Retired Principal Tales

Taking One Day at a Time

Category: Uncategorized

  • Camp

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    by

    Susan Congrove
    in

    The up north granddaughters are at 4-H camp this week. Temperatures are extremely high, accompanied by afternoon thunderstorms, and it brings back memories of camp from many moons ago. The routines of camp have remained almost the same as they were during that time. A dance, two campfires, crafts, singing, swimming, and lots of new…

  • Yes, My Dear Child

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    by

    Susan Congrove
    in

    I have two little helpers today. One is going to help with the puppy when she goes to the vet for shots. The seven-year-old granddaughter told me, “She couldn’t take it” if the puppy had shots. She said she was going to put her hands over the top of her ears and close her eyes.…

  • Make Language a Priority

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    by

    Susan Congrove
    in

    Language is necessary for children to learn. Many of our children are not meeting the bar when it comes to acquiring vocabulary. If children do not have language, they are unable to express their feelings, which can lead to frustration and meltdowns. Learning to read becomes difficult. Children need attention. Talking to your child and…

  • Big City Traffic

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    Susan Congrove
    in

    Once again, traveling on the highway to the big city hospital was a real treat. Traffic was so backed up. ONCE AGAIN, people were driving up the lane that closed further up as fast as they could and then trying to butt in once they got to the closure. My road rage emerges when this…

  • Transplant Visit

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    Susan Congrove
    in

    My daughter had a check-in with the transplant surgeon today. We had quite a few concerns. Since her infusions started for proliferative transplant disorder, her weight and sugar readings have increased. Her kidney function numbers (GFR) have also been declining with the infusion treatments. This roller coaster ride is really frustrating, as when one thing…

  • A Vacation

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    Susan Congrove
    in

    On our thirtieth anniversary, the husband and I traveled to an all-inclusive resort in Mexico. I had never been to Mexico. Upon arrival, the customs line was extremely long and seemed to take forever. We claimed our luggage and then proceeded through the terminal. The timeshare people were on the prowl. After being stuck listening…

  • A Memorable Day

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    Susan Congrove
    in

    During my years as principal, I had many teachers or staff members that were expecting. Elementary teachers are in general younger than middle and high school teachers for some reason and are starting their families. Probably three teachers per year were on maternity leave on average in the elementary. Being young, these young expecting teachers…

  • Personalities

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    by

    Susan Congrove
    in

    Being a principal was sometimes challenging due to dealing with different personalities. Knowing how to address each personality was key to being successful. For a comprehensive look at the principalship and how to manage various personalities, I recommend reading Shifting the Monkey by Tod Whitaker. This was THE most helpful book I read during my…

  • Fourth of July

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    Susan Congrove
    in

    I “heard” from someone who watches the news obsessively that some folks were going to boycott the Fourth of July, with no celebrations, parades, picnics, or whatnot. I suppose those organizing the boycott must live elsewhere, because the Fourth of July still stands proudly here in our area. This has not been the Fourth of…

  • Another Mugshot

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    by

    Susan Congrove
    in

    Today, I saw another mugshot of a frequent flyer to my office during my tenure as an elementary principal. As much as I want to say it was unexpected, I cannot. His face was the same as it was almost fifteen years ago, except bigger. It is so sad that I have had the intuition…