Dear Flat Rock Schools….,

In a couple of days my youngest child will take his last high school final, turn in all his books and march across a decorated stage bidding adieu to Flat Rock schools, probably forever.

For the most part, I’ve really enjoyed our long time relationship.

My husband and I chose to move our family to Flat Rock when our oldest son was about to begin 7th grade, Jr High. Not the easiest time for a kid to change schools. Our daughter was to be a 5th grader and our baby was beginning his 1st grade year.

Our children previously attended a small Catholic school, where they passed each other in the halls all day long.

All three of them, together under one roof, certainly gave this over protective mother peace of mind.

We’d already signed on the dotted line with the mortgage company when I learned that the kids would be in three different schools.

I cried, literally bawled like a big baby when the secretary broke it to me that they would be separated.

“Come on in, bring the kids and look around” she said “you’re gonna like it here”.

I was still carrying on when I went to visit Barnes Elementary to register my daughter. Dr. Charlene Coulson the Principal, took us on a tour of the building.

She was warm and kind and in looking back, a precursor of things to come.

What a wonderful first impression I had.

My admiration for you began to deepen when my small son was lucky enough to land Mrs. Michelle Peters (now Tanner) as his first grade teacher.

And my daughter was placed into an interesting and fun Mr. Degrosky’s 5th grade class.

My oldest child loved your Jr High school and its wonderful group of colorful, creative fun teachers…Mr. Elliott and Mr. Schott, Mrs. Rinehart to name a few.

It was a very good year. They all thrived. And I began to relax.

Like with any relationship ours had its ups and downs, its bumps in the road.

But, never, ever did I love you more than the 2001/2002 school year.

September 11th found me just days into a new job when the terrorist piloted planes hit New York’s Twin Towers.

Like every other mother in this entire nation being away from her children and watching this horror, I wanted to run and gather my babies and head for home, where I planned to hide under the bed with them until it was all over.

Our youngest two children were kept safe from seeing or hearing even one little detail about this horrific act until they were home with their dad and I.

Our oldest son, in high school watched as the events that would change our country forever unfolded. He sat on a floor and held a large pillow in his lap and listened as he and his classmates questioned their teacher.

We had a lot to talk about, once they were home, safe in our nest.

One early morning in April 2002 I received a tearful phone call from my daughter. She was calling from school, one of her teachers, a young man she interacted with every day had been killed in an accident on I-75.

I rushed to the school to find my daughter and the rest of the student body being nurtured by grief stricken teachers and school counselors.

Putting their own grief aside to take care of their hysterical students.

You kept my child and a whole lot of other children safe, again…. I was smitten.

Flat Rock Schools you did lots of other things to make me love you…you brought on board caring, good men and women to teach my children in the classrooms and coach them in sports.

You brought on wonderful Art and Music teachers to nurture their creative sides.

From bus drivers to lunch room monitors…so many were beyond awesome.

Literally….you hired a near perfect village to help me to raise my kids.

Great Schools a school rating site gives you a score of 6 out of 10...I think this is much too low for you.

In my eyes you deserve more like a 9 out of 10...

Our relationship is about to come to an end but I hope you know that you will always hold a special place in my heart.

Thank you! Thank you Flat Rock Community Schools for all that you did to help raise my children…they’ve turned out quite well and we both should be very proud.

PS…To Mrs. Beth Stapleton, a public apology….The minute I was able to keep a straight (serious) face I really gave it to “you know who” for bringing that battery operated fart machine to school.

He was truly sorry.

Love,

Beth Kobylasz