Master’s degree in hand, I thought I would move toward becoming a director of a county’s special education district. I paused, took a quick glance at the neighboring counties special education directors, and realized none of the positions would be open any time soon. I was in my last semester when I overheard a conversation between two fellow students about how the coursework I had taken would also provide certification in K-12 administration. I took almost a year to mull over the possibility of becoming a principal. Truth be known, when I thought of an angry parent coming into my office to see me (conflict resolution) I was certain I would turn into a blubbering idiot and disappear into a puddle of tears. I thought to myself, “a principal can’t act that way!” and I was stuck wondering what I was going to do next.

During that year I kept dreaming of moving the education of children with special needs into less restrictive learning environments. I wanted to create a change and began wondering if being a principal would help facilitate my hopes. In the fall of 1990 I began a career as a school administrator that would span twenty-six years. I will always be thankful that Dr. Robert Bulthaus, Superintendent, provided me with the marvelous opportunity to begin this journey when he hired me one hot August night. Just as Monica Phillippe was a marvelous mentor when I began my teaching career, Dr. Bulthaus was a thoughtful coach and listened to all of my questions until I began to come out of the fog.