Superintendent

Superintendent

Thursday, January 10, 2013

January 10, 2013

Why am I blogging at 10:30 p.m.? Tomorrow I have an early start to a busy half day at Vantage before I am supposed to start a week of vacation! Yes, the blogging guilt bug struck, and I knew I couldn't leave with a clear conscience unless I blogged before leaving Van Wert for a warmer climate. Being the scheduled person I am, I also know that I will have zero time tomorrow for blogging. I will be lucky to get out of the office on time, but I will go public here and state that is my goal!

In my last blog, I mentioned writing more informally in 2013. A few good comments have been received since that blog, so I had better live up to my informal writing intent.

Where to start? I need to be up at 5 a.m. to be at Vantage greeting guests at 7:30 a.m. for the Van Wert Economic Development Advisory Committee meeting, which Vantage is hosting tomorrow in our new Community Room. So an easy topic is what did I do today? It was a pretty productive day! Here's the play by play:
8:07 a.m. arrived at the office, gulping the last of my tea in the car as I parked, (yes, I drive one-handed), and draining my daily protein shake (chocolate) as soon as I got into my office. Walked the halls before school started, greeting students and staff who I passed, and then watched students head for classes at the last bell.
Next, I met with our Director, Bob Vennekotter to verify the square footage of several classrooms and training spaces in preparation for a 1:00 p.m. meeting with an educational partner who is interested in utilizing some of our newly renovated space at Vantage.
I spent the next two hours at my desk, compiling my notes for the 1 p.m . meeting, while reviewing strategy for the meeting with our Adult Ed Director, Pete Prichard. In between, the office phone rang, my cell phone rang with an important call regarding our solar array plans, and my administrative assistant, Vicki Smith, brought miscellaneous "to do" items and helped me find some electronic files.
11:30 a.m. rolled around before I knew it, and I managed to make it to lunch with staff in the commons, being fortunate enough to sit at a table with goodies for Lori Allen's birthday today! Yes, I turned down the brownies, as I didn't want to be on "sugar overload" for my 1 p.m. meeting!
After lunch I played "beat the clock" and entered several upcoming professional leave dates and all the detail that has to go with each request into the HR Kiosk, which we use to electronically process all leave requests and absences.
The 1 p.m. meeting went great, and another 3 p.m. meeting followed just minutes later. This one was really good, and I think all who attended today's Labor Management Committee meeting would agree. While this meeting ran over a bit, I stayed for some small talk afterward with the administrative team, Ben and Bob and Ted, before leaving for Paulding for the Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours! Luckily I didn't have to be there at 4:30 as I had planned, but I enjoyed an hour of great conversation and food at Arandas Mexican Grill on N. Williams St. from 5 to 6 pm.
The event was sponsored by Werlor, Inc., located in Defiance. Werlor is a waste management and recycling firm who has been in business for years. I was lucky enough to win one of the giveaway T-shirts, which says boldly on the back: "Let's Talk Trash!" (I am not sure where I can wear it in the community, but it did go into my suitcase tonight to take on my vacation!)
So my day concluded with packing and paying bills and blogging--and my laptop says it's 11 p.m. and that means "lights out" finally for me! What a day--but a lot of good things happened today. I hope tomorrow is just as good.