Value of People

 By: Kyle Dresback, Associate Superintendent for Student Support Services, St. Johns County Schools

Over the last twenty months, it has been hard on educators. Whether you are the bus driver, food service worker, teacher, principal, or district administrator, we have all gone through challenging times. However, one thing to remember is so have our students and families. Education is a very complex business. We do not make “widgets” or manufacture items. Most mission statements include creating students who will be positive contributing members of society. To that end, education requires that principals need to see the value of people.

When I was the principal at a high school, I would ask my faculty and staff to close their eyes and think about their favorite teacher. I would wait a minute then ask them to open their eyes. I then asked, “Tell me your favorite teacher’s best lesson plan, content of the lesson, differentiation for the class needs, etc.” No hands would go up and no comments were forthcoming. I then asked, “Tell me about how your favorite teacher made you feel.” All the hands went up. They would say that their favorite teacher would make them feel special, welcome, safe, that all future goals were possible, etc. My point to this that like Theodore Roosevelt said, “People do not care how much you know until they know how much you care.” This all revolves around relationships[l1] .

Now more than ever, there must be a relationship between principal and teachers, staff, parents, and students. They need to see that you care about them. You as the leader need to model relationship building. For teachers and staff, it could be easy as a hand-written thank you note. It could be a cookout for the bus drivers. For parents it could be listening and validating their feelings then saying, “Let’s develop a plan to help your child.” It could be a thank you for volunteering in the concession stand at the football game. For students it could be, “I saw you in the play last night. You did awesome!” or it could be, “I noticed you look sad and down. Is everything ok?” With so much going on right now, it is easy for all of us to [l2] get so caught up in the day-to-day that we may forget to develop relationships or to show gratitude.

I had a coach in high school who during a practice one day said, “I love the way Kyle is working hard! If I had 10 more Kyle’s we could win some football games!” I would have ran through a wall for this coach after he said this. I never forgot it. Twenty years later, I was the Assistant Principal with my former coach. I asked him if he ever remembered saying that to me. He told me, “No. I don’t remember that.” I told him, “I do and it meant the world to me.” The power of a compliment can change the trajectory of a person’s day, month or year. Be the leader who shares the power of a compliment to your faculty, staff, parents and students. You may not remember what you said, but your school and students will be the better for it.

If the last twenty months has shown us anything, it is we need to see the value of people. People are our most valuable asset. We need to embrace them, honor them, and respect them. By investing and supporting each other, we can overcome this trying time for a better future.

Mr. Kyle Dresback is currently the Associate Superintendent for Student Support Services for St. Johns County School District. He is the former principal of Allen D. Nease High School and Switzerland Point Middle School. He is the husband of an outstanding middle school teacher and father to three daughters.