The following is a letter written by Jon Greenberg announcing his departure from Beaver. Jon’s letter contains all of the heartfelt wit the Beaver community has come to expect from him after 24 incredible years at Beaver. Join us in celebrating this next chapter!
An antique dealer walks into a school and asks for a job.
It sounds like a set up for a joke, right?
Twenty-four years ago that’s what happened. That’s how I started at Beaver. Vegas had the odds at 270 – 1 (+ 2750) that it would work. Somehow, I’m still here.
Those of you who have had me in class may remember that I’m the absolute best in math. Undefeated, in fact. That makes me a numbers guy. Here are a few:
I’ve taught roughly 12,500 classes at Beaver
I’ve had in class or coached about 1,000 kids
I’ve been to more than 600 all-school faculty meetings
I’ve had over 250 colleagues
I’ve attended or coached well over 500 games
I’ve caught at least 100 plays, musicals, and performances over the years.
I’ve spent a third of my life here.
Enough? Enough.
It’s time to call it a day.
The word of that day is gratitude
“the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness”
That’s the overwhelming feeling I have as I bid Beaver adieu.
Gratitude for being given the chance to be myself all these years, to teach according to my own light, and now to announce my leaving my own way. Believe me, no other school would have done that. No other school would have hired an antique dealer to teach sixth and seventh graders in the first place. How do I know? No other school did. Only Beaver.
I have worked with so many wonderful people (students, families, faculty, and staff) over the years. Too many to name. Please know you all have a permanent place in my heart.
Branch Rickey, the legendary baseball general manager who signed Jackie Robinson, said it is better to trade a player a year too early than a year too late. I could limp (literally) to the finish here, but it is always best to leave ‘em wanting more. Mr. Rickey, as Jackie called him, also said that luck is the residue of design. I don’t know whose design it was that I found myself at Beaver, but I do know I was lucky in the extreme.
I can hear some of you saying, “But Geeeeeeee, you can’t leave. It won’t be the same….”
You’re right. It won’t be and that’s good. Different is good. I need something different. Beaver will always be different. Long live the difference.
June will be the end of my Beaver run. All good things must come to an end. It’s been grand.
With much love and affection,
G
PS: if anyone needs some neon green Beaver Middle School Faculty t-shirts, have I got a deal for you…..