By now your school district has started the 2007-2008 school year. It’s exciting to watch children bright with anticipation for the first day of school. Students of all ages have been shopping for school supplies and will be entering your schools with new clothes, new backpacks and some anxiety that the back-to-school season has begun and summer vacation is officially over.
This is a special time of year, the culmination of many efforts. Many of you have worked countless hours up until the very last moment, including Labor Day weekend in some cases, to ensure that each classroom is properly prepared for learning.
This is the special season for members of the school business administration team where all of the summer efforts focus. Each operations director has worked to ensure that each school is in the cleanest condition possible. Food service leaders have prepared a healthy menu to enhance student wellness. Transportation directors have worked to make sure the bus routes are most efficient at transporting each student as necessary. Everyone is happy to see the start of school come and the school year to begin to take shape.
In the finance area, the fiscal year end close has probably been the focus for the past two months. Surviving the annual audit and working through the annual audit report while contributing to the back to school efforts has taken considerable time.
At this point, the focus on these large projects has required much, if not all, of your time and energy. It's important to remember that in the midst of your responsibility to serve your school district on these large projects, it is expected that you will also stay on top of the little things so they don’t turn into large problems. This can be quite challenging when you're focusing on the most pressing project of the moment. You must still make sure that tasks are handled such as the complete and accurate preparation of payroll, the ordering of food service supplies and the staffing of vacant employee positions in all areas. You must effectively do all things well.
As you have an opportunity to enjoy the crisp fall air, spend time nurturing yourself in some way that will allow you to be re-energized to handle the big things – and the little things – in each area of your life.