Change

Welcome back staff to a new year. The beginning of the year always makes me reflect on why I work in the best possible profession. Every year we are met with the opportunity to change. We get new rosters of students and sometimes new policies. We get the wonderful opportunity to reinvent ourselves every August. That very situation places change at the forefront. Understanding that change is a big reason for stress. It can be uncomfortable. The change can also present us the opportunity to escape the ruts of the day-to-day grind. Though change is difficult, we need to embrace it, just as our students do. It is a well-known fact that growth begins to happen when we approach the boundaries of our comfort zone. I see it as an opportunity to grow. Every August, we ask that of our students. They arrive at school with the hope of a great year unfortunately, hope is not a strategy. We need to continue to meticulously plan for their success. It is important for us to show up daily and give our best to our students. Our students should expect it. Our parents do expect it. We collectively expect it of ourselves. Parents send us all they have. They do not keep the ‘good ones’ at home and send the others. All that being stated, the opening of school is always intense and the August heat has not been kind to us. As we embrace everything new and settle in for the long haul, it is important to take some time for yourself. Take a moment every now and then and just breathe. Know that as educators, we are in a pretty good space. As professionals, we get to mold the youth of America. That idea remains powerful. I wish you the best school year you have ever had. After such a hot and busy week, we all need some rest. Have a super weekend.…Go BEARS!…RiseUP! (cue Sheryl Crow – A Change Would Do You Good).

Until next time...

Lifelong Learning

As this is the last update of the school year, I usually take some time to reflect.  As a school administrator, the end of the school year brings frantic times and heightened emotions. This is due, in part, because of the finality of the year. Semester grades, summer plans, and graduation all play into the stress of the times. This stress is felt by everyone, students, parents, teachers, and administrators. I have experienced, seen, and endured all types of emotions and behaviors. I have been yelled at and called names, by students, parents, and teachers alike. I have been threatened plenty of times and once even assaulted at an extracurricular event when emotions are running at their highest. Through it all, I have never held a grudge. I understand that lighting strikes the highest point. Those interactions help me to be more reflective. They help me to provide a measured response. I know I am not perfect in the slightest imagination, but I try to be the best I can be. I reconcile my feelings with every interaction that I experience. In my life I don’t want to be the best school administrator in the world, but I strive to be the best for the world, starting with my school. In my role, my educational journey never ends. I get to be an educational leader, but most importantly, I get to be a lifelong learner from the people around me and experiences that I have daily. That is what powers me. My hope is that others can find their spark as I have.  Life is an exceptional journey.  Have a wonderful summer break.  See you in August.…Go BEARS!…RiseUP! (cue No One Is to Blame – Howard Jones). 

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Find the Balance

We have made it Memorial Day weekend, the unofficial beginning of Summer. The much awaited 3-day weekend will provide everyone a time to rest. Of course, we all have tons of stuff to do and if you are anything like me, the list is long. I always try to limit myself to the items that I know I can get done so I feel successful. Unfortunately, that doesn’t always work. I need to do better about putting my foot down on behalf of rest. I know the science is clear on rest. Stress takes a toll on our physical, emotional, and mental wellbeing.  If we don’t get the rest we need, our productivity can diminish, and we become walking zombies. We all know this to be true. Weekends provide a nice break from the rat race. When we rest or take a break, our mood improves, which also helps to lower your stress hormone levels, and the cycle continues. Add to it some quality time with friends and/or family and a recipe for a happy weekend has been created. For me, I like balance.  Though I know I need the rest, I also like to be outside.  I enjoy going places and doing things but, I have to balance the to-do list that is always on the back of my mind. That, at times, is very difficult to engineer. I simply can’t shut off my brain.  Therefore I have to tell myself to get a small task completed, then take a rest. I have to find the balance. All life is a game of balance. With that, my hope is that everyone can find their balance this weekend and get some rest. After such a hot and busy week, we all need it. Have a super weekend.…Go BEARS!…RiseUP! (cue Eagles – Take It Easy).

