New Beginnings

New Workday View

It has been 12 years since I have started the month of July as something other than an elementary principal. It has been an amazing journey that has allowed me to serve a few thousand students and over 300 staff members. As a principal I have been a proud Warrior, Eagle, and Sabre (the sword), as well as a Panther and Charger as a teacher for another nine years. It has been 21 Falls that started with kids and staff being excited to get into their classrooms and kicking-off the school year.

This fall will be different though. Yesterday I started a new position as a Principal Leadership Specialist for a Regional Center of Excellence. The new role will have me facilitating Professional Learning Communities, providing 1-1 coaching/mentoring, and/or providing large group professional development for principals in southern Minnesota. It will have me spending time in many different schools and districts across the southern third of the state, but I will not have a school building that I will call home. It will definitely be a different start to the school year as I will be functioning for the first time in my adult life from a home office (see new office view in picture above). I am excited for the new challenge, but will definitely miss the day to day relationships with students and staff.

As part of the new start, I am also going to re-brand this blog to focus on things I learned throughout the week(s) as I navigate my way through this new journey in life. The learning to be shared will be both professional and personal. Hopefully my ramblings will connect with others as leaders and parents, as well as provide an opportunity to ask others about their learning too.

Things I learned in the last month:

1. Saying Goodbye Was Hard--The last student day was much harder than I had ever expected. I have changed positions before, but I had always moved to a new group of kids. The emotional toll took a lot out of me and I was not prepared for it. Watching the buses roll for the last time brought tears and a ton of memories. The last staff meeting was equally as hard. I realized that I had spent more waking hours in Oak Ridge than I did at home. The staff was family! We experienced personal and professional highs/lows together. I chose the path of "Until we see each other again" instead of "goodbye."
2. My focus will need work--This is my first morning working from home as yesterday was orientation items with cooperative I will be serving and I have already been distracted by items within my house. The part that tells me my focus will need help is that my kids are not even here this morning! I would love to hear tips/pointers from others that work from home. How do you keep your focus on work tasks?
3. Family Rocks!--This is not really new learning, but it has been re-emphasized over the last two weeks. I was able to lock up my office at school over two weeks ago because we had worked really hard to get everything in place for next school year before staff left in early June and I had two weeks of vacation still available. I spent an awesome week in San Diego with my family. We were able to hit up many great places including Torrey Pines, Coronado Beach, the USS Midway, a Padres Game, Sea World, and Legoland. My kids were such troopers and really made the trip enjoyable for each other. Make sure you find balance because family ROCKS!

   

   Lynk Family Selfie Before Harbor Tour

Because of MESPA Principals...

Because I am running to be the Minnesota Elementary Principals Association (MESPA) Representative to the National Association of Elementary Principals (NAESP), I had the opportunity to speak at MESPA's 2019 Institute. The purpose was to share the impact that MESPA's Principals have had on me so that I can be better for our students, staff, and families at school, but also making me a better father and husband. I am running because I am eager to repay my debt to MESPA's Principals by being their voice on the regional and national level.

As I was presenting, there was only time to share a very small sampling of stories of how MESPA Principals have welcomed, supported, and uplifted me to improve me as a principal and person. The help has paid many dividends to the couple of thousand students and families I have had the pleasure serving over the last twelve years. As I did not get to all the stories I had hoped to tell at Institute, I will do my best to retell them here. This is just a very small sample of the support that has been received either directly or indirectly to support me as a principal. The theme is Because of MESPA Principal...

Because of MESPA Principal Jean Clark, I was welcomed into MESPA organization with a hand written note when I was in my first month in the profession. It was just what was needed as I was a young principal and was the only licensed administrator in the BOLD District on a daily basis as our superintendent had just been deployed on a military assignment. The offer of help and guidance was so appreciated and a much needed welcome to the group at the time.

Because of MESPA's New Principal Seminar, I met Eric Skanson and Abe Rodemeyer along with several other first year principals. We spent the day laughing about whose jobs we had applied and/or interviewed for the summer before. The bonds that were built are still used today. Twelve years later, Eric and Abe are still people I turn to when advice or a good laugh is needed.

Because of the Southwest MESPA Principals, especially Patti Machart, I was welcomed with open arms and given a voice early in the principalship. Patti was great about greeting me with a big smile and always asking me how things were going both professionally and personally. It was just what was needed to help a newcomer build confidence and grow. That type of support has continued on with the Central MESPA Division today.

Because of MESPA Principal Tim Bell, I learned how incredibly cool principals can be in a student's eyes. While visiting the Chanhassen Dinner Theater, I was seated by a young lady and her mother at a shared table. As we were talking, I asked the young lady where she went to school. As soon as she said Five Hawks Elementary School, I commented on how I knew the principal was Mr. Bell. The look in the young girl's eyes was incredible as her principal must have been very famous because some random guy at a play knew her principal. How cool that must have been for her! It made me wonder if kids see all of us that way.

Because of MESPA Principals Brad Gustafson, Bret Domstrand, and Richie Kucinski, the fourth graders at Oak Ridge Elementary now make daily video announcements mostly on their own using TouchCast. They are able to do that because Brad, Bret, and Richie were willing to meet on a summer day to share stories and informal professional development with each other. It was just one afternoon, but it has had a tremendous impact on the students of Oak Ridge Elementary.

Because of MESPA Principals Patrick Glynn, Sam Fredrickson, and the other MESPA 21st Century Office Crew, there is now more time to be "Out and About" and in classrooms with kids. The learning from that crew has made me more efficient, able to prioritize better, and be more student focused. I have come to believe in 21CSO principles so much, that I now am giving back as a presenter myself.

Because of MESPA Principal Mark French, the climate and culture of of Oak Ridge Elementary have been forever changed for the positive. Mark introduced me to a Voxer and Twitter group called Principals in Action. It is a collection of principals from around the country that lean on each other for support and provide guidance. The group provides a daily opportunity to see and hear how others are doing things differently to be better for students. Mark also pushed me to add the #GoodNewsCalloftheDay to Oak Ridge. Just halfway through our first year making good news calls, we have already connected with 95 students and their families. The pure joy seen and felt by kids and parents is heartwarming. Some of the parents have never received a positive phone call in the middle of the day before. It is powerful!

Because of MESPA Principal Jessica Cabeen, I am a better father and husband. It is because of Jessica's work around creating balance in our lives as principals, that I have made tweaks to how I live when I am not at school. She is a champion for principals as parents and I am forever grateful to her.

Because of MESPA Principal Debbie Morris, I know I send my own kids to a school that has a principal that loves and cares for them. My children have such an advantage in life because Debbie has nurtured an environment that has allowed children to thrive.

Finally, because of MESPA Principal Dawn Brown I am at ease with this election as I know the MESPA Principals are in great hands no matter the outcome of the vote for NAESP Representative. I have learned and grown because Dawn Brown. She too is an outstanding voice for MESPA Principals.

This is just a small sample of the power that you all as MESPA Principals have had on those that I care for as a father, husband, and principal. I am forever in debt to the outstanding principals of MESPA and would love to represent you as the NAESP Representative.