Slow Down

I am sure your schedule is much like mine - nearly impossible. This morning on my way to work, I heard this song called "Slow Down," and I really had to stop and listen to the message.

My oldest son had his junior prom last weekend and this weekend he turns seventeen. That alone is kind of messing with my head. Today, my mom had to go to the hospital after an episode that required further tests. I am struck by the juxtaposition of these two events. And forced to slow down and consider the impact of not only my son getting older, but also my mother getting older, and the fact that I am getting older. 

So what does this have to do with being a turnaround leader? Sometimes we are under such pressure to see gains in our school turnaround, we forget to stop and see the great progress that we have already made. I have missed out on countless afternoons of homework with my kids in order to ensure that my school is safe and that our instruction is on the path towards high achievement. I have had to cut phone calls with my mom short for a meeting or a phone call I had to take. But, today I talked with principals from another district for over an hour and during that time my school was calm and students were learning. As I shared with them about the gains we have made (I described where we started and where we are now and the difference is truly significant), I had to stop and really reflect on the ways we have grown as a school community. It is not perfect and certainly some days are better than other, but I can tell that it is a different place than when we started.

Being a Principal Mom is not easy (let's face it, being a Principal isn't easy and neither is being a Mom, so the two of them together are nuts!). But one thing I have to get better at is walking away at the end of the day and celebrating the time that I have with my own children. I don't know if we allow ourselves to do that enough (or is that just me?). I have several colleagues who have figured out how to leave the work at home and I want to know what they have done to help them manage and organize their time. When I think about my own growing edge, I know that having clearly articulated systems in place throughout the organization and managing my own time are two big rocks to turnaround that will stick and to slowing down in order to go faster and more efficiently. Sign me up!

#Bragging

Sometimes it is important to step back and recognize that the work you are doing is having an impact. We are in the process of implementing a Community School model in my elementary school. While it is an incredible amount of work to organize and implement, it is work that is very much needed in my school community. An article by Julie McMahon that was published in the Syracuse Post-Standard last week, highlights the work that we are doing as a school to support our school community (read the full article here). It has helped to raise awareness in the greater Syracuse community regarding the significant level of need - both in terms of basic needs and academic supports.

I am overcome with appreciation for the many people who have shown interest in the work we are doing at my school. How humbling it is to realize that other people recognize the value of the work you are doing! I also continue to be in awe of the people who are on my team. They take the idea of relentless commitment to serving our school community to the next level. When we think about what is necessary in school turnaround, having the right people on your team is absolutely number one in changing the trajectory of a school.

The next steps for us in implementing a community school model are exciting and there is much for us to learn. I am proud to be surrounded by so many talented and dedicated educators and to be supported by a community that can envision how schools can make a difference in the lives of our students and their families.