Deciding to change jobs is never an easy decision, especially when you’ve spent more than 20 years at the same place.
But sometimes opportunities arise that can’t be passed up, and you have to leave a place and people that have grown to become family to you.
That was the dilemma that faced Providence Elementary School Principal Brenda Considine earlier this spring when she was offered, and ultimately accepted, the position as the district’s new Elementary Instructional Leadership director.
She loved the Providence students, and the staff she had spent her entire career with, Considine said, but the new position that offered her an opportunity to help fellow principals and teachers at other elementary schools, most of whom had been friends for years, was something she felt she couldn’t pass up.
“It was a difficult decision. I’ve spent 24 years at Providence, since right out of college, so I kind of grew up there. It is bittersweet leaving,” Considine said. “But, I’m ready for a challenge. We as principals have been asking for an elementary director for a long time. This position should directly affect instruction so that we are providing the best quality instruction in every classroom, to every child, every day.”
Even though she feels she made the right decision, Considine said it was difficult walking away on the last day of school this spring.
“I shed a lot of tears that last day. We didn’t have a lot of turnover at Providence, so I worked with most of these people my entire career, so saying goodbye to them was really hard,” Considine said. “But the hardest one to say goodbye to was Mr. Daryl (Shofner), my buddy, my custodian, Mr. D. I just boo-hooed.
“But I told them what I’ve been telling kids I’ve seen this summer: I’m still going to be there. It’s just not going to be in the same role and it’s not going to be daily. I am going to still get my kid fixes every day because I am going to be in schools every day, so now I am going to be Mrs. Considine to about 2,000 kids in all the schools, instead of just the ones at Providence.”
Superintendent Elaine Farris said Considine was a perfect fit for the newly created position.
“My elementary principals and I discussed the need for someone at the central office level that had elementary experience that could and would provide support for elementary principals and staff as we focus on improving our instructional core and helping our principals improve their instructional leadership skills. Brenda Considine’s skill set aligns perfectly with the expectations and responsibilities of this job,” Farris said. “I requested this position so that our district staff could provide more support for principals and staff so we could focus on improving the instructional core. We have done a lot of work in our district on curriculum, and will continue to do so with the implementation of the new Kentucky Core Academic Standards.”
About 85 percent of her time as instructional director will be spent inside the schools, Considine said, helping both the principals and teachers, something she knows is needed from her time as a principal.
“Being a principal I know you deal with a lot of different issues at your desk and it’s hard to get into the classrooms. That is where I am going to help. I am going be in the classrooms, be another set of eyes, providing some special development, doing some professional guidance for instruction, whatever they need,” Considine said. “We’re here for you, what can we do to help you? That’s our motto. That’s what Mrs Farris wants. She wants to help, so how do we do that? We get more hands involved.”
Considine has been on her new job since July 1, and has spent most of her time meeting with principals to see what their most pressing needs are and preparing for the first day of school when she can begin to work with the teachers.
“So many times as a teacher you need that extra help and the principal is so busy, you hate to bother them. I am going to be the one they can ask for help. Or, if they have told their principals they really need some professional development in math standards or something, instead of the principal having to search it out, I can do it,” Considine said. “When Mrs. Farris first got here she asked what our instructional needs were, and we bombarded her with, ‘We need an elementary director to guide us.’ She listened, and she has provided it.
“I’m looking forward to being able to get in the schools and be able to provide the help the teachers and principals need, when they need it. It’s not just about test scores, it’s about good, high-quality teaching, and making sure that every child is exposed to that.”
Considine said she has been so busy, she hasn’t given much thought to what it will feel like going back to Providence when school begins in August, but admits it will be strange not being there to meet the students on the first day.
“It has not really sunk in yet. It’s almost like it’s pretend being here. When I go out there that first time and I realize that it’s not my school any more, then it will be real,” Considine said. “But one thing that will make it easier is that Mr. (Mark) Rose has been hired as principal. The beauty of it is he knows the building, and he’s familiar with Providence and the staff, so he’ll fit the population there very well. So I know they will be in good hands. Plus I will still get to go out there on a regular basis.”
