In preparing for our podcast series titled “CCISD to the Fullest,” Dava West and I were honored to get to know some of the CCISD family a little better. Check out this full interview with Ms. “Clear Creek High School” herself, Cathy Donahoe. From Aerospace Engineer to Mother to Administrative Assistant to the Principal at Clear Creek High School, Cathy opens up about her journey to and throughout CCISD. Enjoy.
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Hey, everyone, It's Lindsey Hunt with Clear Creek ISD again.
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And surprise, We have some bonus content to share
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and preparing for our podcast series titled CCISD to the Fullest Dava West
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and I were honored to get to know some of the CCISD family a little better.
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Check out this full interview with Miss Clear Creek High School herself.
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Cathy Donoho From aerospace engineer to mother to administrative
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assistant to the principal at Clear Creek High School, Cathy opens up
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about her journey to and throughout CCISD.
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Ste enjoy.
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Okay, Cathy, Welcome.
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Thank you.
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Lindsay, I'm so excited to have you here with us today.
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So I'm also joined with Dava.
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Hi. Hi, Lindsay Hi.
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Cathy I'm so excited for to chat with you guys today.
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So we are going to kick it off with just a quick, simple question.
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You know, tell us about yourself.
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Well,
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I am married.
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I have two grandchildren who recently both got married in the spring of this year.
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So this spring was like
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I've been living in the Clearlake area
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since 1984 when I graduated from Texas A&M University.
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I have a degree in aerospace engineering.
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I went to work for NASA,
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as with the contractors, with Rockwell,
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until I had my family when I stayed home.
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I have been associated with CCISD
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since before my kids were in school
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because I was the bus stop
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mom because the bus stopped at my house.
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Yes, with the PTA.
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So I was there.
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If a kid got scared or a dog came up, they could come and run to my door
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and knock on their door and it would be a safe place for them to go.
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The the PTA mom president was the lady across the street, so
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she wrangled me into it.
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My kids started at Ward Elementary.
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They attended Hyde Elementary.
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They attended SEABROOK Intermediate
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League City Intermediate Victory,
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Lakes Intermediate and Clear Creek High School.
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I see a common thread of a maroon. And you.
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Can you believe that.
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On purpose?
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Which was yes, I'm I mean,
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Hyde was Blue and
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Burkett, I.M. Ward was.
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I think they were two.
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Yeah. Yeah. Red, white and blue.
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Must say you must have a lot of Marine in your high.
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I have a lot of maroon at my house.
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So what brought you to CCISD?
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Do you?
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I mean, really, more than just the kids or how did you transition
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from aerospace to school district?
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So when I worked for NASA, I was there through
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the return to flight from Challenger.
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After Challenger, the atmosphere at NASA changed.
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It became mostly
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government flown payloads.
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We weren't flying commercial payloads anymore.
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I'm not going to say it wasn't as much fun, but it wasn't as much fun.
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I knew I was going to stay home with my kids, so when by the time
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my kids were of the age that I would even well,
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I did ask them if I could work part time at NASA from home.
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But when I quit, they were not ready for that.
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But they they got there after that. But
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by the time I was ready to go and be more involved in things,
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it was just more natural for me to be the room mother.
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The PTA president sit on the Campus Improvement Committee.
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I always wanted to be around and be involved in my kids
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education.
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I've sat on most of the committees in CCISD.
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As a parent, the DEIC,
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the CIC, the bond committees,
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the textbook committees,
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all of those.
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So as you get more involved in the school,
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I was the emergency sub for all my kids school.
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I'm like, don't call me on it every day.
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But you know, if you're desperate, I'll be happy to serve.
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I did that till high school and then my kids asked me
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not to serve at the high school level.
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I I'm a little bit more strict than most parents,
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and my kids were worried that I would be too strict with the kids.
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I said, I respect your I respect your request. So
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I volunteered in the offices.
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I volunteered,
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you know, project graduation and
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Red Ribbon Week and all of the things.
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And Tommy Barnett, who was secretary at Clark High School,
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says, Why don't you just come work for us?
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You're here all the time anyway.
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And my daughter was going off to college and I thought, well, it might be nice
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to have a little extra money here or there.
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So I started at the receptionist desk and I was there for about a month.
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And then the data specialist
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job opened up and I became data specialist.
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And then Tommy Barnett
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left us and went to the ESC And so the principal's secretary
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position opened up and I applied for that, and I've been there ever since.
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Oh, my gosh.
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So I've I've helped in the bookkeepers office, in the attendance office, and,
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you know, I sit in the secretary's offices, if necessary.
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And there must be something pretty magical about Clear Creek
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High School, because it is my time is back over there now, too, right?
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Yes, she is.
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We told her she would not like it over at the big house.
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Not that there's anything wrong with being at these, but.
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She would miss the kids.
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Yes, she I mean, once you're on the campus and you have that interaction
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with the kids,
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if you like, that if you go to another job that doesn't have that, you do miss it.
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I mean, even though most of my interaction with the kids is,
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you know, they're getting an a
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an award or something from the principal or getting recognized or something.
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I don't have one on one. I would still miss the kids.
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Would you say it's the kids that kind of keep bringing you back year after year?
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Yes, I think so.
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And I'm very fortunate because I've worked in so many jobs
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and I get to help out
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with things that I get to know the teachers really well, too.
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And I, I love our staff.
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You know, as as things have gone on at Clear Creek,
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as you all know, changes come and go.
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You know, some years are more trying than others.
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We've had some very trying years in the past.
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But when you think about the relationships that you built while you're
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while you're working,
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I wouldn't trade my staff for anybody.
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They're awesome.
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So speaking of relationships, I have one question for you.
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If you had a brand new staff member sitting across from you,
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what advice would you give them on how to build those relationships?
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Because you seem to be an expert in it, even though you may not realize that it's
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because of all the amazing connections you've made.
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So if you were going to be talking to a young new teacher at Clear Creek
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High School about building relationships, what do you think the best advice
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you could give them?
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Well, the first thing that I would tell them is you're not alone to start.
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I mean, it can be very overwhelming for people when they come into a job,
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especially if they don't have training in that aspect.
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And there are no dumb questions to get one.
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I've never I've never felt there was ever
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a dumb question.
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And and to just
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put yourself
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in a position that you would treat people how you would want to be treated.
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I mean,
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I've always said from when I was a PTA volunteer
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to a two principal secretary,
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I would never ask anyone to do anything that I wouldn't do myself
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if we were going to mop the floor.
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If I said, Would you mind mopping the floor today
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because there's a big spill in, the custodians are doing something.
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I've mopped many a floor.
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I would never ask anyone to do anything. I wouldn't.
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So that that would be my best treat.
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Everybody respect like you would want to be treated
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and and the relationship will come.
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It's great.
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So I think the lead in to this question has been well established,
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but we have heard that you really are Clear Creek High School.
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And so
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hearing that, what does it mean to you?
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You know, people tell me that that I'm
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the heart of Clear Creek High School, but
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I think that
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that's how people perceive me.
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I want to be
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I want to be always approachable.
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My door is always open.
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If my is closed, it's like a rare occasion,
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like I've got a deadline, I've got to get this done, period.
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I mean, that would be the only reason my door would be closed.
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But I think it goes back to
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I am amazed at how many people still live in this area
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and how many ties we have are pretty high school.
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That was foreign to me because I left my hometown
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and it's so exciting to me to talk to someone who
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who graduated from Clear
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Creek High School or their grandfather graduated from Clear Creek High School.
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And I'm talking to the kids
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or I'm talking to a teacher who maybe went to school there.
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It's an easy place to have connection because there is so much history.
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And as you can see, I went to Texas A&M University.
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I'm big on the tradition thing, so it was easy for me to be
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perceived as the hardworking high school because all that interest me.
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I'm I'm excited to learn that I want us to keep that
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tradition.
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So there's nothing wrong with bringing in new technology or new things,
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but you need to stay also in touch with your past or your history.
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And I think part of that came from the way I was brought up from my parents.
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I mean, my parents were my dad was in the war.
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My my mother has big
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Southern ties, you know, to somebody in South Carolina, Arkansas, where,
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you know, we learned all that and we we were taught to to respect those things.
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And I think that that just is part of who I am.
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And and I, I want us to keep the traditions,
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but I also want us to do new things and new exciting things. So
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I'm always I'm always available.
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That's why they like me.
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Well, it sounds like your core values and the core values of the district
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are very much in alignment.
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Oh, I think so.
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And that's probably why it's a really great fit for you.
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I think so.
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So thank you for sharing that so
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well, I think with being a part of Clear Creek
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High School and being Clear Creek High School in itself,
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I think you've probably trained a few principals along your way.
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Mrs.. Orr is my third principal okay.
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Mr. Bockart was the principal when I was hired.
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I knew Mr. Walker.
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He was the assistant principal at Victory Lakes when my son Curtis
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was attending there.
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And I Dr.
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Hayes was the principal was named principal my daughter's freshman year,
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and he remained principal until Caitlin's senior year.
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So he and I had the relationship of PTA president and and principal.
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So we had a very good working relationship there.
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And then Mr.
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Bockart became principal and I'll never forget,
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and he may get mad at me for telling the story, but this.
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Is the kind of stuff we. Yeah.
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So these are those traditions. Yes.
