12-19-2014

Mary’s Minute

 

“Holidays are about experiences and people, and turning into what you feel like doing at the moment.  Enjoy not having to look at a watch.”

                                                                                                                                                ~ Evelyn Glennie

In the hustle and bustle of the season, we feel like we don’t have time to slow down.  The clock becomes our enemy as we rush from one task to another.  It would be nice if we could take Glennie’s advice more often than on holidays.  I think that we all look forward to Christmas so that we can just enjoy the moment and not look at a watch.  The holidays are a good time to reflect on what we really value and try to add more of what is important throughout the rest of year.  Christmas is a time for thinking of others, giving to those who have less, smiling more, saying kind words to strangers, and slowing down and just enjoying the moment.  Each year I tell myself that I will work to add more of what is important in life throughout the entire year.  I love Christmas!  I love the excitement, as well as the hush that makes the entire world glow.  I love giving to others and showing gratitude.  I appreciate the beauty of decorated trees and twinkling lights.  I marvel at the kindness we show to strangers at this time of the year.  I respect the spiritual traditions that make the holiday special.  These are the things I want to be part of my life!  Christmas represents for me all that is good in the world!             

 

Merry Christmas all year long! 

                                                                                                Mary

12-12-2014

Mary’s Minute

 

“People do not care how much you know until they know how much you care.”

~ John Maxwell

                                   

This week I had the pleasure of interviewing several Perry Central seniors as part of an initiative by our guidance department to give students interview practice.  It was a great experience for me on several levels.  First of all, it was great to get to know these students better.  I loved hearing about their plans for the future, their passions, and their interests.  One student talked about his, “hunger for knowledge,” and the places he dreamed of visiting.  Another talked about her dream to work with special needs students because of the enjoyable cadet teaching experience.

 

I also took the opportunity to ask each student what they liked best about Perry Central and how we could improve.  What almost every one of them talked about was our caring teachers.  They talked about how teachers worked to get to know them as people and that they made sure they learned.  We all know we are here for learning, but as Maxwell’s quote reminds us, without caring, learning is irrelevant.  If I had to pick the single most important element of our school climate it would be to have a caring staff.  These students reiterated for me how fortunate we are at Perry Central to have caring teachers and staff members.  I think these students also helped support the notion that it really does matter.  Taking the time to say a kind word or to get to know a student makes a difference!  Our students really do appreciate the caring environment at Perry Central.  I do too!  Thank you for caring!

 

                                                                        Have a great week!

                                                                                                Mary

12-4-2014

Mary’s Minute

 

“I am told to just be myself, but as much as I have practiced the impression, I am still no good at it.”                   

                                                                                         ~Robert Brault

 

“Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life.”            
                                                                                         ~Steve Jobs

 

The Brault quote is humorous, but sometimes it can hit pretty close to home.  It is easy to say, “Be yourself,” but sometimes it is harder to know just what that means.  As the Steve Jobs’ quote reminds us, it is certainly valuable to be ourselves rather than wasting precious time trying to be someone that society or someone else wants us to be.  A true way to be happy and fulfilled in life is to be comfortable in our own skin.  This is not always easy in today’s world where we are surrounded by external pressures to change physically or emotionally to fit cultural expectations.  We also have to balance the need for continual growth.  We need to be confident and comfortable with who we are, but at the same time we need to constantly be striving to be better.  Comfort comes through self-study and reflection.  Ultimately, there is a need to accept that we are who we are with the fortunate ability to learn and grow to make ourselves better every single day.  The beauty (no pun intended) in being comfortable in our own skin is finding the perfect balance between accepting who we are and pushing ourselves to achieve positive life changes.  The good news is that to achieve this balance is to live a joyful life.               

                                                                                    Have a great week!

                                                                                                Mary

11-21-2014

Mary’s Minute

“I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought; and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder.”

