As I get older, my adult children look for ways to make me more “cool”. I don’t think they use that term anymore, but it means something to me. Our kids really do at some point

start looking out for us. Recently, my son talked me into new signal lights for my 35 year old motorcycle. He thought this change would improve the aesthetics and engineering efforts of my dated ride. There was also the added benefit of being “in style”. I’m sure we looked like a scene from an old spy movie (Do we cut the yellow wire or the black wire?). After a few minutes of customization (fancy word meaning we messed up what the factory worked hard to create), we had

the new turn signals mounted. That’s the good news. The bad news was found in the fact that they no longer

blinked. This is an important function of turn signals.

If you think about it, there are things that should change to keep up with the times but also other things that never go out of style. Email has enhanced our ability to communicate

in print. Cell phones have forever changed mobile communication. I could make a long list of changes that have enhanced aesthetics and engineering of the past, but we must always remember that there are things that never go out of style.

Respect for others, a strong work ethic, and integrity are hard to improve upon. Is there a way to move forward without leaving behind some key things that make us stronger? I think one way to accomplish this is to have a clear mission and vision. Zachary Community Schools have gone through some incredible changes inregard to facilities, technology, and other areas. Even in the face of incredible changes, the vision (a model of excellence serving

all citizens) and the mission (… to assist every student in reaching his or her maximum potential…) have remained the same. As a new school comes on-line next year, we will continue to see changes.

With a clear purpose and direction for the future, Zachary can embrace a proud past and an enlightened future.

By the way, new turn signals have been ordered for the antique motorcycle. My son tells me they are a bit “cooler”, and they should blink. Perhaps the old and the new can create the best of both worlds.

Dewey Davis is the principal of Copper Mill Elementary School, Zachary.