Inspire, Engage, Excite, Lead, Foster, Create, and Empower

One of the best parts of the new school year is the feeling of hitting the re-set button. It is a brand new school year which means it is an opportunity to be a new you. It is the time to reorganize your files, clean out your closet, review your goals, and re-evaluate your perspective on life.  It is a fresh start.

I want all of us to make the best out of every interaction with every employee, parent, and student. I know that I only truly have "today" to make the best first impression or attempt to solve any problems that may exist. I know that if I don't take risks I won't know what my true potential is. I will continue to motivate each of you to push yourselves further than you think possible. I will continue to support you in new endeavors in your educational careers. I will not rest and be complacent with anyone that complains or makes excuses. I will praise the problem solvers and innovative thinkers. I will rally together the team builders and thinkers among you.

This will be an AMAZING 2019-2020!! I can confidently say that because WE create our destiny. As the FSUSD Family WE WILL make 2019-2020 one the best school years!

Take a minute and smile right now. It will make you feel better and will brighten the moment of anyone that catches a glimpse of you. 

As you welcome your staff back to work next week, think about the message you are sending them when you first see one another. How about starting a positive chain reaction? For those of you that were not able to make it to Great Beginnings on Friday, let me explain how we welcomed the new teachers to FSUSD. All district and site admin lined the front breezeway and created a cheering line. As each employee walked through the doors they were greeted with cheers, claps, and high fives. They walked down the line and were showered with appreciation.  The smiles were bright and some people were unsure of what to do or how to react. They were not expecting a welcome of this kind. The board room filled quickly with the hundreds of new teachers. What had the enthusiastic welcome done? It had created an environment where people felt wanted, appreciated, and yes, loved. That feeling propelled the individuals to be more in the moment and let down their guard. It set the stage for a very productive day. What if we did this with our students and staff?

Take a moment to think about a positive chain reaction. Engaging in one positive action for another can cause a ripple effect. What if all of our #FSUSD students and staff were greeted on Monday to cheers of appreciation that they were on campus? What if we showered them with HOPE and LOVE? What if we focused on the HEART before the HEAD every day with ALL of our students and staff?

One of our goals: To graduate every FSUSD senior and to ensure that they leave FSUSD college and career ready!!! The steps to get our students to this end goal do not have to look like a cookie cutter educational experience. If something isn't working, let's not keep doing it that way and instead find an alternative that DOES work. If something IS working, let's continue to move in that direction. We need to continue to share good ideas. We need to continue to collaborate. We need to continue to be risk takers with the students' success as our guiding force. What excites and inspires you? Find that inspiration and led it DRIVE you!!!

Every day we are in front of our students is an opportunity to create change, empower thought, develop skills, and assist in their progress towards becoming the most successful people they can be. Imagine yourself looking down upon a classroom, envision the teacher as a masterful artist embarking on his/her new day of creation. See the children as works of art, canvases that have been touched by many artists before and are now ready to receive a new layer of influence. Each child is a unique creation that together we are helping to mold and foster.

It is our obligation to teach each and every child. It is our obligation that we do everything we can each and every day to TEACH every student and do everything we can to ENSURE every student is LEARNING and GROWING!!

I am asking that every educator look at EVERY student as a work of art. I am asking that every educator take time with EVERY one of their students to help each of them realize their full POTENTIAL. I am asking that every educator continues to teach from the HEART and recognize that we are OBLIGATED to ensure that ALL students LEARN. I am asking that every educator takes time to reflect on his/her mission and work and find the PASSION that made them decide to become an educator. I am asking that every educator harnesses that PASSION and ENERGY to do everything possible to support each INDIVIDUAL student and NEVER GIVE UP.  We CAN change the cycle. We MUST change the cycle. We must PLAN and EXECUTE. 

Allow yesterday to guide us to do better tomorrow. Allow the mistakes of yesterday to become lessons learned that are our building blocks and foundation for tomorrow. The future is created by each of our decisions and actions today. We design our future by taking charge of the present. We are in this together and are stronger together. I ask that if you are with me on this, take time to commit in writing, share with others, chart your course and let's make it an UNBELIEVABLE 2019-2020 school year. 

We must graduate every FSUSD student and ensure that they leave FSUSD college and career ready!  Inspire, Engage, Excite, Lead, Foster, Create, Empower!!

Continue to be innovative, creative, and a model of excellence!!