                                                                                    ~G.K. Chesterton

 

With Thanksgiving less than a week away, I want to reflect on thankfulness.  One of the things for which I am most grateful is my ability to be grateful.  I am thankful for the big things in life, like being part of this great PC team, my family, friends, a job I love, a wonderful community, but I also am thankful for the little things.  Something that I have started consciously doing is silently expressing my gratitude when little things go right.  For example, I am a huge klutz.  I often drop dishes, stumble, etc., and on the occasions when I don’t break something or I don’t fall, I am truly thankful.  I figure that if the outcome would have gone the other way, I might silently (or maybe not so quietly) express a, “Darn!”  In the same spirit of gratitude I try to express, even if it is just to myself, gratitude for the little things:  hearing my children laugh, watching a beautiful sunset, or even negative experiences that teach a valuable lesson.  It is great to express gratitude out loud, and I hope I express to people my thankfulness.  For me it is also about an attitude that keeps me grounded in positive energy.  Being grateful helps me stay happy and to love life.  Thanksgiving is a beautiful time to reflect on all the things for which we are thankful and also a time to recognize the gift of not only expressing our thankfulness, but living a life filled with gratitude in our hearts.

 

Happy Thanksgiving!

                                                                                         Mary

11-14-2014

Mary’s Minute

“Accept responsibility for your life. Know that it is you who will get you where you want to go, no one else.”                                                                                              ~ Les Brown 

 

We all depend on other people.  We also feel obligations to help others.  Sometimes our obligations are altruistic, in that we feel that we have a responsibility to help others as part of our quest to make the world a better place.  We also have obligations that are more intense, like our desire to care for members of our family.  Despite our dependence on others and our obligations to others, we also have to understand that the most important responsibility we have is to take responsibility for our own lives. 

I believe in being grateful for all the good in our lives, but never placing blame for things that don’t go our way.  Gordon Taylor used to always tell me that no matter how bad things were for him, he knew there were people who had it so much worse.  Taking responsibility for ourselves is about being grateful, but it is mainly about personal accountability.  I give credit and gratitude for all the good in my life, and for all the missteps, I take full responsibility.  For me that is the only way to live a happy and humble life. 

Have a great week!

Mary

10-31-2014

Mary’s Minute

 

“Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, or worn. It is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace & gratitude.”                                    

- Denis Waitley

“Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.”

- Mohandas Gandhi

 

We all know that happiness is more of a state of mind than anything tied to material things or events.  We often say that being happy is a choice, but we also know that it is not always that simple.  I really like these two quotes about happiness because they give us a bit of a road map to choosing happiness.  Waitley explains that happiness is about living life with “love, grace, and gratitude,” while Gandhi takes it even further by saying being happy is thinking, saying, and acting in unison.  Following Gandhi’s advice, we may need to work on changing one or more of these elements in our lives to achieve true happiness.  We may need to think differently in order to match what we say and do; speak differently to match our thoughts and actions; or act differently to connect with our thoughts and words I am a big fan of Gandhi quotes, and this is the first time I have stumbled across this one.  I like the advice, and it is something that I am going to consciously try to use in my life as I constantly strive to choose happiness!

Have a great week and be happy!

                                                                                                Mary

10-17-2014

Mary’s Minute

"The pessimist complains about the wind.  The optimist expects it to change.  The leader adjusts the sail."                                                                                           - John Maxwell

 

There are so many things in life that are out of our control.  This quote is offered as a metaphor, but it also provides an example of something that is out of our control - the wind/weather.  We can complain, we can expect, or we can try to use each situation to our advantage.  When something negative happens to us, complaining is an option, but one that will not change the situation or make us better.  We can accept or expect as an optimist would do, or we can be the courageous leader who sees every experience as an opportunity to move us forward.  Being an optimist makes life more enjoyable for us and the people around us, but this quote takes it a step further.  It isn’t always enough to see the best, but we also need to act in a positive way.  Even a negative experience can be positive if we use it as an opportunity for growth.  Life is full of challenges that cannot be avoided.  We are not given the choice of what will be tossed in our path.  We are, fortunately, equipped with the ability to choose how we react.  We can be pessimists, optimists, or leaders.  We can complain, accept, or adjust the sails in order to make the most of every situation.  We are Commodores, so I think we know how to adjust the sails!  Sail on!

