Hello Blog... It's Been a While

Permit me a moment of reflection... and to just start writing again.  I’ve been learning how to be an Assistant Principal these past few months.  While I do not pretend that I know it all, I’d say I am at a healthy 38% “got a handle on this thing”!  I am coming up for air and thought it was time to jot down some reflections.

Looking through my Leadership Seminars journal (shameless JSEA pandering) over the past months, a couple of themes recur as I make the transition from ed tech to whole school context:

• Ghastly Emotional Scenes (GES) happen.  The trick is not to get caught up in the drama.  
• Be careful of the Eye of Mordor Syndrome.  Running one’s cursory glance over the land to settle with razor focus on one unsuspecting soul.  Not fair to anyone to have an overwhelmed administrator suddenly focus and get in the way.  Trust and relationship builds success.
• At the same time, don’t isolate yourself.  Trust and relationship builds success.
• Accept tension.  Tension is not bad.  Tension reminds us that students, teachers, curriculum, wellness are not an “All or Nothing” to be fixed, solved or fired.  
• It does not all have to happen today.  
• Be yourself – I am still an introvert.  I am still pastoral in my leadership style. @JDferries still annoys me from 3 feet away….

In her book “Seven Sacred Pauses”  author Macrina Wiederkehr writes  for morning prayer, “…May I live with the kind of presence that enables others to feel at home.”   In the daily rush and muck of administrative life this has been my prayer most mornings (outside of frantic Help Me! intercessions to varied saints). 

After that – the rest falls into place.

Happy June to All!