Award – Exceptional Professional Contribution March 29, 2007
Posted by Joseph Papaleo in General.trackback
I don’t normally write directly about work, but today is an 
exception. I want some type of record that my kids/grandkids will look at one day and know what I achieved. Forgive the indulgence.
This evening, our school’s Board of Governors put on a cocktail party for the staff. I’m one of those people who’ll attend with no real reason (don’t go to eat the food as there are always things I’m allergic to), other than to meet the President of the Board – which to this point I had not yet achieved in 3+ years.
So tonight, I had a quick dinner with my kids – 4 year old Olivia’s favourite – sausages and chips (yuk!!), but she eats it and she’s a fussy eater. Then I went off to the Cocktail party. On the way, I stopped at a hardware store to buy some paint for our home renovation and ended up getting there late. I slipped in with some friends while our Principal (Rod) was giving a speech. Rod just finished talking about some new developments and then started thanking or congratulating people for finishing studies or giving presentatioons at conferences, etc.
4 or 5 minutes after arriving, Rod stated that there were some “awards for educational contribution” to give out and he called me out first. I was so flabbergasted, that I didn’t even take in what he said. I heard some friends congratulate me and I finally met the President of the Board as he presented me with a certificate. We didn’t say much, but I achieved an aim. Maybe next time he is at our campus, we’ll actually chat.
So what’s the big deal??? It’s nice to be recognised within a large organistaion (3 campuses with over 2oo staff) as someone who makes a difference and is showing the potential with New Technologies.
Later, I chatted with Rod and he mentioned “blogs” and that he didn’t know what they were exactly. But he knew about them. That’s exciting! I promised that if he gave me three minutes, I’d teach him something. So Rod, if you do read this, press the “add a comment” button at the top and leave a short note to see how the read/write web works.
And thanks to the encouragement I get from other educators in the bloggosphere. It is very much appreciated.
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Congratulations, Joseph – you deserve it! And just think that if you’d stopped to have just one more sausage, you might have missed it!
Seriously, I think it is truly rewarding when you are recognised for ‘making a difference’. And ‘m sure that you’ll go on to make more differences in the lives of others for a long time ot come.
Well done
Joseph
Well I have read your report and am leaving my comment.
I am pleased to have received positive feedback on the awards presented earlier this week, yours amongst them. They were all thoroughly deserved.
Of course there is always a danger in identifying a few amongst many talented staff. Nonetheless not to recognise anyone because of the danger of offending one would also be inappropriate.
Congratulations again.
Congrats Joseph! Having worked for Media and Communications, who organized the giving out of awards such as yours by our school board, I certainly related to your story about folks being caught totally off guard in receiving their awards. smirk.
However, you are certainly well deserved. You are such an important part of the educational blogging community. I also want to thank you for the invaluable input you are giving to US preservice teachers in the mentorship project. You are helping to shape who they will become in the future as educators with a global focus.
On a side note to Rod Fraser
I am thilled to see another educational leader using the communication and collaboration tools of the 21st Century to affirm and engage staff. I commend your stepping out and risking offending through recognition of Joseph, as teaching is such a flat organization (no real chance for promotion) and there is such an emphasis on equity, that many educational leaders sometimes forget how empowering it can be to be just to give our best teachers a well deserved pat on the back. Joseph is invaluable to many of us globally and such a positive role model for your country, school system, and his school
Sincerely,
Sheryl Nussbaum-Beach
School of Education
College of William and Mary