                                                                                           Have a great week!

                                                                                                       Mary

10-10-2014

Mary’s Minute

“Often people ask how I manage to be happy despite having no arms and no legs. The quick answer is that I have a choice. I can be angry about not having limbs, or I can be thankful that I have a purpose. I chose gratitude.”

~ Nick Vujicic

I believe that the ability to be grateful is a wonderful gift.  It helps us see the world in a positive way and spread that optimism to the rest of the world.  Vujicic’s ability to feel grateful takes the principle to a new level, and one that I think requires a greater sense of inner peace to achieve.  Gratitude must be something that we feel internally based purely on what we have.  Gratitude cannot be a competition.  We cannot feel grateful for what we have so long as we have more than others.  The joy we feel in life needs to be genuine and cannot be susceptible to jealously when others have more or achieve higher, even if in our minds we were more deserving.  Nick Vujicic certainly must look around and realize that other people do have arms and legs, but he is not angry or bitter because he was given less; he is grateful.  This isn’t always easy, and sometimes it is a reminder to not look too closely at others, but to focus on ourselves.  Gratitude cannot be conditional.  Gratitude is a gift that comes from within and is not linked to the condition of others.  When we reach this level of gratitude, we truly have taken the gift to a new level.

                                                                                                                Have a great week!

                                                                                                                Mary

10-03-2014

Mary’s Minute

 Growing up my dad often told my siblings and me, “Remember what Jesus said, ‘Love one another.”   Quoting Jesus and using the word, “love” may evoke romantic or religious sentiment, but that is not at all what my intent is here.  For me what my dad meant and what matters to me most with my family and in all I do, is treating people with kindness.  What is life really about?  Whether it is the way we want our own children to interact or the way we want our school climate to feel - it all boils down to how we treat people.  Thinking of love as a sense of genuine caring, what we all really want in the world is love.  Taking it even farther, we have to wonder what our nation and world would be like if people practiced the simple act of love or kindness more.  Kindness matters.  Treating people with respect is important.  Perry Central is a special place because people care about each other, and they understand that treating people with kindness and respect is the basis for learning and being.  I feel fortunate that I learned from my parents early to, “Love one another.”

Have a great week!

Mary

9-26-2014

Mary’s Minute

“There are no mistakes, no coincidences, all events are blessings given to us to learn from.”                                                                                         ~ Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

“Life is too short to wake up in the morning with regrets. So love the people who treat you right, forget about the ones who don't and believe that everything happens for a reason. If you get a chance, take it. If it changes your life, let it. Nobody said that it'd be easy, they just promised it would be worth it.”                                             ~ Unknown

Whether we see it in a spiritual or scientific way, most of us see some validity to the notion that things happen for a reason.  Even chaos theory, points to the science and organization within apparent anarchy.  The older I get the more inclined I am to believe that things/people/opportunities come in and out of our lives for a reason.  Maybe this is just my way to dismiss the intricacy of life or to simplify decision making.  I am not afraid to make decisions, but I also am more inclined to embrace what comes before me when I see it coming to me not just as a chance meeting, but as a “blessing.”  By seeing the world as opportunity and not chance, I think it is easier to appreciate moments, and to embrace change.  I do not believe in regrets.  If we make mistakes we can never know if they were really missteps or just steps to lead us down another path.  We are who we are because of our collective experiences.  It is hard to know how those experiences are determined, but our task is to believe that they come to us for a reason.  The reasons may vary from helping us learn and grow, sending us down a new path in life, or maybe as simply as helping us see life from a new perspective.
                                                                        Have a great week!
                                                                        Mary

                                   

9-19-2014

Mary’s Minute

“Look at a day when you are supremely satisfied at the end. It's not a day when you lounge around doing nothing; it's a day you've had everything to do and you've done it.”

