My 10th Anniversary Story

As I shared last week at Back to School Night, our theme for this school year is Our Stories Matter.  This theme was inspired by an author and speaker, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, who explains that stories help us to humanize and empower those around us when we take time to learn them.

Fall 2009 school gathering 

So, I will take the liberty of sharing a bit of my story as it relates to our school.  It was ten years ago this August that I made the move across town to become the principal at Bel Aire Park.  At the time, there were two schools on one campus and because of very restrictive policies that were in place in California at that time, there was a huge disparity in what the schools were allowed to provide for students.  Our staff, parents, and students came together as one new magnet school and began implementing the Primary Years Program of the International Baccalaureate Organization.  At the time, this was a huge change for everyone and it took a lot of courage and a lot of work by all our stakeholders to build a new school and become the successful IB school we are today.
In 10 years, we have become a model school for IB and an award winning magnet school. We frequently hosts visitors from near and far and we've been interviewed by news outlets and education researchers to hear the story of journey.

Visiting Delegation from New Taipei City, Taiwan

Receiving National Magnet School of Excellence Award

But one factor has remained consistent throughout; an attitude and desire to continually improve.  Although we enjoy our school traditions that have remained, we are always looking to add new components and deeper learning to who we are as a school.  We want to challenge ourselves in the same way we challenge our students to be thinkers and inquirers. 

With all the ways we've grown and with the work we still have ahead, my story of the last ten years includes so many stories of students overcoming obstacles, being kind to each other, and pushing themselves to get better each day.  I think of a student who was frightened to even go inside the MU room as a Kindergartner who confidently presented his poem on stage in front of all the parents in 4th grade.  Or the countless students who have initiated projects to help our school or community to try to solve a problem.  I have a big stack of mementos, letters, work samples, etc. that represent so many of our kids demonstrating attributes of our Learner Profile

I'm sure most of us will be in new places or circumstances 10 years in the future, but for now, I'm super grateful that this time of my life is here at Bel Aire Park with amazing students and friends.