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Principal in the spring of 2007 and
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it was
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right before the volunteer breakfast, okay.
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And I had not seen him since he had been named principal and
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I saw him and I said, Mr.
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Bockart I'm so thrilled you're going to become our principal.
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I'm so happy.
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And I gave him a big hug and and he told me later,
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he said, you know, Kathy, I wasn't worried about being principal at Clear Creek
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High School at all until I saw you at the volunteer breakfast.
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And you tell me how excited you were for me
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to become the principal, to come in and take care of things and all that.
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And he goes,
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and I got deathly scared for a few minutes because of the way you were talking.
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I was like, I was just happy you were going to be there.
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I mean. You're just expecting him to keep up those traditions, right.
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As I was.
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And, you know, that year was a rough year because Dr.
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Hayes was there for a couple of months, and then Mr.
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Majewski was interim.
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Mr. Rees was interim for a little while.
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Then Miss Love came while she was building Clear Springs, and then
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after Ms..
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Love, I think Jamie became, you know, acting again.
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And then finally Mr.
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Bockart was named.
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So it it was kind of a crazy year.
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Anyway, I've trained more than three.
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So is what I'm hearing from your story that I think
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if you go back to when you were the volunteer and you were doing,
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you were helping train a few back then too, I'm thinking if you think stop it,
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because you were looking at it
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from the parents perspective and now being in your current positions,
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you actually train three that have come through
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while you were the principal secretary, right?
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So because it sounds like you have a lot of connections.
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Well, you know, when
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from the time Caitlin got into Clear Creek High School, that's when
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we were having so many changes.
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We were going to the communities, smaller
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and small learning communities, and that was Caitlin's freshman year.
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And my first run in
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with the administrative team was we had the parent meeting on that
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and I had been sitting on the DEIC for the intermediate school and Dr.
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Mossman at that time was the assistant
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and she was, she presided over the CIS and we were talking about it.
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I said yes, some documentation on this, I would really like to read this.
00;14;15;03 - 00;14;18;12
So she talked to Pat Lowry, who was her secretary at the time,
00;14;19;01 - 00;14;21;20
and they gave me these big binders like, I know this.
00;14;21;20 - 00;14;23;14
She was like, she's never going to read through that.
00;14;23;14 - 00;14;25;10
But if you. Read through.
00;14;25;10 - 00;14;28;18
I think then you say you went to school in aerospace engineering.
00;14;28;18 - 00;14;30;20
I'm pretty sure that requires a lot of reading.
00;14;31;20 - 00;14;35;11
So I read through that and they had this smaller link and I got there
00;14;35;11 - 00;14;40;09
and I had my list of questions, you know, and and I'll never forget Mary
00;14;40;09 - 00;14;44;25
Lou Tulip was standing over the side and she had this look on her face like,
00;14;44;25 - 00;14;48;10
who is this woman and why is she asking all these questions?
00;14;49;04 - 00;14;49;26
Because I did.
00;14;49;26 - 00;14;51;20
I had a lot of questions about manual.
00;14;51;20 - 00;14;54;18
So, you know, we we we lived through that.
00;14;54;18 - 00;14;59;18
We lived through the rebuild, which was a a huge event.
00;14;59;18 - 00;15;02;04
And I can't believe they did it again the same way.
00;15;02;04 - 00;15;05;21
It like it was such a unique way.
00;15;05;23 - 00;15;07;24
A unique experience. Yes. Yes.
00;15;08;13 - 00;15;10;18
You know, every day my daughter would come home and go, Mom,
00;15;11;07 - 00;15;14;26
I was I was almost late to miss hours class.
00;15;14;26 - 00;15;17;02
And, you know, she doesn't allow holidays. And I'm like
00;15;18;20 - 00;15;21;19
and again, because we were, you know, every day
00;15;21;19 - 00;15;25;07
the kids would come and there'd be this is a new path and they'd be going.
00;15;25;16 - 00;15;27;15
But how do I get
00;15;27;17 - 00;15;29;03
because we became creatures of habit.
00;15;29;03 - 00;15;31;26
It's like I have my pathway. I know where I wanted.
00;15;31;26 - 00;15;34;06
You know, the time for the time frame and.
00;15;34;07 - 00;15;35;11
You know how much time you have.
00;15;35;11 - 00;15;37;09
And that was when they were carrying their textbooks.
00;15;37;09 - 00;15;39;23
She was carrying around this big backpack.
00;15;40;25 - 00;15;44;12
Dr. Hayes and I had the conversation many times about passing periods
00;15;44;12 - 00;15;46;06
because he's like, Well, I can make it.
00;15;46;06 - 00;15;49;25
And I'm like, first of all, you're over six feet tall.
00;15;50;03 - 00;15;51;03
You're the principal
00;15;51;03 - 00;15;55;10
and you're not carrying around a backpack with three huge textbooks in it.
00;15;55;20 - 00;15;56;29
I said, I trust you.
00;15;56;29 - 00;15;59;14
Trust me, my daughter's not messing around.
00;15;59;14 - 00;16;01;15
And I would talk to the teacher and she kept Kathy.
00;16;01;15 - 00;16;03;09
She's come in every day and she's winded.
00;16;03;09 - 00;16;06;10
She goes, I know she is walking as fast as she can't.
00;16;07;20 - 00;16;09;20
It's like she's just really nervous. So.
00;16;10;07 - 00;16;13;15
But so, yeah, I've, I trained a few before I train these, but
00;16;15;02 - 00;16;18;03
every principal I can say and even Ms.
00;16;18;03 - 00;16;20;22
Orr now they all have
00;16;22;23 - 00;16;25;20
they all have been a little different but they've all have been the same.
00;16;25;26 - 00;16;27;20
They all have great core values.
00;16;27;20 - 00;16;30;22
They all are easy to work with.
00;16;31;09 - 00;16;32;09
When when Mr.
00;16;32;09 - 00;16;37;26
Bockart originally interviewed me for the secretary position, I said,
00;16;39;00 - 00;16;42;13
I just have to tell you,
00;16;42;13 - 00;16;45;05
I will tell you my opinion.
00;16;45;05 - 00;16;46;21
I said, I will never embarrass you.
00;16;46;21 - 00;16;48;22
I will never tell you anything in front of anyone.
00;16;48;22 - 00;16;53;04
I said, But if it comes down to I think you're not doing something.
00;16;53;12 - 00;16;54;28
You're going to. Do, I'll have to tell you.
00;16;54;28 - 00;16;56;12
I said, You can do whatever you want.
00;16;56;12 - 00;16;58;22
I said, But I'll have to give my opinion.
00;16;58;22 - 00;17;00;29
I told Jamie the same thing. I told Ashley the same thing.
00;17;00;29 - 00;17;04;21
I would never first piece of advice that you gave your principals,
00;17;04;21 - 00;17;06;08
because that actually leads into another thing.
00;17;06;08 - 00;17;09;12
Lindsey and I were wondering about being in the role that you were.
00;17;10;01 - 00;17;13;09
Over time, you've probably have developed a list of three
00;17;13;09 - 00;17;16;16
things that you think principals should know when they arrive.
00;17;16;16 - 00;17;19;28
And I know that arriving in a new position, hearing from others on
00;17;20;05 - 00;17;22;26
like give me pieces of advice on helping me be successful.
00;17;22;26 - 00;17;25;29
So what would you say the top three tips or advice
00;17;25;29 - 00;17;28;07
other than you're going to be open and honest with them?
00;17;28;19 - 00;17;31;03
Are you going to tell your opinion? What else would you tell?
00;17;31;03 - 00;17;32;24
What else have you told your principals?
00;17;32;24 - 00;17;34;26
Like some advice you've given them.
00;17;35;02 - 00;17;39;13
So one thing that that is always important, I feel for principals and and I try
00;17;41;00 - 00;17;43;14
tried to do this every day,
00;17;43;15 - 00;17;45;24
allow them to rely on their assistance.
00;17;47;13 - 00;17;50;21
You know, a lot of times principals and I completely understand
00;17;50;21 - 00;17;53;11
and I try to make sure that
00;17;55;12 - 00;17;57;18
I don't just say something
00;17;57;18 - 00;18;02;15
because that's what we've been doing all along.
00;18;02;15 - 00;18;06;22
Make sure you have good communication.
00;18;06;22 - 00;18;10;11
A good example was when Jamie took over because he took over
00;18;10;11 - 00;18;12;03
in the middle of this.
00;18;12;03 - 00;18;13;11
He took over in the spring and Mr.
00;18;13;11 - 00;18;18;14
Bockart had been principal at first and we had been a team for four years,
00;18;18;14 - 00;18;19;11
I think.
00;18;19;13 - 00;18;22;26
And so when he came in, I said, I'm going to try not I'm
00;18;22;26 - 00;18;25;20
going to try not to just tell people the answer.
00;18;26;08 - 00;18;31;05
I'm going to try to to make sure that your answer is the same as Mr.
00;18;31;05 - 00;18;31;27
Bockart’sanswer.
00;18;31;27 - 00;18;36;03
But so a line of communication is always important and it's always good
00;18;36;24 - 00;18;38;23
to rely on your assistant, because
00;18;39;28 - 00;18;40;18
if they've been
00;18;40;18 - 00;18;44;19
there a while, they can help you with things.
00;18;44;19 - 00;18;46;28
So that would be one. I'll always be honest.
