1-8-2016

Mary’s Minute

“There are two kinds of pride, both good and bad.  ’Good pride' represents our dignity and self-respect. 'Bad pride' is the deadly sin of superiority that reeks of conceit and arrogance.”

                                                                                                ~ John C. Maxwell

I have to admit that I am so proud of Perry Central and the good things that our staff and students are doing, but I often worry about being too proud.  This Maxwell quote helps me understand this feeling.  We just need to be careful that the pride we feel at Perry Central is rooted in dignity and self-respect.  We are proud of the good work of our students, but we never can let that reek of conceit and arrogance.  There must be a careful balance in celebrating success and making sure our students, parents, and staff feel good about their accomplishments without crossing the line into “bad pride.”  I think part of what makes Perry Central special is our sense of humility and “good pride.”  As the state publishes test scores and letter grades we are proud of the work of our students and staff, but we are also humble knowing that another year could create other results, and that our only competition is ourselves as we strive each day to outdo the prior.  I am very proud of our students, staff, and community (read “good pride”!)

                                                            Have a great week!

                                                            Mary