As you return to work today, I wonder if you’re among the 100 million people who tuned into the Super Bowl last night. Were you pulling for a specific team? Were you watching for the half-time show or the commercials? Or, like my sister, were you only aware that the Super Bowl was happening because of the food that came along with it?
I like football, but I didn’t really have strong feelings about who I wanted to win last night. That being said, I assumed the Eagles would win. They’ve looked so good this year that it was hard for me to imagine them being stopped – especially given the high-ankle injury Mahomes was dealing with.
That assumption looked pretty solid through three quarters of the game, but the Chiefs came alive and won the game with brilliant play in the second half. And that’s why we show-up and play the game, right? Because we never know what’s going to happen.
My assumption, as safe as it felt, was wrong.
What assumptions are you making as you enter another week of school? What assumptions are you making about your colleagues? What about your students?
Remember this, friends: When we assume, our hearts and minds are closed. Conversely, when we show up with open hearts and curious minds, many possibilities begin to unfold – oftentimes, possibilities we could never have imagined.
Keep your hearts and minds open this week.
Choose to be Great!
Angelo
Published by Angelo DelliSanti
“Education? You don’t want to do that with your life. You’ve got other plans.” That’s what Angelo DelliSanti’s high school counselor told him his senior year. And she was right—at first. Angelo had spent three years preparing to become a U.S. Navy officer. But an internship with a math teacher during his senior year changed everything. Helping struggling students master algebra sparked a passion for education that would shape his career.
Over the next 15 years, Angelo served as a teacher, assistant principal, and principal, returning to his alma mater to teach World History and later advancing to leadership roles. As a principal, Angelo implemented the Capturing Kids’ Hearts process, leading to remarkable academic gains, increased scholarships, record-breaking graduation rates, and improved school culture. These achievements earned him recognition as the Rowan-Salisbury Schools Principal of the Year in 2018.
In 2022, Angelo joined Capturing Kids’ Hearts as a Leadership Solutions Strategist where he is dedicated to working together with school leaders to create remarkable schools. He holds a Bachelor’s in History and Secondary Education from UNC Charlotte, where he was a North Carolina Teaching Fellow. He also completed a Master’s in School Administration and completed all the required coursework for a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from his alma mater, earning the Outstanding Student Philip Morris Educational Fellowship in 2017.
Angelo lives in North Carolina with his wife, Kasey, whom he married in 2008. Together, they enjoy escapes to the mountains and beaches. Angelo’s passions include golf, non-fiction books, cooking, and sharing meals filled with laughter and connection around the table.
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CHOOSE TO BE GREAT 