community – Empower. Collaborate. Connect.

The trajectory of my career has been a journey filled with unexpected surprises, leading me to places I could have never anticipated or imagined. My purpose of bringing out the gifts in others while keeping kids at the heart of decision-making has always remained steadfast. However, every path I’ve walked has presented me with a collection of choices which have forced me to summon the momentum inside myself to take action and acknowledge that growth and comfort cannot coexist.

Embracing Imperfection

I have to admit that early on in my career, I found myself spending time dwelling on how things are supposed to be. I lived by more rules that were influenced by traditional norms and the ones I created for myself, striving to row towards a place of perfection, and waiting for the right moment to start something new. I told myself that the conditions needed to feel “right,” more trust needed to be established, or that I needed to strengthen my knowledge base so I could take action. However, the days of perseverating over shiny plans and methods have been long done. What I have learned, is that stepping into the mess of learning, focusing on priorities and outcomes, embracing what is actually in front of me, paying attention to what feels right, and letting life unfold is the key to moving towards where I am meant to be.

So I ask, how can leaders let go of preconceived expectations, embrace the transformative process of continuous learning and forge a path that aligns with where they are meant to be?

In the year 2021-2022, I embarked on my first administrative role as an assistant principal in a wonderful school district. From the moment I stepped into the building, I was greeted by kids and colleagues running up to me, knowing my name, and eager to share their excitement about the day ahead. It felt incredible to have an opportunity to be a part of something so much bigger than myself. I have never taken for granted that I was entrusted to lead, learn, and grow into a leadership role. With the support of an amazing principal who served as a role model during what was considered one of the hardest years in education, I dove headfirst into my role. I loved learning about the assistant principal role that is heavily rooted in student life, connecting with students, families, the administrative team, and fellow educators. There is something unbelievably special about being a building administrator. Every day you get to strengthen connections in close proximity to the people around you and make an impact on the hearts and minds of those you serve in the same place, every day. It’s like having a built-in family and a consistent place to call home. Of course, there are challenges and my biggest learning curve was understanding the day to day operations of a building and navigating safety protocols.

Building Bridges, Inspiring Growth

Just as I was hitting my stride as an assistant principal and feeling more confident in my ability to build relationships and drive instructional improvement, there was an opportunity to become the Director of Literacy K-12. At first, the idea of leaving behind the school community that had become so meaningful to me didn’t feel right. In one year, I had poured so much of myself into building relationships with students, teachers, and families, and I wasn’t sure I was ready to give that up. Nonetheless, the opportunity to make a broader impact on literacy instruction across the district and strengthen learning experiences for kids felt incredibly important. As I reflected on the bigger picture, I began to see my internal obstacle as a chance to open a door to a new path. Ultimately, I decided to take a leap of faith, embracing the new challenge set before me, even though it meant leaving behind a role that had come to feel so rewarding.

Navigating New Horizons

As I made the transition from assistant principal to the Director of Literacy K-12, I contemplated the approaches I would employ to establish myself in this new role. Learning about a new role, navigating new relationships, deciphering the dynamic of teams, and being visible in multiple settings will never be a simple task. The scope of my work that once lived inside one building had now broadened significantly, spanning across a K-12 continuum, necessitating a shift in my approach. I recognized that as I was making this shift in my role, it would come with many celebrations and obstacles I’d have to overcome. With this solid foundation and an expanded perspective, I have been able to fortify and enhance my goals as I transitioned into the role of Director of Literacy. These new goals seamlessly build upon the foundation set during my time as an assistant principal, allowing for a more comprehensive and impactful approach to promoting literacy within the district.

From Building to District Goals

Questions That Drive My Goals

Nurturing Leadership and Relationships: Fostering Growth in Literacy Education

How can I develop a strategic entry plan that prioritizes relationship-building, acknowledges current literacy practices, and identifies opportunities for enhancing literacy support?

Unleashing Evidence Informed Insights: Empowering Instruction for Student Achievement

How can I effectively analyze data and share it with buildings to drive instruction and improve literacy outcomes?

Cultivating Professional Learning Communities in Literacy Education: Inspiring Growth and Collaboration

How can I work closely with staff developers, teachers, administrators and ELA liaisons to enhance coaching approaches, develop curriculum materials, and provide professional learning opportunities?

Bridging Technology and Community: Engaging Partnerships in Literacy Education

How can I model the intentional use of technology in professional learning experiences and disseminate information related to literacy education?

Forging Growth Beyond Comfort

As you reflect on your educational journey, you will most likely recognize that your own path has never been perfectly paved. You too, may have created storybook professional narratives, allowing them to become blueprints for your journey. But along the way, those stories were rewritten as you discovered that you were destined for a different destination. When you come to a crossroads, the people on that path can serve as guiding lights and mentors, propelling you to a path of self-discovery. You are shaped by the mosaic of people you’ve learned from, each contributing their unique piece to the tapestry of your personal and professional growth. Each new opportunity, every opened door, has taught you the invaluable lesson that growth lies beyond the realm of comfort.

