SHISD Mid-Week Message
Promoting Great Things in a Great School District
Happy Independence Day!
Panther Family,
July 4th is one of my favorite holidays. I am thankful to celebrate the fact that we live in the greatest country in the world, have many freedoms and luxuries that many other nations do not and we are blessed with endless amounts of opportunities. We should never take these for granted.
Two years ago I had the opportunity to visit China. I had the chance to visit many schools and universities. My biggest takeaway is the fact that every young person I visited with wanted to come to America. Not just to visit, they wanted to become American. They wanted to experience American culture, food, lifestyle, and they wanted the freedom to do whatever they wanted, work where they wanted, and most importantly speak freely without the worry that the government was listening. When they had a chance to speak freely with me they would whisper and constantly look over their shoulder. They would ask questions about America and look at me as if I was describing some fairy-tale land. It was truly amazing.
So while you are out having a great time making memories with family and friends this 4th of July, take some time to reflect and give thanks for what you have and for all the people who have served this country and helped make it the greatest country in the world.
Saying Goodbye
This year SHISD said goodbye to several employees who have moved, retired, or changed careers. Below is a list of some of our family members that said goodbye this summer:
- Andrea Irwin - Counselor Primary. New job in Paris ISD
- Josh Perry - Jr. High Band Director. New job in Red Oak ISD
- Michael Rich - Trainer. Teaching at ETBU
- Judy Schultz - 8th Math. New job in Henderson
- Lynette McCleod - 6th Math. Moving to Pittsburgh, PA
- Dana Gilbert - Int. Sp. Ed - Retired
- Denise Lattier - 4th grade. New job in Longview ISD
- Cory Davis - Maintenance. Relocating with wife to Dallas.
- I just HAVE to brag on our Honors Algebra 1 students!!!! 75% reached Level III Advanced and 55% attained a STAAR Progress Measure of 2! They are a hard-working, high-performing group of outstanding students that will rock the high school! - Anne Herman
- Congratulations to Mrs. Brundrett's Biology students. 100% passing Rate on this years EOC!!
2014-2015 Certified Welders
2014-2015 Certified Welders
New Grandbaby!
Congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. Alford
Congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. Lind
TIPS FOR SUCCESS FROM AN 81-YEAR-OLD
From http://www.thebroadexperience.com/
Here are five career insights from our interview that I believe women - or other humans - can use no matter what their profession.
Do Something Uncomfortable
Or “step out to the edge of the precipice”, as Madeleine put it. Getting away from what I know has always made me squirm, but I have come to realize I need to do this to achieve anything substantial. Madeleine Kunin knew she wanted to be in politics but she was terrified when she landed an early role at the state legislature handling the budget. An old (male) lobbyist stopped her in the hallway and said, ‘We’re going to be watching you.’ The learning curve was tough. But gaining that knowledge of the budget’s inner workings gave her immense confidence to tackle other issues later.
You Don’t Always Need to Have the Answer
If you’re female you know how unnerving it is not to have the right answer to something when you’re on the spot. You feel discombobulated, like you’re not good enough and that others are judging you for not knowing. Men, Madeleine points out, are much more comfortable blustering than women are. Don’t know the answer? They fudge it. Women don’t do this to anything like the same extent. Madeleine said there’s nothing wrong with saying, ‘I’ll get back to you on that.’ One local voter remembered her fondly years later because he’d once asked her a question she couldn’t answer on the spot, but she did her research and responded later.
Don’t Worry Too Much About Your Kids
Madeleine had four children with her first husband, to whom she was married for decades, and like virtually every mother who works outside the home she often felt she should be in one place when she was in another. Here’s what she said about her kids:
“I think they’re generally proud of me. They did not grow up with helicopter parents. They had to learn to be more independent earlier, they learned to cook, and I did have help, not a full-time nanny but somebody always there when came home from school.”
She also pointed out that kids need you just as much when they're teenagers (even if they won’t acknowledge it) as they do when they’re little. I’ve heard this from other working mothers too – that they wanted to be home more when their children were teenagers, because the teenage years are often when emotional problems kick in.
She has a good relationship with all her children. “I’m sure I would have been a worse mother if I’d felt confined and frustrated,” Madeleine said about going into politics. “If you’ve got it in you that you want to make a contribution, you want to be part of a larger circumference than your family or your neighborhood it’s much healthier to express that.”
You Can’t Make Everybody Happy
Especially in politics (and at home), but in other jobs too. Not everyone will like you, “and this is harder for women,” she says. “Maybe it’s our motherly instincts.”
You Have More In You Than You Think
“Try to believe that you can actually make a difference, and that your voice counts. And then test it,” Madeleine said. She was talking about politics, but this goes for any situation that involves putting yourself out there.
Before I started hosting the podcast I told myself I couldn’t do it, I was a reporter, not a host, I didn’t know how, etc. You name it, I could think of a reason why I couldn't pull it off. But once I put my toe in the water I knew I wanted to continue. It just took that first experimental step to sweep my doubts away and instill me with the confidence I needed to keep going.
Spring Hill ISD
Email: superintendent@shisd.net
Website: www.shisd.net
Location: 3101 Spring Hill Road, Longview, TX, United States
Phone: 903-759-4404
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/spring.hillisd?ref=hl
Twitter: @s_snell