The words, “thank you”, may come across as trite to some people, especially if accompanied by contradictory actions. In my opinion, however, the words are not uttered nearly enough in spaces of education and even more so in educational leadership where central office leaders dwell. As a result of this void, I hope to break that pattern starting with myself and using this opportunity to say, “Thank you” to several individuals who I may not have said, “thank you” enough to. Please bear with me as I use the beginning to lay some context.
My last day in School District U-46 was Monday, June 3rd; I thought I had at least another two hours to pen a thank you email to my immediate supervisor, district superintendent, and other colleagues, but I was mistaken. Precisely at 3:00pm, my emails were shut off, I was booted out of the district system, and just like that I was done. Although a quick thank you text message to a few of my colleagues was composed and sent, I was still uneasy about leaving without a proper thank you message. Text messages, in my opinion, can often lack the emotion one wishes to convey. In hindsight, so can face-to-face conversations. Sure, I could have called and extended a more personable thank you, but I needed to put my thoughts in writing. This latest blog, I hope, captures my deepest appreciation in a way that I was unable to share just one month prior.
As a former health and physical education teacher, there were several units I enjoyed teaching more than others. One unit in particular that stuck with me was about the dimensions of wellness; yes, even 25+ years ago, we were teaching about physical, emotional, social, and mental well-being. In retrospect, SEL is not new. Rather, SEL has been repackaged and repurposed, possibly with a bit more fervor as trauma appears to manifest itself daily in the lives of both adults and children. While lesson planning many moons ago, I learned that when you value something or someone you should publicly and privately affirm it/them. During the daily grind over the past four years, I am not sure I did just that. So, as previously stated, I hope to convey my deepest appreciation for my colleagues, inclusive of the experiences afforded me during my tenure in School District U-46.
Four years ago, I joined the U-46 team as the Assistant Superintendent of Equity and Innovation. Unlike most school districts, U-46 had a position devoted to equity before diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts were a thing and more recently, under attack. Unfortunately, my predecessor, the late Mr. Ron Raglin, passed away unexpectedly during the late summer of 2019. Consequently, his position remained vacant for quite some time. After undergoing a rigorous interview process (I count at least three trips to Elgin for interviews), I was hired. It was an honor for me to follow Mr. Raglin, a man who gave his all in advancing equity. Although we never met, Mr. Raglin’s legacy continues to be on display in U-46. For full disclosure, I figured I could handle the “equity” portion of the job, but the “innovation” involved a myriad of duties that I would learn by doing while also leaning on very competent colleagues. I was eager and ready to get to work, but I started my new role right during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. What I remember vividly about my start was the kindness extolled to me by my then-supervisor, Deputy Superintendent Dr. Suzanne Johnson.
I am proud to say that Dr. Johnson is now serving as the district’s superintendent, a position she earned and I contend, she unequivocally deserved having started her career at U-46 more than 27 years ago. Dr. Johnson as well as my colleague and eventually new boss, Ms. Lela Majstorovic, were what Shane Safir would describe as listening leaders. One of several attributes of a Listening Leader, according to Ms. Safir, is that they “construct a vision through a collaborative process in which dialogue and dissenting perspectives are welcome” (2017, p.5). Although we did not agree on every decision made, Superintendent Johnson and Deputy Superintendent Majstorovic were open to my ideas and more importantly, gave me the space to ask questions without fear of backlash. When my mother transitioned in the winter of 2022, Dr. Johnson was present at my mom’s homegoing and her willingness to share her own experiences of living with grief helped me better understand that grief is merely symbolic of love. When, after working alongside and underneath Superintendent Johnson and Deputy Superintendent Majstorovic since 2020, I opted to spread my wings once more, they both supported my endeavor and I am truly grateful for you both!
