Skool Nooz

One thing I've noticed this year is that, because of all the new stuff going on, people are still asking me, "How are things at school this year?" Usually, by now, we're up to "So what are yu doing this summer.?" But that question assumes a certain routineness to the goings on that simply is not the case in a school with a new head of school in a new building with a principal who's leaving the job after many years.

Not having been in a situation like this before, I have no idea how to evaluate how things are going. Is this normal for a place going through this many big changes? Or is it better or worse?

Given the general level of craziness, I find myself falling back on my tried and true four point program for thriving in complicated, quickly changing situations.

1. Never write anything down
2. Never print out anything you're sent
3. Never believe anyone who tells you that "this is how it's going to be."

and most importantly

4. Approach everything and everybody with an open mind and an open heart.

I swear to you that this works, and it works because, when it comes right down to it, nobody ever really knows what's going to happen next. So the first 3 are just an expansion on "Be Prepared," and the last is for the happiness (or sanity) of you and everyone around you. Once I wrote this down, I realized that this is pretty much how I handle life on a daily basis, kind of like the way a shortstop or a tennis player assumes a ready position, knees bent, on their toes, alert. I don't know if that works for everyone, but it's good for me.