Time to be independent, Girls!



Here's a throwback to the 90s: Destiny's Child sent a clear message to all of us girls to BE WHO WE ARE and "Show Our Independence!"

That's not to say we don't need people to help us in life, but there are some things we're capable of doing on our own.

It's time to be independent, Girls!

Danielle Biggs has been a blogger since 2009, writing articles with tips to help other teens deal with everyday issues.

"Children are the globe's most precious commodity." (Terence H. Biggs, Jr. ~ 2009)

Welcome!

Thank you for following our blog since 2009!

Starting today "LifelineExtensions ~ A Teen Girl's Perspective" blog will publish monthly on this site.

"A Teen Girl's Perspective" articles are written to help teens deal with common, everyday teen issues, so write to let us know what you'd like to read about.

Have a good weekend!

Danielle Biggs has been a blogger since 2009, writing articles with tips to help other teens deal with everyday issues.

"Children are the globe's most precious commodity." (Terence H. Biggs, Jr. ~ 2009)

On the inside looking in

In 1837, the Massachusetts Board of Education was created as the first state board of education in America.

Boards of Education (BOE) began being established in other parts of country, with the primary focus being to help district school administrators and school business administrators with submitting annual budgets for public education, and, setting and maintaining policies, procedures, and standards needed for the smooth operation of a school district.

The mission and vision behind all that is done by a school board is directly connected to improving student achievement and teacher performance.

However, until a person has an opportunity to be up close and personal to the inner workings of BOEs, chances are the outsiders looking in will freely dole out criticisms and recommendations to the BOE about how “they should really be functioning.”

School boards of education have received their fare share of criticism and lambasting, especially over the last several years.

A person can generally read any e-newspaper or e-newsletter, or watch news’ programs on television to see just how much criticism is floating out there.

Until a person is on the inside closely examining what school boards face in today’s tough economy as they try to budget, establish and maintain policies, and set procedures and standards; the inclination may be to form opinions and make judgments about what “school boards are not doing correctly.”

Many a school year has gone by with large numbers of individuals describing the quality of a school board based on whatever real or imagined “facts” they have while their opinions about school boards are forming.

Sometimes a person will either run for and win a school board seat, or apply for and get a position within a school district that allows him or her to work closely with a school board.

He or she will then be “on the inside looking in” to undoubtedly form a completely new opinion about what school boards do, and why certain decisions are made regarding the functioning and overall operations of a district.

It is never a good idea for us to judge a book by its cover, and potentially miss enjoying a good read just because the cover may seem a bit tattered or unappealing.

It is just as bad of an idea for us to prejudge school boards until we are no longer on the outside looking in, but are on the inside looking in and working alongside school board members who want nothing but the best for our children just like the rest of us.

We can find out when school board elections take place in our communities and show support to our local school boards by casting ballots. 

In New Jersey, the 2011 school board elections are scheduled for April 27^th. 

Vote to show support for the work school boards of education do to improve student achievement and teacher performance as a way to position our students and teachers to be more effective and academically competitive in today’s global society.

Sharon M. Biggs, M.A., is a wife, mother, and 21st Century educational leader & school district administrator who serves as Co-Chair & President of Lifeline Foundation, Inc.  This 25-year educator, who is currently working on her Ph.D. in Educational Leadership, is also Founder, Editor, and Chief Writer of LifelineExtensions.blog.  View other published works at http://www.examiner.com/.  Contact Sharon directly for more information: smbiggs@mylifelinefoundation.org. "Children are the globe's most precious commodity." (Terence H. Biggs, Jr. ~ 2009)

Progress with a purpose

People who truly celebrate with you will, even when your level of accomplishment passes theirs by…

Rejoice in your own and in other’s successes…

Own up to the fact that you have been chosen to move forward during this season, so do not feel or act guilty about it…

Guide others to make progress by living out your accomplishment to the fullest…

Remember that our local successes will have global impact, so do not hold back your gifts, talents, and accomplishments...

Express gratitude for your accomplishment because it really is a blessing, and things could easily have gone the other way…

Speak out about your progress; not to brag about yourself, but to build capacity in others so they know they can move forward, too -- at least one "somebody" is watching and listening to you closely…

Sign on to informally or formally mentor someone else to stand on your shoulders and reach their own level of greatness…

Sharon M. Biggs, M.A., is a wife, mother, and 21st Century educational leader & school district administrator who serves as Co-Chair & President of Lifeline Foundation, Inc.  This 25-year educator, who is currently working on her Ph.D. in Educational Leadership, is also Founder, Editor, and Chief Writer of LifelineExtensions.blog.  View other published works at http://www.examiner.com/.  Contact Sharon directly for more information: smbiggs@mylifelinefoundation.org.

"Children are the globe's most precious commodity." (Terence H. Biggs, Jr. ~ 2009)

Better late than never

We can never afford to let someone else make us believe it is too late for us to accomplish a goal.

As long as we have breath and can see a new day, it is better late than never to start something we never started, or finish something we never finished.

If given the chance, pessimists, cynics, and critics might negate us all the way to the Land of the Defeated because of their linear view of the individual strength we possess to do great things and to do those things well.

At times even people who generally support us and would never wish us any harm may misrepresent the timeline we are supposed to follow to reach certain marks along our journey.

These folks may think they are advising us with our best interest in their minds, but in reality, they may be unintentionally standing in the way of completion.

Any way you slice it, “Timeline Sabotage” is a tough obstacle we will sometimes encounter in life.

Knowing that to be the case, WE CAN, WE SHOULD, AND WE WILL finish whatever we need and want to finish.

The question to ask ourselves is “Do WE really need and want to finish whatever it is?”

If it is not something we truly need or want, “better NEVER than late” may be the correct route for us to take so we can avoid having to clean up one big unnecessary mess later on.

Sharon M. Biggs, M.A., is a wife, mother, and 21st Century educational leader & school district administrator who serves as Co-Chair & President of Lifeline Foundation, Inc.  This 25-year educator, who is currently working on her Ph.D. in Educational Leadership, is also Founder, Editor, and Chief Writer of LifelineExtensions.blog.  View other published works at http://www.examiner.com/.  Contact Sharon directly for more information: smbiggs@mylifelinefoundation.org.

"Children are the globe's most precious commodity." (Terence H. Biggs, Jr. ~ 2009)