A whole new
understanding of August and what happened to my friend, July?
It is fitting that I’m behind in posting this
blog entry…pretty much matches my state of mind right now. Being in the thick
of preparing for my first year as a principal has been a monumental learning
experience every day.
I eased in to August with a new hire here,
and a budget requisition there. Files were organized, the office was decorated,
and conversations happened without the ever-present timeline and ‘binging’ of
outlook calendar reminders. There were a few times where I boldly thought, “Girl,
you got this.”
And then, the District Leadership Institute
happened. There I was up front, with a mic in hand, introducing myself in front
of 150 district leaders. As the words, “…new principal…” came out of my mouth I
couldn’t help but wonder, “WHAT!?” It wasn’t in a frame of being overwhelmed or
scared, it was more, “I can’t believe they let me be the principal at the
greatest school on the planet!”
Having already worked at this school in other
roles, I am very well aware of its history, as well as our staff, community and, most importantly,
our students! As I have told many people this summer, being the principal at
this school is my dream job!
As anyone who has ever prepared for a new
school year knows, August is one of the craziest times around – it lacks routine
and structure, and things come at you rapidly. I love the intensity and the
challenge and I would hope others in this role do, too.
I’ve always been a believer of stretching
yourself and making yourself uncomfortable in the spirit of growing. When you
get too comfortable, you stop growing. I
hope each of you does something that stretches yourself in the upcoming year –
how are you modeling professional and personal growth for the colleagues you
work with?
No matter what your role in education may be,
I wish you a successful, growth-filled school year. Embrace the journey and
remember it is okay to tell yourself, “you got this!”
Stay tuned to this blog for more adventures in
the life of a 1st year principal! :)
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