Why back to school is special to me as principal
As a Black Canadian who didn’t see teachers like me, I want to help students feel valued and included
This First Person column is written by Rogene Reid, who lives in Toronto. For more information about First Person stories, see the FAQ.
The night before the school year begins, sleep rarely comes easily to me.
Some people likely imagine principals as calm authority figures, but I feel the same nerves as many children and parents heading back to school.
I lie awake and replay the opening day procedures in my mind. I am sick with the possibility that I didn’t cover everything that needs to be done before the doors open to students and overthink all the emails or newsletters I had edited earlier in the day.
Sleep comes late and only after my anxiety exhausts me. A lot of the time, I’m restless or I find myself waking up at three in the morning, still panicked, until I will myself back to sleep. Coffee and nerves are what get me up the next day and drive me to be the first car to pull into the school parking lot.
Read More: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/first-person-back-to-school-principal-s-perspective-1.7624584