Signing Off: The Final Episode with Dayna Owen

Join us for a heartfelt farewell as we bid adieu to the incredible Dayna Owen, Executive Director of Communications. After an impressive 29-year journey in education, including 9 years dedicated to school PR, and three unforgettable years of hosting FISD's The Podcast, it's time to celebrate her remarkable contributions. Get cozy and tune in.

Transcript

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1 Did you see the portrait, the unveiling of the royal portrait of King Tut's tomb? Oh, my gosh. You may have to look at it. So it's been very controversial. I don't know if it was unveiled yesterday or excuse me, but it is like almost entirely read. And somebody were like, I like it. It's very. 2 Different. But other people are like, this is. 1 Oh, yeah. 3 It's just his head floating and red almost. 1 Right. 3 That's interesting. Was it a famous artist? 1 I believe this. Yes. I believe the artist is famous. And I think he's done portraits. 3 Before and his hands look way too big. 2 Yes. I mean, the whole thing. 1 I thought it was a joke when I first saw the picture. Like I thought it was just like clickbait stuff. It's like. It's very good. Like this. Yeah. 3 Yeah. 1 Don't get me wrong, but, like, the there's like, no contrast in. Yeah. Anything. It's just very red. 3 That's interesting. I mean, you know, that's the deal with art, right? Yeah. To some people, it's beautiful and different. And I mean, if they were going for something totally different and more modern than there it is, right? He's going for a more traditional. I'm surprised because I would think they would go always stick traditional. 1 Especially with the royal family. I was wondering too, like I would imagine not. But do they so set for the portrait for. Oh, no. Or there's just they. 3 Have a picture. 1 The picture that would have been the only reason they would have done that before. Would you would you have survived being able to sit there for 8 hours or whatever it is. 2 To get your portrait done? 3 Probably so, because back in that time, you literally had nothing else going on. Yeah. And that was what you had to do. 2 Mm hmm. 3 I'm sure I sure I could handle it because I would want to see the final beautiful portrait. 2 Where would it hang? In your home. Where would it be? Right at the for you. When everyone walks in. 3 In the back guest bathroom? I have no idea. 2 Right over the toilet? Yeah. That's interesting. Yeah. No, it was. I've seen it come up. It's apparently been a hot topic. People think it's very controversial. 3 And Kelsey, you got to keep me on the hot topics because I miss half of. 2 Them, so that's good. That's good to know. I can't believe you missed half of them. With the amount of time you spend, I feel like you should be giving me an Dana. You love how I say what? 1 That I my digital magazines? 2 Yes, that's what it is that I. 1 So in the morning. So my digital mags it's it's a Snapchat story for the Daily Mail. Yeah. So that's where I have seen the whole. 3 Gotcha. Yeah. Give you the current events and things going on. 1 In the world. Yeah. Fashion sales and you know, it's whatever Travis, Kelsey and Taylor. 2 Swift are doing at the moment or her outfits for her tour. 3 So they're still together. 1 They're still together. So I keep hearing now I'm like, where does this come from? I don't know that they've been together almost a year. They're coming up on a year. Okay. And so people are predicting that he will propose soon. 2 Okay. All right. 3 I don't think he's going to do anything. People think he's going to do that. 1 You know how I feel about it. 3 Yeah, I think they'll figure it out in some sort of different way. I did see where Jason Kelsey was diagnosed with CTE. 1 Oh, my gosh. I haven't seen that. 3 Yeah, I just saw it this morning or late last night. Oh, gosh. Oh, no. 2 Oh, no. No. 1 I mean, I. 3 Hope that's true. I mean, not that I hope it's true. I hope I didn't just say something that actually isn't true. But I know. I mean, I see him on here. No. Oh, yeah. 2 For the last. Well, maybe the last, actually. Maybe the last. I don't know. We still have another hour, maybe of opportunity. That's true. That's true. Well, welcome. 3 To this Season three Episode 16 of Episodes, the podcast where Kelsey goals. 1 That's me. 3 And Dana. Owen. That's me. I have the pleasure of interviewing interesting people and discussing anything and everything. Friends. What I today is actually it is episode 16, but it is our final episode for the 2324 school year and my final episode Forever. So yeah, we thought, Kelsey, you take it. Yeah. 1 Yeah. Well, so it's true in our intro that we have the pleasure of an interviewing interesting people, and today we just happened to have the most interesting person and friends that I are interesting. 2 Yeah, very interesting. 1 So for those of you who don't know, Dana is retiring, I think we've talked about it, but this is her her last last week of school and she will be working technically all the way through July. 2 Mm hmm. 1 But summer is a lot different for us in this department with it's more of a planning time. You know, most of the things we do revolve around teachers and kids. 2 Being in school. 3 So really preparation for the next year is what our summers are for us. 1 It is what I like to tell people is like the end of the year feels like a sprint, the beginning of the year, same thing. And then it's like we almost go. I mean, it just slows so much, at least at the beginning of June, of just like we go from chaos and everything, all the events happening to it being pretty quiet and then we have a couple of weeks like that and. 2 Then we gear up for the next school year. So. 1 That's right. But that's what I've heard is the the weirdest thing I know we've talked about that is when you either are no longer in school, like as a student and you're you're graduated, or when you have been in education, you retire. It's really the start of the next school year when you don't come back. That's the weirdest, right? 3 Yeah, that makes sense. That makes sense. Or Sunday evenings. Yeah. You know, for me will turn into any other day of the week, which will be, you know, a little strange. You know, I was thinking about it, and I've been in education my entire life. So which is so strange, you know, starting in pre-K, too, of course, your 13 years of school and then college. 3 And then I got my masters and then I rolled straight into actually, I was a teacher when I was getting my masters. But yeah, I've never. 1 Stopped, never left. 2 School. 3 I've always said the pledge. 1 That, you know. 3 Just so weird. 1 It is a funny thing, like as a as adults, like I of course, very patriotic Love that we do that. Sure. But it is kind of an interesting thing. 3 Like, yeah, do other businesses stand up and say the pledge in the morning? I don't think so, no. 2 Yeah, I don't think so. 1 I mean, I know like when I've gone to like Chamber of Commerce, like, Right. They do it before their meetings. Oh right. But I don't, I don't know. I can't imagine that most people, unless they're at like a ballgame. Right. Really. Ever say the pledge or sing the national anthem? But that's a part of all of our events. 1 Pretty much just we start off with that. And I mean, our kids are trained in that, right? Yeah. Pretty interesting. Yeah. So how are you feeling? How are you feeling about retirement? 3 I am excited. You know, it's very interesting. I don't know anybody out there listening. And you have retirement in your future. I, I've always heard do not announce your retirement until the very end. And I. I don't feel like I always have. 2 To live by. 3 The same rules that other people do. And I'm like, I just want to be honest and transparent and. 1 Right. 3 Allow the district to move forward and plan and know where they're going with all of this sort of thing. And it has almost killed me that I announced my retirement so early. Like it is. There is something to be said about announcing that you're no longer going to be doing something, but then you have to continue to do it for months on end. 3 Yeah, it's weird. 1 Oh, really? For you over a year, right? Yeah. 3 But I mean, you know, you have to work, but when you announce your retirement. 1 Yeah. 3 And it's like I am not planning for the future in my job where, you know, some people would be like, What do you mean, planning for the future? What I would do a lot. Listen, my background is not PR marketing, so I have done over the years a lot of research, constant research on what are the latest trends, what are the best strategies, what should we be doing for our school district to market it? 3 You know, five years ago I saw that some school districts are putting up billboards because they're losing students or they're really not losing students as much as fighting for students to move to their area. Right. And I just thought to myself, it's in that. And I had the conversation. We'll never do that because we don't have to fight for that. 3 We are in a stage, though, in public education where you're fighting for every student, you know. Yeah, I do think Friendswood ISD speaks for itself and we have a lot of people move in to our city because of our schools. 