“Very few people know that when I was in the Army National Guard, one of my primary responsibilities was to serve as an instructor. While I had various assignments, my primary one was to provide instruction in combat explosives and minefield warfare. Some of my friends suggest this was good preparation for school administration.”

“A book that has inspired me for many years is “Kennedy” by Ted Sorensen. I was 13 when JFK delivered his inaugural address. That moment was a significant one for me. Ted Sorensen is generally recognized as the individual who crafted that speech. Several years after becoming the principal at Irving, I discovered that Mr. Sorensen attended Irving as a junior high student. Several years after that, I had the opportunitiy to be at a luncheon with him. We were able to talk for about 20 minutes, and he kindly autographed my copy of his book. It was quite an occasion for me.”

“I would really like to learn the skills associated with being a fine woodworker. I admire the capabilities and talents of several people I know who practice that trade. There is a lot to being a master of that craft”

“Frequently over my lifetime, I was advised to always work so that I could confidently say that I had done my best. That advice started with my parents, who told me to always look back on what I had just done to be sure I had taken care and completed the job well. My scout leaders re-enforced that I should always do my best. My mentors in the field of education shared that I needed to lead in a way so that I could honestly say that I had done what I thought was the best to support the people with whom I worked. They knew that as a principal, it was likely that some decisions I made would not please everyone. That proved to be true. It was important to me that I could feel that I had done my best.”