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Tom Brady, more than a great athlete, a great leader!

Tom Brady, more than a great athlete, a great leader!

“The greatest leader is not necessarily the one who does the greatest things. He is the one that gets the people to do the greatest things.” – Ronald Reagan, 40th U.S. President

Tom Brady victory at the NFL Super Bowl LV

Tampa Bay Buccaneers win Super Bowl LV!!

I am a big Tom Brady a.k.a. the G.O.A.T. (“Greatest of all time”) fan, and I have been for many years. I am from New England originally and Tom Brady was a 199th round draft pick by the New England Patriots, who went on to as a team won SIX Super Bowl Championships. Add to that last night’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers Super Bowl LV win, Brady now has a league record SEVEN Super Bowl wins.

A year ago, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers finished the season with 7 wins and 9 losses, and the previous two seasons they finished both with 5 wins and 11 losses.  I do not think anyone would have thought that either Tampa Bay would be Super Bowl Champions or that Tom Brady would be playing in the Super Bowl on that winning team.

What was different for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2020 season to go in one year from 7 wins and 9 losses in 2019, to in 2020 have 11 wins and 5 losses, and on to be Super Bowl Champions? With the same head coach, and largely the same team. But this year you had a G.O.A.T. named Brady and his sidekick Gronk.

Bucs tight end Rob “Gronk” Gronkowski and QG Tom Brady at the end of Super Bowl LV

While I hated to see Brady leave the Patriot’s franchise there was no other team, I would have wanted him to play for than my second favorite team, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. What an extra bonus to have former Patriot’s tight end Rob Gronkowski (“Gronk”) come out of retirement to join his former QB Brady in Tampa Bay.

Tom Brady before the snap at Super Bowl LV

Let set the records straight, the Tampa Bay team was already a talented group of athletes and coaches before Brady got on the team. Sure, there were some changes that were made but these were accomplished athletes. No question Tom Brady can throw the football, but those skills alone do not win a Super Bowl Championship.  What you began to hear from Bucs players (and what many of we long-term Brady fans already knew) was that Brady was not just a quarterback, he was another coach on the field. The young players were learning from him, the older players respected him. The team’s confidence grew with each game, even the losses. Brady is a great QB, perhaps the best in NFL history, but he is far more. Tom Brady is a great leader.

Bucs Head Coach Bruce Arians

Great leaders know it is not about them, it is about the team. Great leaders whether in business, military, politics, education, sports, or in life, help their teammates to believe that they can do more and go farther! They believe in their team and their team believes in themselves. That was most evident from the beginning of the 2021 Super Bowl game to the end. Tampa Bay played with confidence and with purpose. The result? They won the game by an impressive 22 points! The opposing team (don’t remember their name…) never made one touchdown.

While I have been speaking about Tom Brady, he was by far not the only leader on the Bucs team. Many other leaders contributed to the Bucs Leadership Team. Most notably this year is the Bucs Head Coach Bruce Arians, and Bucs defensive coordinator Todd Bowles.

Bucs defensive coordinator Todd Bowles

Leaders are critical to success! What this Tampa Bay Buccaneers season has demonstrated are that great skills and talent, combined with great leadership are essential to have successful outcomes. Successful outcomes do not happen by accident.

 

Congratulations to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers!! And thank you Tom “the G.O.A.T.” Brady!

National School Counseling Week

National School Counseling Week

Honoring those that counsel our students’ academic life and future

This week is National School Counseling Week. The American School Counselor Association website explains that this week “highlights the tremendous impact school counselors can have in helping students achieve school success and plan for a career.”

School Counselors are truly the most amazing people. The work they do is so broad and all-consuming. From elementary years, through middle school, and throughout high school, our School Counselors often will know their student’s needs as well as anyone. They are educators, counselors, students’-advocate, “in-school parent”, and much more.

Most cannot realize the vast amount of time they work on behalf of their students. There are never enough hours in the day for them to care for their students. Like so many educators they work late into the evenings nearly every workday, are at school early the next day, work over the weekends, come in weeks before the school year begins, and working weeks after the school year ends. Much of that well over their salaried day.

During these challenging COVID times, School Counselors have been the front line of supporting the academic planning and schedules to meet our students’ many individual needs and situations.

