Some of my favorite quotes:
1. The public school is the greatest discovery made by man. Horace Mann
2. Education is best provided in schools embracing children of all religious, social, and ethnic backgrounds. Horace Mann
3. A teacher who is attempting to teach without inspiring the pupil with a desire to learn is hammering on cold iron. Horace Mann
4. Never look down to test the ground before taking your next step; only he who keeps his eye fixed on the far horizon will find the right road. Dag Hammarskjold
5. You have never done enough, so long as it is still possible that you have something of value to contribute. Dag Hammarskjold.
The following are quotes offered by school superintendents:
1. Don’t mistake the edge of the rut for the horizon.
2.. You are only as good as your teaching staff.
3. Introducing myself by saying ‘I am the current superintendent of …
4. Even if you can successfully swim against an angry tide as a school leader, you will be criticized for not walking on water.
5. All will be right with the world when the military has to hold bake sales to buy bombs and schools have all the money they need.
6. A (school) Board’s perception of reality is reality; regardless of the facts.
1st Corollary: The function of the superintendent is to make reality and the facts fit as closely as possible.
2nd Corollary: Any administrator/ s tenure in a district is directly related to how close the facts and reality correlate.
7. Being a superintendent is a fine line between leading a parade and being run out of town by an unhappy mob.
8. The key to leading a public school system is hiring great people and keeping everything that might prevent them from doing their job out of the way.
9. Don’t tell me what you value, tell me what you do and I will tell you what you value.