The Coyote

The Coyote

  September 26, 2018 
Michael Earnshaw
@mearnshaw158

Being educators, we welcome each day knowing we are going to face challenges and roadblocks. Some are easier than others to navigate. Some are going to take teamwork and think time.  Currently I am facing a major challenge as the captain of our great school. This will be my 5th year as Principal at Oak Glen Elementary School. We have started the year high on enthusiasm and positive vibes. Nothing can stop us from changing the game and enhancing the lives of our students. A mere four weeks into the school year, and I was abruptly informed by my Assistant Principal that she could no longer fulfill the duties of the position and would need to resign immediately due to changes in her family life. Now I'm all about family first, and I respect her decision and wish her the best, but I can't lie and say a little wind wasn't taken out of my sail. I started thinking of all the extra things I would need to pick up while sailing the seas without my co-captain. The first few days without her, I know I was not being my positive, enthused, motivating self and it was rubbing off on the staff, and more importantly, our students. I knew I needed to refocus and get back to the leader my staff and students deserve. That happened during my morning run.  

My wife never has a problem with me running early in the morning. She wishes I stayed on populated streets, but what is really that populated at 5:00 a.m.? This morning my alarm went off at 4:30 and she said, "Don't go run, just stay in bed." I told her I had to, it was something I needed with everything going on at school to clear my head. As I was leaving the bedroom, my daughter had heard us talking and woke up, stopped me and said, "Daddy, don't go run." In my head I was starting to think, "Man, maybe I shouldn't go run. The two most important girls in my life are telling me not to go, and my bed was pretty comfortable." But, I was already up, so I headed downstairs to get ready with my pre-run rituals.  

As I headed out for my 8 miler, I ran to the bike trail which is about 2 miles from my house. I've run this beautiful trail before anywhere from a 3 mile run to a 20, and have never had issues. There are a few water fountains along the way, beautiful homes, and relaxing forest areas. I was about half a mile from the first water fountain when it happened. It was dark, but I pretty much know which trees are where and the spots for benches. This morning I saw something unfamiliar on the right side of the trail, just inching on it. Then the shadowy figure ran right into the middle of the trail, just 43 feet away from me! At first, I thought it was a dog, but then we locked eyes and I realized it was something more. Like the movies, the animal looked up at the moon and let out a howl which I could hear over my headphones (ironically a track by the band PUP had just finished). After the howl she ran off into the forest. I processed the scene and I realized I was just face to face with a coyote!  My mind started playing a scene where 1000's of coyotes came from all directions, hungry for blood. I slowly walked backwards, keeping an eye out, and then started running back the way I came, with my head looking behind me more than in front.  

This obviously killed my running vibe. I ended up running only 5 instead of 8. But that's when it came to me. I can't let one coyote in my path deter me from my goal. I started laying out plans to get around this beast. Plan A: I could continue to run my 8, but I know I would constantly be checking behind me for the pack. If I took a different route to finish it, I'd be without any water or "pit stop" areas, two things I need on a run before the sun. Plan B: settle for a 5 miler, share the story with my wife, and work together with her to plan out a safer route for tomorrow morning where I can get the full 8 miles in.  

This is what we must do each day as educators. We can't just charge into that coyote. We must stop, think of all the scenarios and outcomes, get input if need be, and then plan accordingly. It’s important to look at where you’ve come from, but even more so to plan out where you’re going. You may believe you have the perfect plan, but a coyote may be standing in your path, howling for others to stop you from getting ahead. You can get past them, I will get past them. My 8 miler will happen this week, maybe not my usual trail route, but it will happen. Oak Glen will continue to change the game for our students and families, even if we are one crew member shorter than when we took to the seas.