Faster alone, further together

When I was in elementary school, I loved being part of a big group of friends. At school, I was more introverted and shy, but in my neighbourhood, it was a whole other story. I was lucky enough to grow up in an area with lots of other children. We used to play in the street together for hours and lose track of time. Our mothers would call us inside to eat dinner and warm up, but as soon as we could, we’d run back outside to join the others.

We often organized big projects together.
We’d talk about them, make plans, assign roles, set schedules, and rely on each other to get things done. We had strength in numbers, which was a big asset given our ambitions. We built a giant snow fort, held a carnival week, and planned baseball and hockey tournaments. We even organized a parade to celebrate the Olympics—everyone on our street got an invitation!

Each member of the group had their own strengths and talents, and we all found ways to work around each other’s flaws. When we teamed up, it was magic! Looking back, I’m sure our parents were watching us from behind the living room curtain and smiling. They must’ve loved seeing us work together! Sometimes we had arguments, but they didn’t last long. We always made up because we needed each other.

I realize now that we were learning an extremely valuable skill: how to cooperate.
Our group had artists, organizers, and unifiers. We had one or two sulkers, as well as doubters, leaders, and followers. But at the end of the day, we needed everyone to reach our final goal. You can’t imagine how happy we were when we made progress, reached an important milestone, or celebrated our victories.

For me, there’s a direct parallel between these childhood memories and the importance of collaboration in children’s academic success. It takes a strong support system for children to thrive.

Parents, grandparents, teachers, childcare educators, student supervisors, special ed teachers, safety patrollers, school principals, school boards, and school partners are all essential cogs in the academic wheel.

I didn’t become a school principal by accident.
I love contributing to our children’s futures. I also love working with people and figuring out how to rally them around a cause, where they can put their unique skills to good use. I leverage their strengths and talents to ensure that each child has everything they need to succeed throughout the school year.

But if I worked alone, I’d never achieve anything.
Only as a team can we build enough momentum to move forward. And as parents, you’re part of this team too! Together, we can give your child the support they need every day to keep going.

When I think back to my group of friends on Rue Henri-Miro, I realize that, without knowing it, we had all the right ingredients to reach our goals:

• A positive attitude (most of the time!)
• A shared commitment to our mission
• An openness to each other’s ideas
• Mutual respect
• Trust
• A willingness to make tweaks along the way
• Above all, a determination to never give up!

Is there anything they need that’s missing in their environment?
What can you do to find a solution?

Remember: you might go faster alone, but we’ll always go further together!