1 Absolutely. 3 It's just a great place to live. But anyway, I spent a lot of time researching what I needed to do and then also learning, taken a lot of courses or developing my skills with this and that. And, you know, reading a lot of articles, I no longer have to do that, right? So when I'm done, like working on a video like we've filmed today, we go and do a podcast or we write an article or work on a news, you know, our newsletters post on social media when I'm done doing that for the day, I'm like sitting in my office going, okay, what can I, I need to read something. 3 But then it's like, Oh, I don't need to necessarily prepare for that. It's just interesting. Yeah, it's been a change. 1 Now, and this is a very like, honest question. Do you feel like you're treated differently once you make that announcement? 3 I would tell people and I have told people, Wait. 1 Yeah. 3 No one needs to know. First of all, no one, you you think if you're trying to be nice so people can plan, they'll figure it out when you announce it. I would If I could change that, I would go back. People naturally don't invest in me because they know I'm done. Which that makes sense. Yeah, but, you know, I kind of still have a job to do sort of thing. 3 Yes. So it's not anything with our school district. I know. That's just how it would be for anyone that's. 1 Reading across the board. 3 So that would be my suggestion. Hold out way not to spring it on anyone, but just for everyone's mental. 2 Yeah. 3 It like to. 1 Stay in the game a lot on the game. Yeah. Yeah. 3 To stay in the game. And that's exactly right. 1 So tell us a little bit. I know we've done this before where you've talked about all the different roles you played, but can you, can you go into that for anyone who who doesn't know? Are you. 3 Talking about through my. 1 Education? Yeah. Through your career, what have you, what roles have you played? 3 So most of my life, going through school whenever I had a job and I'm going to start back because some people will think this is funny, but my dad was an architect and I would always work for his firm with side jobs and I would file. So back in the day there was just a lot of I'm talking like these cabinets to our right. 3 Kelsey They're probably four feet by four, four feet by four feet, just large filing cabinets with a depth of three feet. I don't know, like I'm talking a hundred of those, you know, across the Office of Plans and Files. And so I filed for many years. I cannot tell you how many times if I could not find the file, I would stick. 2 The paper just employee of the month. So, yeah, that's why you probably don't hire children to do that sort of a somebody. 3 I was in high school whenever I was doing that, I was like, I cannot figure in these little paper cuts all over your. 2 Fingers from having to stick your finger in files. 3 So that's what I started out doing. Then I was a fifth grade, fully graduated, fifth grade teacher, all subjects in Pasadena, and that was my first job. Moved on to an intermediate Thompson Intermediate, where I coached and taught sixth grade math, then moved to win Song, taught sixth grade math, thought I was going to coach volleyball at the high school. 3 That didn't work out and then was an assistant principal at the high school for nine years. And then I've had this job for nine years. 1 Yeah. So now there's a lot of people I've heard this, a lot of people have said this to, I they think you're retiring. Like they're like, she's so young. She's so young. And what I always come back with is she never stopped. Like she never stopped working. She'd take a break. So you you've worked for 29 years. You never took time off. 3 So yeah. And really before that, you know, I mean, all through high school I had a job and I've always I've always had a job. But I am I am young. I'm too young to be retiring. But what I'm telling people is I'm retiring from this. 2 Role. 3 Right? I'm retiring from education. I don't have what it takes to go back into the classroom, but I do feel a sense that it's time I did not get into education for this role. I loved this role. This is been I mean, I'm so grateful that Trish Hanks saw something in me that I didn't see, you know, and hired me to do this role. 3 And I've loved it. But this isn't what I got into education for. And so I'm not done working. I just don't know what I'm going to do. I really am excited about what's going to be next for me. And I can tell you, I hope to never have a 9 to 5 job again. 1 Yeah, like. 3 I want some freedom and I want to make my own hours and work part time and, you know, try to do some creative things. 1 You have this skill set, like you have the gifts for so many things. And like the the drive. I think it's. 3 Curiosity for sure. 1 For sure. Yeah. So I'm you know, that's kind of the thing and which we can get into. Sorry. Everyone asks because we're together all the time. So I hear that. 2 So I'm sure you get access even when we're not together. 1 But everyone asks, What are you going to do? What's next? And it's like people are never. 2 Satisfied with just like they here and now. It's like it's okay to not have a plan. 1 And I think the response, everyone is like, She's going to do everything. Like she what do you talk like? 2 She's going to do everything because that's what you already do. You're just you're limited to when you can do that because of that. 1 This job. That's right. So now it's like you just have the freedom to go and do anything like y'all. Dana will not be one to to around. 2 No. 3 I do think I'll become a much better mother and a wife. I mean, my mothering job is really over. Honestly, I'm not. My kids don't need me to be a mother to them anymore. 1 But not true. 2 Well, not. 1 Fully. I will. 3 I will continue to be able to do things for them that at their age, because they have jobs they're not necessarily able to do. Yeah, like I'm a big believer in that. I don't feel like we kind of help people enough. I really have a desire to and this sounds silly and I've thought about this even as a business is I really have a desire to if people need me to run errands for them, I really that sounds fun to me. 3 Oh, yeah. Like I've always needed people to run. Like, I can't. Ladies, we cannot do it all, you know? And if you have a job and kids and there's still things that have to be done, I'm not saying that the husbands can't step in and or they don't step in. But, you know, I do think there are people that need people to just run errands and and do tasks for them or. 3 So yeah, I haven't quite figured out what I what I'm going to do, but I would love to help people out. So if you need help and you know exactly what it is that you need, then you give me a call because I probably will have the time to do it for you. 1 Yeah, no, I know that makes me think. I'm sure church obviously has lots of connections and ideas or needs because a couple of years ago that was one thing my mom actually did. I feel like was around Christmas time. It was partnering with an elderly person and just going and visiting and running errands, going and getting things for them. 1 And I don't remember if that was through a specific organization or just the church itself, but I know it was through church that she found out about that opportunity and and loved it. I mean, that's like you have a heart for service. I think you feel very called to that as we as we are as Christians. And I just have no doubt that you'll see the need to meet the need. 3 Yeah. And a lot of people may not know my father was diagnosed with Alzheimer's about two years ago. And just looking forward to really helping my mom. 1 Yeah. 3 With that, there's so much that, you know, my mother's had to become a caretaker of and that's not her background. And so just being able to help take Dad to doctor's appointments or really take my dad to do some things where my mom can just have time to herself. So I'll now have that time to be able to do some of that more. 3 Bit more. 1 Yeah. And you know, obviously we've talked like my family, we've gone through we've had a few family members who have gone through Alzheimer's. And it is it's it's a lot. It's a lot. And especially as it develops, it can just be like a full time job and like that caretaker You have to you have to have breaks like you just do because usually you're going to be if there ever is any kind of like sundowners or anything that comes along, you know, you're, you're going to catch some things like and because they just they can't help it but like they. 2 They can get mean sometimes. 