By Tommie Saylor
Truman High School Principal
“Sometimes the best thing to do, is nothing.”
(Colleen Newvine,Tactical Patience)
Last week I seriously contemplated writing a grand speech placing an all-new spin on a very old and familiar subject. I was prepared to once again remind everyone that we were embarking on a new trimester, which meant that we were being given a magnificent opportunity to recommit
ourselves to the principles that have contributed to our success.
I was going to organize my thoughts in such a way that when I called for a greater focus on Hall Sweep procedures, Hall Pass Procedures, and ID card checks. I would inspire everyone to extreme levels of fidelity…
But, as I began to “smith” the words, I quickly became weary. I seemed to be saying the same old thing in the same old way; and if I was becoming mind numbed by my own words, I could only imagine how you, my audience, would feel reading the same old thing for the nth time….
So, last week I did not offer a Principal’s Friday Update, deciding to just sit back and observe, to see what happens (the old science teacher in me coming out)….
What did I observe? I walked the halls several times this week looking for students out and about between classes, and for the most part, found none. One day I made a point of counting students in the halls and as I approached the first student I spotted I was able to observe an ID cardproperly displayed and a red bathroom pass in the student’s hand.
I passed by the student saying nothing because all was as it should be, and looked for my next “victim." It did not take me long to find another student also wearing their ID card and holding a designated hall pass,I believe one for the Wellness Center.
At this point I was determined to find someone, anyone out of compliance, passing another student, then another, then another all with ID cards and passes. Giving up, I returned to the office with a smile on my face. Policies were being followed. Not totally convinced, I checked the Hall Sweep listand discovered that an all-time low number of students being swept into ISS between classes and/or sent to ISS for no ID cards.
I made several trips to the cafeterias during lunch only to find the lunch ladies and paraprofessionals checking for ID cards, students seated with no more than eight students per table, students entering from one direction and no one being allowed to leave without a pass or prearrangements.
Simply, all was well.
Thinking, “no, this can’t be," I visited several classrooms actively looking for infractions, students not wearing IDcards, teachers allowing students to leave without giving them the proper pass, dress code violations, and I found nothing. With the exception of a few more students than I would like in the halls just after the first period tardy bells rings (not really our fault, some students just simply come to school late), the halls were clear, students were wearing their ID cards, students had their hall passes when found in the halls, the dress code was followed, and the new lunch procedures were implemented.
I can not begin to express the pride I feel in the Truman staff.Without a word from me, you took it upon yourself to attack our newly founded ideals and enforced them with vigor! It makes my heart warm to know that I do not have to worry about the Truman staff, you will “take care of business” even with my absence. I declare that you are indeed the best, most positive, team oriented staff in the district.
But what makes me flush with emotion, is knowing that no matter what, you “have each other’s back”, that you “have my back."
This level of commitment to each other, this level of reverence, this level of trust binds us together in a single minded dedication to our students. United we can overcome any obstacle, traverse through any adversity and deliver to our students the best educational experience possible.
Remember, their future is in our hands. Improving one week at a time.
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