It’s thankful season, but that’s not the reason I am reflecting on all the reasons I am grateful in this moment. Life’s in the principal’s office is sometimes hard, sometimes frustrating, and sometimes I feel like I am not accomplishing anything. There are days where sometimes I am a firefighter (metaphorically) and not really an educator….at least the to the eye that doesn’t know. But right now, and in general, I am grateful.
I am grateful for Dawn, my administrative assistant. I joke that she I saw my work wife, because next to my husband, she is probably the person who ‘has my back’ the most. I joke that I am the lady in charge, and she is the lady that knows what’s is going on. Absolute truth. But it is no joke that I can’t do what I do with out her. I know that I can count on her in a pinch, I know that everyday she goes above and beyond, I know that she is selfless, hardworking, and 110% committed to everything she does. We make a great team, and I am grateful to have someone who can anticipate my needs, know what I would want done, and how I would want it done, and does it.
I am grateful for teachers who rise to the challenges every day, who are leaders among teachers, who are risk takers in being lifelong learners with me, and who roll with my craziness, and my ideas and adventures. I am grateful they bring their adventures to me, and say “Let’s do this”.
I am grateful for the teamwork that takes place my building. When we have issues, like we did last week with the gym vs. cafeteria issues of a multi use space, we can sit down and find solutions, everyone can voice their side, and we can trouble shoot and problem solve. I am grateful for the trust of my people to work out solutions.
What really hits home for me today, and for what I am tremendously grateful for is what has taken place with my students and families. I am so grateful for the trust and support of the parents of all my kids, but in particular some really tough kids. I have a few little kindergarten kids that really struggle with self regulation. Keep in mind that self regulation at kindergarten level is hard enough for your average typical kid….throw in some trauma or disability…wowsa. These particular cases though, they give me a sense of hope. My kids that go from three reset/refocus times a day to one….my kids that go from three a day to once in awhile, the ones that can go from multiple reset/refocus times in the office to being able to reset in the room. I feel like we are making a difference for these kids. But the fact that these families trust us to correct behavior, back us up when we need it, and are truly part of the team….I can’t even begin to say how important this is to me.
There is one family in particular that has been on my mind. This is a family that has been through a lot of trauma, an Uncle was murdered, there is tension in the relationship with the in-laws after split, and some conflicting values between the adults that are hard on the kids. The kids have struggled academically and behaviorally, and I haven’t always seen eye to eye with the parent on how to approach the challenges and concerns. In fact, at one point she came in my office and had a screaming effing (literally every other word was an F bomb) fit because she was angry that her kids would face consequences for unsafe actions. But something happened. In the middle of last year, she started answering her phone when I called. She’s been a more regular presence in the building, and she has backed me up with the concerns, and this year, we have a whole different group of kids on our hands. We have kids who are following rules and expectations, who are trying to learn, and who are making good choices for themselves. One of the kids, who last year spent many, many lunch times with me for unsafe actions and words, stood up for a kid who was on the receiving end of unkind words, and told the other kid to stop being a bully. Be still my principal heart….but I was over the moon. I was so over the moon, this kid got an IBelieve treat from me On.the.spot. I called his mom to tell her how proud I was of his actions. I thanked her for her support.
A few days later I had to call her about a concern for one of her other kids. Not only was she receptive, she was supportive. She even called me after the fact to let me know she needed to take some steps outside the school setting as part of addressing this issue, but she didn’t want me to think she was going behind my back. My love for this mom at this moment…. no words. We had a conversation in my office yesterday about the recent concern we had been dealing with, things she is going through, and the curveballs life is throwing at her. I shared some of my mom challenges, and mom fails with her; I assured her she was in a judgement free zone, and she hugged me before leaving my office.
My IB coordinator, who knows me well and knows my straight talk isn’t always well received, about lost her eyes when she saw this interaction through my office window. She knows the challenges we have had, and she may have been more surprised than me at this interaction, but I am so glad she saw this….people might not believe it actually happened otherwise 😉
Long story short, I am so grateful for the support of my families, the popcorn moms, the PBIS volunteering, the library facilitating, the IB card typing, the reading log sorting, the fundraiser organizing, the fundraiser supporting families. But, the support of that family that didn’t always support me, and in fact at times hated me, that makes me feel like I am making a difference. And for this I am grateful.
