I don't see the paperwork as a problem even though it takes a lot of time, because I see the value in being able to track information, but I would like to spend more time with kids. The challenge is keeping your priorities straight when there are conflicting demands. I like the teamwork associated with this job. When it works, it works very well. Because we're a small school system in a rural county, we don't have enough resources to do anything twice.
People here have incentive to do the job right the first time.
We're also trying to teach skills for lifetime health. In our Healthy Schools Project, for example, we've worked hard to teach older kids not just about anatomy and physiology, but to teach them skills to make sound decisions about sex, drugs, alcohol, tobacco, and other risky activities. In talking to students, I hear indications that some of them have made better decisions as a result of the teaching we're doing. It is a process. We must continue our work.