Do you believe the Prince George's County School Chief did this?

by Toni A. Smith

 

Before leaders can truly take their organizations where they envision, they have got to have the right talent. That's what I know.

After I read the December 23, Washington Post article about the recent talent changes the  Prince George's County Public School's (PGCPS) chief, Dr. Kevin Maxwell, have made, I wondered if some of the people who commented have ever tried to contact anyone working in the PGCPS system's administrative offices, ever. If so, they would completely understand why Dr. Maxwell, CEO of five months, is hiring additional staff. Some call it "top heavy" moving in the direction of the former leader. I disagree. With the right "top" staff and plan, I believe that the PGCPS system could be and do so much more.

We absolutely need more executive level talent, those with experience and a positive work ethic. Management and certainly frontline staff, need to be engaged in their work and inspired and reminded how important they are to making the whole entity work and, usually, executive "top" staff  sets this tone. And we absolutely need a diversity officer, because we have lots of diversity issues that need to be understood and addressed.I am sure there are a few positions that could be eliminated but, honestly, from my experiences dealing with the school system, it has suffered from a shortage of "top" staff, albeit the right staff, to get the job done on all levels. Now, perhaps, with these new positions, real progress can be made.

 

75 percent of college students with possible mental health issues do not seek help!

  

Per the Mental Health Resource Guide, with the pressures facing most people today, it is essential to take your mental health seriously. This is especially true for college students and young people, whose lack of experience in the real world could lead to major mental health issues resulting from stress, overwork, fatigue, or even the onset of a more serious mental illness. Click to learn more in the Mental Health Resources Guide and how you can help reverse this trend.

The Making of Prime Real Estate

In Reach is a small shop and as such, from time to time, the executive director has the distinct pleasure of expressing her creative self. Such is the case when she had the opportunity to promote In Reach's Quantum Project at its partner school, Charles Carroll Middle. Watch the making of prime real estate.