Find Your Strong

Our building has a new principal for the first time since it opened in 1998 and we have all been excited and nervous all summer. It has been a little like Christmas morning around our building. I know it was a big transition for our new principal too, but she has come in with a positive attitude and inspired us all. She seeks to carry on the legacy of our former principal, and is doing it with her own flair. I feel so lucky to have her!

This year our district motto is "Strong schools. Strong students." On our first day back, our principal showed us a few video clips from a marketing campaign for Saucony shoes. The theme was about finding your strong and it was easy to relate the characteristics of strong athletes, to strong teachers. This is one of the videos she showed us...

Then she gave us a few minutes to think about our strong, what motivates us to walk in our building every morning and give our students everything we have. On my drive home that afternoon, I started trying to narrow down my focus of what motivates me daily. I tried to think of all the things I do during a school year and honestly, I was getting pretty overwhelmed with trying to find the perfect "strong". Then this song came on...

After I dried my eyes, I realized it is not anything I do that motivates me. It is the people around me. It is the students, my fellow staff members, and the parents in our community. We all support each other through the good times and the bad. Here are just a few pieces of my "strong" journey...

My strong is the students that inspired my mom and I to WANT to be at work when she was battling breast cancer. My strong is the school community & staff who came out and Raced for the Cure with us and had a "pink out" day in her honor.

My strong is the way the staff supports each other through their accomplishments. There is no jealousy. A win for one of us, is a win for all of us. I am so honored to work alongside so many amazing educators.


My strong is my teammates who have taught me so much over the years. I find strong in the memories of my former first grade life every. single. day.

My strong is the school that has been my home for 11 years. It is an honor and gift to watch my former students believing, achieving, and excelling in big ways. My first group of first graders are starting their senior year tomorrow. I hope they find their strong and achieve all of their dreams.

My strong is the countless cards, texts, food, and prayers we received this summer when my dad was in the hospital. My strong is realizing that the best way to stay strong yourself, is to support others in their journey for strong.

That's the beauty of the education field. We are in it together. We have to be a solid unit to function at our fullest capacity, just like a family.

Our principal made a video of everyone saying their strong and I can't wait to see it. In the meantime, I wanted to keep my strong close to my heart and mind all year long. I created this and hung it behind my computer to have a constant reminder of why I love my job so much.

What is your strong? 

Click the picture below to print a strong poster and write down your own inspiration.