With a week until the first day of school, I find myself with poor sleep, a knot in between my shoulder blades and worry lines between my eyebrows. How can I find myself feeling stressed already? Quite easily when the school is a disaster, unfinished construction that will not be completed by the first day of school, disgruntled staff for whom I don’t have answers, and a hugely growing population and no more room in the building for growth. The frustration of so many things beyond my control is what is causing the stress, I can only manage my reaction to these things.
I need to keep in mind that it is not my responsibility to be everything to everybody. Adults should be able to problem-solve–I should not solve every problem. It creates stress when I find myself reacting to the words and actions of others. I need to keep in mind that I only have control over my own actions, and that unless it’s a medical emergency (and really, how often do those actually happen?), it’s okay to not react immediately. I am in control of my own emotions and actions, it’s my job to manage them appropriately, even in the heat of the moment.
My board has identified staff wellness as a priority this year. I am happy, because well adults are much better able to service the needs of students. And make for a much happier culture and school climate. We all need to care for each other–and that includes me caring about staff, and staff reciprocating.
I sincerely wish all educators a smooth transition back to school. We are in this together, and our passion for educating children is what makes us keep coming back, year after year.
Nicole Jackson Bolyea Educational Leadership Journey 