THOUGHTS FROM OUR HEAD OF SCHOOL, JOSEPH VORBACH:
Yesterday was one of those days when Mrs. Quinn in our business office brought me a pile of checks to sign. It occurred to me as I was signing them that there was an opportunity to make some observations about how we accomplish our mission by talking about what I see when I sign checks.
The first thing is perhaps the most obvious; it costs a lot of money to keep our school running and the outflowing dollars add up in interesting ways -- a contractor to repair a mechanical issue, furniture for a renovated classroom, upgrading digital technology, supplies for biology lab or the art classrooms, paying for the location of the senior retreats, the costs of printed material for alumni events...and so on.
The second observation is related to the first; we must be good stewards of the precious resources we have that allow us to continue to operate Bishop O'Connell. It is a humbling responsibility and it makes me think of the sacrifices made throughout our community. Sometimes in signing checks, you pick up on a cost that reveals a persistent problem -- like paying for the same repair for the second time in a short period of time. We can ask questions about why the repair is needed.
Signing the checks also keeps me in touch with the variety of activities going on around the school. I might sign a check that pays a registration fee for a Model UN team, a speech and debate competition, or a wrestling tournament. When I do, it makes me think of the moderators and coaches who have done the planning and preparation to ensure that students will have these experiences.
Some checks are related to getting clothing items for athletic boosters, food for the concession stand, items for our gala, or to pay a down payment on the music trip. When I sign these, I am conscious of the countless hours of volunteer time that parents give to help make the high school experience unique and special and memorable for our students.
So, the check signing exercise -- a seemingly mundane activity -- is an important way of staying tuned in as a leader. Signing a lot of them ten days before the school year starts was a good centering exercise -- a reminder about the importance of staying focused on the mission, of shepherding our resources judiciously, of proceeding each day in grateful humility for the sacrifices being made so that it can always be "A Great Day to be a Knight!"