As a school person, one of my favorite times of the year is the start of a new school year! In my days as an aide, teacher and an administrator, I looked forward fondly to the return of our students and the new year. After all, a fresh start, new challenges and new opportunities were in store!
For our industry, this reboot is always intense. Trying to ensure that we have adequate drivers, equipment is ready, routing is done and that the thousands of other tasks involved in the new school year all land on your desk! Now it’s your time to shine! You bring your experience, your skills, your passion and your professionalism to the office and you make it work! Like the start of a race, you’re ready for the GO!
An additional challenge for us is the coordination of our work with other divisions and groups in our school districts. It seems that everyone else is gearing up for that GO at the same time. They are also juggling many tasks, dealing with unknowns and facing challenges. It’s common at this time for silos to develop and turf wars to emerge. I understand because I’ve been there! I know how easy it is to lose perspective, and how hard it is to recognize that, while our work is important, so is everyone else’s!
Education is a complicated business. Our work requires not only exceptional professional skills but emotional intelligence and the ability to work with a diverse population. It requires us to see beyond the moment. You see the big picture and you are able to navigate the personalities. This is pretty amazing! Human beings are tough! Handling routing issues or mechanical challenges is a piece of cake compared with the human issues.
A very wise and successful superintendent once reminded me that no one goes to work to fail. She said that as she exited her vehicle every day, she would remind herself of the amazing people she worked with and set an intention to be a blessing to them that day. I never forgot that. Even today as I start my day, I remind myself that I want to make a difference and that I want to be a blessing to those I encounter. It sets me up for a positive start to each day.
No one starts a race to lose. When we get on our mark, set our intentions and plans, and GO, we’re racing to succeed! So are your colleagues and employees. As a leader, you have a unique opportunity to set an example. When we model positive leadership and healthy practices our colleague’s notice. We have the power to set the tone, the direction and to create expectations!
On behalf of NAPT and the NAPT Foundation, we hope that you have a fantastic school year! We’re proud of our members and the awesome work you do. Our goal is to work with you and for you to serve our industry – and the students we serve. We believe that together, we can do great things. Thank you for your daily efforts and for your service!