by David J. Faltys, Ed.D
Time flies when you are having fun and apparently, we've had a lot of fun this school year because it's June already. By the time you read this column, your little Dragons should be thoroughly enjoying a much deserved summer break. And although I know you want to savor each and every day of your seasonal vacation, I hope you take a few moments to reflect fondly on the year just completed.
The 2011-2012 school year brought with it many celebrations and challenges that culminated in an amazing graduation experience on June 1. And regardless if your child just completed kindergarten or will be entering the sixth grade, you cannot help but think ahead to the day when all that hard work will pay off and Pomp and Circumstance reverberates in the background as your child finally ascends the stairs. I feel a sense of pride every year as I watch our students cross that stage.
The Class of 2012 will go down in Dragon history as one of the most celebrated and accomplished class of students in Carroll history. Together they earned more than $XX million in scholarships to some of the most prestigious colleges and universities in the nation. Valedictorian Patrick Liu plans to attend Harvard University and his classmate Greeshma Rajeev-Kumar, class Salutatorian, will attend Yale. All in all, this class of seniors earned a record-setting number of state championships in all areas of student competition, including athletics, academics and fine arts.
It's always a bittersweet moment to watch our students graduate at Dragon Stadium – and not only because we try to outwit the weather by having them graduate in their own backyard - but also because we know that parents and loved ones in the stands are experiencing some of their most proud and possibly saddest moments in their childrens' lives. We celebrate with our seniors on their special night, but deep in our hearts we know DragonNation will never be the same after the tassel is turned. Each graduate has left his or her fingerprints on the Carroll community and we wish the Class of 2012 the best in this new chapter in their lives.
But the end of school and graduation means a break from the daily school routine at the Faltys household. We hope to spend some much needed time together later this month at what has become one of our favorite, family get-a-ways – the beach. This is an especially important summer for us as our oldest son Dave prepares to leave for dental school in San Antonio. We are trying to savor every moment of his time at home. I often capture the moments we share in photographs so that years from now I can savor each memory over and over again.
Dr. David Faltys serves as Sperintendent of Carroll Independent School District, the largest 5A Exemplary district in the state of Texas. He was named the 2010 Regin XI Superintendent of the Year after being nominated for the award by his local School Board. David and his wife, Jennifer, have four children: Dave, Peyton, Kenton and Lauren.