― Margaret Thatcher

Perry Central students and staff can look back on the past year the way Maggie Thatcher looks at a successful day.  They have certainly worked hard, and it is good to know that their hard work has paid off with recognition by the Indiana Department of Education.  Although the results are still embargoed so they are not “official”, we received our preliminary school letter grade designations last week from the Indiana Department of Education.  Letter grades are based on student test scores and student achievement growth, as well as graduation rate and college credits obtained at the high school level.  We are proud that Perry Central Elementary received an A.  The corporation grade was also an A.  Perry Central Junior-Senior High School received the designation of B (just .01 off from an A).  We want our students and teachers to be proud of this accomplishment and the hard work it took to obtain it.  At the same time, we stay steadfast in our belief that although we are judged by test scores and test scores provide important data to support student learning, our students are so much more than a test score.  We want to use data as a tool to keep getting better in order to help each student reach his/her highest potential.  Most importantly, we want to continue to support students as individuals with unique needs.  We will continue to put a philosophy of caring as our number one goal, while also continuing to support student learning.  For today, the Perry Central family (students, teachers, staff, parents, and community) should celebrate this recognition by the Indiana Department of Education.  I am proud to be part of this great team!

                                                                                                Have a great week!

                                                                                                                Mary  

9-12-2014

Mary's Minute

 

"Despite everything, I believe that people are really good at heart."

      - Anne Frank

 

This week as we reflect on the events that now have become known simply as “911,” we are filled with many thoughts and emotions.  It certainly evokes strong patriotism, which is positive.  It also causes reflection about good versus evil in our world.  We can’t help but feel a bit discouraged wondering how evil like this can exist.  Fortunately, along with the terror that swept our country thirteen years ago, we also witnessed an outpouring of good.  We watched firefighters sacrifice their own lives for the good of others. We saw a nation come together with a positive spirit. We looked into the eyes of all that is good with the human spirit!

 

The message to me through the perceived madness is that there is so much more good in the world than bad.  This is what I want to carry with me in all I do. We hear on the news about acts of crime and hate, but we must remember there are so many more people who care and who do good works.  As educators we may get discouraged at times, but when we see all the good in our students we should feel exhilarated.  Our school and our world are filled with good, caring people! 

 

We cannot let the anomalies of bad let us lose heart. See the good!  Believe in the good!  Anne Frank is a shining example:  a young girl forced to confront directly extreme evil, yet she still believed. Whether it is on our daily lives or our larger outlook on life, we need to focus on the positive by seeing all the good in others. We never want to let the pockets of negative to let us lose sight of the core good!

                                                                                       Have a great week!

                                                                                       Mary

 

9-5-2014

Mary's Minute

"You are the sum total of everything you've ever seen, heard, eaten, smelled, been told, forgot - it's all there. Everything influences each of us, and because of that I try to make sure that my experiences are positive."

- Maya Angelou

We are the sum of all our experiences - good and bad, conscious or subconscious.  It is good for all of us to consciously think about what makes us who we are.  We are a reflection of our daily interactions, heritage, religion, family experiences, and so much more.  Sometimes we think of it in terms of the little sayings we have in the back of our heads. I think of my mom constantly saying, "Life is good," and my dad saying, "Treat the people you love the most the best."  I also know I am influenced by each interaction I have had in my life.  When we don't stop and reflect we may fail to interpret and recognize the influences.  When we think about the influence we can better control the effect they have on our lives.

The other reason this is an important concept is that in addition to being influenced by others and our experiences, we are also influencers.  What messages and experiences are we providing to our students or our own children?  As Maya Angelou points out, it is important that we surround ourselves with positive experiences and even more important that we surround our students and our own children with positive experiences. 

We are indeed the beautiful sum of our rich experiences!

Have a great week.
Mary 

8-29-2014

Mary’s Minute

“Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy.”                                                                                                                            ~ Thich Nhat Hanh

 

“Smile, it's free therapy.”                                                                                       ~Douglas Horton

 

“A smile is the light in your window that tells others that there is a caring, sharing person inside.”

