It is hard to be vulnerable opening ourselves to criticism, constructive or otherwise, allowing access to our worries, our flaws, and the questions that we have but don’t dare ask aloud. However, if Brene Brown is right, we must tap into that vulnerable part of ourselves for true change to occur.
This year, the Greater Owensboro Partnership for Early Development launched a new plan for building a stronger and more accessible early education system over the next four years. The emphasis became a major focus of the Public Life Foundation of Owensboro, which committed $4 million to the cause. In 2021, the group partnered with the Prichard Committee to identify key issues and build the civic campaign, which is now underway.
As a principal who grounds her work in leading a school that is a model of inclusivity, I know that optimal student success in achievement, engagement, and sense of belonging occurs when there is a strong partnership between home and school. Whenever I talk with families, I tell them our partnership is like a triangle with the student at the top, the school on one side, and the family on the other. If any one of those sides or vertices are broken, optimal student success cannot occur.