The End of One Season and the Anticipation of the Next

On May 7, 2010, I graduated with my MSA from East Carolina University as a NC Principal Fellow, Class 15. I officially completed my internship at Warsaw Elementary School in Warsaw, NC on May 28, 2010, however, I have chosen to continue through the end of the school year to gain the experience of doing such from an administration point of view.

I have thoroughly enjoyed the classes at ECU, my internship at both schools, and am ever grateful for having the wisdom to pursue this new career as well as having been selected as a Principal Fellow. I now anxiously await the next step--job placement!

A Reflection

Fall and Spring semesters have passed and I have learned so much. I feel so much more prepared for my role as a school administrator now after having taken the courses in our MSA program at East Carolina University. Likewise, I have read several books which I feel will help me as an administrator. I have read What Great Principals Do Differently and Dealing With Difficult Parents and With Parents in Difficult Situations by Todd Whitaker, Three Signs of a Miserable Job by Patrick Lencioni, Blink and Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell, Fish! by Stephen C. Lundin, Ph.D., Who Moved My Cheese? and The One Minute Manager by Spencer Johnson, M.D. I am now in the middle of reading The Top Ten Mistakes Leaders Make by Hans Finzel, Ph.D. and am awaiting Real Bosses Don't Boss by Henry Peel, Ed.D. (Some of these books were written by more than one author even though only one is listed.)

In the meantime, we (the Fellows) have a 2-week course in May and a weekend course in July. We begin our internships in August. I'm excited about beginning mine!