I spent the last week with my husband Kurt.  I didn’t really have to share him with anyone.  Kurt just returned from spending several months in Afghanistan with his squadron, and I am just super happy to have him back home again.  The boys were at home for three days before they returned to MU for school to start the Spring semester.  We traveled to southern Missouri so Kurt could see his parents, but all in all, I was never more than one room away from Kurt for the entire week.  It was so nice.  Spending time with him is something I treasure so much.  Time has gone past so fast I can’t even begin to explain.  I won’t even try.

While I was able to spend time getting back in sync with Kurt, I did think a lot about the people who I do spend most of my time with during the day — the teachers, counselors, secretaries and other staff members at Benton High School and in the St. Joseph School District.  It was easy to think about what all my friends and colleagues were doing at certain times of the day, and I found that I was missing them. I miss them because I treasure them.  I love how much we laugh together.  I love how much we learn together.  I guess I really love how much we are a family together.  Times are not the easiest, but we are certainly bonded together through those tougher times.

January and February are the times when educators start thinking about transfers.  It’s also the season when we start planning for the replacement of our colleagues who have decided to retire.  All in all, it’s a long season.  As a principal, you always want to encourage every staff member to stay with you in your vision and quest to provide the best educational circumstances possible to your clients.  However, years ago, I learned a valuable lesson that I use in my own leadership now when I wished my leader would have put my best interest ahead of what was best for “the system.”  I have never forgotten that, and so I try my best to do that for others.

No, I never want our super star teachers to leave the halls of Benton High School.  I want them to stay and grow more and more super stars.  I want them to grow our baby Cardinals.  And I know I don’t tell any of them — any of you — enough how much you mean to me.  The teachers at Benton High School are freaking hard workers.  It’s not like I give them much choice to be anything else, and boy oh boy do they step up to the task.  I am so proud of our staff.  I know they work hard for our students.  I guess what I am trying to say is that I realize they people who I truly treasure.

Kurt Flying by KGW, Kurt@Kabul by KGW, Treasure Chest by Crazy Cake Lady on Flikr (CC)