Hi…I’m your new Principal
Hello, I know it is the end of the school year and things are really busy for you and your students, but I wanted to take a few minutes to introduce myself and let you know how excited I am to be your new principal. First of all, my name is Danny Gentry, and my purpose in life is to help people gain access to a happier and more meaningful life through education. I believe that, as educators, we are helping to empower people so that they can thrive. I find the notion of empowering people to thrive very exhilarating and beautiful. Empowering means that we are giving people power over their own lives; the power to choose the path of their life. Thriving implies not just basic personal growth, but extraordinary growth and vitality. I love this quote from the movie The Imitation Game: “Sometimes it is the people no one imagines anything of who do the things that no one can imagine”. As an educator, I hold tight to that notion that every student, no matter their circumstance, can achieve unbelievable things when they have just ONE teacher who truly believes in them. My job as a principal is to work with you to cultivate a school where EVERY student does the things that no one can imagine…extraordinary things! I believe that my job as an educational leader helps me to accomplish my purpose in life by working with, and developing relationships with: Other educators, parents, students, and the community. I believe in helping educators access the power and professional skills they need to make a positive difference in the lives of their students.
I think that our family and our life experiences help to shape who we are. They also tell a part of the story of who we are and allows people to understand us a bit better. Life is about stories, so let me tell you a little bit about my family story and my background. I was born and raised in central Texas in a little town named Italy. It is a spot on the map with 2000 residents, halfway between Dallas and Waco. The summers are scorching hot and the winters last only for a few days at a time. Springtime brings with it the odd coupling of destructive tornadoes and beautiful wildflowers that stretch as far as the eye can see across the rolling prairie. In the fall we are too busy playing football, cheerleading and doing marching band to even notice that the weather has changed and the leaves are turning. My grandfather was an infant when his family moved in a wagon to Italy, Texas from Tennessee back in the late 1890’s. His family worked primarily as farmers and hired hands. My dad and his two sisters grew up on a cotton farm. Like most farm kids, when World War II came around he decided that he would rather join the Navy than pick cotton for the rest of his life. He was stationed not far from Fairfield at Treasure Island in San Francisco Bay. He later went on to serve in the Pacific in the Marianas. He loved the Bay Area and always talked about how he would like to return there someday. He never did. After the war, he made his way back to his hometown and got training on the G.I. Bill to become an industrial mechanic. He remained in that profession for over 40 years until he was killed by a drunk driver in 1995 while he was on his way to work. He was a good man, a master storyteller, a hard worker, a stern disciplinarian, a teacher, and a good friend to everyone. While he didn’t have a college education, he was one of the most well-read and intelligent people I have ever known.
My mom grew up poor in the Great Depression. Her dad was also a farmer and then later worked for the railroad. She dropped out of high school, married young, and had two sons by her first husband before she was nineteen. She spent some years as a single mom raising her boys on her own and working in a factory. Later, she met and married my dad. They started raising two pre-teen boys together and then had me. My mom eventually got her GED, took some college classes, and went on to work at a newspaper. After a few years, she decided to start her own newspaper in our small town and ran it successfully for many years. The older of my two brothers is a fire marshal and fire chief, and my other brother is a ranch foreman who could pass for John Wayne. He literally rides a horse every day and works cattle. I, on the other hand do not own a pair of cowboy boots or a cowboy hat, and haven’t since I was in Junior High. That being said, being a native Texan, I can still dance a Texas waltz or two-step in my sneakers if the need arises.
I had a typical life in a small town. It was a little like growing up in Mayberry (you might have to be older to get that one). Kids played outside all day long and our parents never had any idea where we were and didn’t care as long as we were home when the street lights came on. We rode our bikes, played football and baseball in our neighborhood yards, shot our Red Rider BB guns and tried not to shoot our eyes out, fished in the local stock tanks, and went to vacation Bible school. On Sundays we all went to church. I was a little different in that while many of my classmates drove tractors and farm trucks after school and during the summers, I enjoyed working at my parents’ newspaper. I was writing stories, taking pictures, and working in the darkroom before I was even in high school. I went to college to study journalism, but was persuaded by my best friend’s dad (who was the Superintendent of our small school) to change my major and become a science teacher. I am so glad that he helped me with that decision. I met my wife, Ginger, while we were both in college at Stephen F. Austin State University. Ginger is from Houston and has a twin sister…which is really interesting for me since I am from a small town and only have much older brothers. In January of 2016 we will celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary. She is the love of my life, my best friend, and partner to many adventures we have shared through our years together. Our latest adventure is our decision to move west to California.
Our move to California brings us to the next part of the story: Our Daughter, Hannah. Hannah is currently finishing up her degree online through a college in Texas and will graduate this December. While she was in college, she began to take some trips with a college group to San Francisco to help out with a school and a mission in the Tenderloin area. The mission is City Impact and the school is San Francisco City Academy. At the time of the school’s founding, there were no schools in the Tenderloin. Today, it is serving the needs of many students in San Francisco’s neediest neighborhood. I have been asked to serve on the Board of Directors of the school. She was invited to become an intern there two summers ago and then invited back to be on staff at the school. Next year, she will transition to a new role as a Special Education teacher and help coordinate the RTI program. She has chosen to stay in the Bay Area and make these students and their families the focus of her work in education. We are very proud of her. Since this is our only child, we decided that we did not want to be the “twice a year” parents and made plans to relocate to California. I am so glad we did because now I will have the pleasure of getting to know all of you!