                            ~Denis Waitley

What came first the chicken or the egg?  This quandary like relationship can also be said about a smile and joy as Hanh suggests.  We typically think of the fact that we smile because we are happy, rather than smiling to become happy, but it is a strategy we might consider.  It is a simple, no-cost way to lift our own spirits.  Try it and see if you can feel warmth and satisfaction flow through your body.  The added benefit of smiling is the powerful message that it sends to others.  I am a firm believer in the power of a smile to brighten others’ days.  As Denis Waitley points out, it is our way to let the world know we care.  It is pretty neat to think that we have the capacity to brighten our own life, while at the same time helping others – all with a simple facial expression.  Smile for yourself; smile for others.   Smile because you are happy; smile because you want to get happy.   The important thing is that you smile!  

                                                                                                                Have a great week!

                                                                                                                                Mary

8-25-2014

Mary’s Minute

“Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.”                            ~Confucius

“Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.”

~ Thomas A. Edison

People who know me have often heard me repeat Confucius’ advice.  I have long stressed to my own children the value of finding work that you enjoy and that will make a difference in the world.  I am sad for people who see work as drudgery and/or something separate from their zest for life.  Putting it simply, life is too short to spend the majority of our waking hours doing something that does not bring us satisfaction.  I have always felt lucky to work in education because it is a natural avenue for work that brings fulfillment.  Our goal is to help our students see that the best life work is work that grows from personal passion.

The Thomas Edison quote may seem to contrast the happy-go-lucky ideal of Confucius, but for me they go hand in hand.  Hard work is a good thing.  Maybe it is my German-Polish heritage that helps me see the natural value of hard work.  It certainly was nurtured by my parents who taught me through example that hard work was necessary for life, but also fun.  I remember pulling weeds as a family in a soybean field when my dad was a part-time farmer, in addition to his job as an elementary principal.  I still remember laughing together as sweat rolled off our faces on that hot July day some forty years ago.  When I reflect of my own career, I can say that I never set out to be a superintendent.  I just always worked hard at what was in front of me and enjoyed every job that I was ever fortunate enough to hold.  Work – the art of accomplishing tasks – is a great gift.  I want to do all we can to help instill in our students the joy of finding work that helps them follow their passions as they contribute to society. 

                                                                                Have a great week!

                                                                                Mary

8-14-2014

Mary’s Minute

 

People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered.  Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives.  Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies.  Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you.  Be honest and sincere anyway.

What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight.  Create anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous.  Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, will often be forgotten.  Do good anyway.

Give the best you have, and it will never be enough.  Give your best anyway.

~Mother Teresa

We all have moments in our lives when we want to throw up our hands and give up.  I love this advice from Mother Teresa reminding us to, “Do it anyway.”  As educators we do what we do because we know we are doing the right things, even when we have moments when we feel ignored, defeated, humiliated, or unappreciated.  Fortunately, most of the time we get positive affirmation for the work we do, but when we don’t we need to remember, “Do it anyway.”  We know there is so much more good in the world than bad.  There are so many more people who are grateful than those who feel entitled.  When you feel discouraged, “Do it anyway,” remembering that what you do is bigger than the moment.  The good that you do reflects who you are and what you believe about people and life.  What you do makes the world a better place in a way that may not be quantifiable immediately.  What you do makes you a better person in a way that goes beyond a snapshot in time.  Thank you for making a difference by, “Doing it anyway.”

                                                                                                Have a great week!

                                                                                                                Mary

08-08-2014

Mary’s Minute

“Let us be bold.  Let us be brave.  Let us be together.”

~ Brad Henry

Each year we choose a theme for the school year, and this year it is, “Be brave.”  We want to create a school culture where students and teachers see the joy in learning and follow their passions.  An important part of the learning process is taking risks and knowing it is okay to make mistakes.  Making mistakes is not bad, but an important step in learning and growing.  Making mistakes means being brave, and being brave begins by being in a culture where we feel supported.

