Dear Friends,

Positive. Excited. Optimistic. Confident. Hopeful. Cherry. Silver lining. Glass half full. Pollyanna.

These words and phrases all have the same basic meaning and when they are used to describe someone it’s not always meant in the same context.

On one hand it means that the person you are speaking about is so positive and confident that the direction they are headed will happen, and nothing can stop them. On the other hand, it could mean that they can only see the result and are blind to the danger and possible pitfalls that lay ahead of them.

I had the extreme pleasure of attending a dedication ceremony last week at the DCMO BOCES Norwich Campus, that was being dedicated to long time and beloved Superintendent, Alan D. Pole. Alan was the DCMO Superintendent (D.S.) for 18 years – and as the current Superintendent, Perry Dewey noted in his remarks, it is an unprecedented amount of time for a D.S. to serve.

I had the privilege of knowing and working with Alan during my tenure as a school board member. In fact, during my first year in this role, our school launched a search for a new school Superintendent and part of the D.S. services for the component school districts is to hire the D.S. to lead the search process.