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Superintendent’s Message – March 12, 2009
At the end of each day, as I clear my desk
into stacks of unfinished work, I reflect on the day. Has
anything of real meaning been accomplished is a question
that I sometimes ask…. Each morning I leave for work with a
list of things to do, plans if you will. Some tasks are left
from the day before, some are a result of the need to think
ahead, and some are just part of the daily routine. As I
pull into the central office parking lot, I say a little
prayer that today will be a good day and that all of my
decisions will be in the best interest of our school system,
its employees, and our students; that I will be consistent,
honest, caring, and fair; and that I will be able to call
attention to all of the positives our school system has to
offer, rather than allowing any negatives to cloud our
“vision.”
As I proceed to my office, I think about
what I need to accomplish first; after all, I did leave some
important tasks on my desk from yesterday. As I enter the
door I many times find an unscheduled surprise: a parent
seeking help with a problem, a phone call about a bus
problem or a classroom situation that warrants attention, a
salesman peddling some program or product, a phone call from
a principal or teacher needing clarification about a board
policy or some memorandum from our office, an announcement
of an important meeting someone forgot to inform me about,
or some crisis that needs immediate attention. Then come the
“do-you-have-a-minute” visits. All the time strategic
planning, review of board policies, the need for a staff
meeting or a principals’ meeting, planning for a board work
session, assignment of personnel, scheduling for the
upcoming year, budget preparation, long overdue visits to
schools, and curriculum development are all topics that dart
through my head as being tasks in need of genuine attention.
Suddenly its time for lunch, or worse yet
4:30 p.m, and nothing from yesterday or from the morning’s
list has been accomplished. Rather than allowing the
frustration of what has not been accomplished to ruin a
perfectly good and possibly productive day, I try to
concentrate on the positives. Did I do my best; did my
answers and decisions positively reflect on board and system
goals; did my actions of the day solve future problems or
prevent further misunderstanding; and did my work advance
the “vision” of the Lauderdale County School System?
These are all questions we must ask
ourselves each and every day. Principals, teachers, and
support staffs come to school each day with a plan for what
is to be accomplished. And yet, with all good intentions and
adequate planning, somehow too many days get away with
little being accomplished for our long list of
“want-to-dos,” “need-to-dos,” and “have-to-dos.” Yes, our
days are often filled with “surprises” that take up much of
our time; but we must use our gifts and talents to focus our
attention on what truly is important the achievement and
progress of our students. We face new challenges, and yes
some surprises, each day; however, we cannot allow these
unplanned distractions to compromise our efforts to improve
our instructional program. We cannot give-in to frustration.
Each day is filled with new hopes, new challenges, and new
opportunities. How we handle our frustrations will determine
if we are successful in the end. After all, tomorrow is
another day. Will I use it to further our school system in
its fight for excellence, or will I throw in the towel? I
choose to fight to make things better.
Joey Hassell, Superintendent
Lauderdale County Schools
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