-by Caroline Goss,
Associate Principal
Associate Principal
“How do you like it?” and “Do you think you want to come
back to the classroom?” these are the questions I am fielding practically every
day in my new position as Associate Principal.
I spent fifteen years in the classroom as a Spanish teacher and they were
great. I knew in my heart of hearts that
I would not be able to feel satisfied in the classroom for thirty years. I tried. Could I picture myself retiring out
of the classroom as many of my beloved teachers had done? How did they do it? I just knew at some point
I would have to move on. But where? Did I have the inner strength to follow
through with it?
Picture it: small town, rural America. The year was 1996.
There was an eager young lady set on leaving this place and never coming
back. College and new adventures that
would make sure that Cambridge would be a distant memory. Now fast forward to the year 2000, and that
same girl went out to see the world (This included not only the metropolis of
greater Plattsburgh, but much of Europe and Central America as well) and made
the conscious decision that her little town was really great! She moved back, took a teaching job at her
alma mater, bought a house in the district she worked and got married to her
hometown sweetheart. How idyllic.
As the years in the classroom evolved and she was able to
work out many of those “rookie” teaching kinks, she began to see the operations
of the school with a much wider lens. Yes, she loved her students and enjoyed
the extracurricular activities she planned for them in an effort to share her
love of culture and language, but she also saw the revolving door of
administrators and felt that her students needed some consistency in that
respect as well. So, she took it on; another degree and aspirations of leading
a school that she has been a part of for over two decades. She had no plans to actively seek a role as
administrator right away. She secretly
wanted to enjoy some more time in the classroom, but if the opportunity
presented itself, and the timing was right, she would apply like any other
candidate and hopefully fulfill her aspiration of becoming an effective leader
in small town, rural America.
So here we are- My first year as Associate Principal at my
alma mater. And I have to say- I love it!
My mentors are very supportive and we keep each other entertained, I
still am able to maintain a relationship with my former students, and the
incoming students see that ease of mind and continue on with it. So while my
former colleagues may ask me if I like my new role and some see it as crossing
over to “the dark side” and tell me how they could never do it, I view it no
differently than teaching Math or Kindergarten.
I could never do those things, but sincerely appreciate the work that my
colleagues do in that arena.
Many administrators warned against becoming an administrator
in your home district, claiming that the move could create a lot of sceptics
among my former colleagues and that I should be ready to not have as many close
relationships with the people with whom I shared classroom experiences. While I agree, that can be an issue; I felt
as though I had been working so hard over the past few years to be a school
leader, that I could do it. I also realize that not many other people could,
but I was able to find my inner strength to not only carry through with that
plan, but to have that plan become a more grassroots effort, also had some
positive aspects. I know the students
and went to school with many of their parents and family members. That should count for something right? Not to
mention I have a very clear understanding of the expectation placed on the
district both academically and financially. How could this not be a win-win
situation? I suppose time will tell. In the meantime, I am very busy with writing
observations and those meetings…man, there are a lot of them. It’s a whole
different experience, but I know I am ready for it! It was time for me to move
on and I have to say, there are no regrets.
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