It's tragic that due to flight schedules, the Closing General Session causes many attendees to miss out on some of the best speakers of each year's National Conference on Education.
This year was no exception! Jim Abbott, former baseball player for the Yankees, provided both inspiration and entertainment.
As he shared the excitement of his first experiences as a Major League Baseball player, the realization that there would now be baseball cards with his name and photo on the front was one of those exciting moments. Then, he recalled turning the card over, where his stats were. A job evaluation printed permanently for all to see.
Likewise, every school administrator has a professional profile, the front page of our own “baseball card.” It shows which team we represent, our position and our photo. It's the image and personality that our patrons, staff, parents and students see on a daily basis.
But, we also have a back side to our professional “baseball cards.” What's on yours? Does it represent the initiatives you've supported to promote equity? Does it share the number of ways you've worked to support students of diversity? Do your “game stats” represent a career where you've batted .500 or been a player who specializes in “assists,” either way contributing to a great team result?
While the front of your professional card is the one that everyone sees first, it's the back of the card that tells your story, your contribution, your legacy.
What's on the back of your card?