When I arrived at Freedom Hill Elementary School in a driving rainstorm two years ago to be introduced as the new building principal, my umbrella would not open on the way into the building. I got drenched. What a fitting sign — with a professional staff of more than 100 adults and a student body of 500 children, I was feeling underprepared and overwhelmed. The skills and knowledge I had gained over 25 years as a teacher would need to be completely retooled, much like my umbrella. Honestly, I feared that I would be a failure. However, my mentors and my wife listened and reminded me to hold tight to my mission. A former principal told me to approach every decision thinking of what was