Last week, I shared that I was going to Fort Worth, Texas, to celebrate my grandmother's 100th birthday. It was a great time! It was a small family reunion where her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, and great-great grandchildren came together to celebrate the 100th birthday of an outstanding woman.

  

On Sunday as I was preparing to leave, my grandmother and I had breakfast together, and at one point she asked, "Well Curtis, how is it - being a superintendent?"

I replied, "It's going well. I have good people who are working very hard, doing good things, and making differences in lives of students. But it's hard because there's a lot of criticism out there about public schools. People are saying we have to be preparing students for jobs that don't even exist today, and for a world that doesn't exist yet either. Sometimes it's just hard to want to keep going when you have all this negativity coming your way."

She looked at me, smiled, and said, "Your teachers are like my teachers. They're doing fine."

She continued, "I finished 8th grade, and I know my teachers weren't sure how good I was going to be. But, they prepared me for the great depression, World War I, World War II, segregation, integration, and the election of an African-American president. Never thought I'd see that... but I have. They prepared me for what the world was going to become, and your teachers are doing the same for your students. People are always going to criticize; people are always going to have negative things to say. But, my education prepared me, and your teachers are preparing your students. Don't worry about it; just keep doing the best you can."

That's sage advice from a wise woman that I've taken to heart.

We hear a lot of negative things, but we know what we're doing. You're doing well.

Our students are doing well also. This past week we had the Outstanding Student Banquet sponsored by Partner in Education First National Bank that recognized outstanding students in the 11th and 12th grade. In addition, they recognized 9th and 10th graders at the Outstanding Student Breakfasts. Our community is doing well. We just need to tell people.

Continue to Dare to Do Better, and have a great weekend! 

  

Curtis

  

First National Bank of Griffin 2011 Outstanding Student Banquet