School Board

After much prayer and deliberation, I have decided not to run for school board.  Although I am very passionate about our school system and feel strongly that we need more integrity, transparency, communication and common sense on our school board, I do not think I can be as informed and effective as I need to be and still meet the needs of my family and my professional commitments. This was a very difficult choice for me to make and I hope that you will respect the fact that I had to make the choice that is right for myself and my family. I work all day at the center and I am often up past 12 or 1 in the morning trying to catch up on the work I can’t get done at the center. I am also trying to build my Thirty-One business and I am very close to being promoted – but I can’t accomplish that goal without dedicating more time and effort to the business. Add to that the fact that I already don’t feel like I spend enough time with my two little girls, and I just had to accept that this is not the right time for me to take on something as large as a campaign and possible seat on the school board. When I stepped down from my leadership role at my church, I did so because of the time commitment and the toll trying to “do it all” was taking on me physically. My immediate reaction to running for school board was “no” but the enthusiasm and support from those around me made me pause and reconsider over and over if it was something that I could manage to do. I would love to run for school board. I would love to be a part of much needed change. I would love to be a voice for parents and teachers. But, ultimately, interest and passion is not enough.

To all of you who listened to me, debated with me, encouraged me, and offered your support – THANK YOU!   A part of me feels like I am letting you down and for that, I am sorry.  However, we have to all have hope and optimism that others will be able to do what I cannot and make a commitment to making a difference and making change.

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Contemplating…

A few weeks ago I was very upset with a school board decision and voiced my concerns via Facebook.  Since then, several people have talked to me about running for school board.   My feelings about this have been all over the map.  I want to share some of my thoughts with you and get your feedback.  This is a huge decision that will not only impact my life, but the lives of my family as well.  Some thoughts:

• I am very concerned and unhappy with the direction in which the current school board and the superintendent are leading our schools.  I know many people who have moved out of the county to have access to better schools, who have pulled their kids out to home school them, or who have considered one of these options.   These are not acceptable options to me.  I love this community.  I have served on multiple boards and committees.  My husband has opened a business here.  We have invested time and money in Lee County and I don’t plan on moving.  Homeschooling is not for me.  I would never completely rule out private school, but I would prefer for my children to be in public school.  So, that leaves me back where I started…unhappy.  I have two options.  I can complain about what is going on or I can run for school board and hope to have the opportunity to make a difference and create positive and responsible changes in our school system.
• I hate, hate, hate politics.  I hate when people get what they want because of dirty politics and who they know.  It should be about the issues and about principles. What is so hard about that? We have had several people in NC recently get indicted on corruption related charges.  Hopefully this will send a message to others.  I doubt it, but one can hope.
• If I did win a seat on the school board, I can assure you that I would vote my conscience.  I know that this means that I will make decisions at times that will upset some of those that have supported me, and that’s hard.  I know I can’t please all of the people all of the time, but I’ll want to.  I can only promise that I will be well-informed, open-minded and fair.
• One of my biggest concerns about running is the amount of time involved.  If I do something, I want to do it 100%.  I would want to visit all the schools to see their needs first hand.  I would want to spend time listening to parents, teachers, and students. I would want to research what has worked (and not worked) in other school systems.  I would not want to be someone who literally shows up and “sits” at board meetings.  I’ve always found it funny that positions on the school board, city council, etc. are referred to as “seats”.  I have a full time job and two small kids.  It is a catch 22 — I want to be with them as much as possible, but if I wait to do this until they are older, it will be too late.  We need parents of young children on the school board.   We need people who understand and “live” with the school system every day.
• I recently stepped down from a leadership position in my church.  I was bothered by “what people would think” if several months after I stepped down from that position, I turned around and ran for school board.  But, I believe in God’s plan.  His fingerprints have been all over my life so far. There have been times when the light had to come into my life in order for me to see the fingerprints and understand why they were there, but they’ve always been there.  I know that if this is something I feel called to do, I will have the support of my church family.
• Transparency and communication are leadership skills that are valued where I work.  These are HUGE deficits with our current school board.  If you are making huge decisions without transparency and communication, you probably know you are not making the right decision for your community.  If your decision is right, you should expose it to scrutiny and articulate a strong basis to support it.

So, my dear friends and family, what are your thoughts on this?  Pros/Cons? What do you think the main issues facing the Lee County School Board are?

