"The problems of the world cannot possibly be solved by skeptics or cynics whose horizons are limited by the obvious realities. We need men [and women] who can dream of things that never were." - -- John F. Kennedy In education, we often have tasks before us that appear monumental or insurmountable. Running a school on a shoestring budget that seems to shrink each year, meeting mandates on curriculum, complying with state and federal laws, and addressing the needs of staff, students and families can appear to be an almost daily, insurmountable task. I have learned to approach these days and situations by drawing on our collective, and my personal visions for our school. Our school vision, as posted on our main webpage states, “….. is to base all decisions on the principles of Reggio-Emilia incorporating current research on learning as well as developmentally appropriate practice.” This vision, established nearly thirteen years ago, was crafted to convey the purpose of our American and Reggio-inspired public school. That this school could truly embody and implement a perfect marriage of a progressive approach [Reggio] and a traditional model [public education] was the original intent of those who helped design, construct and begin this very special place that has endured for over a decade, as a stand-alone charter school. Much has changed since our school began. Births, deaths, laws, politics, the economy, and technology are just a few of the changes and fluctuations we have experienced in our daily lives and throughout society since we started. No one could have imagined what the world, much less our school, would be in 2013, but here we are. However, even though we cannot predict our future, we can always dream for what we hope and work toward those goals. Education is not going to get smaller or less challenging, but it will always be exciting, changing and worthy of all our endeavors. My personal vision for our school is that we become a center for excellence. Not only an excellent example of the Reggio Approach in the United States, but also an excellent example of an American elementary school, free and accessible to all who wish to work, learn and play in collaboration. We never want to compromise the integrity of the Approach, and as long as we continue to strive toward excellence in all areas, we will continue to succeed in meeting this challenge. This is a magical place, and we have been given an incredible opportunity - it is our duty to maintain the highest standards and expectations for everyone involved – our students, our staff, our families and ourselves.