In the category of not taught in rabbinical school. Imagine my surprise when the Executive Assistance to the Superintendent for Board Matters reached out to me. She was in the process of putting together a celebration for Dr. Tony Sanders, the Superintendent of U46 Schools, the second largest school system in the State of Illinois, and headquartered a blook from my office. Tony, everybody calls him Tony, even the 36,000 students, many of whom take to social media to demand a snow day, was recently named as the new Sate Superintendent of Schools. When he was awarded his PhD, I gave him a wall sized poster to color that says, Dream Big. Being State Superintendent and following in his father’s footsteps was apparently his Big Dream. 

What follows are my remarks:

We are here today to bid farewell to a friend, to a tireless worker, to someone who really cares about kids and education. 

Thank you, each of you, for attending, whether you are an elected official, a community leader, a U46 student, parent, or employee, you chose to be here tonight. It means a lot. 

Tony, many times I am called on to write a eulogy. This is not that. You get to hear all the wonderful things people are about to say about you. That is a great thing. 

Recently, before this event was planned, you sent me a list of your accomplishments. We were working on something else entirely. There are many in your nine years. Don’t worry. We are not going to go over the 7 pages. But I wrote back to you and said that you missed one that may be amongst your greatest. Unusual for you, you didn’t answer my email. You might be just a tad busy right now. 

Evelyn helped me find the actual numbers. And in your typical style, as you often do, you credited the people who did the real work: 

“Since the COVID-19 Pandemic, the Food and Nutrition Services Department mobilized to serve more than 7.3 million meals outdoors at school and community sites in snow, sleet, rain and heat between March 2020 and August 2021” 

It is basic Maslow’s pyramid. If you don’t feed hungry kids, they can’t learn.  

And while you were not out there cooking, serving, distributing those meals, leadership begins at the top. If you hadn’t insisted that this was important, critical for everyone in the district during what we call an “unpresented time” our kids and their families would be even further behind. If you hadn’t argued for better school funding and budgeting, the district would be even further behind. If you hadn’t arranged for better internet access and technology, the families would be even further behind. Last week I heard the President of the United States in his State of the Union address promise essentially the same thing.  

“Look, we’re making sure — we’re making sure that every community, every community in America, has access to affordable, high-speed internet. No parent should have to drive by a McDonald’s parking lot to help them do their homework online with their kids, which many thousands were doing across the country.” I smiled when I heard that because I know that you made that possible here in U46.  

You exude joy and warmth, pride in your kids’–and teachers and staff accomplishments—just read his latest post about Bartlet High Speech Competition as an example. Kids want to learn and excel in part because you make it so.  

You have made a lasting difference, a legacy if you will. 

A story that is part of my tradition and is especially apt at this season near Tu B’shevat, the New Year of the Trees. Once Honi was walking and he came across a man planting a carob tree. Honi asked him when the tree would bear fruit. The man answered in seventy years. Honi was not happy with the answer. Like many teachers, parents, administrators, elected officials, he wanted results sooner. The man said simply, much as my ancestors planted for me, so I plant for my children and grandchildren.  

Part of the legacy you leave is with me personally. You have been an important leader, a mentor and a friend. CKI could always count on you. We have discussed educational philosophy. How students, all students learn best. Foreign language acquisition. Diversity. Welcoming Jewish students. Anti-semitism. Racism. Holocaust. Bathrooms for all. Social media. Being accessible and transparent. School safety and security. Books we are reading. Our own life long learning and professional development. When I was announced as the Martin Luther King, jr humanitarian award, it was YOU who led the standing ovation. That took my breath away. We have laughed together and we have cried together. We have worried about individual students and fulfilling the U 46 mission as a whole.  I can see your office from mine. Knowing you were there. Always there. Was a comfort. 

The U 46 Mission states that U46 is “to be a great place for all students to learn, all teachers to teach, and all employees to work. All means all.” 

All means all. Let that sink in. In my tradition we talk about people being created b’tzelem elohim, in the image of G-d. Each person has a spark of the divine. Each student. Each teacher. Each employee, Each parent. All means all. You have lived that.  

And there were any number of Saturday nights when I would message you. You see the policy of CKI is that if U46 is closed, we are closed. That works well during the school week but what about Sunday mornings? What would Tony do? You would graciously answer me, your crazy neighbor, interested in the safety of my students, parents and staff. Until one day my adult daughter said, “Stop bothering Tony. U46 is always closed on Sunday so if your policy is if U46 is closed, CKI is closed, well then…snow day!” So, what about tomorrow? I’ve seen the forecast and people are already cancelling meetings with me. On behalf of your 36,000 students, do you want to call it now? Snow day? (He said no!) 

One of my good friends is a retired elementary school principal and was the “Coordinator of Language Arts & Reading” in Haverhill, a suburb of Boston, a town not unlike Elgin. She served on the State Task Force to improve teaching and learning in Massachusetts. And she is responsible for me having a Masters in Education. (So, a reminder, if the rabbinate doesn’t work out, Tony has always been my back up plan!) She talks about how the principal sets the culture for the school. It is true for the superintendent as well. When my then pre-kindergartener went to visit her school, she introduced her to the school janitor. I can’t run my school without Mr. So and So. You make it clear that every person in U46 counts. The bus drivers, the office workers, the food service people, and yes, the janitors. That is the culture you have set. It is a culture of excellence. And making a difference. She tells the story of the starfish frequently.  

A young girl is walking on the beach with her grandfather. She stoops down, picks up a starfish and throws it back into the sea. The grandfather asks, “what are you doing. You can’t save them all.” She picks up another starfish, throws it back into the ocean and says, “It makes a difference to this one.”   

Tony, you have made a difference to many, many starfish. You have planted for all of our children and grandchildren. All means all.  

There is an old business saying, “Hitch your wagon to a star.” I didn’t know the source. It turns out to be a quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson, one of my favorite authors. My lifelong learning for the day. We have been fortunate to hitch our wagon to your star. We all shine more brightly because of you. 

I am excited for you as you move on to be state superintendent of schools. I’m excited for Illinois. The state and our kids will be better because of you. Part of your legacy is the quest for excellence for all. I am delighted that the Board has chosen Dr. Suzanne Johnson to be the interim superintendent. Dr. Johnson, Suzanne, while, you have big shoes to fill, know that my office and my parking lot is always open to you.  

It is my honor to introduce Dr. Ken Arendt as our next speaker.