And Hey, Let's Be Careful Out There!

Hill Street Blues has frequently been called the greatest television show ever created. For those you too young to remember, it was on TV from 1981 to 1987 and featured a large ensemble cast, many of whom went on to major careers in television and movies. So, why the burst of nostalgia about an old TV show?

It’s pretty simple really. Sgt. Phil Esterhaus always concluded his morning roll call meeting with a simple reminder which has stuck with me over the years. After telling his very diverse group of police officers where the areas of focus were for their day, the Sergeant would always conclude with the same great words of wisdom. “And hey, let’s be careful out there!”

As we are in the opening phases of the 2020-2021 school year, no words could better apply to the job of administrators during the era of Covid 19. Colleges like Ball State went from live classes to entirely online in what seemed to be almost overnight. The necessity of closing elementary and secondary schools seemed to happen nearly overnight as we as a nation went into the shutdown of nearly all public activities. But since we are schools, we never really stop teaching! In my opinion, it was much tougher for those of you in the K-12 realm.

Those eLearning days that had not long ago been rare, almost always due to dangerous weather conditions, became the way of life for teachers, support staff, and principals. Administration is a tough enough job on its own standing, but learning to negotiate the supervision of teachers, teacher evaluations, and oversight of students with special needs through an online environment, became an instant way of life. To quote another ancient TV show, The Six Million Dollar Man, “we have the technology, we can rebuild him!” And so you did. Taking technology that was never intended to replace daily interaction with faculty and staff, you helped to support and create a brand-new learning environment overnight.

But here’s the place it became dicey for many administrators and teachers. Creating and maintaining a virtual school environment takes a great deal of time, and more mental energy than anyone could have imagined, but you did it. And now, you are just barely into another school year with just as many unresolved Covid issues as when the doors to your learning institutions closed suddenly in March. Do I believe traditional public schools can weather this storm? Of course. I have no hesitation in stating that schools will successfully educate, in spite of challenges, weaponized politics, and the threatened loss of funding. Why? Because that is what we do. We educate students. Not just in spite of difficulties but rather shining through the difficulties.

Which after this LONG introduction brings me to what I sincerely hope you have stayed with me long enough to read: as administrators, you were considered “essential employees” with no one even pointing out that you were “essential employees.” No fanfare. No shout outs on CNN. No days of celebration where people held parades to honor your work and dedication, just an expectation that you could handle it and were still in charge of your students, faculty and staff, and running school in a completely virtual environment.

So, while I would love to just say a very big, THANK YOU, I do want to take it one step further. Yes, you are essential. Yes, your job will go on no matter what happens with this pandemic. Yes, teachers, parents, students, and the community will continue to depend heavily on you. But, and this is so very important, YOU have to take care not only of everyone else, YOU have to take care of YOU. I get to teach teachers becoming principals and principals becoming superintendents. I hear your stories. Amazing stories of online interactions never attempted before. These stories warm my heart as I see the reach and the depth of your service and sacrifice, building this airplane mid-flight.

How do you take care of yourself when literally the weight of the world stays on your shoulders, and there is no time to rest or recuperate or be supported yourself? Take it from me, as I always tell my students: “No one will ever guard your career like you will.” The corollary to that is also true, “No one will ever guard your health, your psyche, your energy, like you will.”

So, in the midst of the most trying times that anyone in the school world has ever seen, take a breath, take care of yourself, and thrive WHILE you survive. None of you are Superman or Wonder Woman. One of the things I believe is most essential is to remember to have someone (spouse, significant other, critical and supportive friend, or fellow administrator) to whom you give the power to tell you when you need to take a break. And listen to them. You can and will get through this because you are, in my opinion, the best trained and most effective group of principals and administrators that have ever walked the halls of our educational institutions.

Here is my commitment to you. If you get to that point where it feels like the only thing to do is to lay down your bullhorn and baseball bat (i.e. like Joe Clark), reach out. Talk to me, talk to your trusted friends. We can meet up for a virtual cup of coffee! But above all, even in isolation or shut down, don’t fight this battle alone. We can do this, together. And hey, let’s be careful out there!  

Originally published in the Indianagram, a newsletter for school principals.