Super Monday Week 34 SY25

SUPER MONDAY

A motivational and informational morning message from Superintendent Willis

Week 34 ~ April 14th, 2025

Super Monday Message

One of the common traits of people that do great things to inspire the world is that they all have to overcome some trials on their way to greatness. Winston Churchhill grew up in a very wealthy aristocratic home, but had to overcome complete neglect and nearly disdain from his parents. Ben Carson, the famous surgeon, had to overcome the complete opposite. His mother’s loving attention to his development put him on a path to greatness, but she had to do so from a situation of great poverty in a difficult metropolitan environment. There are few heroes in reality or even in fiction that did not have to face significant hardship in some form or another. Today’s story is about the hardship a famous musician had to overcome.

He was one of seven children, but four of his siblings did not survive to adulthood. His grandfather was a prominent singer and his father taught him the violin and the keyboard. He was unquestionably talented, but his parents knew that becoming a famous musician would require more than just talent. 

His parents advertised him as a child prodigy and claimed he was younger than he actually was to make his performances seem more impressive. The promotions worked and he was noticed by skilled musicians, composers, and tutors. He was given the opportunity to study music under some of the most skilled musicians of the era. The study was very rigorous and sometimes involved him being pulled from his bed to the keyboard.

He quickly fulfilled his parents' prodigy aspirations. In the early 1800’s his compositions were becoming commonplace all over Europe. His concert performances were an expensive treat. But at the young age of 28 he noticed he could not hear as well as he could in the many hours of training as a teenager. By the time he was 42 his ability to hear was making it nearly impossible to do a concert performance. He discovered that he could perceive the sound of the piano through its vibrations. He would run a rod from the piano to his jaw. The vibrations to his jaw caused a bone conduction of the sound to his ear allowing him to perceive the sound.

Despite Ludwig Van Beethoven’s innovations it must have been difficult to be a famous composer and not be able to hear his works played. In the midst of his battle with hearing loss he said “I am resolved to rise superior to every obstacle, with whom need I be afraid of measuring my strength? I will take fate by the throat. It shall not overcome me.”

We all face difficult obstacles, but none that we cannot rise superior to. We need not be afraid of measuring our strength to these challenges. We have the tools and the skills to overcome them. I have also always loved the Beethoven quote “To play a wrong note is insignificant; to play without passion is inexcusable.” Overcoming obstacles can require a passionate zeal toward goals. Overcome in Week 34 and then have the best spring break ever.

Super High Fives

Just a couple of the awesome recent accomplishments that need a big thank you. 

• A super high five to the Class of 2026 for an excellent Prom Night! Big thanks to great class advisors and other staff that made it a really fun night. A really big crowd and a lot of fun memories.
• Super high five to the organizers and winners of the high school resume and interview contest. The students were dressed for success on Wednesday for mock job interviews and they did excellent. Also big thanks to the business leaders and friends of the school that helped conduct the interviews and provide feedback. It’s a great workshop for our students.

Other Super Information

• Latest Elementary School Design (CES) (OES)
• Spring Sports Calendar
• 2024-2025 School District Calendar
• 2025-2026 School District Calendar

Super Weekly Schedule