Danielle Thompson is another person who has made a positive impact in my life. Danielle is my niece's best friend and has been a part of our family for many years. Danielle is smart, funny, and very strong for someone her age. She has weathered some tough family situations and this has made her intuitive and able to empathize with people. Danielle is sweet and appreciative of everything. She will do great things in the world but most of all she is kind and strong and I am glad to know she is another niece.
Danielle is also funny. She likes Taylor Swift and we joke a lot about Taylor Swift and Mary Peyton Meyer. She is a great student. She has a natural literary foundation and she also is a self starter. She is funny and she speaks up when she thinks something. Very mature for her age, I love it that she can still also be a little kid when she is around our family.
I was so proud when they graduated from high school. Proud to see them going to college. And I will be proud to see her graduate, get married, and have her own kids. Danielle is a sweety. Thoughtful and understanding. She will go far.
Sunday, October 20, 2013
Jeff
Jeff Spiegel made a positive impact on my career and my life as a leader. I met Jeff when I came to the Ferguson Florissant School District. I learned a lot from Jeff during those seven years I worked for him and they were instrumental in my career as an administrator.
I think the thing I learned most from Jeff was the ability to put people at ease and appreciate their relevance in spite of the conflict at hand. I saw him in action with this with parents as well as staff and I learned to listen, validate, and then respond. This has carried through in my career as a principal and in my work with kids and parents.
I also learned a lot from Jeff about how to run a school district. Staffing formulas, residency boundaries, budget crisis, politics. I learned a lot from Jeff about how to deal with things. I think the thing I appreciated the most from Jeff was that he was unconditional. No matter what the situation, he was supportive.
When I left I always worried about whether I really was that great of an administrator or if it was just because Jeff thought I was. No matter what, I knew he was supportive and trusted me to make the right decisions.
I learned a lot about leadership from watching him and he gave me a world of experiences that have contributed to my knowledge of district leadership. In some ways this has damaged me to other jobs because I feel like I learned from the very best.
Now I know that the wheels of district leadership go round and round. You are in for a period of time and make a difference in whatever way you can and then you are out. I was in when Jeff was at his best and I benefited from his expertise.
I think the thing I learned most from Jeff was the ability to put people at ease and appreciate their relevance in spite of the conflict at hand. I saw him in action with this with parents as well as staff and I learned to listen, validate, and then respond. This has carried through in my career as a principal and in my work with kids and parents.
I also learned a lot from Jeff about how to run a school district. Staffing formulas, residency boundaries, budget crisis, politics. I learned a lot from Jeff about how to deal with things. I think the thing I appreciated the most from Jeff was that he was unconditional. No matter what the situation, he was supportive.
When I left I always worried about whether I really was that great of an administrator or if it was just because Jeff thought I was. No matter what, I knew he was supportive and trusted me to make the right decisions.
I learned a lot about leadership from watching him and he gave me a world of experiences that have contributed to my knowledge of district leadership. In some ways this has damaged me to other jobs because I feel like I learned from the very best.
Now I know that the wheels of district leadership go round and round. You are in for a period of time and make a difference in whatever way you can and then you are out. I was in when Jeff was at his best and I benefited from his expertise.
Uncle Cecil
Uncle Cecil is definitely my Top 365. He was always my support system. I went to his house and spent a lot of time with he and Aunt Dorothy in my formative years. They provided me a family environment. Uncle Cecil was my main cheerleader for many years. He was supportive to me and told me that I could accomplish anything. He was kind to me and treated me like one of his own kids. Uncle Cecil worked for Getty for many years. He loved to garden and he flew model airplanes after he retired. He would spend hours sitting in his garage and working on his planes.
Uncle Cecil provided for me a dad figure who inspired me in my career in my early years. He fed me the belief that I could do anything and he believed in me and motivated me. I looked forward to pleasing him and hearing his kind words.