1 And and I don't know that your dad is out there, but he's not there yet. But I. 3 Get there. I mean. 1 That's that's what happens. And so it can be really tough because even though, you know, that person is not the same and like they would never, like, choose to be that way, it's still. 2 You're still hearing and seeing those things and it can. 1 Just be hard. So it's that'll be great, I think, for you to be able to help your mom out with that. 3 Yes, I'm looking forward to that. 1 Okay. So you talk about different roles you've been in in education. I think we can count out the filing as a favorite so we won't even exist. So. 2 Yes, all those paper cuts, you know who made it less enjoyable? Yeah. Oh. 1 But of all of the roles you've had during your career, what's been your favorite? 2 Well. 3 So I have favorite moments in all my jobs. I really loved coaching. It took the life out of me, though. I believe with all my heart that I was made to be that assistant principal. So I loved it. Some of you may not know this, but if I could have been anything else, it would have been a police officer, which I think is different. 3 I think it would have been the detective side is really what I'm talking about, more than, you know, being a police officer. But you got to do a lot of detective work, actually, as an assistant principal, you had to kind of figure some things out. And here's one of my favorite stories. So we had a kid. He was doing graffiti on the wall and this kid doing graffiti on the wall could not spell or his life. 3 I mean, he could not spell this. Know why I brought this kid in? Because he was one of the kids that we could see on camera that went into the bathroom. Yeah, I knew right when I saw him. It was him. I knew it was him. I had him write what was on the wall. He spelled it. 2 Exactly the same. Oh, my gosh. You the misspelling with the misspelling? Yeah. 3 You would think that if you did it and they're calling you in. I spoke it out loud. I said write down. Da da da da da da da. He spelled it exactly. I mean, I guess he couldn't help it, but he would. I guess he, I don't know. I guess he never knew that he misspelled it. 2 Oh, my God. 3 And it was like you did the graffiti, and he was. 2 Like, okay, you got me. You know? And the writing looks exactly like the writing on the wall. It's like, what? You know, Oh, my gosh. 3 So there's so many great stories. I worked with Wiley Morrell for so many years and oh my gosh, he was so good at what he did and asking questions. And to there was a group of boys that they had skipped school, and their story was that they had a flat tire. And WILEY In the very beginning, he said, we've got to separate them. 3 So there's right there, you know, you separate kids, right? You get their statements, you get their stories. And I'll never forget, Wiley went into each where he goes which tire was flat. Oh, he caught him. 2 Because they were all had different answer. That's a good. 3 Thing That was great and you only know that sort of thing if you've done it for many. 1 Years. 3 Yeah I mean just Wiley was great. He was great at that, that role. 1 And that's like for me, obviously not coming from the education background and obviously never working in a school administrator role. 2 That is. 1 Fascinating because I would not have even thought about the whole investigative side. 2 Of being an AP. 3 Oh, it's so much of what we do some. And listen, we should be spending a lot more time working with instruction and teachers and knowing, you know, that side of things. And and this is back in the old days, of course, but our roles were different then. You know, we really weren't involved in the instructional side as much as punitive. 3 And there's kids skipping and, yeah, why aren't you in school and you have D Hall and running kids. We had dress code. It was. 2 Awful to. 3 Try to teach kids how to dress. 2 Yeah, just. 3 Really stupid stuff, honestly. But. Well, but necessary. But necessary. 1 For sure. I know. We were just talking about that. That you feel like there should be almost like, a class or, like, just intentional teaching time for, like, kids. This is how you dress. Just because, I mean, we've seen some, you know, inappropriate. Not even like, inappropriate as in I mean, we've seen that, too. But like, things hanging out necessarily, but just like, not appropriate for the event where they are, like the event they're attending, it is lacking. 3 That's another thing I think I would love to do. I would love to hold classes teaching boys. I have boys teaching boys manners. 1 Yeah. 3 It's listen, a lot of this stuff that I'm saying is not really PC, and I'm sure people would push back on some of the things that I'm saying. 1 How you done podcast. You can say what you want. 3 I have I have an idea in my head of how boys should be brought up and how they should be taught to act and dress and, you know, and girls, same thing. And I think, you know, there are things that are appropriate and there are things that are not appropriate for certain situations. And I'm seeing that kids just don't even know it. 1 It's like the you know, I feel like if you're ever under dress and you go into a room, it's like, awful, right? Like, you like feel that? 3 I don't know. Kelsey For us, I think that but I don't think kids think that exactly. 1 That's what I'm like. There's almost a disconnect of, like, the lacking the self-awareness, I guess, of that I'm in blue jean shorts and everybody else is in, well, nice clothing. 3 So that's something that's so interesting to me because kids want to be treated older, right? But yet they show signs of being kids. 1 Yes. 3 You want to be treated older, then dress for the occasion. 1 Yeah. 3 Do not show up wearing cutoff blue jean shorts. 2 Which is a pet peeve of date. 3 I can't stand cut off working shorts to begin with. I don't think any. I don't think anyone above the age of 2030. I don't think anyone above the age of 30 should be wearing blue jean shorts. There's just me now. I'm very traditional, very whatever. Who cares what I think? But I'm just telling you what I think and when kids show up in front of adults at the, let's say, the Rotary Club. 2 Wearing. 3 Blue jean shorts, it I my head wants to explode. 1 Yeah. 3 And I don't know And I think there's so many teachers that are afraid to tell kids how to dress. I think we still need to keep telling kids how to dress. 1 Yeah, yeah. 3 Just finish yourself. You're embarrassed. I'm sorry. I think you're embarrassing yourself, and you need to put on some pants and a shirt like, Oh, my gosh. Had this conversation with my niece just the other day was, What do we just have? Mother's Day? She goes to Baylor. We were asking her if she works out. I said, Hey, you need to take a PE course. 3 And she's like, Well, we have to take one. My four years. I'm not going to take it. I was like, Oh my gosh, you should be taking it every year. Like take a tennis, take off, take pickleball, whatever you can take just to stay active all the time. And my brother said, Do you work out? You know, are you going in to the the gym there to work out? 3 And she goes, No. And I said, Why? And she said, They have. 1 A rule. 3 That your shoulders cannot show. First of. 2 All. 3 That shocks me. Yeah, but they have a rule that your shoulders cannot show. And I said, put on a t shirt and go work out. And she goes, Oh my gosh, I cannot work out in a t shirt. 2 Which is not. 1 A t shirt. 3 I've never I have never not worn a t shirt to work out. Well, they were those cute little sleeveless tops, I guess. And that's she can't wear a sleeveless top and it never entered her mind to just she's like, No, I'm not doing it. 1 Oh, my gosh. No, let me tell you. Okay, Well, we have this discussion about arms. I have I'm built like a fricking linebacker. 2 So my my arms being on display is a little bit of an insecurity for me. 3 Double for me. 2 A. 3 Linebacker. Plus I'm over. 2 50. I am bigger than you. I am bigger than you. Oh, but it is. 1 Like, really, if I ever wear like a tank top, it's if I'm going outside, like I was walking everyday last year, I had a goal and with a t shirt you start to get a farmer's. 2 Tan pretty good. 1 So that would, that would be my only thing. But I'm like, walk around my neighborhood. If I'm going in, I usually would change if I ran an errand after that. 2 Into a t shirt because I don't want my I don't want my arms all this way. But it's not the point, right? 3 Go work out. 1 Yeah, exactly. Who cares? We're going to find you, so work out. 3 But it's so innocent. I'm not picking on her. I'm sure every girl her age maybe might feel that way. Or a lot of girls. I'm just like, That's going to keep you from working out to wear a t shirt. 