Adventures in Administration

Photo Credit The first day of school is upon us.  And I have been so busy trying to get summer projects completed, I really haven't had much time to reflect on the first day.  So today I made it a point to really think about the message I want to send. To this end,  my inspiration has come from my son.  You see, in addition to Monday being the first day of school for our students, it is also his birthday.  Every year he gives me a theme and I create a cake for him.  This year he asked for Sponge Bob.  Oh Boy!  Well, I pulled off a decent cake to give homage to Bikini Bottom but as I worked on it, I thought a lot about the draw of this crazy show to kids. What struck me was the undeniable friendship between Sponge Bob and Patrick.  They do goofy things together, they back each other up, they have disagreements, they reconcile, they have adventures, they laugh.  A lot.  And it struck me that this sort of unconditional friendship...

August 15, 2014: The first day of the new school year.  As the days leading up to Friday whizzed by in a blur, filled with meetings, a retreat, problem solving and trouble shooting, I could not help but reflect on the idea of #G ratitude . The time leading up to Friday was filled with numerous challenges to overcome--every school has more problems than time or manpower to solve it seems.  However, the staff that I work with are miracle workers.  At every turn someone was already problem-solving for me, allowing me to stay on track.  They keep me informed which allows me to have answers when others ask.  They bring my zany ideas to life, making me "look good".  They remind me of my obligations so that nothing falls through the cracks.  As a second-year Administrator, I am nothing if I am not grateful to be surrounded by such professional and caring individuals.  (I also know that I owe a few bottles of wine to individuals who have wor...