The Ultimate Compliment!

So many of the events that have happened since I have moved to Douglas in my new position, are not things that I can write about on my blog.  I think that may be one of the reasons that I haven't written a whole lot over the past few months.  Living here in Douglas with Teresa and learning a new job and reconnecting with people has been quite an experience.  I haven't had a whole lot of time for other "things" in my life.

Although I know many people here, it has taken me several months to make connections and to reconnect.  I have mentioned in previous entries that it has been amazing to me how fast the trust has come for me in my new position.  I never in my wildest dreams thought that would happen so quickly.  

With education cuts happening all over the country, this is certainly a very trying time.  It seems that our country, and particularly Arizona, doesn't value the importance of public education and what it has meant to the U.S.
 

So the past many weeks has been spent trying to develop a budget that will have the least impact on our students and on our staff.  Our district is a large employer in the community and we have a lot of great support from the community.  The faculty and staff in our district are incredibly dedicated and I continue to be in awe of what is accomplished in this poor, border town.  Our kids are amazing, too.  It says so much about the sense of community that exists here.

Today our leadership team met with certified and classified representatives to discuss recommendations that are going to be made to the Governing Board next Tuesday.   We have been able to find a way to make cuts as painless as possible.   

I firmly believe that we have to involve all of the stakeholders in decision making.  So as I went through the good, the bad, and the ugly of what we will be proposing, one of the classified participants looked at me and said, "You are Margaret!"  This man served on the City Council and knew my mom.  He had told me one other time that I sounded like her, but when he said that today, I took it as the ultimate compliment that anyone could give to me!!  And I truly believe that is exactly how he meant it....

I have thought all evening how to put this into words.  I don't know if I can express the depth of emotion that those three words brought to me.    I can only hope that I can be half of the kind of person that Margaret Shannon was.  I have always been proud to be her daughter, but to have those words uttered today..........all I can say is WOW!!

  

Alice Walker says "My Mother handed down respect for possibilities--and the will to grasp them."  Those words have a powerful meaning to me.  I hope I will continue to have "the will to grasp those possibilities."  

There is not a week that goes by that someone doesn't say something to me about my mom.  It continues to happen.  I know that she would be proud that I am here now.  But more important than that, I am proud to be in this wonderful community.  Hopefully, I can give something back to this community.  I am grateful for the opportunity to be here!!!