1 Yeah. What in the world? I know it's so funny. The things we get, like our. Our minds come up around us. Like, I used to hate going to the gym because I felt like I didn't want to be like Serena or whatever. It's really I'm first of all, I'm not the one who dresses cute for the gym. I don't have my hair done. 1 Or maybe, you know, I'm like, everyone's in their own world. Like, stop thinking it's about you. 2 Yeah, No one cares. No one's looking right. But I had to get over that. I'm just, like, feeling insecure about it of. Oh, my gosh, Everyone's going to see. Everyone's going to see my thighs jiggle on this machine. Right? Right. No, no one cares, right? 3 It's true. You know, in general, everybody's in their own world. 2 Yes. 3 When you think people think about about us way more than they actually do. So. 1 Exactly. Exactly. Well, I guess we got all on that topic because of of dress code and you being an AP in that time in the. 3 Job, pulling it back around for us. 2 You know, really good at that. 1 So Shawn, my husband had you or was at school when you were in AP and you actually got to the AP while your your boys were at the high school. So like, what was that like? 3 You know, I loved it. I, I don't know what that was like for them because I can't I can only I can't imagine. I know some kids gave them really hard times, you know, about it. But I don't know. I enjoyed getting to see him all the time. Yeah. You know, I'm proud of. 1 Said they loved it. 3 Yeah, they did. They said they loved it. I'm so proud of them. I just was just hoping they wouldn't do something really, really terrible and awful, you know, because it would just put me in such a predicament as being an assistant principal. So they just waited until they were out of high school. 2 To do some really dumb things, like, well, the graffiti incident, one of them getting. 3 No, but that was another story. We had a Dr. Son spray paint. 2 Oh, gosh. 3 A marijuana leaf on a brick wall. Got to love it. And he used a stencil. 2 By the way. Oh, my gosh. 3 Friendswood High School used a stencil to paint marijuana, which I loved it. I mean, that's just great. And then Wiley said, You do realize if you would have spray painted this on a bed sheet and hung the bed sheet on the wall that you did this, we would have taken it down and you would move on. This is now a felony. 3 Oh, because when you graffiti a school. 2 School. 3 Property. Wow, It is a felony. 1 Oh, my gosh. I didn't know that. 3 A lot of kids don't know that. Like, you don't mess with graffiti and school property and. Yeah, yeah. And it was just like. And the dad I remember this was, gosh, 20 years ago, 15 years ago, the dad was like, You do understand my son as a kid. And I was like, Well. 2 The law is the law. 1 That was like, that's pretty much out of y'all's hands at that point. 3 It was that's why while he was like, You just made the dumbest mistake. 1 Oh, my gosh. 3 I honestly think it was downgraded by the time it got to court. But still, I was like, come on, see my kids. 1 Meanwhile, this is actually I think it's a funny story. So when I was in high school, went line dancing for the first time. I was a junior and I just started dating this guy. I dated very briefly and we went with his church group to line dance and the band that was playing there. So it was the it was April 19th and the next day was Sunday, it was Easter. 1 And the guy like, whatever the band, he goes, Does everybody know what tomorrow is? And I shouted out Easter. 2 And everybody else in the room shout it out for 20 plays it, Oh gosh, 2420. Like I didn't even. 3 Yeah I didn't know about for 24 a long time. 2 Yeah. No I'm over here like sisters. Sisters. Yes. 3 Or 20 and Easter colliding. 1 Lovely. 2 Oh I know, I know. But it's like if that just doesn't show the contrast between me and the environment. I was in that moment. So funny. 3 That is funny. 2 Oh, my gosh. Oh. 1 So I actually, you know, we just had your retirement party. Yes. Last week and got to I've met, I think, pretty much all of your family before. So but just getting to visit with them and hear them tell stories and how proud it was, It was so awesome. 3 It was very sweet. It was a good turnout and a lot of well-wishes from those people that couldn't attend. And great to see a lot of my windsock teachers. Yes, I'm telling you, teaching with that group of teachers, we that was fun that that was a great group of teachers that I got to teach with. And we laughed a lot. 2 So we laughed. 3 But that's when sixth grade was it went song. We weren't at the junior high, but. 1 Oh my God, it was. 3 A lot of fun. 1 Yeah, you were. You were so worried that. 2 No one would show up. Yeah. 3 What do you do if, like, six people show up? Like, that's. 2 Always going to be the case. That was never going to be the case with you. 3 Yeah, it was a nice turnout. Everything was great. You did a great job. 2 No, thank you. No. Yeah, I was. 1 Very not like, overly stressed, but I was definitely stressed about it, like wanting to make sure everything kind of fell in line because you are so special to me, you know, just wanting it to be a special time for you. So. And first time ever planning a retirement party. 2 So. 3 Yes, I'm sorry you had to do that. 2 At such a young age, but you do it here at this young age. 3 I have been in my rocking chairs almost every evening. 2 Oh, really? Yes. 3 Oh, I'm enjoying it. 1 I'm so glad. Yeah, that was the so that was what we gave to Dana as her retirement gift from our our building, our admin building and the board of trustees. It was a set of rocking chairs and that all came from the high school. Always gives one rocking chair to retirees. And years ago you had you had commented that you had said that you thought that was such a great gift. 1 And so, again, just a. 2 Little nugget back in the mind of like, okay, we know what I think. I know what. 1 We're going to do then. But as much as like, that's great, you know, with what they did, the high school was like, really, you. 2 Kind of need a set, you know, you can't just do one rocking chair. You have a husband, right? Yes. So. 1 Yes. No, I was I was I thought they were they ended up being so pretty and nice. So perfect. I'm glad you're enjoying that. Yes. Yeah, we we have rocking chairs at our house. I was the first That was the gift my parents gave to Shawn and we bought our our house one of the gifts, because growing up and still, every time I go over to my parents house, we go out on the back patio and sit in rocking chairs. 1 And even when we were little, we had little. 2 Little baby monitors. So big fan for sure. 1 So I know you were asked this. You were asked was in the fall to come. Maybe it was earlier this spring. Who knows? The was it the first year teachers or. No, no. The those who want to be administrators. One day that you came in, you you gave like a lessons learned. 3 Oh, no. That's just a leadership class here in the school district. Yeah, it is. It is. For for anyone who's interested in maybe moving up into administration in our school district. 1 Right. So I know you've I know you've given kind of this talk before, but you could name one. You can name a couple. But what would you say your biggest lessons have been? 2 I didn't know. You know, you were these questions ahead of time? No, you did it. So you didn't know. 3 I you know, I just kind of talked about some things that I'm really I believe in. And I guess if I'm just thinking about things that I believe in, I believe investing in people is very important. 1 Yeah. 3 Which, listen, I have a hard time doing it. Does it come easy for me? But I know how important it is. And so I think it is important to slow down a little bit and invest in people. One gift that I do believe that I've been given is I like 99% of the people that I'm around as quirky and weird as people are, or if there are people that I've worked with that in general, a lot of people don't necessarily gravitate towards them or. 1 That's a nice way of saying it. Yes. 3 For whatever reason, I find people's quirks interesting. Yeah, and I like being around them. So I I've always said this, if you can picture people as Saturday Night Live characters, we're all weird in our own way. If you think you're normal, you're one of the weird ones because you're not like, we're all we all have quirks and I've always wondered what people think my quirky quirks really are, but not enough to really want to know, you know, because I'm not going to can't really do anything about it. 3 And I think it would be different for different people. So I can't spend my life going around trying to, you know, not be that quirky for everyone, but so that's one. Just invest in people, get to know people. I do. I, I honestly I can't really think of what else they were five. 1 Oh, my gosh. You don't it's not even like it has to be the exact thing. I was just wondering, like kind of away. So. So this one maybe a little bit easier for you. I mean, I know you just it probably ties in, but what would what would be your number one advice for first year teachers? 