JH & HS Principal - Cherokee ISD By Rebecca Sharkey
Culture.
Jon Gordon and Mike Smith co-authored a book entitled You Win in the Locker Room First. As an old coach, I found myself drawn to the text, so I picked it up. Early on in the book Mike Smith speaks to the idea that “everyone creates your culture.”
As I was reading this, I could not help but to connect to my experiences here in Cherokee. Smith states, “To be successful, you need everyone in your organization thinking, believing, talking, and behaving in sync. You need everyone to be aligned with the same beliefs, expectations, behaviors, and habits.”
Since coming to Cherokee, I can honestly say that this has been my experience. In the halls, on the courts and fields, and through the constant support of the community, there is this sense of find a way. We have not let our location or size be a deterrent in our efforts to best prepare our students for their next steps. We have always found a way.
As a small school, we ask our staff to don many hats and take on numerous tasks. And, they do. When we take on a new program or host an event, we reach out to the community for support, and they come in droves (and with such good food).
Simon Sinek once said, “A culture is strong when people work with each other, for each other.” And, at Cherokee, we will continue to do just that. Remember “working hard for something we don’t care about is called stress; working hard for something we love is called passion” Simon Sinek.