I applaud our Oakwood Schools staff for getting involved in the fun of identifying their One Word for 2024.  Earlier this month, I posted my One Word as SOAR and asked staff members to share their One Word with me.  Gordon, Britton, and Page created the One Word concept to replace the New Year's Resolution, hoping to encourage people to identify One Word that might "stick" better throughout the year.  Here are the One Words which staff members shared with me:

• A high school teacher identified PRAY as his word. It starts with his family, where he has committed to pray for his family every day and write down his prayers in a prayer journal. He will be adding others during the year.  

• A high school teacher chose the word FUN because life is too short to waste it being bored, grumpy, and disengaged. More Fun = Less Stress & More Awesome 

• A high school teacher selected BECOME with the following components:

  • Be - I commit to just 'be'; to be in every moment

  • Emotionalize - I commit to acknowledging, analyzing the why, and feeling my feelings rather than judging myself for them.  Feelings are neither right nor wrong.

  • Commit - I commit to commit.

  • Own - I commit to own all that I do.

  • Move - I commit to move more physically in 2024 and move on plans for my holistic health business

  • Evolve - When all is in play, I will have evolved towards my greater purpose as an individual and a contributor to the community.

• Our Technology Director chose HONE.  The technology blueprint had four themes Equity, Honing, Security, and Future. The past several years have been a lot of additions, changes, and acting fast, which usually comes at the expense of something that could be well crafted or finely tuned. He sees tons of opportunities for value if we can move our focus and start to hone the tools, procedures, and systems we currently have.

• One of our School Counselors selected EMBRACE.  She felt the word would allow her to take people and things as they are without judgment or a preconceived notion.  It will also allow her to embrace the good and the bad life has to offer and hopefully become more centered/patient with this new year and mantra.

• Our Special Education Coordinator sought feedback from the district special education teachers to gather their One Word for 2024.  She created a graphical image to showcase the collective words:

 

• A teacher chose LESS...less phone time, less sugar, less junk food, and less of the things that don't help me be my best self.  

• A staff identified NOW.  As a professional procrastinator, her word for 2024 is "NOW''. She plans to and has already put the word behind many sentences with great success! Following are some examples: I need to write a thank you NOW. I need to call someone about the grout in the tub NOW. We should get together. Let's just set a date NOW. Ugh, I need to put this Christmas decor away NOW. Though I always seem to get my stuff done, it feels so good to just do it NOW! I hope it lasts throughout the year, as it seems to be working NOW :)

• A classroom of Harman fourth graders each chose ONE WORD for the year.  The teacher started with the book One Word for Kids, then took the students through a 3-step process for finding their word based on the book.  Each child then decorated a snowman with the word and did a writing piece about why they chose that word.  The teacher also intends to put their words on a piece of tape on their desks.  

 

• Members of our leadership team chose:
  • TEAMWORK
  • FOCUS
  • BALANCE
  • One member selected STRIVE because it emphasizes the effort going into the things I want to achieve personally, professionally, and even parentally. 
  • Another chose POSSIBILITIES, since they are endless with the children we have the privilege to work with here in Oakwood. She also sees how much relationships matter and builds the necessary foundations to even make those possibilities a reality.
  • One member identified DREAM. As I take on a new career challenge, I look forward to not just coming in and just completing tasks that were done before. I'm looking at the new role with a fresh set of eyes. What's the vision? What impact do we want to have? Where can we strategically work together to do our students, community and staff the most good? My hope and expectations for 2024 are that I take the time to dream and find new, innovative ways to serve Oakwood. I am thankful for the opportunity, and I'm excited to see what we dream up together. It's going to be a fun journey!

I had the great opportunity to be invited to read One Word for Kids at a Smith Elementary Classroom.  After reading the book and sharing my One Word with the class, students were given time to identify their One Word and create a graphic and reason why they selected their word.