Maryl

One of the first people I was introduced to at ISA, albeit electronically, was the head of the Human Resources department, Maryl van Hoek. Under her leadership, the department (including Charlotte Buskens) works for employees to assure that Dutch regulations are being satisfied. That makes what they do sound less personal than it actually is. Maryl and Charlotte work for people.

Shortly after the principal offered me the job and I accepted, Maryl scheduled a telephone conference during which she informed, explained, described, and reassured me. We talked for an hour; and the longer we spoke the more comfortable I became. Maryl’s like that. Her patient and thorough descriptions allowed me to understand the enormity, the scope, and the necessity of the process that lay ahead. Put it this way: there was a lot to do. A whole lot. I was asking questions and taking notes as fast as I could write the answers. I couldn’t help thinking how impossible the whole thing seemed based on the lack of time to get everything done; that was, until Maryl told me something. In a heartbeat I was reminded; reminded of something I truly believe; and reminded how truly universal dedication to service is.

Three years before I retired as the principal of Overlea High School in the Baltimore County Public Schools I had the good fortune to meet and hire a fellow named Mark Truszkowski as an assistant principal. Even now, Mark is quick to share credit for his success. But it was Mark who taught me “the” essential lesson for school personnel. Mark liked to say that every person in a school has the same job. He had plenty of examples; for instance—the lunch lady, the social studies teacher, and the guy who cuts the grass are only there for one reason—so students can learn. He would say stuff like, “If the guy who cuts the grass believes he’s there for student achievement then he thinks twice about when he should cut near the building so he doesn’t disturb the students. If the lunch lady is really there for student achievement she does her job differently than if she thinks her job is just serving food.”

You know, he’s right. Mark’s theory is more like a philosophy; it’s my philosophy. Everything should be conceived and delivered in terms of student achievement. Everything. Every thing.

That’s brings me back to Maryl. Near the end of our call there was a moment when I knew I had landed in the right place. I expressed my sincere gratitude for the work and time Maryl had dedicated to my cause. Her reply was pretty simple. She said something like: I do it for the students. If you are comfortable then you can do a good job; and if you do what you were hired to do, the students will learn.

Amen.