Doing Good for the Sake of Doing Good

Want to start this blog with some great news. The security cameras and all the wiring have been ordered and have arrived at school. The installation of the security cameras begins tomorrow morning! I'm looking forward to having the cameras in place to better protect everyone on campus. I'm also looking forward to the next step in making our campus more secure by adding the speakers to the hallways, gyms, cafeteria, and kitchen. After that, we will work on replacing the door locks.

My style of leadership is one where I work with people to get their input on what needs to be done. I don't lead in a vacuum. I want people's input and help in making decisions. When things go well, everyone gets credit. I think that is very important. And, I will take the blame when things don't go the way they are supposed to go. Hey, that's part of leadership. I'll throw myself under the bus, but I will do my best to never throw anyone else under the bus.

I say all this because there are some times where I have to make a decision without getting everyone's input. I don't like doing that, but I will make those decisions every once in awhile and move forward with that decision.

Select Members of the SAS Band
Performed at CBHS.

One of those decisions I've made recently has to do with the Extracurricular Exploration (EE). As part of the Advanc-ED accreditation process, I reviewed, reviewed, and reviewed our students' ITBS and easyCBM scores. I saw individual strengths and weaknesses. I discovered where our students can benefit from extra help and those who will benefit by giving extra help.


So, in organizing this latest EE, I added tutoring to the EE

classes. Except, I did not make this class an optional class for students. The middle school teachers submitted a list of students who need extra help in different subject areas. I confirmed the names on the list with the test scores. I did not ask the students on the list if they wanted to be in the tutoring class, I pretty much mandated it. But, I mandated it for a purpose, and that is to give our students another opportunity to improve academically. Student academic success is part of my job.

There is something else I did with the EE tutoring class. I reviewed the test scores and got the students with the highest test scores, who I felt would do a good job of tutoring classmates in helping those classmates improve academically, and made them tutors. I did not ask those students if they would tutor, I assigned them as tutors for that EE class.

I have several reasons for doing this. So, here's my explanation. Let me start off by saying that assigning these students as tutors is about as high a compliment as I can pay any student. If I know you have the academic ability to help other students succeed, and I believe you have what it takes to help other students succeed, you have won my confidence and trust. There are plenty of adults out there I wouldn't want tutoring in my school, but these students that have been selected to tutor, I want them to not only share their knowledge, I also want them to use the talents God has given them to help others. "To whom much is given, from him much is expected." (Luke 12:48) God gave you the talent, I'm giving you an opportunity to use your God-given talent.

At the school Mass last Thursday, Fr. Bill talked about how teaching is a witness. He even used the example of students teaching students. He said that when students teach students, they are doing God's work. In today's Gospel reading from Luke, we are reminded to "do to others as you would have them do to you." With that in mind, I'm going to do the best I can to help others because I sure hope they will help me when I need it. That's not the main reason I help others. The main reason I help others is because I was taught to see Jesus in all my brothers and sisters. I sure hope they see Jesus in me.

Also in today's Gospel, a part that stands out for me is "lend expecting nothing back." These tutors are lending their knowledge to their classmates, and together, their knowledge will grow. Your reward is knowing that you are doing God's work. In the end, "gifts will be given to you," for you are doing good for the sake of doing good.

I would like to thank Patrick Bennett, Jonathan Clowney, Brayan Garcia, Luca de Jong, James Kargauer, and Logan Wymore, for helping to tutor their classmates. I also want to thank Stacey Griffith and Teresa Ferrante for leading the Tutoring EE. Without all of you, this tutoring effort would be fruitless.

Student Shout Out:
This past weekend Jonah Odum competed in the TN-AAU Region 4 Championship and placed 4th out of 10 wrestlers. This qualifies Jonah to compete in the TN-AAU State Tournament where only the top 4 athletes from each region can compete. During Jonah’s qualifying match, he overcame extreme adversity. He was down four points with 30 seconds left. Jonah was able to flip his opponent and put him on his back where he then pinned him to earn his spot to compete at the state championship.  Congratulations to Jonah and good luck while competing at the state tournament in Knoxville, TN on March 2nd.

Parents, please share student shout outs with me so that we may recognize our students in my blog and morning announcements.

God bless you,
Didier Aur, Principal
St. Ann Catholic School