Dogs hold a special place in our hearts. They love without question, they trust wholeheartedly, and they never, ever turn down an ear scratch or a good belly rub. Dogs bring out the best in us because they believe in the best in us. Never have I seen this illustrated more times than in the past eight years at Hayward with our dog, Rocky. I call him our dog, but he really belonged to Mrs. Schieffer, a resource teacher at Hayward. She has always been gracious enough to share and allow us all to claim Rocky as a part of our families as well. Located in the library, a room with no walls, I see many things throughout the day. For all the money in the world I couldn’t tell you how many times I have watched Rocky come out of his classroom down the hall and stand patiently beside a struggling student, watching quietly, gently pressing against them, laying down and becoming a pillow to soak up tears of frustration and sadness. I can tell you he made someone’s day better, every day, usually several someones. Somedays, that was me. I would feel tired and frustrated, and all I would need was to see Rocky smiling and wagging his tail as he escaped the watchful eye of Mrs. Schieffer to visit me. Yes, hallway greetings in the morning to staff and students have been a staple for many of us. But for others, Rocky was something far more meaningful. He became an anchor in their storms, a positive influence they carried with them far beyond the hallways of Hayward Elementary. Past students have shared with Mrs. Schieffer just how much Rocky meant to them in that classroom, how he gave them a sense of peace and well-being, a feeling that someone loved them for exactly who they were and believed in them no matter what kind of day they were having, the confidence to push through the hard things, to finish that problem on their paper, and find success. If only we were all so blessed to have that kind influence on others - Rocky was truly one of a kind and a shining star.
Just before Thanksgiving, we got the news that rocked our Hayward world. Rocky had been diagnosed with an aggressive form of bone cancer and his time with us was very limited. Rocky had to say goodbye, long before any of us were ready to say it. Perhaps your students have mentioned it already to you. Perhaps you’ve dried some of those tears that come with saying goodbye to a good friend. He is dearly missed at Hayward, an important part of a daily routine for many staff and students has changed with the loss of our dear four legged friend. We’ve collected some of the many photos of Rocky over the years and hope you enjoy seeing them as much as we do.
-Miss Meeker