3 You are not there in any way to be their friend. You have got to maintain classroom management and it does not look like listen, as a teacher, I wanted my kids to like me and enjoy coming into my class. But if you do not have very clear rules, right, it becomes very confusing for everyone. Yeah. And as much as you think, Oh, if they like me, they'll do the right things and treat me well, that's not true. 3 They will get away with as much as they can get away with. Even even if they like you. Yeah, it's like human nature. It's really strange. Yeah. You've got to have very strict, clear rules and then you can always not move away from those as the your. But everybody knows their place. 1 Right. 3 And so you can relax a little bit more as you're teaching kids but man you need strong classroom management number one. 1 And I feel like two, that you can be respected and like, Oh, it's not one or the other. 3 Oh, no, I think it is. I think it's you. I don't know if you're not. I'd much rather be respected than right. 2 Yes. 1 Well, especially as the adult in a situation. You should. Yes. You should have that. Yes. There for sure. Okay. So advice for me. 3 Advice for you would probably be exactly what I said in the leadership class. You have got to as someone I mean, you're not new to Friendswood, but you're new to Friendswood. I don't know how to. I feel like in my mind you've got to and you have to turn over every year. I would get in there, get to know as many people as possible. 3 Yeah, I'd be in classrooms, kind of learning people. Once you connect with someone, you have a connection with someone, but it's just being in and out of schools and making those connections I think will make your job a lot easier. Being in committee meetings, being with PTO, yeah, getting to know those ladies and some, you know, men that are on those committees getting to know who they are. 1 Yeah. 3 And so then when you you just have connections with people and you people over the years have texted me, hey, have you heard is happening or this is going on or and if you don't have connections with people, like you won't get that information. Yeah. And that's part of what we do. You know, we need to know what's going on. 1 Exactly. Yeah. Well, and to your to your point, a lot of the things that we ask people to do can be a little vulnerable. Like even if it's fun, right? Like, they're like to get in front of a camera or to sit behind a microphone or whatever it is. They're they're sharing pieces of themselves, like just in a much more vulnerable way. 1 So I do think to have sometimes those those relationships and connections are built through doing those things, but to make someone more comfortable from the gate, to be willing to participate in whatever we need them for. Yeah, I agree. Like to have those pre-established relationships is, is huge. 3 To have that circle. Yeah. And I said you're a goal person and I'll never forget Brad Fryer once said told me whenever he walks into a room he makes a point to go introduce himself to three people and learn, you know, three new names. And and I had never thought about that in my entire life until I heard him say that. 3 Yeah, and that's a good you know, if that's what it takes. I never made myself, like, do three after that, but I made myself do one. 2 Which I think is. 1 Reasonable, especially to start off. And I think the more that you do something, obviously, the easier it becomes. So to start with one, I know that's something I'm going to have to. 2 Get better at. 1 Because it's so easy to get caught in your bubble. And in a lot of ways you have been my my safe zone, right? So you. 3 Walk into a room, we walk. 1 Into a room together. So that's and. 2 That is something I have thought about that's a little bit. 1 Scary for me, is I'm not going to have you tell you anything about like even deal t, you know, like that is just going to be different. I'm not going to have my, my safe zone, my person there and trying to figure out more of my place and how to how to get uncomfortable and how to get uncomfortable first to become more comfortable in the long run. 3 Yeah. 1 It's going to be. 2 Have you been. 3 Given an update? And it's probably not the place to talk about it, but is it going to be just you next year or are you going to have are they going to rehire your, you. 1 Know, so, yeah, I mean, I, I don't feel like it's unnecessary. Like we we can talk about it. I have not heard anything further. So initially I was kind of told that it looked like it was probably just going to be me. But as you know, as time has gone on and some things have come up, I think it's there's definitely more conversation about how is it is it even doable with just one person? 1 You know, we would know. Yeah, we would argue. No, it would we would have to. We would have to I would have to cut back on on several things. And that would be unfortunate to do, especially like communication is always so important. But especially in today's age with some of the attacks on public schools and it's I would hope I mean, the last I've heard is it's definitely a conversation I'm hoping. 3 But I would right now I just. 1 You know, I would I would think I would have to hear something relatively soon. I mean, we're we're almost at the end of the school year. We're going to be at the end of May before we know it. And that it's just a couple months until the start of school again. So which is, as you know, a very busy time. 1 So I would hope that if we were going to have a second person, that I would have that help starting this summer. But now we'll see. I'm hopeful. 2 I'm hopeful. And I've told people, if that doesn't happen, then please just please give me at the top of your list. Yeah, Yeah. 1 But no, no, I'm believe me, you'll probably be the first person to know anything when I do, because Dana did this by herself. 3 Yes and no. I mean that Joy. Joy was here working on the the website. And then she did a lot of the I don't know why communications have has been tasked with. 1 Celebration. 3 Celebrations, probably because we're marketing and PR guess part of it. But she really she was in charge of all the celebrations and. 2 Yeah yeah so. 1 And even before you it was kind of the same thing like there was at least somebody so. 3 Well Carolyn Gephardt did. 1 I can I am. 3 Communications. 1 Bless her like I, I don't understand. 2 What was even possible. Yeah I don't. 1 Either. I know obviously things first. 3 Of all different Totally different today. 1 Totally different. Yes, Totally different. I mean, even in my I've been here six years now, six years ago to now it's different. Like, yeah, we when I first started, we didn't have Instagram right? We didn't have Tik Tok. We definitely weren't producing the I mean, that's it. When you. 3 Haven't seen some videos, but not a lot. 1 To the level, like, right, There's no way because you I mean, you know that for those of you who don't know, just a little rule of thumb that I heard in college. Now some things that are like a one shot, like if you if you had the pleasure of watching the finance video that we put out yesterday. 3 Or Dad's one minute. 1 Or. Yeah, our stuff. Yeah, yeah, we give me a minute like those are one take you know it's very little editing required of that but for say like our challenge accepted videos or our peak in our peek inside videos were really, really time consuming. Every minute you see on screen, there's typically about 10 hours of work that goes into that. 1 So it's a I mean, it's a lot of time and it's just not like it would not have been possible to do that with one person. So the more the more hands you have in the mix, the more you're able to produce. That's kind of our it's possible. 3 It's just other things go away. 1 That's right. 3 It is your priority. That's what you're going to have to decide next year. If it's just you and you know, then when some things happen, you know, crisis messaging or whatever it is, when some things happen, everything falls away. 1 Exactly. So, yeah, exactly. 3 It's just it's balancing that. And I mean, I'm sure you'll figure it out, but yeah, I was just wondering. 1 Yeah, Yeah. No, I'm hopeful. I mean, I'm I'm going to remain hopeful and I remain optimistic. 3 Really juicy question. Oh, like one that's controversial, Like I've been dying to talk about something that's really. 2 Oh, you have something in mind? No. 1 Let me think. 3 It's okay. You can keep going on with your question. Whatever questions you have. 1 No, no, that's a good that's a good thought. Is this is the time to say anything? If you were going to say it. 2 What do you know? You know, if you don't think you get, don't. That's going to be here. Yeah, that's right. As of you get I would tell you this. 3 And it's not going to happen a lot. It won't happen a lot because I'm not on social media a lot because we are with our jobs over the years so much. Yeah, but when things go down on social media, if I can get on and share my opinion, I will. I will be doing that. 1 Please do. But I cannot tell y'all how much we wish like we. 2 We were like we always wish we could create like. 1 A fake account to just go in and respond with the. 2 Things we actually want to say sometimes. 