A MESSAGE FROM A M S P R I N C I PA L
Mr. Gibson IF THERE IS ONE PIECE OF ADVICE I COULD GIVE TO OUR YOUNG PEOPLE, IT WOULD BE TO NOT OVERLOOK SOME OF THESE V I TA L S K I L L S L I K E L E A R N I N G A N E W L A N G U A G E T H AT C O U L D B E HELPFUL IN THE WORKPLACE OR JUST IN THEIR PERSONAL LIFE.
C
oulda, shoulda, woulda. We all have had regrets from time to time. Sometimes we wish we could go back in time and take our older, wiser self to an important time in our lives and push the redo button. Adults will take this wisdom and do their best to share their findings with their children, or if in education, their students. One of my biggest regrets as an
heavily on Wendy McCue to communicate
educator is having taken a foreign
with our Spanish-speaking parents and
language class in both high school and
students. I am learning that not only does
college but failing to learn to understand,
she represent the face of our school, but
speak, or write in that language. For me,
she is most notably the voice and the
it was Spanish. The number of times over
ears of our school in helping to serve or
my 24-year educational career that I have
Spanish-speaking students and parents.
said, “Man, I sure wish I’d learned Spanish
Ms. McCue becomes the primary contact
back in the day” is not able to be counted.
to help assist parents with communication.
On a regular basis, I find myself being
She will give her cell phone number out to
disadvantaged by not having this ability.
new parents who might have questions.
In our middle school office, we rely
The communication she does for our
WE NEED MORE PEOPLE TO BE A WENDY MCCUE. 34
• Argyle Insights • Winter 2020
school with our Spanish-speaking families is difficult to calculate. Ms. McCue translates during parent meetings, in the enrolling process, in answering arising questions, and even in times of joy and in times of crisis. I have seen her in each one of these situations and am reminded that we need to make our students aware that this is a skill that could provide dividends socially and financially in the future. If there is one piece of advice I could give to our young people, it would be to not overlook some of these vital skills like learning a new language that could be helpful in the workplace or just in their personal life.
Scott Gibson Principal Argyle Middle School 940.246.2126 Ext. 3002
