The minefield that is public school administration is littered with the bleached bones of both new and established principals who could not successfully traverse the period between their first day as a principal to their retirement party. During that time, you will be a high-wire aerialist, traversing the wire from the beginning of your career, as you step off the platform and onto the wire-high above the ground, until you step off the wire at the other end and onto the platform that is retirement. As you place one foot in front of another you are, in most cases and in most situations, alone. As you look at the long, thin strand of wire ahead of you, is that grease you see and who the hell put that there?
Knowing where the high-wire is greased will allow you to successfully grow old on the high-wire. Success can simply mean making it to retirement. However, success can also mean (and should mean) facilitating the creation of a school that fully supports student learning and teacher growth. You choose. It is your career; it is your high-wire.