00;18;48;02 - 00;18;50;26
It's always important to me.
00;18;51;07 - 00;18;54;19
And the third would be
00;18;56;26 - 00;19;00;08
try to leave by three on Fridays. No.
00;19;00;08 - 00;19;00;21
That's good.
00;19;00;21 - 00;19;03;25
Advice is a really good game.
00;19;03;25 - 00;19;06;28
You're going to have a baseball game, you're going to have a something.
00;19;07;07 - 00;19;10;01
And and you've
00;19;10;01 - 00;19;12;03
I mean, you've got a long night ahead.
00;19;12;13 - 00;19;15;23
So hopefully they can lead by three on Fridays.
00;19;16;01 - 00;19;17;08
That's always our goal.
00;19;17;08 - 00;19;18;13
We know that's not always possible.
00;19;18;13 - 00;19;19;26
That is really great advice, though,
00;19;19;26 - 00;19;21;06
because I would have loved
00;19;21;06 - 00;19;23;29
I mean, I'm sure we all would like to be reminded of that.
00;19;23;29 - 00;19;26;02
Everyone's while you have other things you have to do,
00;19;26;03 - 00;19;28;09
you need to be kind to yourself as well.
00;19;28;16 - 00;19;31;16
Give yourself a little break and and go home
00;19;31;16 - 00;19;35;00
for a minute and then distress and then go to the football.
00;19;35;00 - 00;19;36;09
Okay, awesome.
00;19;36;09 - 00;19;37;05
So that's a great lead.
00;19;37;05 - 00;19;40;07
And we wanted to talk about ways to disconnect
00;19;40;07 - 00;19;44;04
and recharge and what you like to do to kind of disconnect.
00;19;44;04 - 00;19;47;11
Hopefully leave by 330 on Fridays and
00;19;48;19 - 00;19;50;06
on Fridays. Yes.
00;19;51;06 - 00;19;54;13
So so I am a golfer.
00;19;54;20 - 00;19;56;24
My family golfs.
00;19;56;28 - 00;19;59;19
My husband, I grew up golfing.
00;19;59;19 - 00;20;02;09
My parents both golfed, so I grew up golfing.
00;20;02;26 - 00;20;03;28
They did not have a girls
00;20;03;28 - 00;20;06;09
golf team at my high school, so I did not play in high school.
00;20;07;23 - 00;20;11;22
And but both of my children played in school.
00;20;11;22 - 00;20;14;26
My son went on to play in college and he played professional golf for a while.
00;20;14;26 - 00;20;16;29
So we are golfing family. So we golf.
00;20;18;05 - 00;20;22;12
I have three dogs that keep me busy and
00;20;23;24 - 00;20;26;26
Stan and I, we enjoy our family.
00;20;26;27 - 00;20;29;00
I mean, we have a lot of
00;20;29;00 - 00;20;32;09
we love seeing our kids, but he has family in the area.
00;20;32;10 - 00;20;33;12
My parents have passed,
00;20;33;12 - 00;20;37;09
but I have a sister in San Antonio and so I get to see them.
00;20;37;24 - 00;20;41;14
I mean, it's I'm happy that we're close enough to visit when I was growing up,
00;20;41;14 - 00;20;44;00
we had family, you know, everybody lived in the same town.
00;20;44;03 - 00;20;45;28
So we saw family all the time.
00;20;45;28 - 00;20;48;19
But at least we're close enough within travel
00;20;48;19 - 00;20;51;22
distance that we get to do that. I so
00;20;53;01 - 00;20;56;18
I'm a decent cook, so we cook and
00;20;57;24 - 00;21;03;03
we just pal around the house and, you know, do the things we need to do.
00;21;03;04 - 00;21;03;29
So did you and Mr.
00;21;03;29 - 00;21;06;17
Magic ever agree on what the best golf course was?
00;21;06;17 - 00;21;08;05
Because I know he was a big golfer, too.
00;21;08;05 - 00;21;11;18
You know, Mr..
00;21;11;22 - 00;21;13;24
Just Yeah.
00;21;14;04 - 00;21;17;04
When when I when I started working there,
00;21;17;04 - 00;21;19;28
Jamie Jamie was not a member of a golf course at that time.
00;21;20;05 - 00;21;23;20
And I do think that I truly influenced his life with that.
00;21;23;20 - 00;21;26;16
He because I mean, we live,
00;21;26;23 - 00;21;30;21
eat, drink, sleep, golf at my house.
00;21;30;21 - 00;21;33;23
And so I feel good that I have
00;21;34;06 - 00;21;36;23
that I helped him get to his retirement potential.
00;21;36;23 - 00;21;42;06
But I like he quote that retirement potential.
00;21;42;22 - 00;21;46;18
And I say that because he told me he was going to come back and help,
00;21;46;23 - 00;21;51;02
you know, call me and I'll help and I'll come do popcorn for the popcorn thing
00;21;51;08 - 00;21;53;19
every time I call him and say, hey, they need somebody.
00;21;53;29 - 00;21;55;19
I'm playing in a golf tournament.
00;21;55;19 - 00;21;57;00
I can't come that day.
00;21;57;00 - 00;21;59;01
And I'm like, Good for you.
00;21;59;01 - 00;21;59;24
And for you.
00;21;59;24 - 00;22;03;05
So he's he's managed to reach his retirement potential there.
00;22;03;07 - 00;22;05;07
So you've even passed along some self care.
00;22;05;13 - 00;22;08;14
Yes. For someone and change their path.
00;22;08;14 - 00;22;09;23
Change their pathway.
00;22;09;23 - 00;22;12;13
So but no, we've never
00;22;12;25 - 00;22;16;12
I can't say that we've ever agreed on what was the absolute best golf course.
00;22;16;28 - 00;22;20;27
So but I do tell him to go to golf courses and he tells me to go to golf courses.
00;22;20;27 - 00;22;23;16
So, you know, we're expanding each other's horizons.
00;22;24;03 - 00;22;26;18
That has you felt those relationships on.
00;22;26;27 - 00;22;27;15
That's right.
00;22;27;29 - 00;22;30;04
So that's great.
00;22;30;04 - 00;22;32;03
What is going great in your
00;22;32;03 - 00;22;36;06
life right now?
00;22;36;06 - 00;22;38;09
What is going great?
00;22;38;09 - 00;22;40;09
My friendships are going great.
00;22;40;09 - 00;22;41;18
I'll say that
00;22;42;26 - 00;22;46;09
we've had my the first half of this year was wonderful.
00;22;46;09 - 00;22;47;12
Everything was great.
00;22;47;12 - 00;22;48;11
We had all of our weddings.
00;22;48;11 - 00;22;50;23
And then my husband's father passed away in July.
00;22;51;03 - 00;22;52;10
And so we've been dealing with that.
00;22;52;10 - 00;22;54;22
And his mother has to make this family part.
00;22;54;22 - 00;22;58;02
Right now it's a little rocky, but friends are keep
00;22;58;03 - 00;23;01;24
are keeping me sane and through and and they are great friends.
00;23;01;24 - 00;23;03;16
I am so blessed.
00;23;03;16 - 00;23;07;10
I, I have a core group of girlfriends
00;23;07;10 - 00;23;09;27
that my roommate from college
00;23;11;00 - 00;23;14;00
a lady that I lived next to and we lived on the other side of the lake.
00;23;14;14 - 00;23;18;18
And they are just steadfast friends.
00;23;18;18 - 00;23;22;26
And then my sister, I mean, my sister is she she's my she's my rock.
00;23;22;26 - 00;23;28;26
So she's she hasn't always liked me because she was the baby until I was born.
00;23;28;26 - 00;23;33;10
And then like, so then I then I was came along and I wasn't
00;23;33;20 - 00;23;36;22
I was persona non grata for a lot of years, I guess so.
00;23;37;26 - 00;23;40;00
But when we got to be adults
00;23;40;00 - 00;23;44;26
a little older, she decided it was okay.
00;23;44;26 - 00;23;48;01
So it sounds like you're very grateful for those that I am, friendships
00;23;48;01 - 00;23;51;28
that you know, that that can be a source of comfort
00;23;51;28 - 00;23;53;28
for you during a challenging time.
00;23;53;28 - 00;23;54;17
They are.
00;23;54;17 - 00;23;58;06
And the friendship that I made at school.
00;23;58;06 - 00;24;02;01
Lisa Watkins, Maya's I mean, Lisa's Lisa's the best.
00;24;02;01 - 00;24;02;27
She's amazing.
00;24;02;27 - 00;24;06;12
So she when when she became the associate principal secretary,
00;24;06;12 - 00;24;07;25
it was a jackpot day for me.
00;24;07;25 - 00;24;09;22
So it was awesome.
00;24;09;22 - 00;24;12;01
Probably a pretty tough tag team. There we are.
00;24;12;08 - 00;24;13;01
We are.
00;24;13;01 - 00;24;16;20
We were we were talking about something this morning or yesterday and
00;24;18;26 - 00;24;20;05
I said, let's schedule
00;24;20;05 - 00;24;22;29
let's let's have them schedule that on the day when we'll both be gone.
00;24;23;06 - 00;24;24;01
And she just looks at me.
00;24;24;01 - 00;24;24;21
She goes,
00;24;25;00 - 00;24;28;12
We've never both been gone because what would they do if we were both gone?