As the years went by, family conflicts, moves, and old baggage got in the way of our relationship. I was glad though that I had a few months to spend with him toward the end of his life. I would go over to take care of Pat and Uncle Cecil and I would drive around in the car and I would take him to Green Thumb or the store and talk to him. I made sure he had food and was taken care of. The Alzheimers had a hold of his communication skills but not his heart. He knew what was going on. I treasure those few weeks when I could give back to him and take care of him the way the took care of me and I miss him incredibly.
Uncle Cecil was a part of my career building years and gave me the support and confidence to move in any direction I saw fit. He used to tell me I reminded him of Melanie Griffith in Working Girl. That motivated me for years. He was a hard working man and I thank the Lord every day that He gave us those end times to spend together so I could give back to him. Losing him was like losing my Dad over again.
Uncle Cecil provided for me a dad figure who inspired me in my career in my early years. He fed me the belief that I could do anything and he believed in me and motivated me. I looked forward to pleasing him and hearing his kind words.
As the years went by, family conflicts, moves, and old baggage got in the way of our relationship. I was glad though that I had a few months to spend with him toward the end of his life. I would go over to take care of Pat and Uncle Cecil and I would drive around in the car and I would take him to Green Thumb or the store and talk to him. I made sure he had food and was taken care of. The Alzheimers had a hold of his communication skills but not his heart. He knew what was going on. I treasure those few weeks when I could give back to him and take care of him the way the took care of me and I miss him incredibly.
Uncle Cecil was a part of my career building years and gave me the support and confidence to move in any direction I saw fit. He used to tell me I reminded him of Melanie Griffith in Working Girl. That motivated me for years. He was a hard working man and I thank the Lord every day that He gave us those end times to spend together so I could give back to him. Losing him was like losing my Dad over again.
Kevin
Kevin Schroeder is also someone that made a positive impact on my leadership ability. Kevin was my team mate on the 7th grade team at Vandalia Middle School. He became our team leader and was an easy leader to follow. Kevin is a good person. He teaches math and he is very confident in who he is and how he teaches. His classroom was well organized and there was no guess work on the part of the kids for what was expected. Although I have not seen Kevin or his wife Kim in many years, I can see through reading the local paper that their family has thrived. Kevin was a good person and solid in his confidence. He did not need to put on airs to be confident and his integrity and faith seemed to carry him on. I respected him a lot as our team leader because he was trustworthy, supportive, and was willing to step outside his comfort zone to make things work. Kevin was also kind spirited.
What I learned from seeing Kevin lead our team was the ability to be yourself and strong from a solid and integrity based foundation. I am glad for the time that I worked with Kevin as it helped me level myself out and realize that I was not nor had to be the one in control and that I could trust other people to lead and still make things happen.
What I learned from seeing Kevin lead our team was the ability to be yourself and strong from a solid and integrity based foundation. I am glad for the time that I worked with Kevin as it helped me level myself out and realize that I was not nor had to be the one in control and that I could trust other people to lead and still make things happen.
Mr. LaDage
Bill LaDage has made a big impact on my life. In addition to the fact that he was my sixth grade social studies teacher, he also was my principal for three years. In this time, I learned a lot from him and attempt to replicate his leadership in my daily interactions. Mr. LaDage was strong and set a temperament for our school environment. He was humble and did not seem to need a lot of attention or glimmer. He was supportive and set the standard for our school. I learned from him how to be a diplomatic leader. He reminded me of Abraham Lincoln. Not just because he was tall and had a presence, but because he was mild mannered and never lost his cool. He was able to let go and try new things and he had a strong focus on instruction. I learned from him how to create programs and how to become a part of a team.
During the time I was at Vandalia Middle School, I learned that it was not all about me. That as a part of a team I needed to let other people make decisions and not try to control everything. I also learned that a leader needed to cater to consituents in different ways. Some who were cohorts who had to be coddled and some who were new to the environment who could be molded. I learned too that sometimes you are just another employee and not the superstar and that is ok. I was appreciated for who I was but not held up against my colleagues as I had interacted in the past. This was a good lesson in humility.