Today as I walked the halls, greeting students and helping them open lockers or find classrooms, I had a slightly different thought of what our theme means.  Firsts can be scary.  It takes bravery to walk into school on the first day, especially for students who are new to Perry Central.  Our goal is to create a nurturing atmosphere where students feel safe and willing to take risks in order to learn.  We are all about student learning, but what matters to us are people.  Our students need to know that we care about them before they can learn. 

It is an exciting day at Perry Central - the first day of what will be a great school year.  Together we can be brave and create an even environment where are students and staff can thrive.

                                                                           Have a great year!

                                                                           Mary

5-23-2014

 

Mary’s Minute

“Never say goodbye because goodbye means going away and going away means forgetting.”
― J.M. Barrie, Peter Pan

 

This is the time of year of great change.  Seniors graduate and move on with their lives, and staff members retire to enjoy the next phase of their lives.  Goodbyes are not easy, and Peter Pan makes me understand why.  We are happy for people to move forward with their lives, but we never want to forget them or the impact they have made on our lives and on Perry Central.  I personally cry very easily so goodbyes are not easy on me.  I don’t want to say goodbye to Bill Dickerson, Paul Hagman, Becky Hubert, Diana Jones, and Barb Spear.  They have made a difference in my life, and they have left a positive mark on Perry Central.  We will simply say, so long for now, and we will never forget!  

                                            Have a great summer and thanks for all you do!

                                                                                    Mary

5-16-2014

Mary’s Minute

“Sometimes crying or laughing are the only options left, and laughing feels better right now.”  

                                                                 ~ Veronica Roth

“I love people who make me laugh. I honestly think it's the thing I like most, to laugh. It cures a multitude of ills. It's probably the most important thing in a person.”   

                                                           ~ Audrey Hepburn

When I think of life’s gifts one of the greatest may be the ability to laugh.  I love the Veronica Roth quote because we all have had times in our life that we don’t know whether to laugh or cry.  Sometimes our brains do not give us the chance to choose, and tears just start flowing.  Given the choice, laughter is certainly a better option.   There is evidence that supports the notion that laughter truly does help cure ills.  Laughing really can make us physically feel better!   As we go about our daily lives, it is great if we can find humor in life, we will be healthier and happier.  If we can laugh at ourselves we are even better off.  I am happy to make people laugh – it is best if they can laugh with me, but I will settle for people laughing at me.  The important thing is that we laugh.  Diana Jones is a beautiful example of someone who loves laughter.  With Diana’s retirement, we will miss the sound of her contagious laughter in the first grade hallway.  Laughing does not mean that we do not take life seriously.  It just means that we choose to be happy and spread happiness. 

Have a great week!

Mary

5-9-2014

Mary’s Minute

“The will to win, the desire to succeed, the urge to reach your full potential... these are the keys that will unlock the door to personal excellence.”  ~ Confucius

This time of year we spend extra time honoring excellence.  Last night Perry Central hosted Academic Honors Night, and today the Commodore Pride celebration will be held.  In addition, this week we celebrate “Appreciation” Week at PC.  These opportunities allow us to reflect on motivation, considering how we can best challenge our students and ourselves to work to our fullest potential.  Confucius points out that one key to motivation is an internal desire to win, but we also must consider ways that external forces can contribute to motivation.  What motivates our students to excel?  What makes Perry Central staff members go the extra mile to make a difference for our school community?  We believe that positive reinforcement is a factor that motivates, which is why we recognize excellence in students in many ways, such as posting their pictures on our website, by handing out medals on Honors Night, and by celebrating accomplishments at the Commodore Pride celebration.  We want our students to know that we recognize and support their accomplishments, so that they will be motivated to continue down the same path.  The same principles are true for adults.  What makes Perry Central great – what makes it a caring place, is quite simply our people.  People make a difference.  Our goal is to continually provide positive reinforcement for all the good that goes on at Perry Central.  During Appreciation Week, and always, please know that what you do is valued.  What you do makes a difference! 

                        Have a great week!

                                           Mary