00;24;28;12 - 00;24;31;00
And I was like, Well, you're right, we have never gone.
00;24;32;21 - 00;24;34;03
So we don't we typically don't
00;24;34;03 - 00;24;38;12
pick off the same days just because there's a lot to do on the campus.
00;24;38;12 - 00;24;40;16
I love the passion you have for your school and for your job
00;24;40;16 - 00;24;43;10
and for all of the people that you that you help.
00;24;43;12 - 00;24;45;07
It comes through in who you are.
00;24;45;07 - 00;24;48;09
And that's just a wonderful thing to see, you know?
00;24;48;09 - 00;24;52;29
And this podcast is really about living CCISD to the fullest.
00;24;52;29 - 00;24;57;06
So when you hear that, what what does that mean to you
00;24;58;08 - 00;25;01;28
and how do you think you're striving to live CCISD to the fullest,
00;25;01;28 - 00;25;07;08
or how do you think you've achieved living life and CCISD to the fullest?
00;25;07;08 - 00;25;09;09
Well, I do think that
00;25;09;15 - 00;25;12;08
the biggest part of your work life,
00;25;12;16 - 00;25;15;19
whether it be in CCISD or anywhere, is your relationships.
00;25;16;03 - 00;25;19;11
I mean, if you build good relationships and I, I,
00;25;19;20 - 00;25;22;13
I feel like I do have a good relationship
00;25;22;13 - 00;25;25;03
with not just the people on my campus,
00;25;25;12 - 00;25;30;26
but the people that I interact with at the ESC or here at the TLC or
00;25;31;27 - 00;25;33;13
at another campus.
00;25;33;13 - 00;25;37;04
I, I've always felt very comfortable reaching out to the other
00;25;37;04 - 00;25;40;15
principal secretaries for information.
00;25;40;15 - 00;25;44;09
I, I have never been one to hesitate to reach out
00;25;44;09 - 00;25;47;09
and ask a question because I can only
00;25;48;13 - 00;25;52;28
I always the one the one area that I will never answer
00;25;52;28 - 00;25;57;21
questions about is leave and benefits and like give that to the professors.
00;25;57;22 - 00;25;58;11
I'm sorry.
00;25;58;11 - 00;25;59;29
You will have to call Lori Lipman or
00;25;59;29 - 00;26;03;11
you'll have to call the benefits people, because I am not screwing that.
00;26;03;27 - 00;26;08;07
I don't I can tell you if you're upset, more than six
00;26;08;19 - 00;26;12;01
the sixth day at CCHS you're going to Lori that day.
00;26;12;14 - 00;26;15;05
And so that's the way it is.
00;26;15;05 - 00;26;18;00
I don't I don't presume to know any of that.
00;26;18;00 - 00;26;19;21
I don't want to get anything wrong there.
00;26;19;21 - 00;26;21;09
It's way too important.
00;26;21;09 - 00;26;24;24
But I have great relationships with people in payroll.
00;26;24;24 - 00;26;25;14
You know, once in
00;26;25;14 - 00;26;30;16
has been there a long time, and now Pam Carrington's there, Randy Malzahn and
00;26;31;14 - 00;26;33;12
the people accounts payable.
00;26;33;12 - 00;26;36;05
I've been the interim bookkeeper enough times.
00;26;36;05 - 00;26;39;14
I have a great relationship with them.
00;26;39;14 - 00;26;42;21
So I think that the only way to live CCISD to the fullest
00;26;43;03 - 00;26;47;15
is to make those relationships and to
00;26;48;28 - 00;26;52;05
participate in in the activities that are going on.
00;26;52;05 - 00;26;57;18
You know, be a part of CCEF be a part of your campus committees
00;26;57;25 - 00;27;00;16
when you have things going on in your campus,
00;27;01;13 - 00;27;03;28
participate in them
00;27;04;28 - 00;27;08;19
so that you can build a camaraderie and you have a good place to go to work.
00;27;08;19 - 00;27;11;23
Because if you have a happy
00;27;11;23 - 00;27;15;07
outside life, then doing your job is going to be so much easier
00;27;15;13 - 00;27;19;06
than if you don't ever make friends
00;27;19;06 - 00;27;23;08
or have a good community to to work with.
00;27;23;08 - 00;27;24;19
You know, every time there's been
00;27;25;19 - 00;27;27;17
tragedy or
00;27;27;29 - 00;27;31;25
something sad in my life or my parents passed away, CCHS has rallied around me
00;27;32;11 - 00;27;36;15
and even withstands my dad passing.
00;27;36;20 - 00;27;38;27
Same thing. I mean, they've been
00;27;40;06 - 00;27;42;09
they've been so caring and so loving
00;27;42;19 - 00;27;46;10
and I feel like that's because I put out the effort
00;27;46;17 - 00;27;49;11
to be a part of their lives, to to care about them
00;27;49;11 - 00;27;51;27
and to give them support when they need it.
00;27;51;27 - 00;27;53;26
So they returned it to me.
00;27;53;26 - 00;27;56;14
That comes back to you. It does it does come back to you.
00;27;56;20 - 00;27;58;10
And I would think what I was hearing you saying a little bit
00;27;58;10 - 00;28;01;24
is if we had again, we're going back to that new person or someone new
00;28;01;24 - 00;28;05;00
to CCISD What I was kind of hearing you say is kind of get out of your bubble.
00;28;05;06 - 00;28;08;08
Yes. That there is a lot more than just what's happening in your little bubble
00;28;08;10 - 00;28;10;20
bubble of whatever the job task that you have.
00;28;10;20 - 00;28;14;09
There's amazing people beyond those walls that connecting with.
00;28;14;10 - 00;28;16;17
I love the fact that you said asked questions
00;28;17;06 - 00;28;19;09
that sometimes breaks down that wall.
00;28;19;09 - 00;28;20;08
Absolutely.
00;28;20;08 - 00;28;22;24
And a lot of times you're doing a job
00;28;23;18 - 00;28;28;09
and you have no idea of of what's upstream or downstream.
00;28;28;09 - 00;28;30;07
And if you don't, how can you know
00;28;31;15 - 00;28;34;02
know that you're doing your job correctly?
00;28;34;02 - 00;28;37;12
I know that Sabina had a training for
00;28;38;17 - 00;28;41;07
the data specialist, the attendance and the registrar,
00;28;41;07 - 00;28;43;17
so they could all come together and they could ask
00;28;43;17 - 00;28;47;11
questions of each other, you know, to see what
00;28;49;05 - 00;28;51;09
what your part of the process,
00;28;51;09 - 00;28;55;22
how it affects the other person's part of the equation.
00;28;55;29 - 00;28;58;20
At Creek, we're very lucky because they're all in the same hallway.
00;28;58;26 - 00;29;02;11
So they get to work together on a very close basis and they know.
00;29;02;15 - 00;29;05;05
But on some campuses, I don't think that they do now.
00;29;05;22 - 00;29;09;07
And I think that was a great thing for them to be able
00;29;09;07 - 00;29;13;15
to know how they could better do their job to help the person down the street.
00;29;15;15 - 00;29;19;09
And a lot of times if you have somebody who's just sits in your bubble,
00;29;19;09 - 00;29;21;24
they don't know how they affect someone else.
00;29;22;05 - 00;29;24;07
So I think that's a great thing.
00;29;24;13 - 00;29;25;21
Why think that?
00;29;25;21 - 00;29;27;13
Just talking to you,
00;29;27;13 - 00;29;29;29
if I would have listed every name that you've mentioned, you are,
00;29;30;07 - 00;29;34;25
you are such a great example of building relationships because the all the names
00;29;34;25 - 00;29;38;24
you've been mentioning throughout are in all different places within our district.
00;29;38;24 - 00;29;40;28
So that is semi authentic.
00;29;40;28 - 00;29;43;27
And you talk about them with like you know on and because you do
00;29;44;03 - 00;29;46;15
and and so I just think that's really interesting that
00;29;46;15 - 00;29;48;22
because I wish I would have started writing down all the names
00;29;48;22 - 00;29;51;24
the ones that are retired now and the ones that are still here
00;29;51;24 - 00;29;54;01
has been very interesting to hear the history of names
00;29;54;01 - 00;29;56;17
that you have mentioned and how those relationships come together.
00;29;56;22 - 00;29;59;03
Well, I was I know this subject.
00;29;59;03 - 00;30;01;12
And, you know, I have to admit that I was so happy to see Dr.
00;30;01;12 - 00;30;02;22
Engle back.
00;30;02;22 - 00;30;06;02
So it was a great face to see to start the year. So
00;30;07;16 - 00;30;12;06
tell Well, Kathy, I think
00;30;12;28 - 00;30;16;20
our time today has truly solidified
00;30;16;26 - 00;30;20;03
that you are a part of Clear Creek
00;30;21;07 - 00;30;23;10
High School as well as Clear Creek ISD.
00;30;24;00 - 00;30;26;17
So we just want to thank you for your time today.
00;30;26;17 - 00;30;29;25
It's been an honor to be with you and to hear your stories.
00;30;2900;00;03;25 - 00;00;06;26
Hey, everyone, It's Lindsey Hunt with Clear Creek ISD again.
