I have just spent 3 very inspiring days working with School Superintendents from across Michigan – one of the most progressive States in pioneering new ideas in educational excellence. We dialogued, heartstormed and discussed ways to inspire educational leaders in these challenging times and infusing the CASTLE® Principles into the educational curriculum at all levels. The CASTLE® Principles are already being widely used in the Michigan State Educational System.
One of those leaders was Dan Bauer. Dan grew up in Michigan, went to college in Oregon and Washington where he taught . He returned to Michigan to run the family business (Alpena Glass, Alpena) with his brother. But he missed being with children – a common theme among nearly all of the Superintendents with whom I talked. So he became the Saranac, Michigan School Superintendent. Fresh into his new assignment, he was struck by the “separateness” of the schools in his disctrict – he wanted them to become ONE, so he organized an event to help them do so. Dan organized a Superintendent’s Run as a first-ever, district-wide event for the students at Saranac Community Schools to launch Homecoming week and help the students to get to know their new Superintendent.
???I was looking for an activity to pull kids together and get kids to know me little bit better,??? Bauer said.
He, and any high school students and staff who chose to participate, started jogging from the high school. On the way, they passed Harker Middle School, where middle school students joined the run. The growing pack of joggers made its way to the elementary school, where third through fifth graders joined up and ran with the swelling numbers to the football field.
As they entered the football field, the youngest elementary school students jumped and clapped and cheered in the bleachers as Bauer, high school students, middle school students, elementary school students, teachers and coaches ran around the track.
Officers from the Ionia County Sheriff’s Office were on site to block traffic, as well as a paramedic just in case there were any emergencies.
Then the runners reversed their tracks, heading past the elementary school to drop off students, then by the middle school, and finally returning to the high school.
Bauer said he wanted to create an activity that could involve all the schools in the Saranac district. He told me, “i wasn’t sure how many would show up, but when I turned around and saw 800 people behind me I was thrilled.”
“I wanted to get the kids out to do something fun, and to kick off Homecoming week” he said. “It’s also a fun way to promote fitness and lead by example.”
This spirit of leading by example and modeling for students, helps to shape who they are and therefore the citizens and leaders they will become. Such stories were inspiring to hear and frequently heard.
Teachers have many challenges – unions that can be self-interested and obstructive, shrinking budgets, lawyers always ready to pounce, cranky parents, a zillion laws and rules about how things should be done. But Courage – the first CASTLE® Principle – is the rule in these situations. When I asked if Michigan’s Teacher of the Year was a “rule-follower” my question was greeted with knowing smiles.
