By Gineen O'Neil, Ed.D.
IAASE President
February 2013

Like all special education administrators, I have been to hundreds of conferences and workshops and I have heard many people speak on a wide variety of topics. When I look around the room, participants are usually quietly attending, chatting, checking email, or doodling pictures on the napkin from their morning coffee. If you were fortunate enough to attend the keynote address on Tuesday morning of the IAASE Winter Conference you clearly heard the message that John O’Leary so poignantly had to tell. By sharing his personal experiences, he sent the message that despite the challenges that students face they can overcome adversity given the support, encouragement, and love of the people who surround them. A recurring theme throughout the presentation was the impact that various individuals had on his life, his self-concept, and his confidence to succeed. These individuals consistently demonstrated sincerity, compassion, and hope. Despite the challenges John faced, these key people did not give up on him and did not allow him to give up on himself. They went above and beyond the “call of duty” to change the life of one person. As the keynote presentation came to an end, participants quickly lined up to meet John and to share their own personal stories. It was the longest line I’d ever seen at an IAASE conference. John’s message touched the hearts of many.

When we reflect upon the students with disabilities that we serve, we have to ask ourselves “Are we doing everything we can to help students achieve success?” It is not just the mastery of the curriculum that makes a difference in the lives of our students. The positive relationships that special education teachers and administrators have with students and their families sometimes provide the most powerful life lessons. These gestures of kindness and compassion exceed the boundaries of the school building and are embedded into the hearts of those who are lucky enough to receive them.

It has been a few weeks since we have heard John’s story. You may recall the four words he wanted us to remember: reflect, commit, spark, and impact. In our jobs it is easy to become bogged down with mandates, meetings, paperwork, and problems. Sometimes there are not enough hours in the day to complete our work. We need to step back and take some time to reflect on our professional practice. As special education administrators, we made a commitment to ensure that students with disabilities receive the best education possible and we work hard every day to make that happen. If you haven’t already done so, it is time to ignite, or re-ignite, the spark of your passion to inspire your students, families, and staff to make a difference. Maya Angelou said “I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” The impact you can make will be great and will never be forgotten.

Sincerely,
Gineen O’Neil, Ed.D.
IAASE President
(708) 687-0900