Stories from the Field
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My First Administrative Assignment
I remember my first administrative assignment. I began going into my building once a week during the summer just to sit in my chair, look at class lists, work on a back to school newsletter, see what progress was being made on the building cleaning and do odds and ends in setting up my office. I was impressed with the large, glass entryway and envisioned adding welcoming plants and furniture. There was only one problem. The large expanse of glass windows was filthy. I asked the custodian if they would hurry up and wash the windows. He said, “Sure, we’ll get to them.” Week after week I made progress on getting ready to open my building except for the windows. Week after week I got the same smirky response, “Oh, yes, we’ll get to that!” I noticed also, that he did not seem to have much pride about his own dress and presentation.
I realized that as a young new administrator I was not asserting myself, yet did not want to alienate the custodian right off the bat. So I made up my mind that I was going to really talk to him. I planned to be very clear about what I wanted and to also really listen and try to understand why he wasn’t doing the windows. On the next visit I confronted the issue directly. I said, “Mr. D, I’ve asked you repeatedly to wash the windows so we can prepare the entryway. Can you tell me why you haven’t done this?” He said, “Well it’s like this, as soon as we wash the windows, these kids come up here and put their hands all over them, and dirty them up again, so it’s a waste of time to wash them.” I listened attentively and responded from my core, “ What I want you to understand, Mr. D. is that I want this school to stand like a beacon of light in this neighborhood. It is going to be the one place that is clean, inviting and welcoming as the beacon of educational standards! If they dirty it up, we’ll wash it again” Whew! I don’t know where all of that came from, but he looked at me intently weighing what I said and replied, Alright, we’ll get it done.” I thanked him and left.
The next time I went in he met me at my door and said, well I want you to see the windows. He had a clean shirt and looked freshly scrubbed and shaved himself. He proudly escorted me to the entryway that was gleaming! I was appropriately appreciative. He then said to me, “You were right. If we don’t care about this school, they won’t either!”
He went on to be a very fine building manager. He sought out things that could be improved. I brought in a couple of plants, and as the teachers started coming in and commenting on the appearance of the school, he began to stand a little taller and became very proud of “his” school. Others added plants to our entryway, and soon we did stand tall as “the beacon of educational light” in the neighborhood!
