Cooperation makes it happen!

Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. I can never be what I ought to be until you are what you ought to be. This is the interrelated structure of reality. – Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

We are about to embark upon a hectic time of the school year. As winter athletics taper off and spring athletics begin, students will begin to take state-mandated tests, such as the 8^th grade Writing Assessment that occurred today.  For school leaders, it’s also the time to begin preparation for the next academic year. While there are certainly many priorities, this time of the year excites me because it causes me to reflect on how we can engage our students, teachers, and parents in meaningful ways that will improve our school.  In essence, this is a great time to focus on teamwork and cooperation.

As a youngster, one of my favorite TV shows was the classic, Sesame Street. Of the many songs I remember, one comes to mind as when we consider the nature of our work. The chorus was, “Co-op-er-ation makes it hap-pen; co-op-era-tion, work-ing to-ge-ther…” This song resonates with me as principal because it reminds me of the necessity of cooperation – we cannot have a great school, school system, county, state, or nation without it! However, in order for that to occur, each individual within the organization must be willing to commit to a philosophy of interdependence rather than independence. Interdependence reflects a notion of depending on one other; an opportunity to use one team member’s strength to reinforce another team member’s weakness. Independence, however, is solely focused on one’s wants and desires, without consideration for the group goal. Interdependence builds sustainable high performance, and an environment of mutual respect and inclusiveness; independence creates division and a lack of productivity.

As we continue to build an exceptional 21^st century learning institution at CMS, I invite our community to be a part of this process. Truthfully, we cannot reach our optimal level of performance without you—whether you are a volunteer, PTA member, school council member, or involved parent. We value your input and mission-minded conversations as you cooperate with us to achieve our vision of “Success for All Students”. Let’s have a strong finish!

This week, I look forward to crowning our next CMS Spelling Bee champion on Friday morning at 9AM, and I cannot wait to see how our students compete on Saturday at the Helen Ruffin Reading Bowl at RCA, 8AM!

#ProudCMSPrincipal!