The Cardinal Way

The short video clip for this week's motivation is a portion of a longer speech from Cara Morey. In watching various parts of the speech, it amazes me how much her message aligns to our work in education. I guess it shouldn't surprise me because coaching is teaching and teaching is coaching, but for some reason it did. Listening to her, I was suddenly thinking of the struggles I've had learning a new role and figuring out how to lead a "small city" called Southport High School. The struggles we have with planning professional development that is personally meaningful to 130 people. The struggles we have with knowing how to motivate and connect with students who are disengaged. The struggles we have with communicating with students who don't speak the language. The struggles we have with knowing how to support students when the stories of their home lives make you want to cry. The struggles we have when (insert here).....

When all of this happens, we want to figure out ways to solve the struggle and make the journey easier. But like the moth, struggle is essential for growth. When we see someone struggling, we coach them and support them through their journey but we do not remove the struggle. It's hard to do as an educator and sometimes even harder as a parent, but if we want to develop grit in ourselves, our students, and our families then we have to see the struggle as an opportunity instead of a threat.

We aren't going to get it "right" every time, but that's our struggle and our opportunity for growth. We keep trying, we keep fighting, and we keep failing forward. Let's spend this week growing together and providing opportunities for our students to grow as well.

Ignite-Connect-Empower

• Ngun Sung for coordinating with School Smiles so our students could have the opportunitiy to have a dentist visit while at school. We had a record turnout and the group is requesting another date at SHS! Thank you for supporting our students.
• Mr. Wright for hosting our first fall orchestra concert this past week. The concert was a great success and our students always have a postive experience with our Performing Arts department.
• All teachers who helped support students through taking the Panorama Survey. The district office of Student Services uses the data to help guide K-12 programming so we appreciate you taking the time to ensure our students are part of the survey results and have their voices heard.

Thank you to all of the staff members who made the visit from the Secretary of State a success. He shared his story of being the first immigrant elected into the office, and he encouraged students to register to vote and to allow their voices to be heard. More importantly, Secretary Morales told our students that they can be whatever they want to be. If someone tells them they can't do something, then they need to prove that person wrong.

Amy M. Boone, Principal

Website: https://www.perryschools.org/sh/
Location: 971 East Banta Road, Indianapolis, IN, USA
Phone: 317-789-4800
Twitter: @SHS_Cardinals