February 13, 2010

Blue & Gold Checking In

Time is flying!


Wow! I can't believe I've finished two weeks as superintendent in Buckley. Time is flying! A week ago, we had Homecoming … then it's suddenly another week completed. By the way, we ended up losing a close contest in our boys' homecoming game to Benzie. The girls fought for a close score in the first half, but in the second, Kingsley ran away.

So, what's it like to be the superintendent? Early last week, Buckley's maintenance man called me at 5:20 in the morning to recommend closing school since "Some of our farm roads are blown shut and I guarantee we'll have at least two, maybe three buses stuck." Well, when you have four bus runs, that's nearly all of your students who ride the bus. After talking to the transportation supervisor and superintendent at Kingsley (who stayed open), we ultimately decided to close school. I think it's best to err on the side of safety!

You have to watch our for BEAR CROSSINGS!

On Friday, I attended a Superintendent's Association Meeting at the Traverse Bay Area Intermediate School District. Sitting there with 16 or 17 other superintendents, we were working on an activity when Kaye Mentley, Lee Sandy, and I all discovered that we got our educational starts in Vestaburg. Lee started in '67, Mentley in '78, and me in '95. I thought that was unique.

I've worked on issues from propane billing to trash agreements to plowing snow earlier. I also communicate with Buckley's board of education frequently, including a weekly update on Friday afternoons.

My educational motto is First Class. Always. I'm working to incorporate that idea anytime I can …

Right now, I'm living in Thompsonville — with no Internet (imagine that!) and no cable or satelite service (Yet!). I've had a computer crash (500 GB hard drive kicked) and am thankful that I backed up the Bear Facts edition I was prepping, but I did lose a couple of other planning documents. That will teach me to BACK THINGS UP!

 
A quick shot of the snowy roads as I drove in on the snow day.

1 comment:

brad said...

great read rick..congrats..sounds like things are moving ahead just fine...your doing great..keep it up