Even the most dedicated humans need a break.  School safety planning involves humans.  So does blogging. 

As a new “blogger” since the start of this calendar year, I’ve learned a lot.  I learned how many good people are doing good things in school safety as I continue to build my file of blog post leads to share with you in upcoming months.  I also learned a bit about the mechanics behind building this blog site and the software I use to maintain it.

But one of my greatest lessons learned has been how challenging it can become to find the time to pull all of the positive information, investigative posts, latest news and opinion, and related forthcoming posts together for posting daily or at least the majority of days each week.  The challenge stems not from a lack of interest, but for an overwhelming list of professional and personal competing interests.

While numerous people may challenge my professional positions and opinions, few have questioned my passion for school safety and the work I do.  For this, I am grateful.  As I always say, you may not like where I stand, but you’ll always know where I stand — and in today’s world, that’s becoming more and more of a rare quality of the “politically correct” people who will sell their soul, integrity, and name for a dollar.

But my family and loved ones top the list of my commitments.  And yours should top your list, too.  I’ve seen too many good people die young, leave behind their families, or stay alive and lose their loved ones because they lost focus of their true life priorities, sometimes under the guise of (over)-dedication to their work.

School safety planning, like life, requires a balance. Those of us who have dedicated our careers to being passionate about school safety planning live, eat, breathe, and think about it from the time we get up until the time we go to bed.  There are many such people on the front lines of education today, although not as many as some of us still would like to see, and for those folks, I am forever grateful and motivated to continue fighting the good fight.

As the blog roll will show, I took a several week, unannounced hiatus to spend time with family.  The opportunity presented itself and I jumped on it. It was well needed and enjoyed.

Our educators also need a break.  School leaders are facing the toughest budget times many have ever seen in their careers.  Classroom teachers are facing academic and behavioral challenges like never before in many schools.  I know many are enjoying brief, but well-deserved, summer breaks as well.

I plugged in two national conference speaking opportunities on the tail-end of my vacation break.  I’ll be sharing those in upcoming blog posts.

Like dedicated school safety planners, committed bloggers need a break, too.  Like committed bloggers who come back energized from a mental break, so must our dedicated school safety planners.

So the greatest lesson I’ve learned this year as a blogger is that it is understandable how school safety, emergency planning, and related important matters can get pushed to the back burner due to urgent issues pressing even the most committed professionals.  The important thing is that we all bounce back, hopefully rejuvenated and enthused even more than we we stepped back for a few moments, to carry on our passions.

Are you ready and rejuvenated to take on what could be a very challenging year with limited resources?  What will be your priorities in school safety and emergency preparedness planning for the upcoming 2010-11 school year? 

I am ready.  Come join me.  We can do it — and do it right.

Ken Trump

Visit School Security Blog at:  http://www.schoolsecurityblog.com