I also want to thank Melissa Stevenson. Melissa was my administrative assistant upon my hire at U-46, but she was more than that. When I had this lofty idea of U-46 launching an inaugural equity symposium, more often than not, Melissa had to put on her investigative hat and find the individuals whom I believed should be a part of our launch and subsequent symposium. Individuals who would eventually serve as our keynote speakers and/or lead breakout sessions included incredible human beings such as Drs. Gloria Ladson-Billings, Geneva Gay, Beverly Daniel Tatum, Gholdy Muhammad, Bettina Love, Yolanda Sealey Ruiz, Chris Emdin, Dena Simmons, Pedro Noguera, Ian Mette, Don Parker, Jahkari ‘JT’ Taylor, and countless others. I was barely holding my nose above water and with just a vision over lunch in my office, the equity symposium was birthed. It was probably my constant fervor to birth this baby (Equity Symposium), twice, that led Melissa to an early retirement 😊. I am grateful for her friendship to this day. My department colleagues, Mitch Briesemeister, Michele Chapman, Alexa Charsa-Hahn, Elizabeth McKinney, Doreen Roberts, Tiffany Mikhail Wright, and Roz Cobbs. Whether we were together from my arrival to one year ago, I am thankful for them for their camaraderie, collegiality, sheer professionalism, and their willingness to engage around our monthly topic, “How does our work connect to equity?”
I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge the 70+ U-46 Equity Committee Ambassador Leaders and members whose dedication helped transform U-46 Equity Plan 1.0 to a more robust and comprehensive rendition referred to as Equity Plan 2.0. Where would I be without their relentless commitment to engaging in this work with me? Without monetary compensation, they showed up to most meetings and stayed the course even when the course seemed ridiculously long. There are way too many names to list and I will inadvertently forget at least two people if I traverse down that road. Please know that my heart remains full because of you!
I also want to extend a special thank you to Illinois State Superintendent, Tony Sanders. Dr. Sanders took a chance on me four years ago as he brought me into his tightly-knit circle of Cabinet colleagues. Moreover, early on in my tenure at U-46, Dr. Sanders allowed me to bend his ear as I watched in awe his adeptness at navigating politically charged waters.
As I prepare to close, I will admit that I asked my boss to not make a big deal of my leaving the district. I wanted no fanfare, no farewell luncheon, no hugs or tears, just a quiet exit down Chicago Street in Elgin, Illinois to my parked car. She reluctantly obliged. Although there was no farewell luncheon, my dearest friend, Lisa Jackson, who also doubled as our Director of Equity and Inclusion, managed to secretly arrange a farewell dinner during our district’s final equity committee meeting of the school year. This farewell gathering resulted in more tears than I wanted to shed. There is indeed a gentle side of me; more gentle than most know. Needless to say, my tears coupled with a plethora of warm embraces will serve as a reminder of the positive relationships established during my time in U-46. When I consider Lisa’s influence in our short time together, I am drawn to a book, The Power of Moments, gifted to Cabinet members by Superintendent Johnson. The authors, Chip and Dan Heath write about the importance of recognizing others. In particular, the authors write, “Expressing gratitude pleases the recipient of the praise, of course, but it can also have a boomerang effect, elevating the spirits of the grateful person” (2017, p. 155). Lisa’s spirits always seemed to be on high; she rarely, if ever, seemed frazzled and took the time to acknowledge every single person she encountered. She remembered small moments and some of the most important milestones in my life like the heavenly anniversary of my mother. Lisa is the epitome of gracefulness and if you ever get to meet her, you will undoubtedly agree. Lisa, thank you, for being an audacious listener and trusted confidant. You gave me the liberty to push and pull while I grew alongside you. From you, I learned to be more graceful in my approach, and to not be the one to speak first or last; instead, I learned to be present. I am convinced your spirits were always on high because you continuously expressed gratitude toward others. You are a gift to me and so many others!
Finally, the importance of pausing to recognize others is inarguably one of the most powerful opportunities to galvanize community and trust, yet it must be done with authenticity and specificity. The Heath brothers reminded me that “while recognition is a universal expectation, it’s not a universal practice” (p.146). I want to be better and do better because the power of a thank you is just as important for the giver as it is for the receiver. U-46, thank you for bringing me on the team, allowing me to learn and grow, and when the time was right, to fly! Godspeed!
-T
References
Heath, C., & Heath, D. (2017). The power of moments: why certain experiences have extraordinary impact.
Safir, S. (2017). The listening leader: Creating the conditions for equitable school transformation. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Tee's Journey-My Story, My Way 