Touch the future: inspiration for a new school year.

Touch the future: inspiration for a new school year. AS I WRITE THESE WORDS, Barbara Morgan For other people named Barbara Morgan, see Barbara Morgan (disambiguation). Barbara Radding "Barb" Morgan (born November 28, 1951) is an American teacher and a NASA astronaut who participated in the Teacher in Space program as the backup to is preparing to launch intospace aboard the space shuttle space shuttle,reusable U.S. space vehicle. Developed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), it consists of a winged orbiter, two solid-rocket boosters, and an external tank. Endeavour as our nation's firstEducator Astronaut astronaut,crew member on a U.S. manned spaceflight mission; the Soviet term is cosmonaut. Candidates for manned spaceflight are carefully screened to meet the highest physical and mental standards, and they undergo rigorous training. . Twenty-one years ago, Barbara was the backup to thewinning "Teacher in Space" astronaut candidate, ChristaMcAuliffe Sharon Christa Corrigan McAuliffe (September 2, 1948 – January 28, 1986) was an American teacher from Concord, New Hampshire who was selected from among more than 11,000 applicants to be the first teacher in space. She died in the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster. , who died tragically in the explosion of the Challenger spaceshuttle shortly after takeoff on January 28, 1986. When askedwhat's kept her focused for more than two decades on fulfilling thedream she and McAuliffe shared, Morgan answered with two simple words:"perseverance and patience." "We Choose to Go to the Moon" Her dedication and commitment to the mission, and to liftingteaching and education to new heights, brings to mind the wordsPresident John F. Kennedy "John Kennedy" and "JFK" redirect here. For other uses, see John Kennedy (disambiguation) and JFK (disambiguation).John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917–November 22, 1963), was the thirty-fifth President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in spoke at Rice University in 1962, rallying ournation to a greater commitment to science education and accomplishment.Kennedy said, in part, "We choose to go to the moon. We choose togo to the moon ... not because it is easy, but because it is hard, ...because there is new knowledge to be gained. We shall send to themoon--240,000 miles away--from the control station in Houston, a giantrocket more than 300 feet tall, made of new metal alloys, some of whichhave not yet been invented ... on an untried mission ... on the greatestadventure." Rising Above Requirements When I picture President Kennedy delivering those words withpassion and intensity, I am inspired at the prospects of the comingschool year. He was talking about lofty goals, confident they would beachieved. His call was to commitment, to principled prin��ci��pled?adj.Based on, marked by, or manifesting principle: a principled decision; a highly principled person. and deliberateexecution, unrelenting until the mission was accomplished. In this spirit, as we look to the coming school year, forget NCLB NCLB No Child Left Behind (US education initiative)requirements, forget state standards, scope and sequence, and curriculumalignment. Forget budget constraints A Budget Constraint represents the combinations of goods and services that a consumer can purchase given current prices and his income. Consumer theory uses the concepts of a budget constraint and a preference ordering to analyze consumer choices. . They each have their place amidstyour myriad responsibilities. You can't just disregard them, butdon't let them dominate your thoughts, discussions, of actions.Instead, start the new school year with vision and with the hope ofpromise. What promise? The promise that every child in yourdistrict's charge can have a rich, meaningful, and rewarding schoolexperience. The fulfillment of this seemingly insurmountable objective is notachieved by regulation of requirement. It is only driven by a clearvision of what you want to accomplish. Does every member of your staffand faculty know the vision? Are they individually and collectively on amission to see it accomplished? JFK set a goal, painting with words apowerful picture of achievement, making his listeners believe it wouldhappen. And indeed it did. In less than ten years from the day he gavethat speech, the United States United States,officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. sent nine manned missions A manned mission is usually in reference to launching a human into orbit or to astronomical destinations, such as planetary bodies or other star systems. Humans have so far only traveled to the moon under the United States' NASA, though the Soviet Union has launched first manned to the moon. Fulfilling the Mission Christa McAuliffe's favorite saying was, "I touch thefuture--I teach!" High school seniors who listened to JFK'sspeech in 1962 are nearing 65 today; those who watched the Challengerdisaster in 1986 are nearly 40. Some of you may have been among them.It's now your children and grandchildren GRANDCHILDREN, domestic relations. The children of one's children. Sometimes these may claim bequests given in a will to children, though in general they can make no such claim. 6 Co. 16. heading back to school.What better time for you, as a school district leader, to remember thatyou are first and foremost a teacher. You may not be in a traditionalclassroom setting, but you teach every day. You teach by example, andyou teach by the principles and philosophies that form your beliefsabout how schools should be organized and how education should takeplace. As the excitement and expectation of the new school year bring yourclassrooms, cafeterias, and hallways to life, it's a good time toconsider how you will lead. What will be your call to action? Whatinitiatives, approaches, and materials that "have not yet beeninvented" will your leadership bring to your district? What will beyour district's "untried mission," your "greatestadventure"? How will you touch the future? Daniel E. Kinnaman is publisher of DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION.