Dear Students,
When you grow up and think back on 4th grade, you won’t remember what kind of shoes your classmates wore, you won’t remember their outfits, you won’t remember their test scores, and you might not even remember what their faces look like.
But you will remember if your classmates were kind to you. And you will definitely remember if they were not.
We all want to be remembered. And nothing lasts longer than kindness and compassion.
Sincerely,
Mr. Heimbuck
Dear Humans,
Raise your hand if you’ve had an adult tell you, “Life’s not fair”? Well, they’re right. I was a bit lazy earlier this week and didn’t shovel my front walk. Because of the way my house faces, it was an icy mess this morning. But my neighbors across the street had bone dry walks, even though they didn’t shovel. Life isn’t fair.
But as humans, one of our jobs is to find the places we can make life more fair. We can’t make the sun travel across the sky in the opposite direction, but there are other things we can do to make life more fair. We make laws and rules. They can’t make life perfect, but they can make it more fair.
Sincerely,
Mr. Heimbuck
Dear Students,
It’s been cold and snowy these past few days. But by early next week, the weather should turn and all of this snow should melt. And then my car will probably drive itself to the car wash because it’ll know it needs a bath.
One of our jobs as humans is to learn to live with the changes that are always going on around us. Paying attention to the outside world helps. So do words. They remind us that nothing lasts for long. Everything is always in the process of turning into something else.
Learning to see these changes and learning to live with them is a key to the good life.
Sincerely,
Mr. Heimbuck
Dear Students,
I always dread driving in the snow. My little two-wheel drive sedan can slipslide a bit at stops and starts. All last night I was worrying about it.
But once I got on the roads this morning, it was kind of fun. I had to be more focused and engaged than I usually am. It’s a challenge and without challenges, life can be pretty boring.
Some of you might feel the same dread when you have a math test coming up. But think of it as a challenge. Think of it as a chance to get lost in the “flow” of an engaging task.
Sincerely,
Mr. Heimbuck
Dear Peacemakers,
Peace isn’t just keeping your hands to yourself. Peace isn’t just saying nothing at all. Peace is not something you don’t do. Peace is an act.
Peace is looking for people who are lonely and making friends with them. Peace is making sure everyone is included and feels loved. Peace is making yourself feel a little bit uncomfortable so other people feel valued.
It’s a lot easier to stay with your own crowd and mind your own business. But that’s not what people who are interested in peace do.
Sincerely,
Mr. Heimbuck
Dear Learners,
I had a great day of learning yesterday! Learning about beaver ponds and Molly Brown and the stories of how so many people came to Colorado and became rich in Colorado and then went bust in Colorado lit a fire for me.
And it made me want to explore. What I read in a book about Molly Brown convinced me that I have to soon go to her house in Capitol Hill. And watching that video of the beaver pond convinced me that I have to get myself to a State Park and see one for myself.
History is not just in the books. It surrounds us. It’s everywhere. We just have to look, listen, and imagine where it all came from.
Sincerely,
Mr. Heimbuck
Dear Humans,
There are big problems in the world, and it’s easy to feel discouraged in the face of them. But it’s best to focus on the small things we can do each day to make the world better.
The flu is pretty bad this year and there are only a few things we can do to fight it: get a flu shot and wash our hands. Washing our hands might not seem like a big deal, but it can have a big impact. And like most things worth doing, it won’t only protect us; it might help stop the spread of the flu bug to others around us.
Don’t focus on the big problem. Focus on the little things you can do to help fix it.
Sincerely,
Mr. Heimbuck
Dear Classmates,
We can do more together than we can individually. That’s especially true for learning. When you learn something really, really important, you remember the story of how you learned it. And where you learned it. And most importantly, who taught it to you.
The classroom is a special place to build strong relationships that let us teach each other life-changing ideas. Ideas that make us better people–people who will make the world a better place for everyone.
Think about what you have to teach to your classmates today. And what they have to teach you.
Sincerely,
Mr. Heimbuck
Dear Students,
You’re supposed to make your bed. You’re supposed to eat your vegetables. You’re supposed to do your reading and fill out your reading log each night. There are a lot of things we’re supposed to do. And most of those “supposed tos” are good for us.
But there are other “supposed tos” that we hear from society that aren’t so good for us. We’re supposed to care a lot about our physical appearance. We’re supposed to make as much money as possible. We’re supposed to do this job or love this person because of who we are or where we’re from.
If you do the supposed tos that you should, it’s easier to stand up against the supposed tos that you shouldn’t.
Sincerely,
Mr. Heimbuck
Dear Citizens,
On Saturday I dropped off your notes and letters at the Adams County Sheriff’s Station. They were very appreciative. Thank you for taking the time to write them.
Police officers have a very tough job: they serve us by dealing with the bad and dangerous parts of our world, so, hopefully, we don’t have to. They know the great risk they take everyday they go do their important work. I hope your words make it a little bit easier to take that risk.
Words are powerful things. Even the smallest words, words we might not even think too much about, can mean a lot to somebody going through a struggle. Be kinds with your words today.
Sincerely,
Mr. Heimbuck
letters to my class 