How have you leveraged your Montverde experience ?
“ It certainly helps to be familiar with Montverde and IJGA Bishops Gate . It has helped me get up to speed quickly and reduce the risk of making uninformed decisions . I also know who to speak with if something unexpected occurs . I want to be sure to keep our standards and culture intact while navigating uncharted territory .”
What has been your biggest challenge ?
“ Creating a sense of belonging has been a bit of a challenge . I have always enjoyed face to face interactions with students . Now , with COVID-19 , I can only meet with students outdoors and from a safe distance for a limited amount of time . I am also concerned that our students will not feel a part of Montverde Academy since they are not on campus every day , so I plan to bring Montverde Academy to Bishops Gate . For example , I invited their Director of College Guidance to conduct a college essay writing workshop for our seniors . The essay is an essential component for college admissions to determine whether a student is a good fit for their school . The essay is the one opportunity for students to share their voice , their unique experiences , and their perspective . I want our students to know that we truly care about their well-being and we are prepared to do whatever is necessary to help them succeed .” institutions . Thin institutions are the ones we pass through with only faint memories of our time there . Thick institutions provide something more lasting and fundamental . They transform us . I believe IJGA can do just that !”
How do you define success ?
“ If I can ensure that each student has grown academically , socially , and is well prepared for the next year in their academic journey then I have succeeded . Each student arrives with different set of transcripts . It is critical that I evaluate the transcripts so I can determine which classes quality for NCAA eligibility and graduation requirements . In addition , it is important to know the student ’ s personal goals , work toward those goals but be realistic about limitations . The last thing I want to see is one of our students fall short of their goals because his or her needs were not met .”
What do you love most about education ?
“ Being able to make my students ’ experience a special one , something memorable . I have been at this for a while . I have seen students that I taught in third grade grow up to be amazing young men and women and that has been extremely fulfilling .”
What attracted you most to IJGA Bishops Gate ?
“ I tend to embrace adventure and all that comes with it . I have found that by trying new approaches to vocation and life , I keep energized and healthy . I guess you could say I thrive on change and life-long learning . I believe that a person cannot grow by being complacent or static . David Brooks wrote an Op-Ed column in the New York Times several years ago in which he distinguished “ thick ” from “ thin ”
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