"Teamwork Makes the Dream Work!"
This is a statement I often say in my leadership work and thus, I introduce you to an Academic Achievement and Professional Development (AAPD) Team who models the true meaning.
It has been just over 2 months of getting to know and working with this team of educators at Worthington City Schools and I could not be more impressed with their care for, collaboration with and commitment to our school community. They truly love what they get to do each and every day as a member of this professional team. On Friday, September 22, 2017, we had the opportunity to spend the entire work day together at what we called a "Family Meeting," formerly titled, a Retreat. I chuckled a bit during a planning session when a member of our leadership team made this suggestion, however, after the day was over, it was easy to see why the title was due for a change.
Our day started with dedicated time for each of us to share our "WHY or our PURPOSE" with one another. Needless to say, my ability to gauge the amount of time this would take for all 30 of us to share was off just a bit. 😆 But for this, time did not matter. In fact, it really was the last thing on our minds. I learned immediately, as a new member of this team, that knowing each other through understanding one another's why or purpose adds to the depth and ongoing success of a true team.
Our leaders shared why they chose to do the work they get to do and what they value most about being a mom, a dad, a wife, a husband, a son, a daughter or a sibling. As a team, we determined quickly that our purpose must be a balance of work and family. We believe that any successful team must take the necessary time to self-reflect, share their purpose and listen to learn from others. What we know about those working alongside of us, matters. The time spent learning about each other is a part of our work and will continue to make our team stronger.
Thanks for a great day, together! I know it's hard work at times but you are and will continue to make a difference in the lives of our Worthington students and families. I appreciate your team-focus and your continued care for, collaboration with and commitment to our school community.
"Teamwork Makes the Dream Work!"
(By the way, for those of you reading this blog, we did have a full agenda which included our continued work around the 4 Academic Focus Strategies.)