3 Hey, listen, in all fairness, we don't see a lot of it. 1 No, we think of of like Friendswood Moms and all that. Like we don't even really give that energy. 3 Yeah, well, we can't. I mean, we just keep that's what I'm going to respond with. We can we can only say certain things. First of all, if it's having to do with a situation or a kid or if you were that parent, you wouldn't want us to get on and say all the details. Like, well, that's not we're professional. 3 We're not going to do those sort of things. 1 Also, by law, we're not allowed to. 3 And then there's a whole side of that and privacy side of it so we can't get on and react. 1 But there's just a lot that I like, which is every everybody's job, right? Like you're not in it you don't know the ins and outs like so it's not like we think we're we're special in this but like we do receive a lot of public feedback whenever things like when decisions are made and it's like I just wish that maybe before putting that that comment, you just consider there's a lot that goes into every decision that's made, like even canceling school for whether, you know, people are hours, hours and like sad and you typically are doing check in. 1 So the night before you're up at one in the morning, you're again up at 5:00. Like I mean, there's there's so much that goes it's not like when people are like you couldn't have made this decision yesterday. It's there's so much that goes into. 2 Those decisions it's. 3 Well what's so funny that I don't know that young parents even know I don't know that young parents maybe they do. But when I was a kid, you would get up and turn on the news. 1 Yeah. 3 To see if we were going to school. Like the school district wasn't even. It's almost like the news station, as were responsible for, you know, getting that message out. But today, with really quick, fast information, parents want it way before we ever had it. So think about the irony of that. 1 Yep. 3 It should be the opposite. Now. We now know we can get you in 30 seconds. I could sit down a message to every person's cell phone. If they're signed up to receive text messages. 1 They're all signed up. If if it's an emergency. 3 Let's assume their numbers are working. Yep. Or if they look at their phones, I don't know, because we still have parents that don't get messages. Yeah, but very few. But some. They want it. They want it 24 hours in advance when I can send them in 30 minutes. Don't bring your kids and they go, Well, we got to play for work. 3 Well, everyone's always had to plan for. 1 Yeah. 3 So it just it blows me away that well, I've got a whole company. That's what I typically get in messages. I've got a company I've got a plan for. Yeah, we all do. Oh, and here's another thing parents sometimes don't. They have the right to not send their kids to school when they don't want us in their case. 1 Exactly. 3 Like if we say, Hey, y'all come to school because we think it's safe enough for you and any of our teachers that live outside of our city lines, we they've got to come to school. They've got to get their kids to their school and then come to school. So we think about everybody. Yes. 2 That's the. 1 Whole point, is there's so much that goes. 3 Into so much. 1 And you're always like, I want to be I want to be clear, like, we're not perfect. We don't always make the right call, but we always make calls in the best interests of our students and our staff. 3 Right? 1 So weather is unpredictable. That's just one example. But if we sin, if we say, yeah, we're going to keep the buildings open versus no, we're canceling, we're going to have people upset either way. 3 Yeah, for. 2 Sure. 1 People are upset either way, because then if it if it's predicted that the weather's going to be really terrible and then it's not, you know, we almost get blamed for that because people have to accommodate. And it's it's like we're sorry, we're I think everyone's just doing the best that we can. 3 And if you think about it, Friendswood and Christie crossover so much. 1 Yeah. 3 So if they cancel work, we have so many teachers that live or their kids go, if teachers don't show up, we can't run schools. 1 Exactly. 3 If bus drivers don't show up, we can't run schools. So there are a lot of times that we have to cancel because of the lack of adult able to get here. And that's why we have to cancel, because Christie did. 1 You know, always pretty much always in line with Christie's decision there. There we're always in on those conversations. But yeah, it's just those things of like there's so much behind the scenes and it's like we can't explain everything. And again, when something unfortunately is it happens, something bad happens. We really are so limited on what we can share and it's it's hard because people will accuse us of not being transparent or I. 3 Think we're like. 1 Hiding. 3 Yeah, like, like being secret, live and hiding things. And it's not the case. It's just. 1 Literally legally, we cannot share quite a bit. And I mean, we can if you say that though, if you say that in the moment you come off as defensive and it's just you can. 3 That's why we don't. 1 Exactly. You can never win. But it's like I just wish people kind of had some grace in those moments of just understanding we're doing the best we can. We're sharing all that we can in the moment. 3 Well, listen, this is another reason why some people don't know the whole you know, when we started doing Challenge Accepted or videos, Chicken Soup for the Soul. 1 Yeah. 2 The whole. 3 Purpose and PR behind that was we truly wanted you to know the man that war who's really in charge of our. 1 Schools. 3 Yeah. We wanted you to know and learn actually who he is. So when times became tough and you had to really trust this person making the final decisions, you knew his heart. Yeah, That was the whole. A lot of people. Like, if I see one more video with that, well, that's our job is to make sure the community understands and knows who's at risk. 1 Yes, right. He he is such a good man and that he loves. Oh, my gosh, he loves friends. Would you loves the kids. He loves the staff. Yes. And and he is. And that's part of that is part of his role. That is part of his responsibility is to be the face of this district. 3 And he has to make some really tough decisions. Right. And he he has his Mad Max running out of battery. And I've got to plug it in. But he has his the decisions that he has to make and he has his team members weigh in to ask. Absolutely. Hey, everyone, what are you all saying? What direction should we go? 3 But ultimately, he makes the decision. 1 And if it's a decision a lot of people don't like, even if it was a whole group decision, he's going to be the one who catches it? 3 That's right. 1 And again, that is part of his that's that comes with the job. But again, I think that's where some of that grace comes from and reasons why we wanted to show. We continue to want to show the human side of of the people in our district who are making the decisions. 2 That's right. 3 But the reason I brought that up is people have to understand we don't just make goofy videos and things just to. 1 Know. 3 Just to waste or because they think it's fun or silly. There's always a purpose and a goal behind what we're doing and what we're making always. 1 And we're strong believers like we're we're very big on that. It can't be serious all the time. Like, there's too many things that are serious. There's there's lots of we deal with the policies and we deal with the finances and we in budget issues. And those are things we have to communicate because they're important. They are important things, But we need to sprinkle in some good stuff too, because there's so much good. 1 And if we can make it fun and engaging on social media, like present those things in that way, oh my gosh, like how much more enjoyable for for everybody? 3 There's already enough realistic like really blessed us out there and our businesses. 1 Kids That's right. 3 And if you can't see kids with a smile on your face and just so my brain pings everywhere. But this did make me I want to say this to to all of you that may not know this, because my I continue to get blown away that people do not know this. We take thousands of pictures. 2 Oh, my gosh. Yes. 3 I am Smugmug. All of those pictures can be downloaded for free of your kids experiences or of their year if you have not gone to my office or ecom clicked on photos. It's about halfway down on the screen on the right that takes you to smugmug. You can go to your school and any of those pictures that you like or see or any of our board meetings that you want pictures from, or we have hundreds of thousands of pictures. 