As much as I thought I did, I do not think my wife and I fully appreciated my own student’s School Counselors until their senior year of high school. During the months ahead of graduation School Counselors are ensuring students are on track to graduation, finding alternative graduation options for some, helping students with college or career planning, helping with applications, verifying and re-verifying, sending out reports, letters, and transcripts.

Crystal River High School Trudee Mason, School Guidance Counselor

I have had the honor of working with many School Counselors in different student situations. They are the most caring and compassionate and knowledgeable persons.

I want to take a moment to personally thank our daughter’s Guidance Counselor Ms. Trudee Mason who is nothing less than extraordinary. She intentionally makes it apparent that she is a partner in our children’s academic life.  We are so grateful to her!

We honor and thank you Ms. Mason and all the School Counselors in Citrus County Schools and beyond.

 

 

AFPF-FL National School Choice Week LIVE finale event featured CRHS Biomedical and EMT Program

AFPF-FL National School Choice Week LIVE finale event featured CRHS Biomedical and EMT Program

To round out celebrating AFPF-FL National School Choice Week, on Saturday, January 30, Citrus County Schools was asked to participate in the AFPF-FL National School Choice Week LIVE finale event. I was asked to lead a panel segment about the Crystal River High School Academy of Health Career’s BioMedical program and the Phil Royal EMT program. I was joined by Academy BioMedical instructor Ms. Danielle Doherty Koch, College of Central Florida Professor of Emergency Medical Services Rodney McGinnes, and BioMedical and EMT student/senior Ethan Vincent.

We all were most excited to share about these programs, their rigor, the valuable training, and certifications these unique programs offer. We also want to thank our program partners especially the College of Central and their Emergency Medical Services division who provide our onsite high school campus national EMT certification program.

Thank you to Americans for Prosperity Foundation Florida and Lee Dury for the opportunity to include us in the finale and a segment earlier in the week.  I also want to thank the Florida School Board Association for participating in the AFPF-FL National School Choice Week and for other school board members and educators that share about their local choice programs and schools.

Watch the Facebook video by click on the link. Our segment begins at the 2:10.15 mark – https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?v=442154956823714&ref=watch_permalink&t=7818   

Sixth Annual Citrus Elected Leadership Summit

Sixth Annual Citrus Elected Leadership Summit

Was a productive meet at the Sixth Annual Citrus Elected Leadership Summit held at the Lecanto Government building. Thank you to all those that attended and participated.

Follow this link to Mike Wright’s coverage of the event in the Chronicle: https://www.chronicleonline.com/news/local/summit-provides-forum-for-elected-officials/article_259ef130-6275-11eb-8b64-f77e3ea137d2.html

Citrus Schools spotlighted during AFPF-FL National School Choice Week

Citrus Schools spotlighted during AFPF-FL National School Choice Week

I was honored and grateful to Americans for Prosperity Foundation – Florida to have the opportunity to share about Citrus County School and some of our different choice academies and programs as part of AFPF-FL National School Choice Week.

AFPF-FL National School Choice Week Interview with Thomas Kennedy, Citrus County School Board

VIDEO Interview – https://photos.app.goo.gl/GsXqstkqiixMhqKG7

Inauguration day

Inauguration day

Thank you President Trump, Best wishes President Biden

Today is the United States of America’s Inauguration day where every four years we swear in our United States President.

As an American, they are all my Presidents and I am grateful for all our Presidents, especially those in my lifetime. Each has my respect for the work they did, for the opportunities we have, and for the freedom and safety we enjoy.  I firmly believe each has made tough decisions while President and earnestly did what they thought was best for our country. We do not have to always agree with every decision they have made, but each loves our great country.

God bless each of them, God bless President Biden, and God bless the United States of America!

I thank you Mr. Presidents for serving in my lifetime…

President Lyndon B. Johnson (1963-1969)

President Richard Nixon (1969-1974)

President Gerald Ford (1974-1977)

President Jimmy Carter (1977-1981)

President Ronald Reagan (1981-1989)

President George H. W. Bush (1989-1993)

President Bill Clinton (1993-2001)

President George W. Bush (2001-2009)

President Barack Obama (2009-2017)

President Donald Trump (2017-2021)

and now

President Joe Biden (2021-)