Contact Bob Flynn at bflynn@winchestersun.com.
But sometimes opportunities arise that can’t be passed up, and you have to leave a place and people that have grown to become family to you.
That was the dilemma that faced Providence Elementary School Principal Brenda Considine earlier this spring when she was offered, and ultimately accepted, the position as the district’s new Elementary Instructional Leadership director.
She loved the Providence students, and the staff she had spent her entire career with, Considine said, but the new position that offered her an opportunity to help fellow principals and teachers at other elementary schools, most of whom had been friends for years, was something she felt she couldn’t pass up.
“It was a difficult decision. I’ve spent 24 years at Providence, since right out of college, so I kind of grew up there. It is bittersweet leaving,” Considine said. “But, I’m ready for a challenge. We as principals have been asking for an elementary director for a long time. This position should directly affect instruction so that we are providing the best quality instruction in every classroom, to every child, every day.”
Even though she feels she made the right decision, Considine said it was difficult walking away on the last day of school this spring.
“I shed a lot of tears that last day. We didn’t have a lot of turnover at Providence, so I worked with most of these people my entire career, so saying goodbye to them was really hard,” Considine said. “But the hardest one to say goodbye to was Mr. Daryl (Shofner), my buddy, my custodian, Mr. D. I just boo-hooed.
“But I told them what I’ve been telling kids I’ve seen this summer: I’m still going to be there. It’s just not going to be in the same role and it’s not going to be daily. I am going to still get my kid fixes every day because I am going to be in schools every day, so now I am going to be Mrs. Considine to about 2,000 kids in all the schools, instead of just the ones at Providence.”
Superintendent Elaine Farris said Considine was a perfect fit for the newly created position.
“My elementary principals and I discussed the need for someone at the central office level that had elementary experience that could and would provide support for elementary principals and staff as we focus on improving our instructional core and helping our principals improve their instructional leadership skills. Brenda Considine’s skill set aligns perfectly with the expectations and responsibilities of this job,” Farris said. “I requested this position so that our district staff could provide more support for principals and staff so we could focus on improving the instructional core. We have done a lot of work in our district on curriculum, and will continue to do so with the implementation of the new Kentucky Core Academic Standards.”
About 85 percent of her time as instructional director will be spent inside the schools, Considine said, helping both the principals and teachers, something she knows is needed from her time as a principal.
“Being a principal I know you deal with a lot of different issues at your desk and it’s hard to get into the classrooms. That is where I am going to help. I am going be in the classrooms, be another set of eyes, providing some special development, doing some professional guidance for instruction, whatever they need,” Considine said. “We’re here for you, what can we do to help you? That’s our motto. That’s what Mrs Farris wants. She wants to help, so how do we do that? We get more hands involved.”
Considine has been on her new job since July 1, and has spent most of her time meeting with principals to see what their most pressing needs are and preparing for the first day of school when she can begin to work with the teachers.
“So many times as a teacher you need that extra help and the principal is so busy, you hate to bother them. I am going to be the one they can ask for help. Or, if they have told their principals they really need some professional development in math standards or something, instead of the principal having to search it out, I can do it,” Considine said. “When Mrs. Farris first got here she asked what our instructional needs were, and we bombarded her with, ‘We need an elementary director to guide us.’ She listened, and she has provided it.
“I’m looking forward to being able to get in the schools and be able to provide the help the teachers and principals need, when they need it. It’s not just about test scores, it’s about good, high-quality teaching, and making sure that every child is exposed to that.”
Considine said she has been so busy, she hasn’t given much thought to what it will feel like going back to Providence when school begins in August, but admits it will be strange not being there to meet the students on the first day.
“It has not really sunk in yet. It’s almost like it’s pretend being here. When I go out there that first time and I realize that it’s not my school any more, then it will be real,” Considine said. “But one thing that will make it easier is that Mr. (Mark) Rose has been hired as principal. The beauty of it is he knows the building, and he’s familiar with Providence and the staff, so he’ll fit the population there very well. So I know they will be in good hands. Plus I will still get to go out there on a regular basis.”
Contact Bob Flynn at bflynn@winchestersun.com.