00;00;06;26 - 00;00;10;06
And surprise, We have some bonus content to share
00;00;10;16 - 00;00;15;17
and preparing for our podcast series titled CCISD to the Fullest Dava West
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and I were honored to get to know some of the CCISD family a little better.
00;00;19;17 - 00;00;23;23
Check out this full interview with Miss Clear Creek High School herself.
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Cathy Donoho From aerospace engineer to mother to administrative
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assistant to the principal at Clear Creek High School, Cathy opens up
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about her journey to and throughout CCISD.
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Ste enjoy.
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Okay, Cathy, Welcome.
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Thank you.
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Lindsay, I'm so excited to have you here with us today.
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So I'm also joined with Dava.
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Hi. Hi, Lindsay Hi.
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Cathy I'm so excited for to chat with you guys today.
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So we are going to kick it off with just a quick, simple question.
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You know, tell us about yourself.
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Well,
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I am married.
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I have two grandchildren who recently both got married in the spring of this year.
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So this spring was like
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I've been living in the Clearlake area
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since 1984 when I graduated from Texas A&M University.
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I have a degree in aerospace engineering.
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I went to work for NASA,
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as with the contractors, with Rockwell,
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until I had my family when I stayed home.
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I have been associated with CCISD
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since before my kids were in school
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because I was the bus stop
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mom because the bus stopped at my house.
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Yes, with the PTA.
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So I was there.
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If a kid got scared or a dog came up, they could come and run to my door
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and knock on their door and it would be a safe place for them to go.
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The the PTA mom president was the lady across the street, so
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she wrangled me into it.
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My kids started at Ward Elementary.
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They attended Hyde Elementary.
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They attended SEABROOK Intermediate
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League City Intermediate Victory,
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Lakes Intermediate and Clear Creek High School.
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I see a common thread of a maroon. And you.
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Can you believe that.
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On purpose?
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Which was yes, I'm I mean,
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Hyde was Blue and
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Burkett, I.M. Ward was.
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I think they were two.
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Yeah. Yeah. Red, white and blue.
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Must say you must have a lot of Marine in your high.
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I have a lot of maroon at my house.
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So what brought you to CCISD?
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Do you?
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I mean, really, more than just the kids or how did you transition
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from aerospace to school district?
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So when I worked for NASA, I was there through
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the return to flight from Challenger.
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After Challenger, the atmosphere at NASA changed.
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It became mostly
00;03;03;14 - 00;03;05;27
government flown payloads.
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We weren't flying commercial payloads anymore.
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I'm not going to say it wasn't as much fun, but it wasn't as much fun.
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I knew I was going to stay home with my kids, so when by the time
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my kids were of the age that I would even well,
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I did ask them if I could work part time at NASA from home.
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But when I quit, they were not ready for that.
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But they they got there after that. But
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by the time I was ready to go and be more involved in things,
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it was just more natural for me to be the room mother.
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The PTA president sit on the Campus Improvement Committee.
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I always wanted to be around and be involved in my kids
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education.
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I've sat on most of the committees in CCISD.
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As a parent, the DEIC,
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the CIC, the bond committees,
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the textbook committees,
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all of those.
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So as you get more involved in the school,
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I was the emergency sub for all my kids school.
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I'm like, don't call me on it every day.
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But you know, if you're desperate, I'll be happy to serve.
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I did that till high school and then my kids asked me
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not to serve at the high school level.
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I I'm a little bit more strict than most parents,
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and my kids were worried that I would be too strict with the kids.
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I said, I respect your I respect your request. So
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I volunteered in the offices.
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I volunteered,
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you know, project graduation and
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Red Ribbon Week and all of the things.
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And Tommy Barnett, who was secretary at Clark High School,
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says, Why don't you just come work for us?
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You're here all the time anyway.
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And my daughter was going off to college and I thought, well, it might be nice
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to have a little extra money here or there.
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So I started at the receptionist desk and I was there for about a month.
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And then the data specialist
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job opened up and I became data specialist.
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And then Tommy Barnett
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left us and went to the ESC And so the principal's secretary
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position opened up and I applied for that, and I've been there ever since.
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Oh, my gosh.
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So I've I've helped in the bookkeepers office, in the attendance office, and,
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you know, I sit in the secretary's offices, if necessary.
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And there must be something pretty magical about Clear Creek
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High School, because it is my time is back over there now, too, right?
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Yes, she is.
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We told her she would not like it over at the big house.
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Not that there's anything wrong with being at these, but.
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She would miss the kids.
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Yes, she I mean, once you're on the campus and you have that interaction
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with the kids,
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if you like, that if you go to another job that doesn't have that, you do miss it.
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I mean, even though most of my interaction with the kids is,
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you know, they're getting an a
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an award or something from the principal or getting recognized or something.
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I don't have one on one. I would still miss the kids.
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Would you say it's the kids that kind of keep bringing you back year after year?
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Yes, I think so.
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And I'm very fortunate because I've worked in so many jobs
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and I get to help out
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with things that I get to know the teachers really well, too.
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And I, I love our staff.
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You know, as as things have gone on at Clear Creek,
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as you all know, changes come and go.
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You know, some years are more trying than others.
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We've had some very trying years in the past.
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But when you think about the relationships that you built while you're
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while you're working,
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I wouldn't trade my staff for anybody.
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They're awesome.
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So speaking of relationships, I have one question for you.
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If you had a brand new staff member sitting across from you,
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what advice would you give them on how to build those relationships?
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Because you seem to be an expert in it, even though you may not realize that it's
00;07;06;24 - 00;07;08;19
because of all the amazing connections you've made.
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So if you were going to be talking to a young new teacher at Clear Creek
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High School about building relationships, what do you think the best advice
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you could give them?
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Well, the first thing that I would tell them is you're not alone to start.
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I mean, it can be very overwhelming for people when they come into a job,
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especially if they don't have training in that aspect.
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And there are no dumb questions to get one.
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I've never I've never felt there was ever
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a dumb question.
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And and to just
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put yourself
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in a position that you would treat people how you would want to be treated.
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I mean,
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I've always said from when I was a PTA volunteer
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to a two principal secretary,
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I would never ask anyone to do anything that I wouldn't do myself
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if we were going to mop the floor.
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If I said, Would you mind mopping the floor today
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because there's a big spill in, the custodians are doing something.
00;08;04;22 - 00;08;05;29
I've mopped many a floor.
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I would never ask anyone to do anything. I wouldn't.
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So that that would be my best treat.
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Everybody respect like you would want to be treated
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and and the relationship will come.
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It's great.
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So I think the lead in to this question has been well established,
00;08;22;10 - 00;08;26;17
but we have heard that you really are Clear Creek High School.
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And so
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hearing that, what does it mean to you?
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You know, people tell me that that I'm
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the heart of Clear Creek High School, but
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I think that
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that's how people perceive me.
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I want to be
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I want to be always approachable.
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My door is always open.
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If my is closed, it's like a rare occasion,
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like I've got a deadline, I've got to get this done, period.
00;08;55;26 - 00;09;00;02
I mean, that would be the only reason my door would be closed.
00;09;00;02 - 00;09;02;26
But I think it goes back to
00;09;02;26 - 00;09;07;22
I am amazed at how many people still live in this area
00;09;07;22 - 00;09;10;02
and how many ties we have are pretty high school.
00;09;11;09 - 00;09;13;22
That was foreign to me because I left my hometown
00;09;14;17 - 00;09;19;01
and it's so exciting to me to talk to someone who
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who graduated from Clear
00;09;21;05 - 00;09;24;09
Creek High School or their grandfather graduated from Clear Creek High School.
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And I'm talking to the kids
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or I'm talking to a teacher who maybe went to school there.
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It's an easy place to have connection because there is so much history.
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And as you can see, I went to Texas A&M University.
00;09;36;03 - 00;09;40;11
I'm big on the tradition thing, so it was easy for me to be
00;09;41;19 - 00;09;45;05
perceived as the hardworking high school because all that interest me.
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I'm I'm excited to learn that I want us to keep that
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tradition.
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So there's nothing wrong with bringing in new technology or new things,
00;09;54;20 - 00;10;00;07
but you need to stay also in touch with your past or your history.
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And I think part of that came from the way I was brought up from my parents.
00;10;04;04 - 00;10;08;19
I mean, my parents were my dad was in the war.
00;10;08;19 - 00;10;11;21
My my mother has big
00;10;12;11 - 00;10;16;26
Southern ties, you know, to somebody in South Carolina, Arkansas, where,
00;10;16;27 - 00;10;21;21
you know, we learned all that and we we were taught to to respect those things.
00;10;21;21 - 00;10;24;28
And I think that that just is part of who I am.
00;10;24;28 - 00;10;28;10
And and I, I want us to keep the traditions,
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but I also want us to do new things and new exciting things. So
00;10;33;04 - 00;10;35;18
I'm always I'm always available.
00;10;35;18 - 00;10;38;20
That's why they like me.
00;10;38;20 - 00;10;42;18
Well, it sounds like your core values and the core values of the district
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are very much in alignment.
00;10;44;02 - 00;10;44;23
Oh, I think so.
00;10;44;23 - 00;10;47;05
And that's probably why it's a really great fit for you.
00;10;47;05 - 00;10;48;07
I think so.
