Well, Julie, Another Year We Can Say, "Well, It's the Last Week. Phew, Where Did The Time Go?"

In 2012, I read an Op-Ed by New York City Writing Project teacher Julie Roneson and I called her and asked, "Do you want to meet?"

She was teaching at Central High School in Bridgeport and I knew I needed an in-practice teacher to partner with for the first cohort I'd have on my own as a new director of a National Writing Project site. Her Proud to be a Bridgeport Teacher caught my attention and I basically said, "You're a fan of NWP. You're hired." She's also penned Teachers Need Support, Not Suspicion and In Connecticut, Let Us Teachers Tell our Stories.  She's a reader, a thinker, a devoted educator and a passionate writer. It's hard to believe this is our 7th year co-hosting an institute. We're proud to add Denise Howe this year, too, to bring an additional perspective and voice to the work we do. We feel honored that she was available and that she could bring the expertise that she has.

Today, we begin day one of our final 3 days after a semester of interviewing and recruiting and 6 weeks of the summer invitational. We have a full agenda ahead of teacher demonstrations and workshops, plus the final week of reflection and paperwork that is necessary to complete. This is our biggest cohort yet, as funding from Noble Trust allowed us to double the intake of teacher participation, especially those from high needs districts. As always, they are a beautiful cohort and we couldn't be happier. The pace, however, of how fast it all flies by is something else. It seems like I just met all of these stupendous individuals.

There's a big year ahead for Julie as she's working towards her PhD and finishing her own goals and passions (looking forward to hearing of her success). She's been a gentle calm to my manic wackiness and I'm very thankful that she's lasted with me throughout all these years.

Fortunate for Fairfield University, she's also stepped up and taught many courses for us, too, in the Graduate School of Education and Allied Professions.

I'm very much dreaming of all still to come, but for this morning I'm finger-snapping and applauding another year with Julie at my side, and feeling extremely thankful that Denise joined the team. There's a lot of us this summer, but the work is great.

With that, there's much to accomplish today!