Wear your own fabulous pair!

New principals, new assistant principals, new teachers, new teaching assistants, new secretaries, new PTO presidents ,new custodians, and even new superintendents. At some point in our careers we are all new.

New is scary, new is not easy, and new is hard.



Maybe it was my birthright because my maiden name is "Newby" but if there is one thing I am okay with it is being new.

There is fear in the unknown of what is ahead and we are constantly challenging ourselves to step up to the plate. Think of our students, every year...a new year, a new teacher, a new classroom, and a new set of rules.

New is uncomfortable.

My name is Jessica Hanson and I am the new principal of a K-4th grade campus in DFW, Texas. This is my first of hopefully many blog posts to come in my new role as principal. I am new and I am scared to fail. But, I am more excited to dream of what could happen if I don't fail. I am excited to serve the students, teachers, and parents in my community. I am terrified of "filling" the shoes that lead before me, because they are big shoes to fill.

Any NEW person worried about taking over a position and thinking they have big shoes to fill needs to take some advice from my new school secretary. When I expressed my fears to her she said, "I was worried about filling ___________'s shoes, but then I realized I need to wear my own fabulous pair!"

Words of wisdom we can all learn from. Anyone stepping into, taking over, or developing a new role or position needs to focus on their own FABULOUS pair! Don't compare yourself to prior leadership, prior teacher, prior superintendent, prior librarian, or prior counselor. Compare yourself to the person you were yesterday, and don't be afraid to be NEW!

-Jessica Hanson
@jessahanson