“One half of knowing what you want is knowing what you must give up before you get it.”
– Sidney Howard
Last year in our District was all about CHANGE – new leadership, new philosophies, new relationships, new plans, new mandates, new opportunities, new growth! We found each other and together in collaboration we embarked on a new journey to Engage, Inspire, and Empower each and every student, staff member and the community as a whole in support of the District’s mission and vision.
This year is all about SUPPORT – supportive new leadership, support of the new philosophies, supportive new relationships, support for the BIG 5, support for new opportunities and support for new growth!
As we prepare for the 2014-2015 school year, starting next month, we reflect on the beginnings from last year as well as the impact of our work and of our plans. In addition, we acknowledge that the research findings about what works in education and what impacts student learning are ground breaking and revolutionary.
This year we are focusing on A LOT … science, technology, engineering, mathematics, social emotional learning, fine arts, literacy, enrichment, RtI (Response To Intervention), special education, facilities management, 1:1, energy, sustained professional development, fiscal management … just to highlight.
Change and the concepts of the change process are present in a lot of leadership research and literature. Change and the process of leading change is part of Leadership … one of the many sources of inspirational leadership for me personally and professionally can be found in Washington, D.C.
From the many inspirational and powerful monuments, to the many tributes and quotes from those who made sacrifices so that we could be free today, I am inspired and energized by the messages and the lessons. My aim is to apply and implement changes on behalf of students, staff, and community!
One such personal hero of mine is our nation’s 16 president, Abraham Lincoln. At the Lincoln Memorial in D.C. there is a statement (shown to the left in the image) about how Lincoln saved the union. Lincoln used leadership and implemented major changes in the country that still resonate today and that still guide all of us in modern society.
The changes that we implement in our public schools might not be as dramatic as the changes to our society that Lincoln and his contemporaries put forth, but some core messages still ring true in our local public schools. Like Lincoln, whose leadership impacted and caused ALL people in our nation to be free and treated with dignity (though there are still elements of unfairness and racism against which he fought and we must continue to fight), our changes are in support of ALL learners who deserve to have high expectations and rigorous and relevant learning experiences.
While some might consider it too bold and a bit much to compare Lincoln’s greatness to the humble day-to-day work in our nation’s public schools … I would beg the question about fundamental rights and honor, dignity, and respect that our nation’s children deserve today. From Lincoln we learn much about decision making, valuing human rights, and of course, CHANGE and the change process. From Lincoln we learn how to have the courage to fight the right fights on behalf of what is right!
Another symbol from D.C. that resonates with me and relates to CHANGE and the processes and challenges that we public educators face each day can be found in the Washington Monument, (depicted at the right from the view of the World War Two memorial).
Like Lincoln, George Washington, father of our nation, was part of leadership and change of a magnitude never seen before, and often emulated and imitated around the world. Washington presided over our nation’s founding as well as the unprecedented declarations of liberty, freedom, governance and rights not seen in the world in his time.
Perhaps the revolutionary changes we need and we see in education today are as powerful and innovative of the great leadership and risk and CHANGE from Washington and his contemporaries. While we in public education are not necessarily founding new nations or “dissolving the political bands which have connected us with another” (reference from the Declaration of Independence), we are at a revolutionary and innovative time in our world and in our implementation of education.
The changes we are implementing this year in DPS109 are revolutionary! The changes we are implementing on behalf of children – so that we may Engage, Inspire, and Empower – are necessary and proper and it is incumbent upon us all to support the student, staff, and community learning as we CHANGE and make changes to how we practice the craft of leadership and education!
I welcome your thoughts, reflections, challenges, and comments in general!