Marriage

The goal in marriage is not to think alike, but to think together. - Robert C. Dodds

???Huh???  "Marriage" as a title on an educational blog about a gifted and talented magnet school?
Well, um, actually, yes.  What we're doing here at HB is kind of like a marriage.  Think about it:  take two established entities, with established routines and established habits and mindsets, and put them together under one roof to co-exist peacefully.  Isn't that like marriage? 
Okay, let's look at the creation of Harriet Bishop Gifted and Talented Elementary School a different way.  I'll start with a small story.  I am not from Minnesota (although my high school colors were purple and gold, that's as far as it goes...), and I moved here from Chicago in 1993.  I was very excited about coming to the Minneapolis area; and as I had a kindergarten daughter and heard such great things about Minnesota schools, it was just a boon for me.  I came up a couple of times to look for a house, and found the people to be friendly and jovial.  Cool!  How much better could it be??? (This was like the dating period between Minnesota and me.)
Then I moved here, and found the real meaning of Minnesota Nice.  It does exist.  People ARE nice; they ARE friendly, until you move into their space.  Then a shift happens.  It's not that they are MEAN or horrible at all, don't get me wrong.  It's just that they become more wary, more reserved, and it takes a long time for you to become established in their space.  People have established friends, family, routines, etc., and it is hard for an outsider.  Ask most any outsider.  (Or two people who have just gotten married:  one who makes the bed in the morning and one who does not.  It's not that I'm speaking from experience here...)
Harriet Bishop is feeling these growing pains, no matter the way anyone looks at it.  I was recently speaking with a parent whose children have gone or are going through Harriet Bishop, and the conversation was both encouraging and helpful.  Some of the things we are doing at Harriet Bishop are new - and one thing every person must remember is that what we are doing is benefiting EVERY SINGLE STUDENT in school.  However, some of the things we are doing at Harriet Bishop have been done before, when the building first opened.  (I remember that time, too; having opened a new building the same year, teaching staff at one new building were keenly aware of the growing pains of other teaching staff at other new buildings!)  So for some, this IS new, and for others, some of what we're doing is reminiscent of good things done in the past.  The parent with whom I was talking was very positive about the steps we've taken, and knows that this is a process.
Our magnet has been open six weeks.  Solid research states that magnet schools (and charter schools, and private schools, the list goes on) need 3-5 years (yes, YEARS) to become fully established.  Most marriages look different in the first month than they do in the fifth year... as the partners learn about each other and find a way to establish NEW routines, NEW habits, and NEW mindsets - as a team.  I look forward to the successful marriage of ALL of the families at Harriet Bishop Gifted and Talented Elementary School.   After all, as with any successful marriage, the children are the ultimate benefactors.