Monday, June 16, 2014

Departing Soon: It’s Time To Pack My Suitcase

Departing is not necessarily about saying good-bye. Departing is about carefully packing your suitcase in order to prepare for the next stop along your journey. What you decide to pack; what you leave behind; as well as how you pack your suitcase may define your leadership. When I embark upon a journey, I almost always inadvertently leave an obscure, luckily, non-essential item, behind…which in the end may enable me to say so long, see you later and not good-bye.

So WHAT is it that I am packing in my suitcase as I prepare for my new journey?

  • Knowledge gained through collaboration, trust, and hard work
  • Diverse abilities achieved and practiced through my interactions with others
  • Skills mastered through experimentation with varied techniques, tools, and methods
  • Empathy and compassion used regularly as I heard, observed and responded to the stories of students, colleagues, and parents
  • Lessons learned through the development of essential relationships across the community
  • Connections to people and ideas within and beyond my community that have inspired, motivated and engaged me professionally and personally.


So HOW do I pack my suitcase?

  • First, by prioritizing, listing, and organizing the most essential items for the journey
  • Second, by deciphering the most versatile elements that can be counted on multiple times along the journey
  • Third, by attempting to efficiently place each item for easy access; as well as to leave enough space to add important treasures that I encounter along the way
  • Finally, well, I do tend to stuff some favorite items along the sides suggesting perfection is just not what life is all about……… not yet sure what those items will be!


And WHAT will I leave behind?


Only time will tell, but considering all I have learned from my colleagues throughout my stay, some part of me most likely is resisting the departure, and will be left behind. I only hope, whatever it may be, it will be useful to a group of wonderful educators that have been such an important part of my journey. When you encounter that left behind item, please give me a shout, as I will be thinking of each and everyone one of you as I embark on this new journey. I do leave behind a heartfelt THANK YOU for sharing your expertise, embracing my passions and always looking for the opportunity to have some fun!

And little by little I will be unpacking that suitcase and gathering new experiences and expertise for my life-long learning journey……

See you later and THANK YOU.

Some Useful Blog Posts for Departing Employees:



(Thanks for sharing @mmreesescott)



Please add to the list.