As educators, we want to inspire our students. Inspiration is derived from the Latin inspiratus meaning “to breathe into.” When we inspire our students, when our students have a vision for their future, we are breathing life into their hopes, aspirations, and dreams.

I recently attended a conference with Stephen Covey. During his presentation, Covey said, “Inspiring others is the new competitive advantage. Leaders who inspire others will create greater productivity.”  

Inspiration is deeper than engagement. When we engage, we share ideas. We listen and respond. When we inspire others, not only do we hear them, but we breathe life into their vision. Our trust in them, our belief, inspires them to reach higher. In Dublin, inspiring students to exceed their expectations will give all our students this new competitive advantage.

In the Dublin Schools, we don’t BCD. We don’t blame, complain, or defend in our daily lives. BCD has never solved a problem, improved a situation, or led to success.  

Yes, we identify problems and opportunities to improve. Sure, we share frustrations and failures. And yes, there are times each of us takes a chance to vent about something nagging us. Nevertheless, when we are at our best and most disciplined, we intentionally avoid BCD.

Instead of complaining, we strive to create solutions. We see a challenge or problem and work together to fix it. When answers are more complex, we collaborate to explore innovative options.  

We’ve been exploring ways to provide critical mental health support for our students and families. We know the wait to schedule a counseling appointment for students, and families may take several months. In many cases, when a parent is searching for professional support, the doors are all closed. As a school community, we get to create solutions rather than admire the current reality.

The past several years, exacerbated by disruptions caused by Covid, have highlighted the need for partnership with families and wrap-around support. We are proud that the Dublin City School District is partnering with the College of Social Work at The Ohio State University to train current Dublin teachers to earn a Master’s Degree in Social Work. With dollars provided to respond to the pandemic, our district will add up to 25 specialists to support our families and students.  

Living our core value, Better Together, our district is once again creating solutions for the Dublin Community and serving as a model for other districts.

Recently I had one of “those mornings.” I seemingly woke up on the wrong side of the bed. I just knew it wasn’t going to be a good day.

When I took the dog out for a morning walk, it started to rain. It was going to be a rough day.

I was tired and didn’t want to do my workout. It was the start of, as Judith Viorst shared in a children’s book about Alexander, a Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day.

When I started my swim workout, I began to think about everything on my calendar – all the meetings and obligations ahead of me. It was going to be a long day.

While swimming, I became aware of my negative self-talk – my defeatist attitude. I needed to fix my mindset. It didn’t need to be a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. I had the power to make it a good day.

Whether a teacher or a superintendent, your mindset impacts dozens, potentially hundreds, or even thousands of children daily. My negative mood changes conversations, decisions, and culture if I am undisciplined or lazy in my mindset.  

I get to choose my mindset each morning – so do you. We make every interaction better when we are intentional in our self-talk and live with a positive attitude.

Our Culture Playbook in Dublin outlines our three core values.  The Latin noun core means heart.  Our core values are at the heart of our vision and mission in the Dublin City School District.  Our values guide each decision; our values guide our daily behavior.

• Take Responsiveness – Own your Attitude & Action
• Always Growing – Embrace the Journey
• Better Together – Think Team

As educators, we strive to both model and teach these values.  Our VBO and Culture Playbook provide clarity and alignment for everyone in our district.