TOMMIE SAYLOR: Truman's victory is a win for all of us!

“What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals” 

-- Zig Ziglar

By Tommie Saylor

Kennedy High School Principal

When I was a young man serving in the United States Army, I quickly discovered an intense rivalry between those who served in the Army, and those who called themselves Marines. 

Oh we would go back and forth in good healthy competition, pushing each other to reach every higher heights of military readiness.  Though the competition was intense, often arguing and fighting like siblings, we also knew that we had each other’s back.  We would die for each other, for we were brothers in arms.

This same rivalry exists between Harry S Truman High School and John F. Kennedy High School.  We push each other daily in healthy competition, trying to outdo each other, striving for higher and higher educational heights.  Yet at the same time, we have a sound respect for each other. We feel each other’s pain and we celebrate each other’s achievements. When it is all said and done, we are two entities striving for the same goal.

With this in mind, I would like to extend a warm, heartfelt, well done to the teachers, staff and administration of Truman for achieving a remarkable goal.  The district received word this week that Truman has been removed from the SRO (School Reform Office) bottom 5 percent list.

To take a school off this list requires a near superhuman amount of effort on part of all its members.  The pure number of 13- and 14-hour days, seven days a week, along with new initiatives and a complete change in the way one approaches the art of teaching is not just necessary, but the norm for those seeking release from the SRO list. 

You need a commitment to one’s profession, to improving teaching and learning and to the students and the district. It is more than required, it is expected if one wants to exit this list.  The level of professionalism, sense of duty, loyalty to students and feeling of family necessary to accomplish this goal, and clearly expressed by the Truman staff, is nothing short of truly inspiring.

So, for one who has born witness to the years of turmoil, struggles, successes and failures; for one who has seen Truman pick themselves up, dust themselves off and drive on overcoming every obstacle placed in the way; for one who has seen the tears, held some hands and watched an amazing group of people climb from the very depths of despair; I want to extent my most profound congratulations. 

Truman has made me proud, has brought great credit upon itself and upon the district as a whole. Truman stands as a shining example of what can be achieved when we all come together with fidelity and focus.

Helping students to find their greatness. Making Kennedy the school of choice.Excellence by design.

P.S.  I know Ms. Skopczynski, the Truman principal, became a little “choked up” when the news was first delivered. Rightfully so … but she was not alone. The news also pulled at my heart strings and at the heart strings of many of Truman’s “brothers and sisters” at Kennedy.