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 orientation—it was an immersion into Linden’s culture of energy, care, and Tiger pride.
“𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐉𝐨𝐛 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝”
Board of Education President Dr. Marlene Berghammer opened the first day with a powerful charge to the district’s newest educators. She reminded them that teaching is “the most important job in the world” and challenged them to build classrooms rooted in trust, respect, and care.
“Students will not listen to you if they do not trust you,” she told the room. “The first thing you do as an educator is build trust. The second is respect. And the third is to show them you care—by listening to their voice. Every child, no matter how small, has a voice.”
She urged new teachers to see each student as an individual, not a group. “Don’t judge. Listen. Serve your students. In the heart of hearts, find a way to see each one of them.”
𝐀 𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐥 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐋𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐖𝐞𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞
Superintendent Dr. Atiya Y. Perkins then set the tone for the district’s culture of joy and collaboration—by 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 district’s signature high-energy spirit.
“We are all about the energy here in Linden,” Dr. Perkins said. “Every step you take here is about one purpose—to 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.”
𝐕𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐌𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐓𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐞
Perkins highlighted the district’s mission and vision, reminding staff of Linden’s 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.
“We have 6,540 diverse voices,” Perkins said. “How are you going to help our students feel appreciated? Get comfortable with being uncomfortable, because that’s where growth happens. Here in Linden, we bleed orange, we are Tigers, and we ROAR—resiliency, opportunities, achievement, and relationships.”
𝐀 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠
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 plans—but also with a sense of belonging to something bigger. “From the moment we walked in, we felt like family,” one new teacher shared.
𝐀 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐁𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠
For Dr. Berghammer, Dr. Perkins, and Linden’s leadership team, the message of Day One was clear: this year begins with unity, purpose, and heart.
As Dr. Perkins put it: “We 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 now—and Tigers roar.”