One-on-One with the #tlapsisters

an Administrator
Andrea’s Story:
of
A Day in the Life
“It is an honor to have the opportunity to interact with others - a privilege.”
I. Am. Blessed. God has placed the most amazing people in my life at the exact moment I needed
them. My intentional “thank you” is showing through my words and actions how much I appreciate
their time, advice, wisdom, helping hands, or listening ears. Since I started my new position in July, I
have been blessed beyond measure.
Blessing #1: My teammate, Karen, welcomes me with a southern drawl each morning and a hug at
the end of almost every day. She is my cheerleader, listening ear, and one of the hardest working
women I have met.
Blessing #2: Mrs. Alicia Ray --- she is awesome sauce with a side of country fried steak. :) Seriously...I
adore her. She has been one of my biggest supporters from the moment we met. Little does she
know, but she came into my life as I was transitioning to a new position. It was a very challenging time
for me. Her positivity and ideas inspired me. She kept my passion alive in a time when I felt trapped in a
box. I have determined that whenever you start a new job your mind starts playing tricks on you. It tells
you, “You cannot do this.” It tells you that you need to place your creative ideas on a shelf and get
down to “business.” Alicia has helped me to silence these negative ideas. She has helped me to stay
passionate, to stay true to my inner creativity and love for all things engagement. Thank you, Alicia, for
believing in me. :)
Blessing #3: My husband has become Mr. Mom since I started a new position. I often find myself at
work until 10pm. I have colleagues that believe I create more work than needed; however, I firmly
believe in Mr. John Wooden’s quote: “If you don’t have time to do it right, when will you have time to do
it over.” Please know I don’t need a pat on the back for working late...all educators do. I just want
educators to know that everyone, in every capacity within a district, works tirelessly to help each other.
We need to realize we are a TEAM. We need to uplift one another. My husband uplifts me by finding
patience in his impatient mind. He supports me and understands the need to do things right. I ask that
you have patience with your new assistant principal, the Curriculum Coordinator you haven’t met, the
custodian, the chatty clerk, the student struggling to attend class or a new administrator who is just
getting started. We are all in this together. We are all here to focus on students. Let’s celebrate each
other.
Principle #6 Celebration
“Life is made up of moments, and moments should be celebrated.” My list of blessings is not even ¼ of
the blessings in my life. They are a glimpse into the daily blessings I receive. I truly believe that
everyone is blessed. There are days when the blessings are easy to see and then there are days when
you have to search for the blessing. It may be buried beneath a negative experience or encounter
provided. Make sure you take time to look. I challenge you to share appreciation with the unsung
heroes, a friend you haven't talked to in a month, or a family member. Find a way to allow their
brilliance to shine and to help them see the beauty they bring to the world.
Talk to Me:
"Alicia, you are truly a ROCKSTAR. I hope you know that.
How will you celebrate Kim Bearden's book? What is your
implementation plan? Talk to me #tlapsister... :)