1 And I think it's important to note. So I think I could be wrong on this. It may have started in 2015, 2016, school year. It goes back a ways. 3 Yeah, it goes back. 1 And we we have them organize in folders, so they're grouped first by the school year, the district, and then the Education Foundation also has a folder where they put everything each year. But from that school year you click on that and then it's every school and then district events, right? And one thing I'll mention just because I do think like I've gotten this question for and it can look this way is some people think you have to buy the photos because there's like a little cart on Smugmug, but that's not the case. 1 I think there are photographers who use smugmug and such like. 3 We could sell. 1 Yeah, but we, we don't have. 3 Time get to and they have to move to selling these photos. 2 Well I think times are tough. 3 Yeah, know, you're right. Times are. 2 Tough. 1 As of right now. 3 You're free. 1 Are half blurry sometimes photos are still free. 2 Yes. There's some. 3 Good photos on. 1 Actually. Great photos. Oh, my gosh. Yeah. We we joke that. I mean, when you snap four times for one shot, you know, they're not all going to be perfect each time, but. Oh, my gosh, this digger, there are so much cute pictures. And another thing is we push out a newsletter every Sunday, 5:00, and we have leaks. So first of all, there is a link in there to all photos, right? 1 And then we we usually highlight two galleries each week, two of of photos that we've taken. So but oh my gosh, yeah, go through there like there's some kids I will still see where I'm like I. 2 Recognize their face from a from a picture we took even like years earlier. I'm like, oh my gosh, that little face is so grown up now. It's, it's. 1 It's crazy. But no, we we feel like we we push it a lot. Like we use see more picks on hashtag smugmug, you know, pretty much in every post. But clearly, like there's still somewhat of a disconnect. So, no, I'm glad you brought that up because there are so many on there. You don't have to pay for them. 1 You can download individually as you like. Okay. So this is a question I know you get all the time about, like what's next? And I know you said you don't have a full, full plan. But one thing that is going on that's big in your life is you're currently selling your house and you're going to be building a new one. 3 Yeah, we put our house on the market. You know, it's just one of those. We live on an acre and a half in Friendswood and Poly Ranch, and we would love to downsize our property, just go to a smaller house. 1 It's a great house that you should go check out If you're in the market for. 3 What's great is it's first of all, it's going to take the right person because we do live in more of a modern looking home. But when you walk in and look out the back windows onto just trees and you know, no one's behind you, and it goes all the way down to Chigger Creek, I mean, it's just a great location. 3 But yeah, so we look forward to hopefully at some point selling our home. Listen, if we don't sell our home, I don't mind taking it off the market and just staying in it. Yeah, my dad designed the home My mom and dad actually lived in at home. My dad is an architect. It's a very well-built, built home and it's always been in our family. 3 So they in turn and I, we ended up buying it because we had four boys and we needed a much bigger place space. Yeah. So I don't I'm not even excited about really getting rid of the home, moving from it. But yeah, you know, it's just one of those things that we both have kind of agreed on doing and but if it doesn't sell, it doesn't sell. 3 We'll just keep it longer. 1 Well, and you know, I know you know that, but it's, there's a reason why if it doesn't and if you're supposed to say, then that's in the Lord's plans and but it is a it is a great home. It's a great family home. It's all they have a pool and a basketball court. Like it's hard to be in sitting on that land in Friendswood. 1 So and for friends, what I see I. Come on. 2 Yeah. Somebody Yeah. One of you two listening to this. Get on it. What are you waiting on? What are you waiting for? 3 And my mom's one of the. 2 Teams down by. Oh, my goodness. I hope so. What will you miss the most? 3 Just people, you know, That's my husband. He's in the eye business, and he's never had an office. And he tells me all the time how lucky I am that I have a place that I can go in and people that I can work with. And, you know, Kelsey and I have spent the last. 1 Six. 3 Six, I always want to say seven. We spent the last six years working together. So of course, we'll, you know, miss getting to work with you on our fun, great projects. Okay. Don't cry. Okay. Okay. Just the people. I think interaction. There's nothing better than when I have to get out of our our cave because we don't have any windows. 3 Yeah. Getting to walk into schools and getting to sit with elementary school kids and just see their sweet faces. Truly, it changes your day like it. It's the nurse. Our teachers are so and I know because I did it, teachers don't realize how incredible their job is until they will no longer do that. But they really are special people and they have special jobs. 3 There's a special place for teachers. They get to work with our children every day. So I'm going to just miss that. You know? And I do I do love that every time I'm around Thad, he's always laughing, you know, about something. Yeah. So I'll just I'll just miss really the people. 2 Yeah. Yep. Well, we will miss you. Especially those birds barely functioning. So before you start crying. 1 What are you. What are you looking forward to? Like, do you have anything planned as far as trips or. 3 No, I don't have any treasures. 1 You. You totally do. That's why I put this question on here. 3 Well, that's not a trip. 2 On this thing. 3 That's not to. 1 I thought three, three. You're going to go for your canning class. 3 Yeah. Those aren't trips that I'm like, still. Yeah. 1 So counting it, that's an adventure. 3 Yes. 1 The Big Bend. Yes. When is that. 3 Scheduled? That's in October. November. 1 Okay. Yeah. And then did you say September? You all are going to Puerto Rico? 3 No, it's in the summer. It's my husband, his work. He's going there and I'm going to go there the weekend before. You know, it's spend some time there. Yeah, but it's not like we have we it's not like we're going to Europe for three weeks or, you know, when he does that, we're not. Yeah, not everybody can afford that. 2 Thank you for having. I think he's on for your credit card. Yeah. 3 Yeah. So of course I'm looking forward to traveling. I'm. I am going to learn how to build. That's what I'm really looking forward to. Even to learn how to build cabinets. I'm I'm going to watch a video and I'm going to go purchase the things that need to be purchased to build whatever that is. And I'm going to build it and I'm going to then move on from that. 1 So, okay, yeah, you've literally talked about that for years. Yes. So what would your like what would your cabinet be for? Like if you're going to build it, I'm assuming you're going to want to have it somewhere. 3 So we start out with it being a garage. 1 Garage. Yeah. Because some people, which I think is so smart, I mean, your whole home is, is so beautiful, but like, some people are getting really elaborate with their laundry rooms. Yeah, right. All of the storage. I mean, it makes so much sense. Yes. Especially when you have kids. Like, I mean, I can't even because I feel like it takes me all day when I do laundry for just the two of us. 1 I'm like, how do these mothers how do these mothers do it when they have kids going through outfits like crazy? I don't know when they have practice. And so they're going in school and all the different sets of things. 3 But pretty much every day or every other day, you should be putting in a load washing, drying, opened it up. I mean, that's. 1 Just. 3 Kind of is part of yes, it's fairly routine. 2 But it's it's pretty amazing. 1 I think all of the. 3 I. 2 Know the stuff. 3 That they're doing and there's a lot of videos on there like you buy this mini this, you buy this, mini this, like they have a little. 1 You need you need a specific. Yes. Like just tell me how to do it exactly. Give me the you know, we've I've sat in on a meeting within the last couple of weeks. I zoom meeting where kind of dragged on pretty pretty brutally for a while and we're like, can you just. 2 Tell us what we need to do? Like lay it out for me? It out and I can get it done. Yes, but I don't need I don't even need. 1 To know. 2 The. 1 Background. I don't need to know the history behind this. Just tell me. Tell me what I need. Like you don't need to research the tree that the wood came from, right? Just, you know, a wood to buy. 3 Right? Exactly. 2 For the first one, for sure. 3 Just so I can check it off and go. Okay, this is totally doable. Now let's move on to bigger projects. 