Today marks a milestone for this blog. June 9th, 2011 was my first post. With this entry, it marks the 100th installment. The purpose of this column has been two-fold. First and perhaps most important it has served as a communication device for our school district and in some cases the larger education community. We have covered everything from politics to the very serious subject of bullying, and everything in between. For those of you reading online, you have probably noticed this weekly digest is posted sometime on Wednesday. This is deliberate because there are a number of consumers that read the print edition which is published in the Hudson Herald. By publishing on Wednesday, it is well ahead of the Monday deadline for publication in the following week's print edition. A big thank you to Dianna Darold for working with me on this project. I am incredibly indebted to her flexibility when there have been last minute changes to the print edition. Dianna has showed incredible patience and flexibility. Nonetheless, the goal has always been the same-to share information about the school district and to communicate news about our schools.
From time to time we have stirred up some controversial subjects. Some of these subject have garnered pointed responses online, others have warranted letters to the editor in their own right. At the point of departure in our point of view I have always tried to keep a stiff upper lip. All of the comments that I receive have certainly been intelligent, well thought out lines of inquiry. While it hasn't necessarily changed my point of view, it most certainly has caused me to grow. I hope that thought is reciprocal. Certainly I have evoked emotion, some of you have laughed (either with me or at me), others have cried, and others have been angry. The point is, I hope that [you can say that] at least you were informed and you know the point of view of your superintendent and where he is coming from.
I freely admit that some of the posts have stunk. I make no claims to be a poet, comedian, journalist or an English teacher. I do spend time editing and proofing but there are no doubt errors in my grammar. From time to time there are misspelled words, and probably more times that not sentences that just 'don't quite seem right'. But rain, sleet or snow (as we are experiencing today), this weekly manifesto is published. The only times it isn't is when I have been on vacation or sick.
The second reason I do this is that I want it to serve as a chronicle of my time and experiences here at Hudson, and later on in life. Sometime many years in the future I hope to be able to use this as a reflective piece on a successful and rewarding career. Who know, I may even write a book!
A final reason for this blog is to demonstrate one of our "Keys of Excellence" here at Hudson. Affirm your Commitment. Whenever someone asks the question, "How do you find time to write a weekly column?" The answer is pretty simple: I am committed to making sure this happens every single week. There is no doubt that some weeks it is more painful than others. On those weeks when there are a thousand other things to do--it gets pretty hard. In fact, it would be very easy to skip a week. Or those weeks when I just can't seem to find something passionate enough to write about I think I would be justified.
So my final thoughts this week are for my younger readers out there. (Surprisingly there seems to be quite a few.) When you make a commitment to something (or someone) in life see it through. Be a person of character. Be someone who can be counted on.
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