Monday, July 28, 2008

Terri Mossige: Pay It Forward

I have so much gratitude and appreciation for Raise Your Hand Texas for providing me the opportunity to attend the National Institute of Urban School Leaders this summer. It was an amazing experience and I will definitely be attending more of the summer institutes offered by the Principals Center at Harvard in the future.

This was a very intense week of learning which began at 8:30 am in the morning and ended at 5:00 pm. You were assigned numerous reading materials each day to prepare for tomorrows presenters. Each presentation was filled with up to date information in the field of leadership as well as education which left you in a state of reflection on your own leadership and how the information can impact your campus. My colleagues and I spoke about how the end of the day left you tired and inspired all at the same time. We were energized about the possibilities before us and pressed on to read our articles in preparation for the next day activities.

I met school leaders from all over the United States and there was a common bond among all of us no matter what zip code you reside. Furthermore, the experience of meeting and speaking with others was another avenue to my learning. We shared common experiences, ideals and dreams for our students and schools. I left this week with a great network from all over this country and I plan to keep in touch throughout the school year.

Finally, the learning and reflection of the week have reaffirmed by commitment and passion for my profession. I believe I am a better leader because of this experience and have been equipped with greater tools to improve the leadership of my administrative team, teacher leaders, faculty and staff. Thank you again for providing me this opportunity and I believe as we continue to "pay it forward" the impact will be felt by many others for years to come.

Terri Mossige

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