Bill LaDage never raised his voice and kept his cool with kids. He held us accountable whether it was power writing across the curriculum or turning in a discipline form when we sent a student to the office. He helped me with my degree and gave me the freedom to work on creative endeavor
My tendency to think that grass is greener made me move on from that job to St. Louis and I left without saying good bye or without letting him know the impact he had on my career and my teaching. In my first years as principal and frequently now, I make decisions based on what I think Mr. LaDage would do.
Those three years at VMS were inspiring and made a strong impact on my career because he created such a healthy educational environment. I can only aspire to do the same.
During the time I was at Vandalia Middle School, I learned that it was not all about me. That as a part of a team I needed to let other people make decisions and not try to control everything. I also learned that a leader needed to cater to consituents in different ways. Some who were cohorts who had to be coddled and some who were new to the environment who could be molded. I learned too that sometimes you are just another employee and not the superstar and that is ok. I was appreciated for who I was but not held up against my colleagues as I had interacted in the past. This was a good lesson in humility.
Bill LaDage never raised his voice and kept his cool with kids. He held us accountable whether it was power writing across the curriculum or turning in a discipline form when we sent a student to the office. He helped me with my degree and gave me the freedom to work on creative endeavor
My tendency to think that grass is greener made me move on from that job to St. Louis and I left without saying good bye or without letting him know the impact he had on my career and my teaching. In my first years as principal and frequently now, I make decisions based on what I think Mr. LaDage would do.
Those three years at VMS were inspiring and made a strong impact on my career because he created such a healthy educational environment. I can only aspire to do the same.
Richard
Richard Gleaves has made a difference in my life because he is married to my sister and makes her so happy. He has given her the opportunity to be herself and learn who she is. I have seen her grow in so many ways since he has come into her life.
Richard is smart and fun. He has the ability to see things from a different perspective. He is well educated, a bit of a rebel, and a good man. He is down to earth and real and he works hard. He is a farmer and he likes to shoot and hunt and has strong faith and spiritual background. He gardens and he is kind spirited and strong in his love for my sister. I jokingly tell Sue she married our Dad as Richard has many of the same qualities of him. He is a good man.
Richard is smart and fun. He has the ability to see things from a different perspective. He is well educated, a bit of a rebel, and a good man. He is down to earth and real and he works hard. He is a farmer and he likes to shoot and hunt and has strong faith and spiritual background. He gardens and he is kind spirited and strong in his love for my sister. I jokingly tell Sue she married our Dad as Richard has many of the same qualities of him. He is a good man.
Jeanne Jones
Jeanne Jones is a part of my Top 365 because she had such a positive impact on my career. I had four years under my belt as a teacher of English and Spanish when Jeanne became my principal. She saw something in me and gave me opportunities to shine in my job. In this she also gave me the opportunity to experiment with new programs and experiences. During the time I worked with her, I spent a lot of time discussing and planning with her and she was my total support. It was weird because most of the people there did not care for her, but she took me under her wing and gave me opportunity.
As a leader I learned from Jeanne the ability to pay attention to state and federal programs and requirements and learned the ability to differentiate and be creative. I also saw her take a role in establishing a professional environment based on the needs of kids. She was strong and stood her ground, a bit aloof, and not always well liked by the staff. She was not one to get down and get dirty with the kids and kept a distance. She was a superintendent at heart and moved the district forward with curriculum and instruction at a time it was needed
She gave me freedom to experiment, support, a knowledge of curriculum and instruction, differentiation, gifted education, and the ability to lead without popularity of others.
As a leader I learned from Jeanne the ability to pay attention to state and federal programs and requirements and learned the ability to differentiate and be creative. I also saw her take a role in establishing a professional environment based on the needs of kids. She was strong and stood her ground, a bit aloof, and not always well liked by the staff. She was not one to get down and get dirty with the kids and kept a distance. She was a superintendent at heart and moved the district forward with curriculum and instruction at a time it was needed
She gave me freedom to experiment, support, a knowledge of curriculum and instruction, differentiation, gifted education, and the ability to lead without popularity of others.
