“Carry
out a random act of kindness, with no expectation of reward, safe in the
knowledge that one day someone might do the same for you.”
--
Princess Diana
By
Tommie Saylor
Kennedy
High School Principal
The
power of kindness can go a long way.
Last
week, the first week of school, was very hectic. It seemed as if I was going in
a hundred directions at the same time. People constantly filling my office
needing this, wanting that and asking questions. The district needed
information, reports that must be completed. Then there were technology issues,
repairs that must be expedited and a press box that was vandalized. One could
only imagine how my mind was working overtime trying to find solutions to every
concern, consumed with getting this year off to a good start.
Through
all of this, I decided to do something that I rarely get to do. I decided to go
and get something for lunch. I needed a few minutes, a break from all the
worry, the opportunity to go pick something up and then get back into the game.
On
my way out of the building, I saw a young man and what appeared to be his
father. In the young man’s hand was a folder that we all can easily recognize
as the district folder given to new enrollees at Pupil Accounting.
It
was not hard to draw the conclusion that this was a new student and his parent
coming to the building on their last leg of a journey to get the student enrolled
at Kennedy High School.
I
could have just walked by. They did not know me. I was after all taking a small
mental break. But for some reason, I just could not pass by these two
individuals without a greeting.
So
I stopped, introduced myself, shook the father’s and new student’s hand,
welcomed them to Kennedy High School, explained to them that all they had to do
was push the door buzzer and say that they were here to enroll a new student
and needed to go to counseling. I assured them that they would be well looked
after. Following an additional round of handshakes, I departed, off to find my
lunch.
Later
that same day, following an afternoon of organized chaos, one of our counselors
entered my office and told me that the new student and his father that I
greeted earlier were an out-of-district school of choice family. She went on to
say, that following their meeting where the student was assigned classes and
granted a locker, the new student’s father offered some rather encouraging
words.
He
stated that he was so very glad for making the choice to bring his student to
Kennedy, that everyone was so kind, helpful and polite.
According
to this counselor, the father stated that he has never experienced such
kindness nor has he ever felt so welcomed by a school. He was pleased to have
made Kennedy High School his school of choice.
All
this took was a few seconds of our time. A few seconds of greeting on my part,
a kind word by the counseling secretary and a smile with helpful efforts on the
part of the counselor.
That
extra step, that extra effort makes a different. Simply, kindness counts.
How
and where will you lead them. Making Kennedy the school of choice. Excellence
by design.
