Mirrors

Two and a half years ago, my colleagues began the process of accreditation. They held up a bright, fluorescent light and shone it into every nook and cranny of the school. They peered into a full-length, magnified mirror and studied every aspect of common practices. Instruction. Environment. Leadership. Mindset. Habits.

They met, they interviewed, they wrote reports, they discussed, they reflected, they laughed, and they worried. They argued, and voted, and came together as a whole to truly study themselves.

Over the course of the last four days, they've opened the doors of the school and the classroom to a group of outside educators. Those educators held up that same bright light, but with new eyes. They peered into that mirror, with different perspectives. Meetings were held, interviews were given, observations were completed, students were shadowed.

As the days passed, the questions grew. Will they see what we see? Will they see our struggles, our challenges, our celebrations? What will they see that we don't see, that we can't see? What will happen from here?

This afternoon, the staff gathered as the committee shared out some commendations and recommendations. They celebrated the hard work that's been done over the years. They laid the groundwork for the areas that need improvement. There was a big sigh of relief when the meeting ended, when the doors opened, when blue skies and warm temperatures and the drive home were all there were to think about.

The days, and weeks, and months ahead will bring challenges. The bar will be raised. That light and mirror aren't going anywhere.

Staff will be asked to, again, look in the mirror, but this time at themselves. To truly be self-reflective. To improve their practice, and instruction, and mindset, and habits.

My hope is that they see that taking this step back, taking this time, taking this intense look at our school is the best way to move ourselves forward in the direction towards best helping our kids, and ourselves, to grow.