By Julie Omer, MBA, CPA, CFO, MSBO Board President, Chief Financial Officer, Owosso Public Schools
It is a very thought-provoking question that we should ask ourselves periodically to really assess how we are making a difference both personally and professionally. This question was asked in a very meaningful, warm, wonderful and poignant way by a son at his father’s funeral last week that I attended.
The son, the father and the family that I am referring to have made a substantial difference to the Owosso community and to the various organizations that they have supported through their personal and family Foundation philanthropic donations. The son, in his tribute to his father, answered why his father was here on this earth by bringing forth the many causes that his father embraced and telling the story of his life with the kind of intelligence, humanness and introspection that can only come from truly pondering a very difficult question.
The question of “why are we here” resonated with me because “making a difference” is my mantra for the year of my MSBO presidency. I, like others in my profession, have been struggling with how we can truly make a meaningful difference with the abundance of resources that have been provided to schools to combat the impact that the pandemic has had on our communities, staff, and students?
Perhaps we are here in this profession at this time in history to: 1) Find the right programs, materials, and positions that fit within the parameters established by the multitude of grants and truly make a difference for those they serve; 2) Keep our districts out of trouble by assuring the all of the State and Federal i’s are dotted and t’s are crossed; 3) Help ourselves and our colleagues keep from dropping the glass ball by sharing information as we work through juggling the demands of our “regular job” and working through the various complexities of additional responsibilities that come from these additional resources; or 4) Assure that the financial legacy, as these funding streams dry up, is not a burden to our organizations (the reality of the “funding cliff” that is talked about and feared.)
The son shared that the Dalai Lama tweeted the following on the day his father passed: “We are all here on this planet, as tourists, as it were. None of us can live here forever. The longest we might live is a hundred years. So while we are here we should try to have a good heart and make something positive and useful of our lives.”
Perhaps your answers to why you are here in this profession may be different than the ones that I have proposed but whatever those answers, I hope that they bring you fulfillment in your chosen role! Thank you for making a difference and for being here!
Other Articles in this Newsletter
- Celebrate Success!
- Is it Your Turn to Give Back?
- Let MSBO’s Leadership Institute Change Your Life
- MSBO Update – David Martell
- Share Your Expertise
- Take Advantage of MSBO Scholarships
- Take Advantage of these Professional Development Opportunities
- The Best Advice I’ve Ever Received – Kevin Kolb
- Welcome New Members