Tuesday, December 31, 2019

Exeter-Milligan Update: View from the Front Office


VIEW FROM THE FRONT OFFICE
                    We were fortunate enough to celebrate Thanksgiving with all of our children. Our oldest, Brett, is in the Navy and stationed in Norfolk, VA. He has since departed on more than a “3 hour tour” (actually a 7 to 9 month cruise), so it was nice to spend some time with him before this event. Since none of our kids have significant others, we also have not had to share them with other families during the holidays. At some point in time this too shall change, so we take advantage of spending the holidays together as much as we can.  As a matter of fact, as you read this we should be basking in the Arizona sun (minus Brett of course) as we spend Christmas with Karla’s family in the Phoenix metro area.  However, as much as we love our children and extended family, it is nice to see them on their way.  As we have adjusted to the empty nest, a full house tends to push us out of our normal routine.
Thinking back to twenty years ago, we were all getting prepared (and worried) about the Y2K issue.  For those who are scratching their heads and wondering, Y2K was the problem that computers faced when the year changed from 1999 to 2000.  Back then, when dealing with a date, the year was usually in a 2 number format – so 1998 was just 98.  There was a doom and gloom attitude that the computers would not see the year as 2000 but as the year 1900 (because of the 2 number year format.)  It sent many into a panic thinking the world was going to end, but I do believe we all survived.  Now we are quickly approaching 2020 and with that comes the setting of new goals. 
Many of us will choose a word that will help us focus on what we want to accomplish in this new year.  In previous years, I have chosen simplify and communicate, but this year I am taking a bit of a different spin – I am using the year 2020 with an added symbol: 20/20. My goal for the year 2020 is make sure my vision is 20/20. This doesn’t mean I am going to wear my glassed more often (or at all for that matter), but rather make sure that my vision for the future is clear – hence 20/20. 
This 20/20 vision is not only for my personal life but also my professional life as well.  In my most recent evaluation, one of the questions asked is if I have a clear vision for the district.  As I reviewed the evaluation, it was evident that I am not sharing or setting a clear vision. Thus, my main goal for 2020 is to make sure that my vision for Exeter-Milligan Public Schools is 20/20.  It is my responsibility, as the leader, to set a course and direction. Everyone plays a part making sure that course is followed, just like a crew on a ship, but I am ultimately the one responsible for setting the course.  If that course or goal is not clear, then I must do what I can to make sure it is – 20/20.  Each and every day I will need to ask myself – what is it that I want to accomplish today?  What can I do to make sure we are striving for our goal?  Will this help us reach our destination?  Is that destination clear? Are we 20/20?
As we progress into and through 2020, I ask all of you to hold me accountable. Make sure I stand true to this goal of making that vision 20/20.  If we don’t know where we are going, how will we know when we get there?  The easiest question to ask as we see each other on the road is this, “What’s your 20?”
Though for the month:
“If you are working on something exciting that you really care about, you don’t have to be pushed. The vision pulls you.” Steve Jobs

No comments: