A New Year?

It's January 4, 2016. While it's a new calendar year, chances are any new resolutions or approaches I come up with for my personal or professional life will be identical or similar to previous years. I am, like it or not, a creature of habit--most of the time!  And while it's another new semester ahead for students and staff, it serves mainly as a chance to start fresh with lesson plans or homework and better attendance, less tardies, less visits to see Mr. Miller in the attendance/discipline office. It definitely marks for some people, the "halfway" mark to another school year's end. Not for me.

I have never been, and never will be, the type of educator who counted the days until a vacation or summer. To do so never occurred to me, nor did "counting down" appeal to me. Frankly I don't understand it, because I enjoy coming to work daily and doing whatever tasks are at hand--it doesn't matter how many days are left to do it in. Counting would probably add to my stress. . . That said, being an educator, both a teacher and an administrator, suited me. I'm so glad I was prompted to consider a teaching career during my business courses in college. June, 2016 marks my 34th year in education. I can still say I am invigorated by new challenges the superintendency, and the field of education, bring. It's exhilarating to have a new initiative to conquer (or at least launch). School administration has caused me to grow personally and professionally, and to have greater insight about myself as an individual. I can't imagine where I would be without the influence my career in education has had on me, as an individual.

So what will my new year's resolutions be? I know I am committed to cleaner eating, more frequent exercise, NOT training for a half marathon (at least not in 2016), and making some regular "me" time to read, paint, and recharge. 2016 will be about "balance".