A formula for a great "working" environment

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This post was written in response to two hashtags: #ILoveMySchoolBecause and #AprilBlogaDay

There are several things that come to mind that I truly appreciate about working at DeMatha Catholic High School. While these really just scratch the surface, they are some of the first things that come to mind for this quick reflection.  I had to cut it off somewhere because this prompt was "due" yesterday!

Incredible colleagues
My colleagues and administrators have been intelligent, risk-takers who are willing to share their experience and time. Most importantly, they are great people and its modeled for the students everyday. Our principal often encourages the importance of "play" in education and I see that in the attitudes of teachers and students throughout each day.

Freedom + Support
Since my first days at DeMatha I have been given the freedom to choose much of the content and approach that best works with my teaching style and my students. Along with that freedom has always been support and guidance to encourage me to further develop. 

Expectation of excellence
There has been an expectation of excellence in anything that we attempt to do, both in and outside the buildings, even before I started working at DeMatha. That culture of excellence was never specifically stated to me that I can remember, but it is evident in the achievements of the past and the attitude of the present.

More than remembering
A school slogan, "Remember... you are a gentleman and scholar" was created several years ago and place on posters throughout the school. It is a powerfully simple statement that makes the purpose of any endeavor clear. In many small ways each day we are continually reminded that we're not quite there yet and that's certainly expected. Working in a building with almost 1000 high school boys would make it seem like that model is impossible to live up to. But that doesn't stop everyone from trying. And some days, we come remarkably close.

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