The Love of a Leader...

In the spirit of JOY this season, it seems fitting to share how I find JOY when it seems the negative can quickly become the focus.  The last year and half have been a challenge for me as a professional and I have learned first hand that what doesn't kill you makes you stronger! No, I don't mean physically kill me (although some days I did feel like I was being run over by a Mack truck), but my soul...the place where my joy resides was under attack.  There were times I questioned my expectations of what the educational experience should look like; however, at the end of the day my bar remained, what would I want for my own child?       The profession I have chosen allows me the privilege to experience joy on a daily basis.  I love serving people and the fact that I get to collaborate and work alongside students and teachers who love learning on a daily basis makes my heart overflow with joy.  Of course there are days that we miss the mark, there are days where everyone is

It seems a mystery, with no students and teachers in the building...what in the world could the principal possibly be doing inside those walls?  During the summer months while school is out, school is really beginning.  As quickly as the year ends and the checklists for closing the year out are met, the new year is already underway.  It is a time for finalizing the schedule, sending out transcripts for recent graduates, finalizing review of handbooks from the suggestions for changes throughout the year, ordering supplies in preparation for the upcoming school year (as the new budget opens on July 1), hiring, preparation of classroom changes, and sending teachers and administration to a variety of trainings and meetings to prepare for new policies and procedures for the upcoming school year.  Teachers are in and out as they prepare to make adjustments in their unit/lesson plans and redesign their rooms to accommodate their new ideas and learning for serving Next Generation Learners.

It was time, I needed to make sure I was in-tune and staying connected to what the best schools in America are doing to meet the needs of their students.  I am responsible to the students I serve daily. Leaders must take the time to make sure they are collaborating and engaging with those who can make them better in their roles.  I look forward to learning and getting out of my comfort zone as I know it isn't about me, it is about the students who will have a better experience as a result of my learning and leading. Last week I had the privilege to attend the Deeper Learning Conference at High Tech High in San Diego, California.  It was an amazing experience that gave credence to the passion I have for shifting the traditional school experience into a real world, meaningful, deeper learning experience that I believe is critical for every child.  I am a firm believer that every child should have the privilege to experience a meaningful education that they create, not one that is

The life of a leader requires a love for their work.  I love what I do on a daily basis and I am thankful  for the privelege to serve in a capacity everyday that impacts the lives of students.  Being a principal requires a love for the people you serve and I can think of no greater investment than children who will run the future and teachers willing to be in the trenches.  On the 30th anniversary of the explosion of the Challenger a quote from Christa McAuliffe seems appropriate, "I touch the future--I teach."  This commitment to education does require the leader to have a vision beyond tomorrow, beyond next week, and beyond next year.  It also requires accountability to monitor classroom instruction.  I have always believed that if I wouldn't want my own child, niece, or nephew in the classroom with a teacher, then why would I compromise for the children entrusted to my care within a school and when it happens...it is hard. There have been only a few instances that I

The sandbox may just be the easiest form of entertainment, although those huge empty boxes rank up there as well for children.  My daughter loves playing in sand and believe you me; if there is sand nearby, she will find it and bring plenty home for all to enjoy.  Yesterday, when I picked her up from pre-school she was dressed of course in one of her fun pink dresses and her fancy black dress shoes.  This girl loves fancy clothes and shoes, my joy on Friday is knowing I can wear wear jeans...not this little chick, no jeans and tennis shoes in her wardrobe any day of the week (she is four). Yesterday, after a long week in the education profession (which I do love, but there are still hard situations that can drain even the strongest soul) we arrived home and my daughter informed me she wanted to take her shoes off, but she assured me that she had already gotten all the sand out of her shoes.  We live in Florida, sand is inevitable and I really do love it!   I unbuckled the firs