A Sincere Thanks

Well we have survived the first week and a half and it seems that everyone is finally settling in. The first week or week and a half is a little different than what the home schools have to deal with. At Vantage we may get quite a few students who at the last minute decided that they do want to attend here. This is fantastic but it does cause a lot of last minute scrambling. Schedules have to be created so that we are not overcrowding a teachers classroom. The students have to be measured for their uniforms which will arrive a few weeks from now. We also have to make sure that all important forms are turned in, such as emergency medical, internet agreement and the signature stating that the handbook has been read.  And finally, make sure that the student has their student ID ready and that they are set up for lunch.

I mention all of this not to show how busy we are in Student Services, but to say a special thank you to all the people involved and who have had to put up with the chaos. I want to thank the teachers who never complain about adding students but welcome them into their class and make them feel so comfortable. The lab instructors who may have to sit down with that student and go over the safety rules one on one, and try to get them caught up as soon as possible. Not once have I had a lab instructor turn down a student. All the office staff, both up front and in student services, who have to get the student into the system, get the student ID, gather all the forms and complete these tasks all in a few hours. The supervisors who measure the student and then try to "rush order" their uniform so that the new student can get it as soon as possible, once again, never complaining.

This is just a small list of people to be thanked. So many of you have greeted the new students with smiles and big welcomes when I walk them around the school. I want to say thank you. I can't tell you how much that means to them. They often tell me how nervous they are because they are late comers and they feel everyone else is already settled in. A warm welcome and a gentle smile goes a long way. We have an awesome staff here at Vantage with some great leadership. It is times like this past week that make me realize this. I for one am truly grateful and thankful. I hope the students, both new and second year, appreciate and will come to realize that they are in a awesome place. I hope the University of Miami doesn't mind me using their slogan, but I have always liked it and feel that it applies here at Vantage:

                     TO THINK THAT IN SUCH A PLACE I LED SUCH A LIFE

Change Is Good

First of all I would like to say welcome to all the new students at Vantage, the class of 2019. What an exciting day this past Monday was. We welcomed the new Juniors to their very first day as Vantage students. There was such a positive vibe around the building that day and the students seemed really excited to be starting the new year in a new school. Of course there always are the moments of anxiousness and confusion trying to find a classroom or locker or the awkwardness of finding friends to sit with at lunchtime. However, it all turned out great and I heard some wonderful comments throughout the day.

The following day we welcomed back the Seniors as they got ready for their final year of high school. It was great striking up conversations and finding out what so many of them have been up to all summer. It seemed that a lot of our students worked over the summer, so they were actually looking for a break by going back to school and sleeping in a little later. It is a pleasure to have all of you back and I am truly looking forward to all the great things that will be done around Vantage this year.

I really give our students credit because they had to make the hard decision to leave their friends at their home school, and leave their comfort zone, to become Vantage students. There are so many reasons for students leaving their home school and choosing Vantage, but over and over, I hear that they wanted a change. They were looking to further their career goals, they heard that many past students are working all over the area and are being successful. Some students mention that they had a hard time back at their home school and wanted to come out here for a fresh start. All of these are great reasons for choosing Vantage, and wanting to make a positive change in ones life is an awesome goal.

The desire to change is what will help anyone grow in any area of their life. How many of us want improvement but we resist change. But you can't make improvements without making changes. Change is possible only if you want it badly enough. I read a quote recently from Fred Smith, the founder of Federal Express, "You are the way you are, because that's the way you want to be. If you really wanted to be any different, you'd be in the process of changing right now." Change is tough. It takes commitment, time, work and desire. One more quote from that same article mentioned that the Baltimore Orioles old manager, Earl Weaver, was unhappy with a call the umpire made, so he charged out of the dugout and yelled at him, "Are you gonna get any better, or is this it?

If we want to change, we must ask ourselves that same question. "Are you going to keep working and trying to get better, or is this as good as it gets? I hope all of you take advantage of the opportunities that you will have this year. Regardless of your last ten or eleven years of school, make changes so that this year is the best ever. Work hard, turn your homework in on time, be here everyday, be polite and most of all, be positive. You will be rewarded. Remember, change is good.

P.S. A big welcome to our new Superintendent, Mr. Rick Turner. Also, Mrs. Paula VanTilburg, Career Tech Supervisor,  Mr. Zachary Miller, Criminal Justice Instructor, Mrs. Heather Brickner, Intervention Specialist & Academic Instructor, Ms. Deb Richardson, Instructional Aide and finally Mrs Becky Markward, Cafeteria. So glad all of you made a great change in your careers.