Monday, September 2, 2013
Kim
Another person who has made a big difference in my life is my sister in law, Kim Rohlfing. Kim made the first difference with me when she made my brother happy. The first time we met was at a party and Kim thought I was his date. Then later she discovered I was his sister and all has been well since.
Kim is fun and fun to hang out with. She has loads of friends and she volunteers to help out all of the time. She was instrumental in supporting both my cousin Pat and my Uncle Cecil when they were sick and later passed away. Kim likes country music, camping, and hanging out with friends. She has been team mom for her kids in all capacities and reaches out to help people in need. She plays Bunco and has a close circle of friends. She is very close to her family also.
Kim and I are buds. We have had some fun nights drinking till the cows come home and we have had some experiences where we were very serious in taking care of family. I respect her and I love to go there and hang out and play yahtzee. Christmas Eve at her house is what makes the holiday. Kim is someone I respect as both my sister in law and as my friend. I know that if I need anything she is there and I also know we can have lots of fun when we get together.
Kim is a great mom. She has to her credit both Sarah and Jared who are good people with strong values and no sense of pretense. She is present and she is involved and her kids know she will be there for them. She has instilled in them a sense of reality regarding people and she has made a difference in my connection to my family in general. Kim allows us all to keep it real and fun and when necessary, really fun.
Kim is fun and fun to hang out with. She has loads of friends and she volunteers to help out all of the time. She was instrumental in supporting both my cousin Pat and my Uncle Cecil when they were sick and later passed away. Kim likes country music, camping, and hanging out with friends. She has been team mom for her kids in all capacities and reaches out to help people in need. She plays Bunco and has a close circle of friends. She is very close to her family also.
Kim and I are buds. We have had some fun nights drinking till the cows come home and we have had some experiences where we were very serious in taking care of family. I respect her and I love to go there and hang out and play yahtzee. Christmas Eve at her house is what makes the holiday. Kim is someone I respect as both my sister in law and as my friend. I know that if I need anything she is there and I also know we can have lots of fun when we get together.
Kim is a great mom. She has to her credit both Sarah and Jared who are good people with strong values and no sense of pretense. She is present and she is involved and her kids know she will be there for them. She has instilled in them a sense of reality regarding people and she has made a difference in my connection to my family in general. Kim allows us all to keep it real and fun and when necessary, really fun.
Jared
One of my top ten is Jared Rohlfing. Jared is the apple of my eye. He is my nephew and I think he is funny, smart, and a great all around guy. Jared has always had his own mind. He is very self sufficient and does not seem to need a lot of people around. He has played football since he was young and this year took over soccer. Jared has a great sense of humor. He is funny and he does funny things to make people laugh. He also is great with younger kids and takes them under his wing when he is at events. Jared has a girlfriend and they go to movies a lot and hang out at the mall. Jared is good to his parents and he is very smart. he makes great grades in school and he is well liked by his teachers and his peers. During his freshman season, he was given an award for his leadership in football. He is very athletic and talented in athletics. Jared is my buddy. I love him so much. When he was little he used to come to my house and swim and stay the night. He would use all of the bandaids when he fixed scrapes and we would drive all around town. Now is he growing up and I have a lot of respect for the young man he is becoming. Jared is a fun loving individual with so much to give to the world.
Chris
One of my top influences in my life is my brother, Chris Rohlfing. Chris and I are fifteen months apart in age and the closest i will ever have to a twin. We have always been close and he loves me unconditionally. Chris was always the quiet one while I was the one always intervening and creating havoc. Questionaing and rebelling. Chris is also very smart. He is good in math and English and he is a geologist. he works from home which has given him time to do the job he is the most proficient at, being a Dad.
When I wanted to move back to California, Chris brought his kids with him and they flew back to MO and drove me out to California. He and Kim have alwasy opened their house to me on holidays and I know he will be there for me if I ever need anything.