00;10;48;07 - 00;10;50;12
So thank you for sharing that so
00;10;51;18 - 00;10;54;23
well, I think with being a part of Clear Creek
00;10;54;23 - 00;10;58;25
High School and being Clear Creek High School in itself,
00;10;59;10 - 00;11;02;24
I think you've probably trained a few principals along your way.
00;11;02;29 - 00;11;05;22
Mrs.. Orr is my third principal okay.
00;11;05;22 - 00;11;09;12
Mr. Bockart was the principal when I was hired.
00;11;09;12 - 00;11;10;17
I knew Mr. Walker.
00;11;10;17 - 00;11;14;10
He was the assistant principal at Victory Lakes when my son Curtis
00;11;14;10 - 00;11;15;23
was attending there.
00;11;15;23 - 00;11;20;29
And I Dr.
00;11;20;29 - 00;11;25;21
Hayes was the principal was named principal my daughter's freshman year,
00;11;26;03 - 00;11;29;26
and he remained principal until Caitlin's senior year.
00;11;29;26 - 00;11;36;04
So he and I had the relationship of PTA president and and principal.
00;11;36;05 - 00;11;39;12
So we had a very good working relationship there.
00;11;39;12 - 00;11;41;07
And then Mr.
00;11;41;07 - 00;11;44;15
Bockart became principal and I'll never forget,
00;11;44;15 - 00;11;48;01
and he may get mad at me for telling the story, but this.
00;11;48;01 - 00;11;49;29
Is the kind of stuff we. Yeah.
00;11;49;29 - 00;11;52;03
So these are those traditions. Yes.
00;11;52;03 - 00;11;56;18
Principal in the spring of 2007 and
00;11;58;09 - 00;11;58;20
it was
00;11;58;20 - 00;12;01;22
right before the volunteer breakfast, okay.
00;12;01;27 - 00;12;05;28
And I had not seen him since he had been named principal and
00;12;07;18 - 00;12;09;29
I saw him and I said, Mr.
00;12;09;29 - 00;12;12;14
Bockart I'm so thrilled you're going to become our principal.
00;12;12;14 - 00;12;13;00
I'm so happy.
00;12;13;00 - 00;12;17;12
And I gave him a big hug and and he told me later,
00;12;17;27 - 00;12;21;05
he said, you know, Kathy, I wasn't worried about being principal at Clear Creek
00;12;21;05 - 00;12;24;17
High School at all until I saw you at the volunteer breakfast.
00;12;24;18 - 00;12;27;23
And you tell me how excited you were for me
00;12;27;23 - 00;12;31;10
to become the principal, to come in and take care of things and all that.
00;12;31;23 - 00;12;32;13
And he goes,
00;12;32;13 - 00;12;37;09
and I got deathly scared for a few minutes because of the way you were talking.
00;12;37;09 - 00;12;39;19
I was like, I was just happy you were going to be there.
00;12;39;19 - 00;12;42;11
I mean. You're just expecting him to keep up those traditions, right.
00;12;42;11 - 00;12;43;07
As I was.
00;12;43;07 - 00;12;45;13
And, you know, that year was a rough year because Dr.
00;12;45;13 - 00;12;48;10
Hayes was there for a couple of months, and then Mr.
00;12;48;10 - 00;12;49;20
Majewski was interim.
00;12;49;20 - 00;12;51;20
Mr. Rees was interim for a little while.
00;12;51;25 - 00;12;56;27
Then Miss Love came while she was building Clear Springs, and then
00;12;58;20 - 00;12;59;08
after Ms..
00;12;59;08 - 00;13;02;25
Love, I think Jamie became, you know, acting again.
00;13;02;25 - 00;13;03;25
And then finally Mr.
00;13;03;25 - 00;13;04;18
Bockart was named.
00;13;04;18 - 00;13;07;03
So it it was kind of a crazy year.
00;13;07;03 - 00;13;08;25
Anyway, I've trained more than three.
00;13;08;25 - 00;13;12;22
So is what I'm hearing from your story that I think
00;13;13;14 - 00;13;16;07
if you go back to when you were the volunteer and you were doing,
00;13;16;13 - 00;13;20;11
you were helping train a few back then too, I'm thinking if you think stop it,
00;13;20;11 - 00;13;21;06
because you were looking at it
00;13;21;06 - 00;13;24;12
from the parents perspective and now being in your current positions,
00;13;24;12 - 00;13;26;20
you actually train three that have come through
00;13;26;29 - 00;13;28;26
while you were the principal secretary, right?
00;13;28;26 - 00;13;31;14
So because it sounds like you have a lot of connections.
00;13;31;14 - 00;13;32;29
Well, you know, when
00;13;33;00 - 00;13;36;10
from the time Caitlin got into Clear Creek High School, that's when
00;13;37;26 - 00;13;39;27
we were having so many changes.
00;13;39;27 - 00;13;44;14
We were going to the communities, smaller
00;13;44;14 - 00;13;49;04
and small learning communities, and that was Caitlin's freshman year.
00;13;49;04 - 00;13;51;15
And my first run in
00;13;53;08 - 00;13;57;17
with the administrative team was we had the parent meeting on that
00;13;57;23 - 00;14;03;20
and I had been sitting on the DEIC for the intermediate school and Dr.
00;14;03;20 - 00;14;08;02
Mossman at that time was the assistant
00;14;08;02 - 00;14;12;08
and she was, she presided over the CIS and we were talking about it.
00;14;12;08 - 00;14;15;02
I said yes, some documentation on this, I would really like to read this.
00;14;15;03 - 00;14;18;12
So she talked to Pat Lowry, who was her secretary at the time,
00;14;19;01 - 00;14;21;20
and they gave me these big binders like, I know this.
00;14;21;20 - 00;14;23;14
She was like, she's never going to read through that.
00;14;23;14 - 00;14;25;10
But if you. Read through.
00;14;25;10 - 00;14;28;18
I think then you say you went to school in aerospace engineering.
00;14;28;18 - 00;14;30;20
I'm pretty sure that requires a lot of reading.
00;14;31;20 - 00;14;35;11
So I read through that and they had this smaller link and I got there
00;14;35;11 - 00;14;40;09
and I had my list of questions, you know, and and I'll never forget Mary
00;14;40;09 - 00;14;44;25
Lou Tulip was standing over the side and she had this look on her face like,
00;14;44;25 - 00;14;48;10
who is this woman and why is she asking all these questions?
00;14;49;04 - 00;14;49;26
Because I did.
00;14;49;26 - 00;14;51;20
I had a lot of questions about manual.
00;14;51;20 - 00;14;54;18
So, you know, we we we lived through that.
00;14;54;18 - 00;14;59;18
We lived through the rebuild, which was a a huge event.
00;14;59;18 - 00;15;02;04
And I can't believe they did it again the same way.
00;15;02;04 - 00;15;05;21
It like it was such a unique way.
00;15;05;23 - 00;15;07;24
A unique experience. Yes. Yes.
00;15;08;13 - 00;15;10;18
You know, every day my daughter would come home and go, Mom,
00;15;11;07 - 00;15;14;26
I was I was almost late to miss hours class.
00;15;14;26 - 00;15;17;02
And, you know, she doesn't allow holidays. And I'm like
00;15;18;20 - 00;15;21;19
and again, because we were, you know, every day
00;15;21;19 - 00;15;25;07
the kids would come and there'd be this is a new path and they'd be going.
00;15;25;16 - 00;15;27;15
But how do I get
00;15;27;17 - 00;15;29;03
because we became creatures of habit.
00;15;29;03 - 00;15;31;26
It's like I have my pathway. I know where I wanted.
00;15;31;26 - 00;15;34;06
You know, the time for the time frame and.
00;15;34;07 - 00;15;35;11
You know how much time you have.
00;15;35;11 - 00;15;37;09
And that was when they were carrying their textbooks.
00;15;37;09 - 00;15;39;23
She was carrying around this big backpack.
00;15;40;25 - 00;15;44;12
Dr. Hayes and I had the conversation many times about passing periods
00;15;44;12 - 00;15;46;06
because he's like, Well, I can make it.
00;15;46;06 - 00;15;49;25
And I'm like, first of all, you're over six feet tall.
00;15;50;03 - 00;15;51;03
You're the principal
00;15;51;03 - 00;15;55;10
and you're not carrying around a backpack with three huge textbooks in it.
00;15;55;20 - 00;15;56;29
I said, I trust you.
00;15;56;29 - 00;15;59;14
Trust me, my daughter's not messing around.
00;15;59;14 - 00;16;01;15
And I would talk to the teacher and she kept Kathy.
00;16;01;15 - 00;16;03;09
She's come in every day and she's winded.
00;16;03;09 - 00;16;06;10
She goes, I know she is walking as fast as she can't.
00;16;07;20 - 00;16;09;20
It's like she's just really nervous. So.
00;16;10;07 - 00;16;13;15
But so, yeah, I've, I trained a few before I train these, but
00;16;15;02 - 00;16;18;03
every principal I can say and even Ms.
00;16;18;03 - 00;16;20;22
Orr now they all have
00;16;22;23 - 00;16;25;20
they all have been a little different but they've all have been the same.
00;16;25;26 - 00;16;27;20
They all have great core values.
00;16;27;20 - 00;16;30;22
They all are easy to work with.
00;16;31;09 - 00;16;32;09
When when Mr.
