It’s hard to describe how great last week was!
I had the chance to reconnect with old colleagues from my days in school leadership. It’s always inspiring to see so many friends doing well and doing great things for kids.
One of the highlights was presenting alongside my friend and amazing school district leader, Dr. Crystal Hill. While the presentation itself was fun, it’s the collaborative work behind the scenes—and the time we spent together—that I’ll cherish most.
I also spent time with the founder of my company, Flip Flippen. Hearing him speak is always a gift. I’m especially grateful for his reminder that “there is no character without brokenness” and that “the people who write on our hearts are those who are with us in that brokenness.”
On Thursday night, I caught up with one of my former superintendents. We talked after dinner and late into Thursday evening. Our conversations are always rich and honest. This one was no different, and it was wonderful spending time “thinking” with him.
Another highlight: watching one of my school principals, Dr. Keisha Harris, present Capturing Kids’ Hearts for the first time alongside one of our amazing teammates, Brooke Giles. They filled the room with hope and belief, not to mention the light their bright smiles brought to everyone present.
On Saturday afternoon, I made appetizers, Salisbury steak, and mashed potatoes for my family. We gathered ahead of my sister Nicole’s neck surgery on Tuesday morning. Though my heart is heavy because she’s been in so much pain this past month, it’s also full of hope for a successful procedure and for the healing that is to come.
And, on a lighter note, my beloved Yankees opened the season with a 3–0 sweep of the Brewers. I’ve got a good feeling about the Bronx Bombers this year!
While all of that was meaningful, there is one moment that stands out with respect to this series. It came from my newest colleague, Toby. We had the chance to meet in person for the first time at this week’s NCASA Leadership Conference. Here’s what I know about Toby: he’s a great guy, he’s a great teammate, and he’s got a heart to serve people.
While talking about a colleague, Toby said that they are a “good person,” even though they were striving to “be great.” After he said that, I told him he was onto something and that I was going to keep thinking about it. Here’s where I landed:
True greatness is never achieved at the expense of one’s goodness.
Each week, I write with the aim of reminding us that greatness is a choice. This week, I’d remind us that goodness is a choice, too.
There is no greatness to be found apart from goodness.
So, this week’s call to action is simple:
#BeGood
Angelo
CHOOSE TO BE GREAT 