Chris is a great person. He likes fantasy football and likes to stay up late and watch movies. He works from home so he has been able to be a big part of his kids' growing up years. Chris is funny. He likes all forms of music, esp. the Beatles. He rolls with things and does not get too shook about much but keeps a handle on what is important.
Chris has been a support to his kids. He coaches Jared's teams and has made a big impact on people in Ventura. He is fair and kind and upholds what he believes to be the right thing to do. This was evident when he went to bat for a football colleague who was accused of some crimes. Chris is well respected by people who meet him. he is firm but fair with his kids and has taught them right from wrong. He instills in them a respect for people, and hard work, and education. He is there for them and his family is first.
Chris wss the person who found my dad when he died. Of all of the people who were affected by this death, I think he suffered the most trauma. He was only 13 and did not have what he has been able o give his kids- an attentive father. Chris immediately took over the role of being there for Sue when our dad died and he was there for her through all of her years growing up. he is patient with our mom and he is just an all around good guy.
I have always said if I could find someone as good as Chris, I would marry them in a minute. One of my top ten for sure in people who have made a difference in my life and continue to do so.
Gail
Gail Lockart is not only my aunt, but my mentor and my friend. She is the rock of gibraltar for me when I need something and especially when I need a reality check.
Gail grew up in Vandalia, IL and has three children and loads of grandkids. She married my Uncle Roy in the late 7os which was around the time I graduated from high school. I remember when I graduated she gave me a group of poems that she had written. This was my first interaction with her and I was so impressed with her support and her insignt and knowledge about education.
Gail is a teacher. She taught elementary school and gifted education. My Uncile Roy died young and he was the love of her life. Gail had many friends in Vandalia and was well respected as a school board member and a teacher. Gail was always my go to person when I needed advice about career and my life. She and I were very close and always had fun watching movies and discussing books and such over coffee. She also always made sure I was taken care of. When I graduated from high school with my teaching degree Gail bought me all kinds of teacher stuff.
At a time in my life when I did not have a lot of parental support, she was my support system and always still makes me feel like I can move mountains. Gail got me involved in middle school when I wanted to know more about it. She was working at Vandalia Middle School at the time and was involved in the transformation. It was also at this time that she was hired to teach college classes at Eastern IL University. She was there for me when I finished my masters and she was there for me when I had surgery. She came to visit me on Christmas when I did not come to California so I would not be alone. Gail moved from Vandalia to EIU and spent fifteen years at the college as a teacher. In this time she presented all over the world at the middle school association conferences. Gail loves movies and she is an avid reader.
She is strong and she has strong opinions on how things should be. Gail is very strong in her faith. She believes in God's will for our lives and she keeps her focus on his expectations. Gail is also fun and funny. She is fun to hang with and shop or go to movies and she is fun to talk with. Gail manages her money wisely and she is self sufficient. I respect Gail because she is unconditional and because she is strong in her beliefs. Gail Lockart is in the Top Ten and one of the top of my 365. She knows my life, my triumphs, and my heartaches.
Gail is a teacher. She taught elementary school and gifted education. My Uncile Roy died young and he was the love of her life. Gail had many friends in Vandalia and was well respected as a school board member and a teacher. Gail was always my go to person when I needed advice about career and my life. She and I were very close and always had fun watching movies and discussing books and such over coffee. She also always made sure I was taken care of. When I graduated from high school with my teaching degree Gail bought me all kinds of teacher stuff.
At a time in my life when I did not have a lot of parental support, she was my support system and always still makes me feel like I can move mountains. Gail got me involved in middle school when I wanted to know more about it. She was working at Vandalia Middle School at the time and was involved in the transformation. It was also at this time that she was hired to teach college classes at Eastern IL University. She was there for me when I finished my masters and she was there for me when I had surgery. She came to visit me on Christmas when I did not come to California so I would not be alone. Gail moved from Vandalia to EIU and spent fifteen years at the college as a teacher. In this time she presented all over the world at the middle school association conferences. Gail loves movies and she is an avid reader.
