Superintendent’s Chat

Richard J. McClements, Shonto Preparatory School

I am including a picture as the result of a suggestion from a staff member so students and residents know me when they see me.

This week’s article deals with mistakes.

· Two million documents will be lost by the IRS this year.

· 811,000 faulty rolls of 35 mm. film will be loaded this year.

· 22,000 checks will be deducted from the wrong bank accounts in the next 60 minutes.

· 1,314 phone calls will be misplaced by telecommunications equipment every minute.

· 12 babies will be given to the wrong parents each day.

· 268,000 defective tires will be shipped this year.

· 2,448,200 books will be shipped in the next 12 months with the wrong cover.

· 18,322 pieces of mail will be mishandled in the next hour.

· 291 pacemaker operations will be performed incorrectly this year.

· 880,000 credit cards in circulation will turn out to have incorrect cardholder information on their magnetic strips.

· 114,500 mismatched pairs of shoes will be shipped this year.

· 107 incorrect medical procedures will be performed by the end of the day.

· 2 plane landings at O’Hare Airport each day are unsafe.

Source: Winners’ Circle. April, 1994, page 6.

While the aforementioned data is now eight years old, one can’t help but wonder if those numbers still hold true. Some of those mistakes are shocking. Others are indicative of our need to carefully scrutinize the products and services we purchase.

Educators make their share of blunders as well. We are sometimes guilty of making incorrect assumptions about a students’ academic potential, which are the worst mistakes we can make, because they have long-term implications. We then expect less or assign youngsters into an inappropriate educational program. There is also a great deal of evidence that demonstrates that we sometimes tend to treat the low performing youngster differently than we do the high achiever.

I have made my share of faux pas. I hate to make mistakes. They gnaw at me, and I feel just terrible. It is even worse when I know that there is no way that I can go back and undo what I’ve done. I have always been tolerant of the employee who makes an honest mistake, especially if they are the result of good intentions, but improper decisions. Sometimes, employee mistakes are the consequence of inexperience, an overwhelming workload, or faulty information.

Anthony Robbins, author, tells a story about an executive whose huge oversight ended up costing his firm a million dollars. He was crushed and said to his boss. “I suppose that means that you are going to fire me.” “No,” answered his boss, “We just spent a million dollars training you.” That story has an element of truth. Some of life’s greatest lessons are the result of some failure we’d made. Much of the time, we really do learn from it.

Despite the fact that schools and their people do sometimes err; overall, most school district personnel do their very best, day in and day out, to serve your children well. I sincerely believe that the vast majority of school employees everywhere come to work every day with good intentions, work tirelessly to do the right things for children, and take their responsibilities seriously. Teachers everywhere spend their own money to supplement the limited budgets they are given. Staff often work for little or no pay advising students in sports, clubs, and activities. Staff loan students money for lunches, etc., knowing that they’ll often never see a dime back. Many battle on to save youngsters whose behavior and attitudes test their patience beyond what most could tolerate. Yes, there is the occasional report of some school employee who steals, sexually abuses children, or commits some crime in the public sector. These, however are rare. While there is the occasional pedophile, the overwhelming majority of staff wouldn’t think of such behavior. It is a rarity for staff to come to work high on narcotics or alcohol. Seldom, do you ever hear of a principal, administrator, or staff member who is involved in theft or embezzlement.

The fact that 114,500 mismatched shoes may be shipped is a problem, but it does not affect lives in any significant way. We are in the people business. Our mistakes are often unintentional. If we do make a mistake that affects you or your children in any way; please let us know, and give us the opportunity to correct it. Sometimes what you may perceive as being a mistake really isn’t one. Let’s talk.