00;16;32;09 - 00;16;37;26
Bockart originally interviewed me for the secretary position, I said,
00;16;39;00 - 00;16;42;13
I just have to tell you,
00;16;42;13 - 00;16;45;05
I will tell you my opinion.
00;16;45;05 - 00;16;46;21
I said, I will never embarrass you.
00;16;46;21 - 00;16;48;22
I will never tell you anything in front of anyone.
00;16;48;22 - 00;16;53;04
I said, But if it comes down to I think you're not doing something.
00;16;53;12 - 00;16;54;28
You're going to. Do, I'll have to tell you.
00;16;54;28 - 00;16;56;12
I said, You can do whatever you want.
00;16;56;12 - 00;16;58;22
I said, But I'll have to give my opinion.
00;16;58;22 - 00;17;00;29
I told Jamie the same thing. I told Ashley the same thing.
00;17;00;29 - 00;17;04;21
I would never first piece of advice that you gave your principals,
00;17;04;21 - 00;17;06;08
because that actually leads into another thing.
00;17;06;08 - 00;17;09;12
Lindsey and I were wondering about being in the role that you were.
00;17;10;01 - 00;17;13;09
Over time, you've probably have developed a list of three
00;17;13;09 - 00;17;16;16
things that you think principals should know when they arrive.
00;17;16;16 - 00;17;19;28
And I know that arriving in a new position, hearing from others on
00;17;20;05 - 00;17;22;26
like give me pieces of advice on helping me be successful.
00;17;22;26 - 00;17;25;29
So what would you say the top three tips or advice
00;17;25;29 - 00;17;28;07
other than you're going to be open and honest with them?
00;17;28;19 - 00;17;31;03
Are you going to tell your opinion? What else would you tell?
00;17;31;03 - 00;17;32;24
What else have you told your principals?
00;17;32;24 - 00;17;34;26
Like some advice you've given them.
00;17;35;02 - 00;17;39;13
So one thing that that is always important, I feel for principals and and I try
00;17;41;00 - 00;17;43;14
tried to do this every day,
00;17;43;15 - 00;17;45;24
allow them to rely on their assistance.
00;17;47;13 - 00;17;50;21
You know, a lot of times principals and I completely understand
00;17;50;21 - 00;17;53;11
and I try to make sure that
00;17;55;12 - 00;17;57;18
I don't just say something
00;17;57;18 - 00;18;02;15
because that's what we've been doing all along.
00;18;02;15 - 00;18;06;22
Make sure you have good communication.
00;18;06;22 - 00;18;10;11
A good example was when Jamie took over because he took over
00;18;10;11 - 00;18;12;03
in the middle of this.
00;18;12;03 - 00;18;13;11
He took over in the spring and Mr.
00;18;13;11 - 00;18;18;14
Bockart had been principal at first and we had been a team for four years,
00;18;18;14 - 00;18;19;11
I think.
00;18;19;13 - 00;18;22;26
And so when he came in, I said, I'm going to try not I'm
00;18;22;26 - 00;18;25;20
going to try not to just tell people the answer.
00;18;26;08 - 00;18;31;05
I'm going to try to to make sure that your answer is the same as Mr.
00;18;31;05 - 00;18;31;27
Bockart’sanswer.
00;18;31;27 - 00;18;36;03
But so a line of communication is always important and it's always good
00;18;36;24 - 00;18;38;23
to rely on your assistant, because
00;18;39;28 - 00;18;40;18
if they've been
00;18;40;18 - 00;18;44;19
there a while, they can help you with things.
00;18;44;19 - 00;18;46;28
So that would be one. I'll always be honest.
00;18;48;02 - 00;18;50;26
It's always important to me.
00;18;51;07 - 00;18;54;19
And the third would be
00;18;56;26 - 00;19;00;08
try to leave by three on Fridays. No.
00;19;00;08 - 00;19;00;21
That's good.
00;19;00;21 - 00;19;03;25
Advice is a really good game.
00;19;03;25 - 00;19;06;28
You're going to have a baseball game, you're going to have a something.
00;19;07;07 - 00;19;10;01
And and you've
00;19;10;01 - 00;19;12;03
I mean, you've got a long night ahead.
00;19;12;13 - 00;19;15;23
So hopefully they can lead by three on Fridays.
00;19;16;01 - 00;19;17;08
That's always our goal.
00;19;17;08 - 00;19;18;13
We know that's not always possible.
00;19;18;13 - 00;19;19;26
That is really great advice, though,
00;19;19;26 - 00;19;21;06
because I would have loved
00;19;21;06 - 00;19;23;29
I mean, I'm sure we all would like to be reminded of that.
00;19;23;29 - 00;19;26;02
Everyone's while you have other things you have to do,
00;19;26;03 - 00;19;28;09
you need to be kind to yourself as well.
00;19;28;16 - 00;19;31;16
Give yourself a little break and and go home
00;19;31;16 - 00;19;35;00
for a minute and then distress and then go to the football.
00;19;35;00 - 00;19;36;09
Okay, awesome.
00;19;36;09 - 00;19;37;05
So that's a great lead.
00;19;37;05 - 00;19;40;07
And we wanted to talk about ways to disconnect
00;19;40;07 - 00;19;44;04
and recharge and what you like to do to kind of disconnect.
00;19;44;04 - 00;19;47;11
Hopefully leave by 330 on Fridays and
00;19;48;19 - 00;19;50;06
on Fridays. Yes.
00;19;51;06 - 00;19;54;13
So so I am a golfer.
00;19;54;20 - 00;19;56;24
My family golfs.
00;19;56;28 - 00;19;59;19
My husband, I grew up golfing.
00;19;59;19 - 00;20;02;09
My parents both golfed, so I grew up golfing.
00;20;02;26 - 00;20;03;28
They did not have a girls
00;20;03;28 - 00;20;06;09
golf team at my high school, so I did not play in high school.
00;20;07;23 - 00;20;11;22
And but both of my children played in school.
00;20;11;22 - 00;20;14;26
My son went on to play in college and he played professional golf for a while.
00;20;14;26 - 00;20;16;29
So we are golfing family. So we golf.
00;20;18;05 - 00;20;22;12
I have three dogs that keep me busy and
00;20;23;24 - 00;20;26;26
Stan and I, we enjoy our family.
00;20;26;27 - 00;20;29;00
I mean, we have a lot of
00;20;29;00 - 00;20;32;09
we love seeing our kids, but he has family in the area.
00;20;32;10 - 00;20;33;12
My parents have passed,
00;20;33;12 - 00;20;37;09
but I have a sister in San Antonio and so I get to see them.
00;20;37;24 - 00;20;41;14
I mean, it's I'm happy that we're close enough to visit when I was growing up,
00;20;41;14 - 00;20;44;00
we had family, you know, everybody lived in the same town.
00;20;44;03 - 00;20;45;28
So we saw family all the time.
00;20;45;28 - 00;20;48;19
But at least we're close enough within travel
00;20;48;19 - 00;20;51;22
distance that we get to do that. I so
00;20;53;01 - 00;20;56;18
I'm a decent cook, so we cook and
00;20;57;24 - 00;21;03;03
we just pal around the house and, you know, do the things we need to do.
00;21;03;04 - 00;21;03;29
So did you and Mr.
00;21;03;29 - 00;21;06;17
Magic ever agree on what the best golf course was?
00;21;06;17 - 00;21;08;05
Because I know he was a big golfer, too.
00;21;08;05 - 00;21;11;18
You know, Mr..
00;21;11;22 - 00;21;13;24
Just Yeah.
00;21;14;04 - 00;21;17;04
When when I when I started working there,
00;21;17;04 - 00;21;19;28
Jamie Jamie was not a member of a golf course at that time.
00;21;20;05 - 00;21;23;20
And I do think that I truly influenced his life with that.
00;21;23;20 - 00;21;26;16
He because I mean, we live,
00;21;26;23 - 00;21;30;21
eat, drink, sleep, golf at my house.
00;21;30;21 - 00;21;33;23
And so I feel good that I have
00;21;34;06 - 00;21;36;23
that I helped him get to his retirement potential.
00;21;36;23 - 00;21;42;06
But I like he quote that retirement potential.
00;21;42;22 - 00;21;46;18
And I say that because he told me he was going to come back and help,
00;21;46;23 - 00;21;51;02
you know, call me and I'll help and I'll come do popcorn for the popcorn thing
00;21;51;08 - 00;21;53;19
every time I call him and say, hey, they need somebody.
00;21;53;29 - 00;21;55;19
I'm playing in a golf tournament.
00;21;55;19 - 00;21;57;00
I can't come that day.
00;21;57;00 - 00;21;59;01
And I'm like, Good for you.
00;21;59;01 - 00;21;59;24
And for you.
00;21;59;24 - 00;22;03;05
So he's he's managed to reach his retirement potential there.
00;22;03;07 - 00;22;05;07
So you've even passed along some self care.
00;22;05;13 - 00;22;08;14
Yes. For someone and change their path.
00;22;08;14 - 00;22;09;23
Change their pathway.
00;22;09;23 - 00;22;12;13
So but no, we've never
00;22;12;25 - 00;22;16;12
I can't say that we've ever agreed on what was the absolute best golf course.
00;22;16;28 - 00;22;20;27
So but I do tell him to go to golf courses and he tells me to go to golf courses.
