Originally published August 2, 2013
Good morning, Colleagues,
I have off from work today. I’m not sick. There was no emergency. I’m not working from home. I have off. I took a vacation day on the heels of our finance audit, which is just an e-mail or two away from completion. Why should you care about this?
You may care because this vacation day is possible due to the tireless and around-the-clock efforts of everyone on the SA Team, each one pitching in, picking up, collaborating, and tolerating a great deal over the last few weeks leading up to the auditors’ arrival last week. Thank you for that.
Nancy and Christina have been indispensable throughout this past fiscal year, rolling up their sleeves and making things happen when those things seemed otherwise impossible.
Everyone on SA staff – Memphis Flats, Philly Schools, DC Schools, Trenton – has helped make this year’s audit much smoother than the one I witnessed during my first weeks on the SA Team last October. OCTOBER. From producing documents in order to tie out revenue numbers to securing leases and other information to prove out expenses to putting up with a few late checks and missed e-mails as auditor requests were satisfied, every one of you may take a bow for your role in making this audit happen on schedule and with little pressure.
Maybe you still don’t get it or just don’t care. (And Skinner, you hang in there. Today is going to be best day of your life in a long time.) Then at least know that you have all contributed to the 8.5 hours I’m away from the office today. Each of you has given some time in the way you answered questions, researched documents, scoured your e-mails, tolerated a distant finance guy, or even just crossed your fingers and rooted for us to get through this part of the audit this year.
This is my day off. It is YOUR day on. I’m not celebrating the close of an audit. (We’re still not entirely through the process, just past the biggest crunch time.) Instead, I’m celebrating the teammanship (yes, I’ve decided to keep that word in circulation) of everyone at SA to make it possible. And I hope to continue to be able contribute some minutes or hours toward a day YOU take off.
We’ve seen some celebratory e-mails lately for the various activities and events that members have organized and hosted. We have teacher orientations going on even now. The executives keep creeping behind closed doors to hash out whatever future we’re all excited to experience at SA. Everyone has been pulling weight that contributes to our getting our jobs done and feeling really great about it all the time. Like the great I feel right now. Not the kind of great that people attribute to themselves; rather the kind of great that others help make for each other in the way they work together.
If ever I seem less than grateful for all of you, please know that today – for me – is all about you. And for that I’m eternally grateful. So grateful that I will let you get on with your day without further ado. There aren’t many words that can express what your support means to me and to the department. Succinctly, speaking, though…
Thank you.