We Are Thankful For Our Families

A lot has been said recently about the children of D.A.A. As a staff member, I speak for all of us when I want to loudly give thanks for the parents of our students. There is much to be thankful for in this season and at the top of our list are our parents.

We are thankful for their dedication to getting their children to school daily and on time, whether it is by driving, taking the bus (or several busses), walking through dark and cold neighborhoods – whatever it takes. There are other school options for their children, but they’ve chosen us and they’re committed to us. We are grateful for their dedication and we are committed to helping their students succeed.

We are thankful that parents make sure their children get a good night’s sleep in preparation for a day full of learning. Sometimes this means that parents don’t get to spend as much time with their children as they’d like because of their work schedule. They know their job is important. They also know that school is important.

We are thankful for the time they give to help their children with homework, knowing that parental support is one of the most important components to a student’s success. They do this even when they are tired after a day’s work, or a day looking for work.

We are thankful for the parents who volunteer in the classrooms, who ask what more they can do to help their children succeed. After all, every parent wants a better life for their children than the life they currently have, wherever they may live.

It has been said that everyone who can afford to move out of Detroit has done so. This is often misinterpreted as everyone who wants to move out of Detroit has done so, and that those left don’t care enough to try.We know different. The evidence is our parents. Many of the people living in Detroit care deeply about the city. They want to see a renaissance. They don’t like what’s happening, yet they stay. Some stay because they want to stay and others because they have no choice but to stay due to life circumstances.

Whatever the reason, families in our community care deeply for the children. Parents want to give their children the best, and we will help them to do just that, by providing children with a quality education, by providing families one night a month to join in community discussions and community relationship building, by providing a program where families can get free uniforms, shoes, laundry detergent, bus passes and several other items when their children come to school on time.

Mostly, we believe in our students and their families. We treasure their input. They deserve the very best in the city in which they live. They shouldn’t HAVE to move out of the city to get the very best. We know we can’t do our very best without them.

So again, we say THANK YOU to our parents for trusting us and for supporting us. We wish all of our families a peaceful and joy filled holiday season.