I’m glad my daughters and granddaughters don’t have to wonder what they can do with their lives..anything is possible for young women now, especially young women who know the Lord, and know that He has a purpose for their lives.
When I was young, I never thought of myself as a career person, but now, I have a career that has spanned almost 25 years that I can’t imagine having not experienced. Some women in all generations have gone forth, meaning to shatter a glass ceiling, and have done just that. Some women, like me, have to shatter the glass ceiling in their head. Based on where I started my career, I would never have imagined that being a woman, and being a principal were not mutually exclusive.
I know this sounds really odd to most people reading this in this day and time…even that small ET town where I started has several female principals and has had a female superintendent. But, I can promise you this, I would NEVER have thought about trying to be a principal during my time there.
The day that I started working in my current district, we were at a new employee orientation. One of the first things they did was to introduce all of the administrators in the district. The person who was sitting next to me had also spent some time in the same ET school district. I told her that I was shocked at the number of female administrators. She responded that ours was an equal opportunity employer! As Tin Cup says…some moments are defining moments, and that was one of mine.
I began to think that maybe administration was a path I could take. Three years later I was a central office administrator. Although I learned a lot in that position, I began to miss campus life and started seeing myself as principal. I registered for college-for the third round-and started my career as an assistant principal shortly after.
And now, I am in my third year as principal, after four years as an assistant. I am amazed at where God has taken me in my professional life…from a stay-at-home mom (which was the most important career I’ve ever had-I taught my own three children to read), to a teacher in my very late 30s, to the leader of a school with the responsibility of the safety, welfare and education of 450 children, 50 employees, school grounds, building, and a budget.
I know that I don't/can't do this without a lot of help from the staff, faculty, fellow campus leaders, and central office administrators that I work with. But mostly, I have to cling to my savior every day. I take this responsibility very seriously. It has eternal implications for me.
When I was young, I never thought of myself as a career person, but now, I have a career that has spanned almost 25 years that I can’t imagine having not experienced. Some women in all generations have gone forth, meaning to shatter a glass ceiling, and have done just that. Some women, like me, have to shatter the glass ceiling in their head. Based on where I started my career, I would never have imagined that being a woman, and being a principal were not mutually exclusive.
I know this sounds really odd to most people reading this in this day and time…even that small ET town where I started has several female principals and has had a female superintendent. But, I can promise you this, I would NEVER have thought about trying to be a principal during my time there.
The day that I started working in my current district, we were at a new employee orientation. One of the first things they did was to introduce all of the administrators in the district. The person who was sitting next to me had also spent some time in the same ET school district. I told her that I was shocked at the number of female administrators. She responded that ours was an equal opportunity employer! As Tin Cup says…some moments are defining moments, and that was one of mine.
I began to think that maybe administration was a path I could take. Three years later I was a central office administrator. Although I learned a lot in that position, I began to miss campus life and started seeing myself as principal. I registered for college-for the third round-and started my career as an assistant principal shortly after.
And now, I am in my third year as principal, after four years as an assistant. I am amazed at where God has taken me in my professional life…from a stay-at-home mom (which was the most important career I’ve ever had-I taught my own three children to read), to a teacher in my very late 30s, to the leader of a school with the responsibility of the safety, welfare and education of 450 children, 50 employees, school grounds, building, and a budget.
I know that I don't/can't do this without a lot of help from the staff, faculty, fellow campus leaders, and central office administrators that I work with. But mostly, I have to cling to my savior every day. I take this responsibility very seriously. It has eternal implications for me.
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