Excitement, laughter, and even a soul train line set the tone as Linden Public Schools officially welcomed nearly 40 new staff members during Day One of its three-day New Staff Orientation at School No. 8 on Tuesday, August 26.
The annual gathering was far more than an orientationโit was an immersion into Lindenโs culture of energy, care, and Tiger pride.
โ๐๐ก๐ ๐๐จ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐ฆ๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐๐จ๐ ๐ข๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐จ๐ซ๐ฅ๐โ
Board of Education President Dr. Marlene Berghammer opened the first day with a powerful charge to the districtโs newest educators. She reminded them that teaching is โthe most important job in the worldโ and challenged them to build classrooms rooted in trust, respect, and care.
โStudents will not listen to you if they do not trust you,โ she told the room. โThe first thing you do as an educator is build trust. The second is respect. And the third is to show them you careโby listening to their voice. Every child, no matter how small, has a voice.โ
She urged new teachers to see each student as an individual, not a group. โDonโt judge. Listen. Serve your students. In the heart of hearts, find a way to see each one of them.โ
๐ ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ฅ ๐๐ซ๐๐ข๐ง ๐๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐
Superintendent Dr. Atiya Y. Perkins then set the tone for the districtโs culture of joy and collaborationโby leading a soul train line of principals, supervisors, and directors. The upbeat music and dance moves drew laughter and cheers, instantly connecting newcomers with the districtโs signature high-energy spirit.
โWe are all about the energy here in Linden,โ Dr. Perkins said. โEvery step you take here is about one purposeโto impact children. Only you can be your true, authentic self, and we are here to help you be the best version of yourself so that you can then impart that on our students.โ
๐๐ข๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ง, ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ง, ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ข๐ ๐๐ซ ๐๐ซ๐ข๐๐
Perkins highlighted the districtโs mission and vision, reminding staff of Lindenโs commitment to developing future-ready students. With more than 6,500 students speaking 35+ languages, she stressed the importance of building relationships and cultural awareness.
โWe have 6,540 diverse voices,โ Perkins said. โHow are you going to help our students feel appreciated? Get comfortable with being uncomfortable, because thatโs where growth happens. Here in Linden, we bleed orange, we are Tigers, and we ROARโresiliency, opportunities, achievement, and relationships.โ
๐ ๐๐ญ๐ซ๐จ๐ง๐ ๐๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ญ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ก๐ซ๐๐ ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฌ ๐จ๐ ๐๐๐๐ซ๐ง๐ข๐ง๐
Day One was packed with team-building, professional development, and community-building activities, offering new hires both inspiration and practical tools for success. Non-instructional staff participated in the first two days, while instructional staff will continue through August 28.
By the end of the first day, new hires left not only with handbooks and lesson plansโbut also with a sense of belonging to something bigger. โFrom the moment we walked in, we felt like family,โ one new teacher shared.
๐ ๐๐ง๐ข๐๐ข๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ข๐ง๐ง๐ข๐ง๐
For Dr. Berghammer, Dr. Perkins, and Lindenโs leadership team, the message of Day One was clear: this year begins with unity, purpose, and heart.
As Dr. Perkins put it: โWe are here to support you, to guide you, and to celebrate you. Together, we will take our students to the next level. Welcome to Linden. You are Tigers nowโand Tigers roar.โ