I was not there when Bin Laden was found and ultimately eliminated. I have not been on the front line of revolutions with leaders like Gigi Ibrahim as they fight for their rights and ultimately freedom. I have not been present to help the victims of earthquakes, tsunamis, tornadoes or floods rebuild their homes and lives this spring. Rather, I have been proudly tending to big news much closer to home….the impending graduation of 81 fine young people who will soon be walking across the stage at Casady’s beautiful outdoor ceremony. My juxtaposition of world news, including some devastating disasters, and Casady’s graduation ceremony is not an attempt to compare statures. I am not even making a statement….other than to say that while so much is happening around the globe I want to focus on a relatively small group of fine young people and be sure to give them their moment in the sun.
These next few weeks mark the culmination of a year of learning here at Casady. For our seniors it more accurately marks the end of two, three, four or even 15 years of learning at Casady. This is a time of year when we are afforded abundant opportunity to watch our students demonstrate what they have learned and how remarkably they have grown.
While it is a distinct honor for me to spend my days with all of the students and faculty at Casady School this time of year is particularly special for the seniors. The growth of the students over the course of these months and years has been inspiring. They make us cry, laugh, grit our teeth and smile proudly....sometimes all in the same day!
I am also pleased to watch parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, siblings, cousins and friends walk with the seniors through these final paces of the year. Much of who and what they are is a result of the love, care and guidance bestowed upon them as they have morphed into tomorrow’s leaders.
While I have not led a revolution, saved lives after a disaster or coordinated a successful search for wanted criminals….keep your eyes on the Casady Class of 2011 as they may do all of that and then some in the not so distant future. I congratulate each of the seniors on the completion of one journey and I wish them well as them embark on another. You have earned my love and respect. Good luck!
Monday, May 9, 2011
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
It's Not Working Dick
Having a toddler around the house typically ensures many hilarious quotes that arise at a moment’s notice. My little guy, Xavier, just turned four and is full of great looks, gestures and quotes. Our dear friends Jan & Dick have played an instrumental role in Xavier’s life to date. Specifically, Dick plays golf, hockey, basketball, soccer, etc. in the backyard as well as teaching Xavier the intricacies of the game of baseball – albeit from the perspective of the Evil Empires (aka: the Yankees)! One of our favorite interactions between Xavier and Dick arose from a moment of frustration when the little plastic golf clubs wouldn’t make the plastic golf ball fly very far one day. Xavier looked at Dick and stated, “It’s not working Dick”. Simple. Concise. Clear. He made his point. Although initially frustrated, Xavier looked to Dick for leadership and trusted in his ability to solve the problem by replacing the plastic club with a larger hockey stick and substituting the plastic ball with an actual golf ball. That certainly made a difference as the ball travelled much further (we apologized to our neighbors in advance) and Xavier and Dick were satisfied with their game.
So how does this relate to Casady’s goal of remaining relevant while the world around us changes? I am struck by a toddler’s ability to determine that something was not working and his willingness to buy into Dick’s proposed solution. Are we as educators and parents equally adept at such analysis and problem solving? Are we more apt to struggle with practices and methodologies that do not produce desired results for fear of change? Change, and change leadership, can be difficult. I believe that schools can hold on to the wonderful traditions that make it strong, redefine what it means to stay true to a mission, remain progressive in its strategic planning/teaching and tackle each day with a desire to become better than we were yesterday…..all at the same time. As Jim Collins has said, “Sometimes we must give up the good to achieve the great.” I am proud of the school that Casady was, is and will be. There is work to be done but we must also recognize that much has been done recently to better the school, embrace the community and prepare students for success today and in the future.
Xavier is not quite ready to be brought in as an educational consultant but his idea is an important one for us to think through and apply on campuses throughout the land. Whether it is the plastic golf balls not flying far enough, lesson plans not engaging students enough or administrative practices not resulting in desired outcomes we all need to think about trying something different if “It’s not working Dick.”
So how does this relate to Casady’s goal of remaining relevant while the world around us changes? I am struck by a toddler’s ability to determine that something was not working and his willingness to buy into Dick’s proposed solution. Are we as educators and parents equally adept at such analysis and problem solving? Are we more apt to struggle with practices and methodologies that do not produce desired results for fear of change? Change, and change leadership, can be difficult. I believe that schools can hold on to the wonderful traditions that make it strong, redefine what it means to stay true to a mission, remain progressive in its strategic planning/teaching and tackle each day with a desire to become better than we were yesterday…..all at the same time. As Jim Collins has said, “Sometimes we must give up the good to achieve the great.” I am proud of the school that Casady was, is and will be. There is work to be done but we must also recognize that much has been done recently to better the school, embrace the community and prepare students for success today and in the future.
Xavier is not quite ready to be brought in as an educational consultant but his idea is an important one for us to think through and apply on campuses throughout the land. Whether it is the plastic golf balls not flying far enough, lesson plans not engaging students enough or administrative practices not resulting in desired outcomes we all need to think about trying something different if “It’s not working Dick.”
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Long live ENDIVE!
Sometimes we are all quick to dismiss an idea that doesn't, at first, seem to fit. It happens to the best of us in the classroom and it certainly happens beyond the confines of school campuses.
While listening to NPR this weekend I learned that endive is a leafy vegetable that is very much a delicacy in many parts of the world. It's origins are much more modest. Families struggling through the extreme economic times of WWII in Belgium found endive roots in compost heaps and decided to eat them. Eventually, roots were planted and nourished and many years later what was once tossed aside and deemed useless is a highly sought after dish on gourmet menus through Europe.
One man's junk is another man's treasure....or something like that.
I have focused lately on encouraging creativity amongst our faculty and students. So the next time someone comes up with an idea or a plan that doesn't seem to solve the problem at hand I am going to support creativity and not immediately dismiss their thought as useless. If endive can rise out of the compost heap to vegetable supremacy why can't a seemingly off-the-wall comment turn into a great idea?
While listening to NPR this weekend I learned that endive is a leafy vegetable that is very much a delicacy in many parts of the world. It's origins are much more modest. Families struggling through the extreme economic times of WWII in Belgium found endive roots in compost heaps and decided to eat them. Eventually, roots were planted and nourished and many years later what was once tossed aside and deemed useless is a highly sought after dish on gourmet menus through Europe.
One man's junk is another man's treasure....or something like that.
I have focused lately on encouraging creativity amongst our faculty and students. So the next time someone comes up with an idea or a plan that doesn't seem to solve the problem at hand I am going to support creativity and not immediately dismiss their thought as useless. If endive can rise out of the compost heap to vegetable supremacy why can't a seemingly off-the-wall comment turn into a great idea?
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