This is one of the things that helps me crawl out of bed each morning and drag myself to school. My district is a special place, full of caring adults and kids who feel comfortable being themselves. When was the last time you saw your superintendent having lunch in the middle school cafeteria? And kids racing to be able to sit at the same table? These are regular kids, not the kind who particularly care what an adult thinks of them (ah, middle school!), but they chose to sit with our super.
We’re a small district, and I think it’s this personal touch that makes us different. We don’t have all the latest and greatest gadgets, but we have people who care about the kids. This philosophy flows from the top and encourages all of us to keep going. And this is not limited to the personality of Mr. K. Every person in Administration cares about each of the teachers, and about the kids.
Right now we are in the usual doldrums, fighting the effects of the last full moon, all the sugar that comes with the Halloween candy, and today will be even more fun – last pep rally of the football season. Sigh. But I’ll go to school, I’ll do my best to remember that my kids are only 12 or 13 years old, and I’ll try to keep a smile on my face. It will be easier because I care about my kids and I’m not alone. I will see other teachers dragging in, taking a deep breath and heading into the halls ready to do the same. We’re in it together. We focus on the kids, not on the test, and we keep going. We play “Follow the Leader” with joy in our hearts because we know it matters. What a huge difference it makes to have everyone on the same page!
Who knows? The super just might show up on campus and have lunch with me! 