She is strong and she has strong opinions on how things should be. Gail is very strong in her faith. She believes in God's will for our lives and she keeps her focus on his expectations. Gail is also fun and funny. She is fun to hang with and shop or go to movies and she is fun to talk with. Gail manages her money wisely and she is self sufficient. I respect Gail because she is unconditional and because she is strong in her beliefs. Gail Lockart is in the Top Ten and one of the top of my 365. She knows my life, my triumphs, and my heartaches.
Sue
Also in the Top 365 and one who should be in the way top is my sister, Sue Ellen Gleaves.
I love my sister.
Sue Ellen is 11 years younger than me and I consider her one of my best friends. Sue loves the Cardinals and the Blues and she is a biologist. She is married to Richard who is also in my top list. Sue was six when our dad died and she grew up in the 80's. She is smart and fun and very much a person of her own opinion. Sue is a naturalist and an animal lover. She has three dogs and was also a cat lover for many years. She is very confident and satisfied with herself. She has strong faith and loves her family and I respect her because she does not have to garner a lot of attention from other people to feel worthy
Sue is a cook. She loves to cook and she and Richard have a big garden in their back yard. I have always felt the need to protect her and would go to the end of the earth for her if she needed anything. This is because she is my sister and I love her so much. Sue is reslient and strong and she has strong convictions. She loves to go to see Stockton Thunder play and she also loves the Cardinals. Once she came to visit me and we got her tickets to go to the Cardinal game. Funny story that we obtained the scalper for the tickets from a police officer. We have fun when Sue is around (And Richard). We like to drink some brewery beers and watch movies and she is fun to just sit and talk to. She loves Hunger Games and Sons of Anarchy and is a tv buff just like my mom. She is loved by all of us and she and my niece Sarah look, act, and talk the same. We think Sue was cloned.
Sue works as a TA at Stanislaus and is a darn good one. She even just won an award. My best memories of Sue are when she was around when I was older and she was little like when I graduated from college and on my 21st birthday. She probably thought I was a crazy older sister. Her wedding was beautiful and she designed it herself.
When I need a reality check, I call Sue cause I know she will tell it to me the way I need to hear it.
When I want to go out and have some beers or go to Neptune's Net, I wait for Sue and Richard cause I know I will have fun. If you want to remind her of her recent cruise, just call her Suey...:)
I love my sister.
Sue Ellen is 11 years younger than me and I consider her one of my best friends. Sue loves the Cardinals and the Blues and she is a biologist. She is married to Richard who is also in my top list. Sue was six when our dad died and she grew up in the 80's. She is smart and fun and very much a person of her own opinion. Sue is a naturalist and an animal lover. She has three dogs and was also a cat lover for many years. She is very confident and satisfied with herself. She has strong faith and loves her family and I respect her because she does not have to garner a lot of attention from other people to feel worthy
Sue is a cook. She loves to cook and she and Richard have a big garden in their back yard. I have always felt the need to protect her and would go to the end of the earth for her if she needed anything. This is because she is my sister and I love her so much. Sue is reslient and strong and she has strong convictions. She loves to go to see Stockton Thunder play and she also loves the Cardinals. Once she came to visit me and we got her tickets to go to the Cardinal game. Funny story that we obtained the scalper for the tickets from a police officer. We have fun when Sue is around (And Richard). We like to drink some brewery beers and watch movies and she is fun to just sit and talk to. She loves Hunger Games and Sons of Anarchy and is a tv buff just like my mom. She is loved by all of us and she and my niece Sarah look, act, and talk the same. We think Sue was cloned.
Sue works as a TA at Stanislaus and is a darn good one. She even just won an award. My best memories of Sue are when she was around when I was older and she was little like when I graduated from college and on my 21st birthday. She probably thought I was a crazy older sister. Her wedding was beautiful and she designed it herself.
When I need a reality check, I call Sue cause I know she will tell it to me the way I need to hear it.
When I want to go out and have some beers or go to Neptune's Net, I wait for Sue and Richard cause I know I will have fun. If you want to remind her of her recent cruise, just call her Suey...:)
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