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Navigate the Trees

The other day I was reading an article in Skiing magazine. The author was discussing how to ski through trees. As a skier myself, I never really subscribed to the idea of skiing around things that could really hurt me if I hit one. I was always intrigued by the level of skill it took to not only navigate through the trees, but the power it took to push through the powder moving at what would seem an unsafe pace down the hill. I always thought the danger that exists far outweighed the enjoyment. I would much rather partake in fun on a freshly groomed slope. That being the case, the idea presented in the article was about the distinct skill of navigation as simply a mindset. Instead of the focus being on all the trees in the surrounding area, the skier focuses on the path.  The brain cannot process the negative. When the skier says to themself, “Don’t look at the trees”, the trees are all they see. So the mindset is to look at the path, which is the brain processing the positive and not the negative. Applying that concept further, we should focus on what we want to achieve in our lives, not the doom and gloom of the opposite outcome. Just as the skier focuses on the path to see the path. If we tell ourselves to not look at the pitfalls, we will only see the pitfalls. Our brains will not process the negative. Understanding that, I choose to be more like the skier in the trees and choose the path. Just remember the concept, the next time you want someone to think of something, just tell them not to think about it. Have a wonderful weekend.…Go BEARS!…RiseUP! (cue Corey Hart – Never Surrender).

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The Flying Machine

The middle of May is upon us and as the school year nears the end, the stress is mounting.  Students are looking toward summer and staff are just searching for a break. During stressful times, it is so important for us all to understand, this too shall pass.  Hall of Fame recording artist James Taylor had a song ‘Fire and Rain’ in which he sings about several of life’s struggles. In the  third verse of the song, he sings about a band he was once in called “The Flying Machine''.  The band obviously was not successful and in the final line, he sings, “Sweet dreams and flying machines in pieces on the ground.” The point is that stress and failure are a part of life.  James Taylor could have given up, and we would have all missed out of decades of his iconic music. He chose to persevere and now is part of musical history. The message in all this is that as educators, we get tired, stressed, and overwhelmed at times, but our obligation is to keep hope alive for our students.  We really don’t know which ones will turn out to be the next James Taylor, but we do know they are all somebody and want to be somebody.  That is really all that needs to be said. Take some time this weekend to enjoy the outdoors. The weather will be warm and beautiful.…Go BEARS!…RiseUP! (cue James Taylor – Fire and Rain).

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Thirds

With every week that goes by, we move closer to the last day of school and we all know that is when things begin to become more frantic. Finishing the year strong is merged almost seamlessly with planning for next year. That is part of the reason why things are so rushed and busy for all of us. Add to the mix the family obligations, and we have the potential for significant fatigue. Part of my philosophy on life is the idea of thirds. If taken generally, we spend a third of our twenty-four hour day at work, a third at recreation or leisure, and the final third at rest or sleep. For any of us, if those thirds collide or overlap, there is potential for conflict or stress. This is not to say that we need to compartmentalize our lives as such, but we should be cognizant of the idea. If our rest is interrupted by our leisure activities, we will no doubt feel the impact at work. You get the idea. Therefore, it is important to take the time and have focused intention in all three parts. Get rest, take care of family needs, and only then, can you have complete focus at work. If you are somewhere thinking about something else then you are not 100% devoted to the task. The concept is simple, half of your attention is only half of your intention. That will make what you are trying to accomplish so much more difficult. With that food for thought, I wish you all a fantastic weekend. Rest, recreate, and refresh for the week ahead.  The weather will be perfect for it…Go BEARS!…Rise UP! (cue Cars – Shake It Up).

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You Matter

As we come to the end of April, we find ourselves starting the end of the year push to the finish. This is the time that is a bit more stressful with State testing and students turning in tons of work that needs to be graded. Just a bit more hurried. During this busy time, it is important to slow down and reflect on how much you matter. You matter as a person, a professional, and as a mentor to our students. As a matter of fact, there is plenty of data to support how much you do matter. Studies have shown that students perceived increased teacher support showed corresponding decreases in depressive symptoms and increases in self-esteem. Couple that with the studies that show the positive relationship you build with students can overcome the influence of a negative home environment. WOW! Your impact can be significant. Being an educator is not easy and the reward is not realized until some idle Saturday when you run into a former student in the grocery store. For those that have had this pleasure, that student will walk up to you and tell you how much you influenced their life for the better.  There are few gifts greater than that. You are changing lives. Have a glorious weekend…Go BEARS!…RiseUP! (cue Manic Monday – Bangles).

Until next time...