Be more you!

 

Advice is easy to give. It’s usually given with the greatest of intentions. Sometimes it can be questionable…but this isn’t that kinda post! 🙂

Our superintendent, Dr. Vinson, gave a closing speech at a banquet a couple of weeks ago where he reflected on the things people told him when he came to this district. Things like “We’re almost as big as such & such district, our scores are as good as so & so’s district.”, and how that gave him pause. He decided that he didn’t want to be more like those places…he just wanted us to be more Wylie. 5 years later we’re an anomaly in the state when it comes to testing data and you have people lined up to get hired. We’re proud of who we are are, and the Wylie Way defines our priorities. The good test scores are a byproduct of the phenomenal educators we have here.

That comment of his reminded me of a conversation we had at the beginning of the year. He mentioned in passing that he wanted to learn more about Twitter, that he’d heard I was a “pro”, and I shrugged him off (as gracefully as one can shrug off your big new boss!!) and said oh, I’m trying to get away from being “that” technology girl, but sure. His response was “Why? Be who you are,Teamann, you gotta own that…”

That stuck in my mind and after completing my 13th year in education, being named principal next year, and finding out I was named a 2015 ASCD Emergent Leader…I can say that advice was heart affirming. 

Not who they think I should be, but more of the me I am.

I hope that you are in a place where you can embrace who you are, and and are appreciated for the strengths you bring. Every team member plays a role, but the strongest teams balance each others gifts. Never deny your strengths. Find a place where they can SHINE!!

 

celebrating YOU,

Amber