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.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)