A ship's voyage begins when she weigh's anchor, casts off her lines and pulls away from the dock. When I worked on merchant ships, it was an exciting, stressful, and anxious time. It meant the beginning of a new adventure, with unexpected wonders and hardships interspersed with an occasional bout of sea-sickness. While unknown shores and weather lay ahead, I was comforted by the faith I had in my colorful and skilled colleagues and our sturdy, well-designed ship.
Today, the first day of school for students, and I had the same feeling. While I have taken this voyage many times in my multiple careers, it is my first as captain of MHS. I am onboard a new vessel with a professional and dedicated crew as we commence the yearly transport of our extremely valuable cargo- the children of Medway.
The day started outside, in the glorious sun in the front of the school. Our school Deans, Mrs. Pearl and Mr. Rubin, joined Dr. Evans, Officer Grimes, and me in welcoming students.
When pulling off the dock, many things must happen at the right time and in the correct sequence. Mistakes happen, and, hopefully, are small enough to be quickly corrected. Large errors can create havoc, and delays the voyage. A skilled crew, with seasoned officers, keeps small mistakes from escalating into something larger.
There were a few minor glitches today- a gremlin in our scheduling software and a slight lunch delay, but Mrs. Pearl and Mr. Rubin were quick to identify the problem, find a solution, and communicate it to staff and students, who demonstrated an important trait of a professional: flexibility.
Throughout the day Mrs. Pearl, Mr. Rubin, and I spend as much time as we could in classrooms, watching teachers introduce themselves to their students. For some of these classroom walk-through's were joined by our Director of Curriculum and Instruction as well as our Assistant Superintendent. I look forward to having them in our building again. Mr. Pearl, our athletic director, and many, many staff members, were in the halls during passing times, helping students get to their intended
Guidance was busy, but quiet. One staff member stated that it was the smoothest opening of school in her 22-year career. Wow!
I was able to meet some students today, and managed to get lost as I attempted to help a new student find his class. I am sure the room numbering system made sense to someone during the design of the school, and if they are smart, they will not admit it. It is easier to memorize the name and location of the classroom teachers, as the seemingly random room numbers only seem to breed confusion.
Toward the end of the day I was able to sit in my office to review and respond to the several-dozen waiting emails. I checked in with Dr. Pires, principal of the middle school, to see how his day went. He had the challenge of pulling off the dock while his ship is still being built. I've been through two school building projects, and can appreciate the stress. Not surprisingly, however, he had everything well in hand.
Tomorrow is a new day, and while we are off the dock, we are still in the channel leading to open ocean. I don't know what tomorrow may bring, but the professionalism, attitude, and energy of the Medway teachers was thrilling to witness.
After a very busy summer, but now we are off the dock, in the channel, and headed toward the sea buoy that marks open water. While I am tired, and should go to bed. I am still excited about tomorrow. Like many captains, I can't wait to get back on the ship's bridge.