00;22;20;27 - 00;22;23;16
So, you know, we're expanding each other's horizons.
00;22;24;03 - 00;22;26;18
That has you felt those relationships on.
00;22;26;27 - 00;22;27;15
That's right.
00;22;27;29 - 00;22;30;04
So that's great.
00;22;30;04 - 00;22;32;03
What is going great in your
00;22;32;03 - 00;22;36;06
life right now?
00;22;36;06 - 00;22;38;09
What is going great?
00;22;38;09 - 00;22;40;09
My friendships are going great.
00;22;40;09 - 00;22;41;18
I'll say that
00;22;42;26 - 00;22;46;09
we've had my the first half of this year was wonderful.
00;22;46;09 - 00;22;47;12
Everything was great.
00;22;47;12 - 00;22;48;11
We had all of our weddings.
00;22;48;11 - 00;22;50;23
And then my husband's father passed away in July.
00;22;51;03 - 00;22;52;10
And so we've been dealing with that.
00;22;52;10 - 00;22;54;22
And his mother has to make this family part.
00;22;54;22 - 00;22;58;02
Right now it's a little rocky, but friends are keep
00;22;58;03 - 00;23;01;24
are keeping me sane and through and and they are great friends.
00;23;01;24 - 00;23;03;16
I am so blessed.
00;23;03;16 - 00;23;07;10
I, I have a core group of girlfriends
00;23;07;10 - 00;23;09;27
that my roommate from college
00;23;11;00 - 00;23;14;00
a lady that I lived next to and we lived on the other side of the lake.
00;23;14;14 - 00;23;18;18
And they are just steadfast friends.
00;23;18;18 - 00;23;22;26
And then my sister, I mean, my sister is she she's my she's my rock.
00;23;22;26 - 00;23;28;26
So she's she hasn't always liked me because she was the baby until I was born.
00;23;28;26 - 00;23;33;10
And then like, so then I then I was came along and I wasn't
00;23;33;20 - 00;23;36;22
I was persona non grata for a lot of years, I guess so.
00;23;37;26 - 00;23;40;00
But when we got to be adults
00;23;40;00 - 00;23;44;26
a little older, she decided it was okay.
00;23;44;26 - 00;23;48;01
So it sounds like you're very grateful for those that I am, friendships
00;23;48;01 - 00;23;51;28
that you know, that that can be a source of comfort
00;23;51;28 - 00;23;53;28
for you during a challenging time.
00;23;53;28 - 00;23;54;17
They are.
00;23;54;17 - 00;23;58;06
And the friendship that I made at school.
00;23;58;06 - 00;24;02;01
Lisa Watkins, Maya's I mean, Lisa's Lisa's the best.
00;24;02;01 - 00;24;02;27
She's amazing.
00;24;02;27 - 00;24;06;12
So she when when she became the associate principal secretary,
00;24;06;12 - 00;24;07;25
it was a jackpot day for me.
00;24;07;25 - 00;24;09;22
So it was awesome.
00;24;09;22 - 00;24;12;01
Probably a pretty tough tag team. There we are.
00;24;12;08 - 00;24;13;01
We are.
00;24;13;01 - 00;24;16;20
We were we were talking about something this morning or yesterday and
00;24;18;26 - 00;24;20;05
I said, let's schedule
00;24;20;05 - 00;24;22;29
let's let's have them schedule that on the day when we'll both be gone.
00;24;23;06 - 00;24;24;01
And she just looks at me.
00;24;24;01 - 00;24;24;21
She goes,
00;24;25;00 - 00;24;28;12
We've never both been gone because what would they do if we were both gone?
00;24;28;12 - 00;24;31;00
And I was like, Well, you're right, we have never gone.
00;24;32;21 - 00;24;34;03
So we don't we typically don't
00;24;34;03 - 00;24;38;12
pick off the same days just because there's a lot to do on the campus.
00;24;38;12 - 00;24;40;16
I love the passion you have for your school and for your job
00;24;40;16 - 00;24;43;10
and for all of the people that you that you help.
00;24;43;12 - 00;24;45;07
It comes through in who you are.
00;24;45;07 - 00;24;48;09
And that's just a wonderful thing to see, you know?
00;24;48;09 - 00;24;52;29
And this podcast is really about living CCISD to the fullest.
00;24;52;29 - 00;24;57;06
So when you hear that, what what does that mean to you
00;24;58;08 - 00;25;01;28
and how do you think you're striving to live CCISD to the fullest,
00;25;01;28 - 00;25;07;08
or how do you think you've achieved living life and CCISD to the fullest?
00;25;07;08 - 00;25;09;09
Well, I do think that
00;25;09;15 - 00;25;12;08
the biggest part of your work life,
00;25;12;16 - 00;25;15;19
whether it be in CCISD or anywhere, is your relationships.
00;25;16;03 - 00;25;19;11
I mean, if you build good relationships and I, I,
00;25;19;20 - 00;25;22;13
I feel like I do have a good relationship
00;25;22;13 - 00;25;25;03
with not just the people on my campus,
00;25;25;12 - 00;25;30;26
but the people that I interact with at the ESC or here at the TLC or
00;25;31;27 - 00;25;33;13
at another campus.
00;25;33;13 - 00;25;37;04
I, I've always felt very comfortable reaching out to the other
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principal secretaries for information.
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I, I have never been one to hesitate to reach out
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and ask a question because I can only
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I always the one the one area that I will never answer
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questions about is leave and benefits and like give that to the professors.
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I'm sorry.
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You will have to call Lori Lipman or
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you'll have to call the benefits people, because I am not screwing that.
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I don't I can tell you if you're upset, more than six
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the sixth day at CCHS you're going to Lori that day.
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And so that's the way it is.
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I don't I don't presume to know any of that.
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I don't want to get anything wrong there.
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It's way too important.
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But I have great relationships with people in payroll.
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You know, once in
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has been there a long time, and now Pam Carrington's there, Randy Malzahn and
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the people accounts payable.
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I've been the interim bookkeeper enough times.
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I have a great relationship with them.
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So I think that the only way to live CCISD to the fullest
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is to make those relationships and to
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participate in in the activities that are going on.
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You know, be a part of CCEF be a part of your campus committees
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when you have things going on in your campus,
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participate in them
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so that you can build a camaraderie and you have a good place to go to work.
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Because if you have a happy
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outside life, then doing your job is going to be so much easier
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than if you don't ever make friends
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or have a good community to to work with.
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You know, every time there's been
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tragedy or
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something sad in my life or my parents passed away, CCHS has rallied around me
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and even withstands my dad passing.
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Same thing. I mean, they've been
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they've been so caring and so loving
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and I feel like that's because I put out the effort
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to be a part of their lives, to to care about them
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and to give them support when they need it.
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So they returned it to me.
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That comes back to you. It does it does come back to you.
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And I would think what I was hearing you saying a little bit
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is if we had again, we're going back to that new person or someone new
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to CCISD What I was kind of hearing you say is kind of get out of your bubble.
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Yes. That there is a lot more than just what's happening in your little bubble
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bubble of whatever the job task that you have.
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There's amazing people beyond those walls that connecting with.
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I love the fact that you said asked questions
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that sometimes breaks down that wall.
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Absolutely.
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And a lot of times you're doing a job
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and you have no idea of of what's upstream or downstream.
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And if you don't, how can you know
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know that you're doing your job correctly?
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I know that Sabina had a training for
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the data specialist, the attendance and the registrar,
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so they could all come together and they could ask
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questions of each other, you know, to see what
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what your part of the process,
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how it affects the other person's part of the equation.
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At Creek, we're very lucky because they're all in the same hallway.
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So they get to work together on a very close basis and they know.
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But on some campuses, I don't think that they do now.
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And I think that was a great thing for them to be able
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to know how they could better do their job to help the person down the street.
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And a lot of times if you have somebody who's just sits in your bubble,
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they don't know how they affect someone else.
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So I think that's a great thing.
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Why think that?
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Just talking to you,
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if I would have listed every name that you've mentioned, you are,
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you are such a great example of building relationships because the all the names
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you've been mentioning throughout are in all different places within our district.
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So that is semi authentic.
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And you talk about them with like you know on and because you do
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and and so I just think that's really interesting that
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because I wish I would have started writing down all the names
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the ones that are retired now and the ones that are still here
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has been very interesting to hear the history of names
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that you have mentioned and how those relationships come together.
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Well, I was I know this subject.
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And, you know, I have to admit that I was so happy to see Dr.
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Engle back.
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So it was a great face to see to start the year. So
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tell Well, Kathy, I think
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our time today has truly solidified
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that you are a part of Clear Creek
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High School as well as Clear Creek ISD.
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So we just want to thank you for your time today.
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It's been an honor to be with you and to hear your stories.
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And thank you for sharing both professional and personal with us.
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That's something that we really want to to start doing districtwide.
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So thank you.
00;30;38;22 - 00;30;41;07
Well, thanks for having me. I guess you.
00;30;41;07 - 00;30;46;01
Can. Look at.
k you for sharing both professional and personal with us.
00;30;33;06 - 00;30;37;05
That's something that we really want to to start doing districtwide.
00;30;37;05 - 00;30;38;22
So thank you.
00;30;38;22 - 00;30;41;07
Well, thanks for having me. I guess you.
00;30;41;07 - 00;30;46;01
Can. Look at.