Better Together - by Jeff Davidson (Originally published July 25, 2012)
Better Together
July 25, 2012 | By Jeff Davidson
Today marks the first day of the new school year here in the town where Rising Above has its national ministry offices. Since we follow a year-round school calendar, our students head back a little earlier than most.
Like so many other parents, we’ve spent the past few days preparing for the return to school. Jon Alex is in a special CDC (special education) classroom, and we’ve been busy gathering supplies, organizing materials, and making sure he has everything he needs. We’ve also spent a lot of time praying over his teachers, classroom assistants, and therapists.
Last week, I had a powerful realization: just as we’ve been preparing for Jon Alex’s return, there are people within the special education department doing the exact same thing for him—and for your children, too.
Have you ever thought about that?
Many of them are also praying over your children, developing thoughtful plans, and working diligently to determine how to best serve and support our kids.
I’ve written before about the heroes in the special needs community—single moms raising children with special needs, devoted fathers who have stayed strong for their families, and the inspiring individuals we celebrate every year at our Heroes’ Ball.
But there’s one group I’ve unintentionally overlooked. One group of unsung heroes within our special needs community who deserve to know they are deeply valued, respected, and appreciated:
The dedicated teachers, classroom assistants, therapists, and support workers in our special education departments.
Now, I understand some of you might be surprised to hear that. For many, the letters “IEP” are enough to raise anxiety, trigger frustration, or bring back memories of tense meetings. Based on past experiences, it might be hard to feel grateful or trusting. But I believe many of these professionals truly want what’s best for our kids. They want to be on our team. In fact, I refer to those who work with my son as TEAM J.A.
Let me ask you something:
Can you imagine spending an entire day working with children who have special needs—meeting their academic, physical, and emotional needs—then tackling a mountain of paperwork, and finally going home to care for your own family?
Can you imagine how physically and emotionally exhausting that must be?
Can you understand how easy it would be to burn out?
And yet, many of these individuals have chosen this path.
They’ve chosen to devote their lives to serving our children.
They’ve chosen to make a difference—one child at a time.
They’ve chosen to pour out their energy, passion, and purpose into the lives of kids with special needs, while still balancing the demands of their own homes and families.
And that, my friends, makes them heroes.
These professionals work within a system that’s far from perfect. They have limited time, limited resources, and limited services to offer. But within those limits, they do their best to maximize what they have and meet the needs of every child they serve.
The truth is—we’re all doing the same. I’m not a perfect dad. I also face limitations in time, money, and resources. Like them, I try to do the best I can within those constraints to be a good father and husband.
So instead of viewing these professionals as opponents or obstacles, let’s see them for who they truly are: teammates and allies. They are not the enemy. They are partners in this journey.
Our children are gifts from God—and these dedicated professionals are some of the keepers of those gifts.
Here in our town, the local Chamber of Commerce runs a program where businesses can “adopt” a school, offering support, encouragement, and resources to the staff and students. It’s a beautiful way to let educators know they’re seen and appreciated.
At Rising Above, we’ve decided to take part in that program—with a twist.
We’re not adopting just one school.
We’re adopting the entire Special Education Department of Putnam County Schools—every single teacher, therapist, assistant, and support staff member.
Why? Because they’re part of the special needs community in their own right. They deserve to be recognized, supported, and encouraged. They deserve to know how much they mean to us.
That’s 250 heroes we are choosing to celebrate.
So, to those of you who have children in special education: the next time you see your child’s teacher, therapist, or support staff member, look them in the eye and thank them. Thank them for their hard work, their sacrifice, and their service.
Your simple gesture may just make someone’s day.
And to all of our newly adopted friends:
Welcome to the family.
UPDATE FROM BECKY:
What an incredible honor it has been over the past 13 years to recognize and celebrate the unsung heroes within our Special Education (SPED) department. These dedicated teachers, therapists, classroom assistants, and support staff pour their hearts into serving our children with special needs every single day—and we are so grateful.
Even this week, as the new school year kicks off, we had the privilege of showing just a small token of our appreciation. We brought donuts to their inservice training and gave away gift cards to several well-deserving educators. These are simple gestures, but they carry a powerful message: You matter. You’re seen. You’re appreciated.
At Rising Above, we believe wholeheartedly that these professionals are not just employees in a system—they are heroes in our community. They’ve chosen this path. They’ve chosen to invest in the lives of children who need a little extra support, encouragement, and love. And many of them do it not for recognition or praise, but because they feel called to make a difference—one child at a time.
As we begin another school year, let’s be intentional in praying for the teachers, assistants, and therapists who will spend their days working with our children. Let’s thank them when we see them. Let’s offer grace when things don’t go perfectly. And let’s never take for granted the incredible work they do behind the scenes to help our children grow and thrive.
To every special education professional out there—thank you. Thank you for your sacrifice, your heart, your resilience, and your passion. You are making a difference, and we see you and appreciate you!
