Gator Run Friday Focus - May 9, 2014

     I'm going to go ahead and admit it - it's hard to be the person in charge sometimes.  I have to make decisions that I feel are in the best interest of an entire school.  A lot of times I receive credit and praise for those decisions.  Other times those decisions are derided and people criticize me.  Those are the tough times.  When I make decisions that will impact many people, I try to take every available moment that I have to analyze all scenarios.  My hope is to make change where I feel it is necessary and where it will impact the least amount of people.
     Often the people who criticize are those who the decision affects personally.  And I totally understand being disappointed, frustrated, and even a bit angry.  But what I cannot understand is when people do not act professional in the face of decisions that they do not agree with.  This week I have been exposed to staff members who have handled change with grace and class.  Please know that my heart is always in whatever is in the best interest of the entire school culture.  I figured out during my first year as Principal that I will never make everyone happy.  It's just not possible and is not even a goal of mine anymore.  What I have learned is to lead with my heart, make changes that I feel will improve our school and trust that everyone will act professionally even if they don't agree with me.

• Primary Reading and Math EOY testing is next week.  Let's all be supportive of our 1st and 2nd grade classes and send our love and support to them.
• PTA General Meeting next Tuesday.
• Collaborative Learning is scheduled for next Tuesday.  Please use this time with your teams to determine any resources that you might need as we move forward with our thematic units next year.
• AR Parties for those students who met their 3rd quarter goals start on Thursday.  Please refer to the email that Ms. Felton sent or check out our CAB Calendar for each grade level's day.

Quote of the Week - Not a quote, but a video that one of our parents wanted me to share with everyone.  This is from Google regarding Teacher Appreciation Week.  This is from YouTube so you will have to make sure you have the correct parameters on your computer -  To the Moon

Think Like a Detective - Can you determine the Gator Run teacher based on the following clues?

• Is from Rochester, NY.
• Went to school at State University College at Buffalo and Nova Southeastern University.
• Loves traveling, reading, movies, cats, the beach, learning about different cultures, and volunteering in Spain in an immersion program.
• Her minor in college was French.