A View from the Now-Retired Principal's Seat

Our school just completed a survey.  The survey was unique but also very informative. A little over two weeks ago a group of teachers created a hands-on, interactive, board in our front lobby.  The board has a bear and a penguin surrounding a question.  The words ask, "What brings you joy?"  The letters in JOY were large, and a small bucket with markers was left in front of the board. Over the course of the holiday season, kids and staff have written their responses to that simple question, "What brings you joy?" I didn't quite know what to expect.  What would be the overwhelming response from 400 youth and  their teachers? I figured we would have some toys listed or maybe some food.  We do.  I thought we would have family and friends listed.  We do.  More than anything I thought it would be possible we would have expensive items listed.  We don't.  Each time I walk past the responses, I see something new, but I have yet to see anything

He ran to her and hugged her.  It was really more of a long, lasting embrace, and then he whispered to her, "How are you feeling?" While still embracing she told him, "I'm doing better.  I love you." "I love you, too!" he proclaimed. There wasn't a dry eye in the room as the hug continued. This may seem like a scene from a movie, but it's just one example of how our students are remarkably supported in our school.  Let me explain. Our district is fortunate to partner with our local youth assistance.  Youth Assistance is a proactive, service organization working to support young people in our community.  They meet this mission in many ways, but I am most familiar with their Silver Lining Mentor program.   Youth Assistance recruits and trains seniors citizens to work with young people, and then they collaborate with our school to find students who may need a little extra love and attention.  Staff identifies students

Our district has many unsung heroes, and I am fortunate to know most of them and to call them colleague and friend.  Our Transportation Department is home to just one group of those heros.  Simply put, our bus drivers are remarkable.   I've known this for years, but I decided I wanted to get to know the drivers even better in order to support them and our students.  So in the last month I have ridden each of my school's morning bus routes.  Eight buses serve our school community, and it has been an absolute privilege to learn about the drivers and to watch them perform their craft and science with our students. Being a bus driver is a uniquely challenging art.  First, drivers have to be on-time.  They can't be early, and it's best to not be late.  Drivers have to judge traffic and the weather to arrive at their many stops as close to their assigned time as possible.  Next, safety is critical.  Yes, buses are large, and the community looks out for them.  Still, buses a

My wife and I had our identities taken this summer--twice. The first time our identity was stolen by a hacker.  Control of our email account was taken from us which meant he/she was able to take control of our online shopping account and ultimately our credit card.  We had charges on our accounts that were not from us.  We made multiple calls to the shopping site, our credit card, the email and internet provider, the state police, and even the FBI.  In the end, we spent more than 30 hours protecting our credit, changing accounts and passwords, and collecting and submitting the proper documentation.  It was horrible.   We felt like we didn't know what to do, and we were worried about what could happen next.  My best advice is to change your passwords--frequently. The second time our identity was taken from us took a little longer.  In fact, it took almost 19 years for us to lose this identity.  In some ways, however, our identities seem to disappear in an absolute instant.  Our

Our new school year begins soon.  Students will enter our school for their first day of the '19-'20 school year just after Labor Day weekend.  Staff have returned and are busy preparing rooms, planning lessons, and collaboratively learning how to create even better opportunities for our students.  As a building principal, this is the time of the year when I write about hope for the future and gratitude for our supportive community and remarkable staff. This year, however, feels different. Yes, I do  have great hope for the future, and I am very, very grateful for our community and staff.  I am regularly amazed by what our students and district are able to do together.  It is a privilege to work as an educator in my district, but I have seen a change that worries me. I am worried about gun violence in our country and the lasting impact this is having on our young people. While I have political beliefs about gun violence and gun safety, I am not writing this post to sp

We have an amazing school with high expectations for ourselves and our students.  Our district, the staff, parents, community, and students expect our students to achieve at high levels.  We intentionally plan for students to grow.  Parents regularly tell me they have moved to our school and district because of the expectations we have for our students and the proficiency and growth results our students have achieved. I am grateful for what our students and district have achieved, but I am just as grateful for how we have achieved them. Our district and school has a remarkable sense of unity and "can-do" spirit.  We see beyond test scores and budgets.  We reach into what others might see as impossible and focus on students and community. One could argue that it starts with one simple idea.  We do not have individual school mascots.  Our entire district--with educational levels from birth through adults--are Novi Wildcats .  It's a simple concept, but the ramificat

Dear Parents of My Students, It goes without saying that keeping our school safe is my number one priority, and in talking with many of you, I believe keeping our school safe is also your priority.   I need your help.  We need your help. Our parking lot has been unsafe. Approximately 75 cars arrive each morning to drop-off their children.  We have slightly less than that at afternoon pick-up.  (The rest of our students use our bus system and/or walk to school.)  My staff and I do AM and PM car duty each day.  I am outside each morning and afternoon I am present in the building.  Whether sunshine, rain, or snow, it's my favorite part of the day.  I genuinely enjoy greeting students and their families as they begin their days or saying goodbye to them after a great day of learning. Let me just clearly state my safety concerns. Drivers are going too fast. I notice too many drivers using their cell phones. Cars are pulling around each other without watching closely what e