The basics of my resume are as follows: I have a Bachelors degree in Biology and Earth Science from Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, TX (That is pronounced…Nac uh doe chiss). I have a Master’s degree in Educational Administration from Baylor University in Waco, TX. I am currently halfway through my doctorial studies in Educational Leadership in an online program through Lamar University (which is a Carnegie Research University) in Beaumont, TX. My doctoral thesis topic deals with the topic of administrator coaching and mentoring. Next year will be my 24th year in the field of education and my 12th year as an administrator.
I think most of the really important things you need to know about me are NOT on my resume. So, here are some of the things about me that I think are important to know:
1. I am a southerner and a Texan. That means I talk “funny”. I do have a southern accent and tend to say things like, for example: “What are y’all fixin’ to do?” In California lingo that means: “What are you guys about to do?” For a list of things that you may hear me say, I will refer you to this website put together by Rice University in Houston for definitions and helpful insight. I have either heard every one of these sayings or expressions, or I have said them myself at some point in time: http://www.rice.edu/armadillo/Texas/talk.html
2. I like to cook and I especially like to bake. So, expect to see me at your door from time to time with some special something from my kitchen that you probably should not be eating, but you know you won’t be able to resist. It’s just a way that us southerners and Texans show that we care about you and value the work that you do. I will introduce you all to such Texas favorites as Czechoslovakian Kolaches, Texas Sheet Cake, Sopapillas, Pecan pie, and the list goes on. My motto is: Life is short…Eat dessert first!
3. I like to have fun. I believe that teaching and working with students is the best job on the planet. The work we do is seriously important, but I don’t let the seriousness of it dictate how I act at work. I value professionalism, but I also value creating an atmosphere and climate where we can simultaneously work hard with, and on behalf of our students, and enjoy being at work. I come to work expecting to have fun. I like to laugh, tell stories, and interact with students in an easy and lighthearted manner. I like to do the same with my staff. Warning: I have a dry and wry sense of humor so I tend to see humor in things that others often don’t. This is probably the reason why I love British comedies like Monty Python, Fawlty Towers, Are You Being Served, etc. It is also probably why I really like The Big Bang Theory…that and the fact that I am a scientist by training.
4. I am a BIG fan of classic movies. My wife and I are huge Turner Classic Movie fans. If you want to strike up a discussion with me that will go on for a long time, then let’s talk about your favorite old movie. Just so you know, I am a major Hitchcock fan and I enjoy all of his movies. My favorite classic film actor is Humphrey Bogart and my favorite actress is Marilyn Monroe.
5. I am a biologist and geologist by undergraduate training. I like trees and rocks. My emphasis was in Botany and I even worked for a while in a greenhouse. I still love to garden and raise my own vegetables. I also worked as a molecular biologist for a couple of years and helped to co-author several scientific papers. As a result of my science background in trees and rocks, I LOVE being outdoors with trees and rocks. I like to hike, fish, and take drives out into the wilderness…both mountains and deserts. My wife and I are famous for getting to the end of the driveway and then randomly choosing a direction and then just driving and seeing where we end up. Needless to say, we have had some real adventures as a result of our random decision-making process.
6. I am a cat lover…and a dog lover too. We have two cats: Charlie and Aspen…and two dogs: Godiva and Lilly. Godiva is a brown Pomeranian and Lilly is a Bichon Frise. No matter how bad my day is, I know that my Bichon will be glad to see me when I get home!
7. I am a secret lover of almost all of the Alaska-based reality TV shows. I make sure our DVR is set to record: Gold Rush, Alaskan Bush People, Bering Sea Gold & Buying Alaska. I’m not sure what it is about these shows, but I really like them and I have never even been to Alaska. I usually spend an hour or two on a weekend night binge-watching these episodes.
8. Over the last two years, I have lost over 141 lbs. At my maximum in 2013, I weighed 326 lbs. In June of 2013, I underwent Gastric Bypass surgery and pushed the reset button on my life. It was one of the best decisions I have every made and I do not regret it at all…in fact, if I do have a regret it would be that I didn’t do it sooner. Through this process, I have learned how to balance my lifestyle, eat healthy, and exercise. I was on three medicines for blood pressure, had borderline diabetes, and sleep apnea. All of these conditions have disappeared as a result of the surgery and lifestyle change and I am no longer on any medication. I still enjoy cooking for others, but I no longer eat bread or sweets. I focus on my protein intake and try to drink as much water as I can. Much of what I cook I try to make into a healthier alternative.
9. I am an avid reader. While I am currently covered up with reading related to my doctoral thesis, I am usually reading two or three books at the same time and listening to another. They are almost always books on education, psychology, social sciences, pure science, or technology. I will occasionally read a novel or a biography.
10. I had the pleasure of growing up with a father who passed down the philosophy of hard work. As a kid, I never had much idle time. When I got old enough to work, my dad made sure that I was always busy. As a result, I have worked multiple jobs over the years and this carried on even into my teaching years. Some of the jobs I have worked at include: House painter’s assistant, hay bale thrower and stacker, warehouse laborer, loading dock worker, custodian, gardener, newspaper delivery truck driver, chicken farm worker, greenhouse worker, hardware store clerk, swimming instructor, horse wrangler, camp counselor, science/math tutor, and newspaper reporter/photographer. I feel that these varied experiences have given me the ability to connect with diverse groups of people and better understand their lives and where they come from. It has also helped to give me the ability to work hard every day to achieve my goal of helping others gain access to a happier and more meaningful life.
Finally, I wanted to thank you all for giving me the opportunity to work with you as member of the Rolling Hills Elementary team. I am excited about getting to know all of you! If you have any questions or would like to chat, please feel free to call or text me: 214-980-0924 or email me at: mountainviewlearning@gmail.com. My wife and I will be moving to the Vacaville during the 1st week of June and my first day at Rolling Hills will be July 1st. Drop by and introduce yourself. I would love to visit with you! I hope you all have a fantastic summer!!!
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