1 Yeah. Now I see you two. I see you doing. Now, I could be wrong on this. Like a color, like painting it, too. Like I can see. 3 You. 1 Do Pops. It's like you're. You're not afraid to take, like, bold kind of risks. I think with, like your style. Right? And your home, like the way you decorate, like you do tend to have some boldness with things. 3 Yeah, I'm kind of eclectic. I like different pieces and flaws, and, you know. 1 That's. 3 That's the one feedback. I have this one area in our living room that it's black and white tile, like laid like herringbone. 1 Is it? Yeah, like, almost like a Chevron pattern. 3 Yeah. Chevron pattern and yeah, it's a Chevron pattern actually. And you know, people like, you should change that. Know you can change that if you don't like that was carpet originally. 1 Just in the one area just. 3 In the one cut out and I remember my dad's an architect so he likes to do things differently. Yes but just that area, instead of having a rug, he had a built in area for carpet. 1 Okay. Okay. That makes more sense. 3 Yeah, well, I didn't like that, so I took that out and put in tile. 1 But it's just it's different. It's different. It adds a little, but it's so. 2 It's just so you two at the same time. Like it's just a little bit of it's classy. 1 Like your whole home is very classy but a little bit of spunk. 2 Like there's little touches of spunk, which to me is just you in a nutshell. 3 I'm very traditional for sure. In general. Yeah. 2 Yes, but you've got that. 1 Edge still, you know. 2 Just it comes out. It comes out in certain way. Yes. 3 Yes, it does. The dysfunction rears its head. 2 Yeah. Oh, my gosh. 1 Oh, okay. Well, to one of the last things, just like to plug a little bit, but we talked about some of these things being your last. Right. So the last day of school, we have a week from today. 3 A week from today. That's right. 1 Week from today. Parents, it's early dismissal 4 hours after your start to start time and then staff the day after. So on Friday, the 24th, 11:00, we have our end of year celebration in the brand new gym. That's right, Competition gym. So that'll be awesome. Yeah, we're giving out lots of cash prizes, door prizes, all of our. 3 Items put baskets together. Yes, Yes. We thank them for that. That's that's our teachers. Really look forward to winning those baskets. 1 Yeah. I mean, they're awesome. They do such a good job so and it's party like a rock star. That's the theme. So we have it usually. Is it transportation? It's transportation, right? They usually get really in on the theme. 3 Yes. 1 So looking forward to that because they're. 3 Fun people in general. 1 They are. I know. They're they're awesome. Yeah. So, yeah, I mean, has it hit like has it hit fully? Like these are all the laughs now. 3 Now, I mean, like we had talked about this is my last newsletter. It goes out Sunday and then you'll have the very last one. But yeah, just little last things. But no, it's not, you know. 1 You know, it's talking to my mom a couple of days ago and she was saying, So my mom's boss is retiring to shout out to to Sheila Olsen at the Alvin Education Foundation. She she's a very emotional person. 2 Like she she's a feeler. And so she cries a lot. 1 And my mom says she's been really having more and more of those days where it's like hitting her, it's hitting, hurting her. And she's like, is that how Dana has been? Like, No. 2 No, no, not at all. It's but I said. 1 And I think it's one of the things I think is so great about you, too, is you live very much in a moment. You don't get like this always. So my mom, like you, even with trips, like something super fun and exciting, you really don't get ahead of yourself at all. Like, you just kind of stay right where you are. 2 And take it as it comes. 3 Yeah, it's weird. I it's not done on purpose. It's the way I'm built. I don't, I don't look forward to things and I don't get about things that have happened. I really am just here dealing with this right now. I look ahead, but I don't let my emotions or feelings really go there. I was like, You super excited about your trip and like, now, now I will be when I'm there. 3 Yes, but I'm not super excited, you know about it beforehand. It's really weird because a lot of people are not like that. Like a lot of people are worry about or upset about the past and they worry about future. Yeah, a lot of people do. And I just don't. It's it's not how I made it. 2 I should. 3 I should be more because that can really drive a lot of people to be very young successful you know. 1 Well you've you've been successful doing it your way. Yeah. And you know you talking about I heard this the saying one time and it's so true but it's depression is living in the past and anxiety is living in the future. 2 Yeah it's right good Like it's so it's true. 1 It's you can't change either one. 3 True depression is not something you can help, but. No, no, no. 1 Yes. 3 But like, general, when you're sad, you are. 1 Exactly. Yeah. More of the more of the phrase. But this anxiety of essentially anxiety being worrying. 3 Yes. 1 Is your work. You're just you're so caught up on what's next. And then I do think a lot of people let moments pass them by because even once they reach the thing they are worried about, it's they're they're on to the next thing, worrying. You know, it's never settled. And I haven't had I haven't had to check myself a little bit with that. 1 At one point, maybe right out of college maybe I was still in college of I could not just be like I couldn't just be settled. Like it was always like, what's next? What's next? What's next? What's next? Instead of just being like, it's okay to be like, right here, right now and not worried about, not worried about doing and accomplishing or whatever it is every. 2 Year, you know, it's like it's okay to just. 1 Be right. And I just I feel like you're really good about just being you're still a planner. You still it's not like you don't plan. It's just that you're really good about being in a moment. So yeah, I'm like, You have. 2 Haven't it doesn't seem like it's really been affecting you too now. 3 Though. I mean, I'm looking forward to everything that's to come. And I'm super happy about everything that's happened. And yeah, you know, I mean, listen, has always taking care of me and so I'm not going to start freaking out and worrying about it now. So just I'm happy with my life and I can't look across the table because now you're crying and I'm going to start crying. 3 And it's been fun. It's been so like the last nine years for me has been so fun and all the time before that and education and the kids that I've taught and coached and I've loved all of it, but I'm really I mean, I'm 52. I'm really excited about kind of what's to come also, you know, just we've really have it. 3 We really are blessed to live the lives that we live. And I know there are some hard times to come. I'm sure, with my parents and who knows what. But it'll it'll it'll be fine. It'll all be okay. 2 Yeah. 1 I'm sorry. 3 So. Well, I'm a wrap this up. You may have more questions, but that's the last, though. Is it? Okay, Well, as we. As we do as I do, close this, you know, chapter in my life, I really want to take a moment, just just my deepest gratitude to say thank you for all the people that because there are a lot of people that give us the benefit of the doubt. 1 Yeah, there are. 3 A lot of people that pour into this school just like they pour into their churches. They pour into this school because this is the heartbeat of our community. I do believe that, Yes. And so the more parents can pour into us and believe in us and share with us, like if we're doing something wrong, if you need more of something, don't be afraid to reach out and say that. 3 We'd prefer that you not obviously do that in public form as much as you can. Yeah, we'll find out. I mean, I don't stress about that either. If people get upset, I don't stress about it. People have the right to be upset. 1 Right. 3 And we can learn and grow from that. But just want to thank everyone for just kind of our journey together and allowing me to be a part of the journey from just I love people, I love everyone I work with. I love people out in the community who have made connections with. I look forward to the connections that I'll continue to make because now I'll have more time actually to make some connections in our community and to serve people and just want to bid a farewell to everyone. 3 And this podcast I can't wait to see and hear what Kelsey goes on and does with communications in our school district. Of course, if you ever need anything or if you have events that you need help with or need me to be a part of it, I'm here. I'll have the time that you know, I can help with. 3 Yeah. So just enjoyed our journey together. Friendswood ISD and I know our paths will continue to cross in the future. And just until then, I hope people in general stay curious and passionate and continue to love others. 2 So that was awesome. 1 Okay, well, signing off for the last time Owen emphasized podcast. 2 Yep. Okay, Bye bye.