Track and Field Coach Glenn Venturini has a saying: ‘Do the little things well.’
Venturini frequently reminds his athletes of this, emphasizing the importance of doing the little things well, like eating well or stretching after a run. In his view, when you do the little things well, the big things come easily.
To some on his teams, the phrase can seem like a tired cliche, but its wisdom encompasses far more than running. Indeed, it is the things often ignored that make Haven tick. Things like the buses that transport countless students to school in the morning, or the little traditions that give meaning to each day or class.
It is people like the crossing guards who ensure kids get to school safely, and the maintenance staff who clean the school daily. People like the cafeteria staff who feed many students daily, or the support staff who help make everything run smoothly.
Recently, Haven’s Hi-Q team delivered a big victory in the national championship, prevailing over teams from Alabama, Wisconsin, and Washington. But from the perspective of someone on the Hi-Q team, credit is due to many more than those on the team themselves.
After all, school was canceled due to a storm the day of the match, and if it weren’t for Mr. Michael Spence, the technology support staff member who came in on a day when schools were closed to help set up the web call, the Hi-Q team may not have been able to participate in the national contest.
Hi-Q is a competition about the little things, and our team wouldn’t have had the success we did if district staff and the team itself had not excelled at the little things.
What would have happened if our faculty adviser, Mr. Rothenbach, hadn’t sporadically quizzed me on what a writ of mandamus was prior to our semifinal match? What would have happened if the Mock Trial coach had not coincidentally told me a week before the exact quote from Shakespeare that won us the Delco Championship in double overtime? What would have happened if Mr. Spence had not been there that day to assist us with the technical details of the match? What would have happened if Principal Benzing wasn’t willing to open up the school building and conference room when the district was closed?
Haven’s Hi-Q victory was a culmination of all these things–and a lot of hard work. The same lessons can be applied to district leadership. The firestorm of public dissent last summer was the result of too many initiatives being pushed too quickly, such that many teachers and community members felt left behind.
This was a fact acknowledged by our previous superintendent before his departure, admitting he was “guilty of running a marathon at a sprinter’s pace.” But now, with last summer distant in our minds and the new superintendent’s arrival imminent, a lot of planning is going on.
And not just little plans. Comprehensive plans. Capital plans. Strategic plans.
These plans aren’t necessarily bad things. They can be good things. Great, even. But we should ensure that in endeavoring to achieve perfection in the future, we don’t ignore the present.
Amid all these grand plans, we should remember to do the little things well. The vastness and size of these plans forget that often, the most good for those at the school right now can come from simple quality-of-life improvements.
Things like giving most of the school a two-hour delay when Keystone testing is happening, a change implemented by Interim Superintendent Dr. James Scanlon this year. The change was small. It was simple. And yet, many students felt better rested and more productive for the shorter school day—suggesting that perhaps the district should revisit exploring a bell schedule that is healthier for teenagers.
Things like delaying the school start time, a change that the previous administration indicated to The Panther Press they were open to. It may not exactly be a little change, but it need not be a gargantuan one either.
Yes, perhaps there exist significant logistical obstacles to moving back the time by an hour as is considered optimal. But even a delay of 20 minutes could provide a boon to students, and alleviate some of the logistical difficulties that come with ending school later.
Plans for significant change are important and can be a crucial part of moving forward as a district. However, it’s important to make sure that teachers and staff are treated well along the way. It’s important to keep an eye out for quality-of-life changes that help everyone. And students must get a voice in district decision-making.
There’s nothing wrong with running a marathon, but it makes sense to get eight hours of sleep before doing so.
Because, as the iconic Glenn Venturini maintains, when you do the little things well, the big things come easily.
Each opinion represented in The Panther Press is the view and voice of the writer. Opinions, as the selection and curation of content by the editors, do not represent the views of the entire Panther Press staff, the adviser, the school, or the administration.
