that can fill this particular need at St. Augustine Catholic High School? And mind you, I have been performing music professionally longer than I have been teaching in the classroom so I know that I have a lot to share with my future students in both disciplines.
I have no problem in saying that I am both excited and scared but I welcome this bit of discomfort because it's time for me to grow as a teacher. Of course the first growing pain requires me to leave a place that has been a second home to me. Once I made the decision to move on I thought of Jesus' apostles after the Council of Jerusalem. It wasn't the council itself but the idea that once matters were settled they all returned to their individual ministries. History doesn't tell us if they were ever together again but from what I know this was the last time they were all in the same place. I'm sure they were scared and would have preferred to remain together but they had a job to do and they all knew that they were in the right place doing what they were called to do.
The goodbyes have not been easy. Attending my last graduation was strange because I tried so hard to focus on the graduates and their big day but I kept walking through each moment of the day with the realization that it would be my last time doing whatever it was that I did. Seeing each of my classes go after their final exams has been harder than expected because I know that I won't see these students in the hallway next school year to get updates on their lives. When the theology department had its last meeting of the school year and used part of that time to wish me well they offered me a gift and a card with messages of gratitude that were very moving. When I sent out an email to the staff to offer my farewell and reasons for departing I received numerous replies of support with the main message being that I was doing the right thing for my son. Then there was the end of the year faculty luncheon when I was acknowledged publicly for my time at Salpointe. All of this has been truly unbelievable.
Then there is the other side of the story. I have been over at St. Augustine's a few times in the past month so I have spoken to teachers as well as students and that too has been overwhelming. My future colleagues have said that they have heard great things about me and are anxious for me to join their community. My future drummers are also anxious to get started as they are ready to make some serious noise here in the desert. Who knows, maybe one day we will find a way to combine my soon to be percussion ensemble with the Salpointe drum line for a special performance. That would be amazing because no one entertains a crowd like the Lancer drum line.
There are really no words to describe how I am feeling right now other than loved and appreciated. Aside from that, I know that there is a huge weight that I have to carry next school year in order to live up to whatever good things people have heard about me. I am especially indebted to the administration at St. Augustine's who have really put their faith in what they believe I have to offer the school. All I can say is that I will do my best not to let any of them down.
Finally, to Lancer nation...thank you for an amazing decade. Of all the schools I have worked these past 21 years Salpointe has been the most amazing time I ever had as a teacher. My students have meant the world to me, my friends on the staff are like family to me and I will miss you all very much. I wish you all of God's blessings and nothing but the best. It has been such a privilege to be part of what is a very special Lancer tradition. Thank you all for the invitation to come back and visit and I promise to do so when I get the chance because in my heart I will always be a part of Lancer Nation!
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| Thank you Salpointe! |
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