Contrary to popular belief, legends, folklore, and/or old wives tales…..principals do not live in the basement of the school! Hard to believe that we mill around the community just like all of you. Just yesterday I was spotted at Target by a former student who made her mom yell at me so she could say “Hi,” in disbelief that I was out of my basement dwellings.
You will see us at the grocery store, at ball games, the gas station, restaurants, and occasionally at the public pool. Yes, swore I would never go to the pool or be seen in public in my swimming suit but it happened. You see my children go to my school and they no longer believe that the principal was not allowed to go to the pool. (They want to play with their friends so I had to cave.) A friend of mine was even shocked I came to the pool because I said I never would:) “YOU went to the pool?!!!” Hilarious. I am not sure who was more shocked, the kids or their parents. One parent said the kids were better behaved that day than any day at the pool. I politely said that I was not The Principal of the Pool.
I love my job. I love the teachers, students, and their families almost every day. Yep! But I have bad days too.
Right before a grade level meeting this year I found out my best friend and college roommate had stage 4 cancer. (And by RIGHT BEFORE I mean the teachers were walking in my office) I had to suck that one in pretty hard not to lose it.
On my way home from work Sept. 12, 2011 my dad called to tell me my brother was killed in a motorcycle accident.(My brother was 34. Young. Whole life ahead of him.) I did not speak to anyone at work for 7 days. Can you imagine a principal not communicating with their staff for 7 days at the beginning of the school year??? But the beauty of this situation(if there could be anything beautiful at the time) was the way my staff and school community picked up the ball and ran with it. They. Were. Amazing. I had no words….literally. You see my kids go to my school and we had to wait one day to tell them the sad news. (My husband drove me 6 hrs. to my family and he drove 6rs back in one day to pick up our girls and tell them.) They were guarded and loved like any other child would have been. Again……I had no words.
We do not know the battles that others are facing. But we learn that people really do care, even for the principal.
I am not sure I should thank my PLN for encouraging me to write this or block them from now on:) Whew! Those who know me know I don’t necessarily wear my feelings on my sleeve. But maybe I should wear just a few.
I am a mom, a wife, a friend, a daughter, a sister, AND a principal. Sometimes principal comes first and sometimes family comes first. AND THAT’S OKAY! I have learned to live in the mix. Even at the pool! So whether it’s birthday parties, Silver Dollar City, White Water, the mall, or out to eat I will see you out there:)
