A View from the Now-Retired Principal's Seat

Do you make mistakes?  Have you ever sent an email and wished you could "unsend" it?  What about saying something and realizing you had mistakenly offended someone?  I know it's not just words that can hurt.  Even the tone we use can send the wrong message. Most of us have done this either intentionally or unintentionally, and with so many ways to communicate (face to face, phone, e-mail, social media, written letters or  notes, etc...) I sometimes feel like there are even more ways to hurt people. Like you, I communicate a lot.  As a building principal, an educator, and a professional, my words matter.  My tone matters.  What I say and how I say it matters to my students, my colleagues, and our community.  It should.  And yet, I know I still stumble. Fortunately, I work within a school and a school community with people who understand the power of forgiveness.  My colleagues hold me accountable in professional ways when I i...

Play with me for just a bit. You enter a movie theater to view the latest blockbuster, and all seats are filled except for one that is in the middle of a long row.  That's OK because you're the last person to enter the theater.  You shuffle in front of and sometimes  over people, but you finally get to the lone, remaining seat in the room.  You sit to make yourself comfortable, and the film starts.  Now remember, the theater is full--very full.  You're surrounded by people who want to see the movie--just like you do.  The rules are fairly simple.  Sit, turn off electronics, don't talk.  Enjoy.  The rules are so simple, they can be shared via a dancing cup or a talking box  of popcorn.  But at least one rule in a crowded movie theater is an unwritten rule . Who gets to use the armrests? Hmmmm....  While there are enough seats for every person, armrests are usually shared.  This can create a bit of a quand...

John Herner was president of the The National Association of State Directors of Special Education , and this quote has been shared and reshared online for several years.  I was reminded of this statement when I recently met a college freshman who grew up in one of 19 states where corporal punishment in schools is still legal.  She said that in her high school kids could choose two "swats" from a principal as punishment for being late to school or instead of serving detention, and she herself had been on the receiving end of such swats because it was the quickest way to be done with the punishment.When I asked her if her behaviors changed because of the swats, she almost laughed and replied, "No." There are many opinions about spanking either at home or at school.  I am a strong advocate of not spanking, and fortunately for me corporal punishment in schools is not legal where I am principal.  The research about spanking is fairly conclusive.  An ...

They were just piled on the bottom of our daughter's closet.  Backpacks!  Oh, there wasn't just one backpack.  No, Jennifer had 5 backpacks tucked away in her room.  As she was packing for her soon-to-be first year of college, I realized Jennifer had saved every backpack she had ever used since she was in kindergarten.  That's when it hit me.  For the first time in 18 years, Jennifer will be living 5 hours away from us. I've known this day was coming for some time.  I suppose all parents know that their kids are growing up and will eventually "leave the nest," but the backpacks seemed to illustrate this change in dramatic fashion for me.  They made such an impression that I asked to take them out of her closet so I could take a picture of them. The pack on the left was her kindergarten pack which she used it for several years.  It is adorned with dragonflies, and I know we have a "first day" picture of her wearing it.  In fac...

This mural and statement are over the exit of our school's front door.  As we reflect on the end  of  our school year I can't think of a simpler way to express my hopes for our students.  Whether those students are our youngest or our oldest students, I am hopeful that each student chooses to, "Make a Difference" in their world--in our world. Our school has worked with our community and parents to help teach our students that making a positive difference and being kind to each other helps create a rich learning environment for all students.  That rich learning environment can, of course, be contagious. Recently our student R each O ut A nd R espond, ROAR, team (Remember, our district's  mascot is a wildcat.  Note the cat theme!) has shown us how to make a difference, and we hope it becomes very contagious. You should first know that our ROAR team consists of students from each grade and classroom, and their responsibility is to Reach Out ...

Schools and school districts have many, many unsung heroes.  Our noon aides are just one example of such heroes. You might not know what a noon aide is.  "Back in the day" we used to call them, "lunch ladies," but I am happy to say that at our school we have some dads who help us.  Noon aides monitor our students each day at lunch recess and in the cafeteria when the students are eating. Our school has five separate lunches; unique 40 minutes for each grade.  Each grade goes outside to play on our playground for the first 20 minutes, and then they come inside to eat for 20 minutes.  While the first group is eating in the cafeteria, the next group is outside playing on the playground.  Over the course of about 2.5 hours all students in our school get a 20 minute recess and time for lunch, and our noon aides manage, monitor, and help all students transition through it all. Heroes, of course, do much, much more than manage, monitor, and help.  Our n...

I'm sure you've heard them. Everyone needs to be on the same bus. It's important we are all rowing in the same direction. We need to sing from the same hymnal. We need to work hand in hand. Each of these phrases or idioms explain the importance of working together.  I believe that in any organization with more than one person we have an obligation to explicitly embrace and teach the expectations we have for people.  Schools are no different.  In fact, schools probably have the most-urgent need to help everyone work together towards common goals. Our school has recently implemented common, positive behavioral intervention and supports (PBIS) strategies.  Since our district mascot is a wildcat we say we are "Leading with PAWS!"  We have signs and even a song around how to do this. I recently asked my students why we should Lead with PAWS.  Their answers varied but included: It helps keep us safe. We work together more. We will have ...

Our family got a puppy when I was about 4.  Barney (This was pre-the-purple-dinosaur.) was a black lab mix, and it was clear she was going to be an outdoor dog.  I can barely remember my father building a doghouse in his basement workshop for Barney, but the following legend of the doghouse has remained strong in our family for the last 40+ years.  The story played out something like this: Mom:   Bill, that's a nice looking doghouse for Barney. Dad:   Thanks.  The kids are sure excited to have a puppy in the family.  I'm afraid the kids will smother her with too much love. Mom:   I'm not sure too much love is possible.  I'm glad you're making the house big enough so she can grow into it. Dad:   I figured I could get a bale of straw to put in the house with her so she can stay warm.  The way the kids are with her, they will want to move into the doghouse with Barney! Mom:   Uhm...Bill, do you think the doghouse will fit up...

Let me tell you a love story. It's not a love story about adults.  It's not a "puppy" love story or even a "first" love story.  Actually, this isn't a love story at all.  It's more of a story about love - the love a first grade boy has for his teacher and how that love can change a life--actually  many lives. This boy is like many other boys his age.  He likes to play games and run.  He likes to be with his friends, and he likes to be independent.  He likes to listen to music, and he enjoys building things.   He likes robots, and he likes to be funny.  He has favorite foods, but he also knows what he does not like to eat.  He doesn't like to hear loud noises, but he likes to make loud noises.  Yes, this boy is like many, many first grade boys. This boy is like most first grade boys in other ways too.  He has a mother and a father and an entire family who love him very much.  He is a good reader, and he has a...

For seven years my school and our school community have been committed to,  "Growing Great Leaders!"  Our students, parents, and staff work tirelessly to help our students learn, understand, and experience that success at school and at life is more than just a score on a test.  Our students internalize through explicit instruction and modeling that in order to be a "great leader" you must do what is right even when noone else is looking.  As part of that work I, the principal, host three Leadership Chats a year for each class and team in the building.  The chats are a wonderful opportunity for me to model a few instructional techniques for my teachers and to plant some common language and expectations across the building.  At the risk of sounding prideful, I have been told our Leadership Chats have been "transformative," and I can recount example after example of how our chats have made a positive difference at Novi Woods.  The title of our most-r...