Haileyisms

If you are fortunate enough to know Hailey, you know that she is a very bright and vibrant child.  She has a huge heart and is always thinking of others.  She absorbs information about people she meets and remembers the smallest details.  Hailey has struggled with impulse control and with her need to talk ALL the time.  We finally broke down and made an appointment with her doctor to discuss ADD.  There are a lot of reasons why we struggled with that decision but the determining factor for me was that her self-esteem was suffering.  She called herself a “bad” child and that was not something I could handle.  We wanted to help her learn better strategies to make it through her school day without having to be constantly redirected by her teacher.

Ironically, just about the time we would have submitted the completed forms to the doctor, Hailey started doing better in school and out.  We always told her that we kept on her about her behavior because we knew what she was capable of and we wanted her to grow up to be the best person possible. 

Here are a few glimpses of our sweet Hailey over the past few weeks:

• Hailey went to her first ever sleep over at her BFFs house.  We were very anxious about how she would do.  We knew she would have fun and not miss us a  bit, but would she remember her manners?  Would she be demanding or whiny? Her friend’s mom told Ed that Hailey was very funny and had the best manners.  Awesome.  VERY happy parents.
• Hailey told me that her teacher and her husband were out because they have the swine flu.  She said that she did not know that this morning, she just thought that Thomas (their baby) was sick.  She said she prayed this morning that Thomas would feel better and that she would also feel better (her stomach has been hurting).  When she found out who was really sick, she said she stopped what she was doing to pray for them.
• Hailey is the “Terrific Kid” this week and gets to choose 3 classmates to sit in a booth with her during lunch.  She said that she has been choosing one person that is a friend that she knows well and two people who she does not know well so that she can get to know them.  She has been asking all 3 “getting to know you” type questions during lunch.
• She told me yesterday that
• Hailey got the “faith in God” award at the Y today for putting others before herself and helping out without being asked.  She received the homework award last week because she did her homework without talking.  That NEVER used to happen!
• I gave Hailey 2 cookies, one for her and one for her to give to Leah.  She showed them both to Leah and told her she could pick first.  When we got home today, she asked Leah if she wanted to play the Wii first (even though Leah played first yesterday).  These may not seem like a big deal to you, but in the past, Hailey would want to see which one was bigger/better and get to choose what she wanted before Leah could.  She also would whine and give us a “you love Leah better” guilt trip if she perceived that Leah received more love or attention from us.
• Until very recently, when Hailey asked for something or asked to do something and was told no, she would pitch an absolute fit.  Now she just says “ok”.  She also is great about “yes ma’am/sir” and “No ma’am/sir”. 
• She is reading about Daniel Boone and is so excited about it and keeps telling me that I should read it because she thinks it is really interesting…ummmm…I’m glad she finds it interesting but I think I’ll pass!
• She accused her daddy of stealing her tooth fairy money because she only got a $1 coin this last time instead of the $2 bills she has been getting…and she felt her dad’s hand under her pillow.

I’m not sure what prompted these changes , but I am sure it is a combination of prayer and consistency.  I love her with all of my heart and am so proud of the person she is growing up to be!

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Active Imagination

Very early this morning, Lindsay calls in to my office from one of the classrooms and tells me that we are going ot have to call DSS.  I know Lindsay well enough to have known that she was not serious but I also knew a good story was coming…I couldn’t have come close to predicting what she was about to tell me.  Leah apparently told her tha she had to sleep outside last night where “all the poop” is (we have 2 dogs and a fenced in backyard…you do the math).  She said that most of the poop was on the bottom step so she slept on the top step.  She said she kept trying to get in the door but her daddy had locked it and wouldn’t let her in.

WHA?!!!?!  How do you even respond to that?  I asked her later why she told Lindsay that and she just laughed.  Copper accidentally got shut in her room last night so he slept in her bed with her so the only thing we can think of is that caused her to have strange dreams.

This is why we like to tell parents, “We won’t belive everything they say about you and you shouldn’t believe everything they say about us!”

Twenty Questions

Mine and Leah’s conversation in the car today: (background – at least 6 months ago I bought a booster seat for Leah at Wal-Mart.  Lindsay helped me put it together and was with Leah and I when Leah saw the new seat for the first time.)

Mommy, why did you and Lindsay buy me this new carseat?

Because you got too big for your other seat.

But why did I get too big?

Because you get bigger when you get older.

Where did you buy it?

Wal-Mart

Who drove to Wal-Mart, you or Lindsay?

I drove.

Did you take your car or Lindsay’s car?

My car.

Where did Lindsay sit – in my seat or Hailey’s seat.

Lindsay sat up front with me.

In the seat that no one is sitting in?

Yes, the seat that had all my bags in it.

What aisle did you get the seat from?

At this point, I burst out laughing and said, “Are you kidding me?”  Seriously, what AISLE?!

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