The Weekly Bulldog
September 5, 2019
From Tim: Starting with Why
Each summer, our faculty engages in a wide variety of professional development endeavors, and our summer reading is one experience we share as a full staff. This year, we read Simon Sinek’s book "Start with Why." He’s an organizational management consultant, author and speaker, and his Ted Talk is one of the most viewed ever. Like many thinkers and writers of his kind, he posits a simple, but powerful, idea that has a great deal of significance in the way we think about our lives and our work.
His basic premise is that the most compelling organizations start with a clear understanding of why they exist – what they believe, what they stand for, why they matter. In his book, he uses examples ranging from MLK to Apple to show that the most effective companies, or people, are rooted in a strong sense of why they’re doing what they’re doing.
Martin Luther King, Jr., was passionately able to convey what he believed, and people wanted to follow. Sinek notes that MLK had a “dream,” not a “12-point plan” – big difference. Apple sets out to challenge to status quo – that’s their why – and their products follow from that. In a model he calls the “Golden Circle,” Sinek shows that once the center, the why, is established, the “how” and “what” of the organization can flow outward.
At our retreat in August, we used Sinek’s notion of starting with the why to first think about our own personal “whys,” and then worked in groups to reflect upon Stanley’s why (see the full display in the Hambidge Commons community space). Here’s what we came up with:
Stanley British Primary School exists:
- to create a community that fosters joyful, lifelong learning
- to help children become engaged citizens of the world
- because children educated in a safe, joyful community make a difference in the world
- to make the world a better place for all
Some ambitious whys indeed, yet I know that we’re deeply committed to doing our part to make the world a better place. We’re dedicated to a promising vision of the world to come, and we’re honored to help our students find their place in it.
All the best,
PS read about one of our newest staff member's whys below in this newsletter and in our Learning Report blog.
Top Five Things
1. Stanley Sketches: Meet Koffi
Son of chiefs and kings in his native Togo, Koffi studied accounting at university, worked for his family’s business and was expected to be fêted by dancers and musicians. Happily, he threw off the staid life of numbers for one of ebullience, life, music and dance. Learn more about Koffi Toudji.
2. Calling K-1-2s for a sock hop!
3. Parent resources for the new school year
Looking something you saw in the handbook (you'll get your own copy at back-to-school night)? Need another family's email or phone number? Can't remember an event? Want to peruse the idea bank or one of our blogs? Get all your answers on the stanleybps.org/parents page.
4. Bike parking is open -- bring a lock!
5. First Stanley bike-to-school day September 27
Join a group riding from many neighborhoods surrounding Stanley or plan a route and ride with a friend. Celebrate your arrival with fellow bikers with a light breakfast at the front of the school. Get the details here, or contact Andrew Goodwillie agood@tripsforkidsdenver.org, organizer.
Upcoming Events
September 5
Middle School Back-to-school Night (6pm)
September 6
First-Friday Pop-up Social: Parent Association
September 11
September 12
3-4-5 Back-to-school night (5pm)
K-1-2 Back-to-school night (6pm)
September 16
September 17
3rd-grade parent coffee (8:30am)
Screening of "Wonder" (4:30pm)
September 19
Stanley pick-up basketball Bricks n Brews (8pm)
September 20
Extended day/lunches ordering ends at midnight
Stanley British Primary School
Email: admin@stanleybps.org
Website: www.stanleybps.org
Location: 350 Quebec St., Denver
Phone: (303) 360-0803
Facebook: facebook.com/stanley.british/
Twitter: @stanleybps