Moving Forward

As I progress along my professional path as the Director of Literacy, I wholeheartedly dedicate myself to continuing to cultivate connections and strengthen my understanding of the ever-evolving literacy landscape that surrounds me, while bringing out the best in others. These actions will harness the inner momentum that propels me forward. Instead of allowing my own narratives to confine me, I will maintain an open mind and focus on moving towards where I am meant to be.

Beacons of Hope

There are certain people within your community that represent beacons of love, hope, positivity, and light. And whenever you see them, you feel their warm, genuine spirit wrap around your heart. Their presence alone immediately lifts your mood and makes you feel at ease. It’s like watching the sun emerge from the horizon. As the new day rises, the darkness of the night turns into a fiery orange flame of optimism and promise. You can count on these special people to make you smile, make you laugh, and encourage you to view life’s journeys with a new lens and an open heart.

A Surging Sunrise

Last week, I was having a particularly challenging time navigating some deep-rooted emotions about the pandemic and the traumatizing events unfolding in our country. I had not slept well the night before and pushed myself out of bed to accomplish my daily workout earlier than usual. I have been using this sacred time to be in my own headspace, reflect, regroup, and recharge so I can conquer the day with more clarity, determination, and strength. As I was in the midst of my workout, I was walking towards a surging sunrise that stretched across the bay; its glowing presence blazed and clung to the surface of the water, putting me into a dreamlike trance. I managed to capture the moment in a photo that symbolized the anticipation of a new day of listening, learning, and growth.

The sunrise I captured

Diverted Routes Can Lead to the Right Place

Later that day, my son Drew asked me to go on a bike ride. My initial thought was that I was exhausted from the combination of my lack of sleep, early morning workout, and other responsibilities from the day. But, my heart led me to say yes, as I knew that spending time with my son is always precious. I followed my son’s lead as we rode our bikes through the neighborhood. I made a mental note when he diverted from our usual route and wondered why. It turned out that I was happy he did because I ran into my friend and colleague Jay Spitz who was playing ball with his family outside of his house. Jay is someone I have known for many years. Most recently we developed a stronger connection as my husband had coached his son in baseball and basketball. We would sit on the sidelines and talk about life, work, our families…all while I would listen to him cheer on his son (“Way to go Harp!”) and all of the other kids during a game (even if they were on the opposing team). He always had a way of bringing positivity to any story or challenge. It was inevitable that he would offer me a compliment about my work, my son’s athletic abilities, and my husband’s coaching style. I loved seeing Jay walk onto the field or basketball court; his smile was uplifting, his words were empowering, and his energy, contagious. I immediately clenched the brakes on my bike and we embraced each other with a socially distanced greeting and smile. As his children danced around the front lawn, laughing and playing about, we talked about what life has been like the last couple of months and exchanged the trials and tribulations of homeschooling and remote learning. He mentioned how he had been tirelessly reaching out to all of his students and was concerned about their mental health and learning. During that time, I noticed that as I was lost in conversation, my son had disappeared on his bike and I needed to catch up with him. As I put my foot on the pedal and pushed myself forward to go, Jay wouldn’t let me leave without saying, “Hey Lauren, I love your posts. I follow your work. Please keep doing what you’re doing, but promise me that you will take a break too. Take a break Lauren.”

A Kind, Endearing Soul

Yesterday, I awoke to the news that Jay had passed away from complications during heart surgery. To say I am devastated, is an understatement. Upon reading the news on Facebook, I felt frozen in time, completely paralyzed in pain. I thought about his beautiful children, his wife, his family, his students, our colleagues, and all of the lives he has touched. I thought about our many conversations on the baseball field. I thought about how his physical presence will no longer exist in our community. To me, Jay was like the sunrise I had seen the very same morning we had last spoken. He WAS a beacon of hope, authenticity, sincerity, devotion, and love…a kind endearing soul. And just as the sunrise touched the bay that morning, his spirit will live on in the hearts of his family, friends, colleagues, and students. And yes, Jay, I promise to continue to work passionately, share my voice and post (I know you loved to see that), but I will also slow down and take a break. With each new day, a sunrise will emerge and the darkness will turn to light. I will always think of your kind loving soul and spirit and approach life’s journeys with an open heart and open mind.

Jay Spitz- a loving husband, father, friend, educator

Please take a moment to read one of Jay’s last Facebook posts. He shared George Carlin’s powerful words which may resonate with many of you during these difficult times in history….

SOMETHING TO PONDER: George Carlin

George Carlin’s wife died early in 2008 and George followed her, dying in July 2008. It is ironic George Carlin – comedian of the 70’s and 80’s – could write something so very eloquent and so very appropriate. An observation by George Carlin:

The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider Freeways, but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.

We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom.

We have multiplied our possessions but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.

We’ve learned how to make a living, but not a life. We’ve added years to life not life to years. We’ve been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We’ve done larger things, but not better things.

We’ve cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We’ve conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less. We’ve learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.

These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes. These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom. A time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, or to just hit delete.

Remember to spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever.

Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side.

Remember, to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn’t cost a cent.

Remember, to say, ‘I love you’ to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you.

Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again.

Give time to love, give time to speak! And give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.

And always remember, life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by those moments that take our breath away.

George Carlin