“The Jordan High School community made my birthday very special,” Principal Taylor said from her office last week.
On August 30th, Principal Taylor was surprised to enter the building to happy birthday wishes from Jordan custodian, Mr. Spellman. When she asked him where he’d learned of the special day, he smiled, saying, “don’t worry about that.”
As the day went on, birthday wishes from students, faculty/staff, athletics teams, clubs, and PTSA members made their way to Principal Taylor’s office in the form of flowers, balloons, and beautiful hand-made cards.
“So beautiful,” Principal Taylor tells me, “that I haven’t taken them off of my table yet,” gesturing to her round table adorned with bright, colorful messages and full vases.
While Ms. Taylor has celebrated previous birthdays at Jordan, she describes this one as particularly noteworthy because of the sheer number of well wishes she received. “It was really special,” she said. “It felt like a Ms. Taylor Holiday to me, because it was numerous students, numerous teachers.”
The heartfelt show of appreciation illustrates the importance of a supportive community. Principal Taylor emphasized that support is especially crucial within a school–she attributed many educational and lifetime successes to being part of a team.
“You can’t do this work alone,” Ms. Taylor expressed. “There are people who know more than you do. You have to listen to the voices of all stakeholders.” Stakeholders, she defined, are all the individuals that make up the school body.
“To improve your school, you have to listen to student voices, teacher voices, and parent-caregiver voices,” she says.
To Principal Taylor, every person involved with Jordan High School is part of the same team, their voices equally valuable. If a person’s dedication to a community can be measured by the number of messages and gifts decorating one’s table, it’s obvious just how much Ms. Taylor has touched this school.
If you get the chance on your way to class or during lunch, feel free to wish Principal Taylor a belated birthday. Not only will it be appreciated, you’ll be contributing to something bigger than yourself: your community.
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