For as long as I can remember I've always been told "Ooooh . . . you don't want to be in the principal's office! Ever." And ironically, here I am. Every day, I go to the assistant principal's office. It has always been the norm the principal and the assistant principal are the disciplinarians, the final say. There is certainly some truth to this statement but why not make that a part of our job and not the entire job of the assistant principal and principal? This is where we need your help.
At the start of every year, as we are meeting and greeting new and current families, someone will very innocently tell his/her child this message and once school begins, a veil of "fear and worry" begins to form. Children become afraid - - - of us. They're afraid to talk to us, to look at us in the eye, to tell us what happened. And if they are "in trouble" and sent to the principal's office, their anxiety only grows based on the seeded fear that has indoctrinated their mindset. We can all agree that discipline with fear doesn’t change behaviors.
This year and every year after, one of our goals (Mrs. Daly, our principal and me) will be to encourage staff to send students to the principal's office more often for POSITIVE behaviors. Not every child will be perfect, but every child does something positive. That deserved to be recognized, no matter how big or small.
So, please, help change this thought and let your child know you HOPE they get sent to the office!
With Much Respect,
Ms. Shari Lazor
Assistant Principal
Washington School