Interview with a Legend

In my constant search to keep a finger on the pulse of the district, I asked a very well known elementary school principal to sit down with me today and discuss FISD from her perspective. I have known this principal for some time and have worked with her and the school's staff and students on a regular basis, and I knew that she would be a wealth of information, not only about life in a Frisco elementary school but also about the desires and fears of parents in her area. I was by no means disappointed by her openness and expertise.

She began by saying that she felt extremely lucky to have worked in such a great school district, and understands that the increase in our population will bring with it a much larger need for better awareness and planning. The diversity of the incoming families to Frisco present a chance for us all to learn more and reach higher to understand differences in religion, language, and culture. She feels that this will be the biggest challenge facing the district in the future. One of the most prevalent keys, in her mind, to FISD's continued success was the "small school" atmosphere. The students feel more relaxed and have more opportunities to succeed in extracurricular activities. The ability for students to try new things and develop new skills is multiplied when there are more options and alternatives. She also mentioned that the smaller schools help to make parents feel more welcomed. This increases parent-teacher interactions, parents' understanding of their child's schooling, and an increased desire to volunteer and create a "community" school.

She stated that the school board and FISD administrative staff has contributed to her success as a principal. She feels that they have always been very supportive and are always there when she needs assistance. She is very comfortable just picking up the phone and speaking with any of the administrative staff when an issue or concern arises. This type of openness and comfort have been a driving factor in hiring and maintaining excellent staff.

Her one concern on this subject was the openness and visibility of the entire board to the public. She mentioned that there are some members of the school board whom are very active and open to the public but that in general the public is not as aware of the school board and their role in maintaining FISD's excellence. She feels that if there were more board members who were active in the community and especially at FISD events, it would present the parents and community members with a more open idea of what the school board is and how it can be accessed.

This interview was exceptionally valuable for me in that it supported many of core beliefs about Frisco ISD. It also gave me excellent perspective from not only a well established and highly successful administrator but also a parent of FISD students. I have scheduled similar meetings with teachers and administrators at the elementary, middle, and high school levels as well as with staff working in specific fields such as Life Skills and the library. I look forward to all of these conversations and to the added knowledge and insight it will provide me.