Institute Speaker 2012, Thoughts from the Principal

Although I have heard Brian Townsend many times, I always enjoy him. I especially love his "Judybabe" stories and references to a woman he obviously adores. He is easy to listen to and I found myself slowly relaxing from the stress of opening the school doors.

His spill was "People Make Good Things Happen". I felt like I could have jumped right up there beside him and put my two cents in. I live and breathe this topic, "PEOPLE MAKE GOOD THINGS HAPPEN" everyday at R. L. Young. I could have supplied him with a slideshow of all of you in action to spice up the presentation. Of course, I am not a well-known public speaker, he did not ask for a slideshow, and I was not on the agenda, so needless to say, I refrained. 

This talk focused on 4 simple words that would bring about success in any organization or person's life. Here are my reflections:

CARE-The people at our school really do care about the students and their families. This week everyone was working toward one goal...being ready for the kids. The school was clean, the rooms were arranged just so, the paperwork on desks, and the excitement was obvious. Not only do you care about the students, you care about each other. This has been a hard summer for many families connected to Young. I hope you have felt loved and supported through your hardship. It is a pleasure to work in a place where we really are happy to be back together! Our goal this summer was to increase the enrollment in hopes of earning another classroom unit. Through prayers and divine intervention the last count was 272! When school released in May we showed 237. I am amazed and delighted in our growth. Thank you for allowing me to be thrilled with the increase. Some of you have many more students that you had before. But I heard no complaining, just willingness to keep your classroom doors open. You care enough about the good of the school as a whole to accept more children in your classroom. Thank you! We will support each other through this growing phase!

PLAN- We plan all the time...for fun times, testing times, rewarding students and teacher times...and for troubling times. It is the tight network of communication that runs from one end of the school to the other that keeps us in the loop. Email, blogging, paper trails, signs, and audible communication hold our plans in place. This week the CIP committee met (THANKS CATHY, KELLY, RHONDA, and SELENA). We discussed the conversation that took place on the last day in May when we looked at the end of the year data and made tentative decisions about the new year. You thought and researched through the summer about ways we could improve the level of respect among our students. Sharing those ideas with me and others just strengthens everyone. I saw all of you at school long before this week of inservice. You all have families and outside obligations. You are involved in church activities and serve in leadership roles in the community. I appreciate you generously giving of your time and talents to make Young a good place to learn and grow. Thank you for CARING enough to plan for a great year. The committee will be sharing the CIP plan with everyone during the September faculty meeting. It's a good one and I AM EXCITED!

TEAM- Boy, do I have a super team. Custodians, teachers, lunchbunch, secretary, assistants, counselor, PTO, and librarian! Together everyone achieves more! Just look at our test scores!!!!!!!! Let's just beat OAK MOUNTAIN Elementary School. My hat's off to you. "Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much." Helen Keller really got that right, didn't she? Thank you for being a team player. Communicating with the grade above you and below you, talking about specific kids in our meetings, realizing that they all belong to us, whether you specifically taught them or not. We are one...

DUTY-R. L. Young is the poster child for DUTY. I do not worry that you don't have the best interest of the children in everything you say or do. We don't always get it right, geez, because we are human. BUT, your hearts are in the right place, NO DOUBT. Thank you for having that sense of obligation to do everything in your power to make magic happen in the classroom and all throughout the day. A principal is only as successful as his/her people. YOU GUYS/GALS make me look great. I am very grateful for my job, but more so for the wonderful folks I have the privilege of serving beside Monday through Fridays thirty-six weeks per year. May this be our best yet!

Well, I have poured my heart out and shared my thoughts. We will continue to be blessed I am sure...HAPPY NEW SCHOOL YEAR!