My Passionate Principal Years (1968-1984)                             


                    CARING/ CARING/ CARING!

·       Giving the highest priority to building a loving community of kids, teachers & parents

·       Delighting in my daily interactions with kids & teachers

·       Feeling the greatest satisfaction being able to help teachers and parents focus on what's best for each child.

·       Savoring children's smiles, soothing momentary hurts.

·       Supporting teachers' FREEDOM to develop the style of teaching best reflecting their individuality and personal strengths.

·       Sparing neither time nor effort in anticipation of finding the very best teachers to fill staff vacancies

·       Appreciating the courage & wisdom of those teachers and administrators who came before me and replaced Grades with narrative Progress Reports

·       Learning so much from parental input and involvement in their children's schooling and education

·       Never-ending enthusiasm for the role our school library played in the day to day life of the elementary reading program and in children's independent pleasure reading  

·       Loving the donation to our school library of Shel Silverstein's The Giving Tree in honor of our school staff

·       Creating an informal Child Study Team approach to assist teachers to collaborate for the benefit of individual children

·       Joyfully witnessing so many tiny and giant steps forward by our children

·       Trying to listen with an open heart whenever a teacher or parent had a complaint or a problem to resolve

·       Relishing the vibrancy of  music and art within our school

·       Participating as the Whiffle Bird in our school's original musical version of Julie Andrews Edwards' book, The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles: with cast of hundreds, including all 3rd-5th graders, most staff members and the night custodians

·       Daily celebrating with teachers and parents "the magic years" of 5-11 year olds

Richard Lakin
April 9, 2011