When parents and guardians send their children to school, they send with them much more than a backpack and lunch. They send with their children their hopes for a brighter future. They send their love for them to learn new and exciting things. They send their dreams for unlimited potential to soar.

School is not easy; it’s not supposed to be. Classroom lessons are designed to challenge young minds and expand their horizons. With these challenges, and student successes from wrestling with new concepts, the future slowly opens up and the potential for each student becomes unlimited.

“Wicked” has been a highly successful musical on Broadway and even more so with the new movie release. One of the most powerful and popular songs from the production is “Defying Gravity.” After Elphaba, the green witch, begins to understand her hidden powers, she tells her best friend, Glinda, that “Something has changed within me. Something is not the same.”

At the end of each day and school year, this is exactly how we expect the children in our schools to feel. This change inside each child creates a chain reaction of thinking about themselves, the future, how the world works, and how they fit into the world. This transformation is brought forth by excellent educators who introduce students to new science concepts, rich literature, challenging math equations, and historical stories.

With each success, students gain confidence. They are willing to increasingly open up their minds. Similarly, after Elphaba realizes her magical powers, she sees that “It's time to trust my instincts, close my eyes and leap. It's time to try defying gravity.”

Students defy gravity everyday. They do this when they decide to run for student government, try out for a part in the play, pick up a musical instrument, or join a sport. Then the cycle repeats itself as each student now finds themself in a new and unfamiliar environment. Elphaba had to learn quickly as she was learning how to defy gravity and fly. Students, too, pick up what they need to know to succeed in their new surroundings.

However, no one accomplishes great things alone. Each child has a complete support network from their family, community members, religious organizations, educators, and friends. Together, this network provides the foundation for a child to succeed. When Elphaba tries to convince Glinda to join her and leave Oz, she tells her to “Think of what we could do; together. Unlimited. Together, we're unlimited. Together, we'll be the greatest team there's ever been.” The same is true for our students. Working together creates the greatest team working on behalf of each child. Elphaba continues, “If we work in tandem there's no fight we cannot win. Just you and I, defying gravity.”

With these hopes, love, and dreams behind them, children can defy gravity and never be brought down. Each day they gain new insight, intellect, and inspiration. Each year they become more confident with their talents and gifts. As they see themselves grow emotionally and physically, they begin to realize who they are and their impact upon the world. With this realization, they begin to believe that their options are unlimited and they can do the impossible. As Elphaba, just like our children, understands her unlimited potential, she flies off into the horizon with her newfound courage, knowledge, and powers and belts out for all to hear, “And nobody in all of Oz; No wizard that there is or was; Is ever gonna bring me down.”

The "Superintendent's Column"
by Dr. Thomas A. Gorman also appears in "The Citizen" newspaper and on-line at "MontvilleTAP"