Steve Heacock
Administrator
I am by birth and probably by personality a “Baltimoron”…Hun. My first memory of Carroll County was a trip to a now closed swimming club in Union Mills. I now live in Union Mills about a mile from that derelict pool but at the time all I thought about, besides the swimming, was how far we had to drive to get out there in the country. How did a city boy end up in living in Carroll County and working at the Outdoor School? Mostly it was the function of chaos, but “good chaos”.
I met a beautiful young lady named Patti Hersh while attending Towson State College (BS. In Physical Education, Health and Recreation with an emphasis in adaptive ed./movement development and enough credits for a minor in English Literature) Patti taught me to read and write. Well not technically, but she did teach me the joy of reading, the power of the written word and the necessity to articulate my thoughts clearly. Like the scarecrow in the Wizard of Oz, I apparently had a brain but needed someone to help me realize that fact. Patti must have seen things in me that I didn’t know existed because after college she married me and we’ve been together for more than thirty years through good and bad, but far and away more good than bad. We’ve two sons, Forrest and Taylor. I’ve been with the Outdoor School only a year longer than we’ve been married.
I started as a teacher and did that for 22 years (very happy times) and now serve as the administrator (important work, fulfilling but not nearly as much fun!) Once I got the job here, which is a great story for another time, I knew I was in the right place and went to the finest school in the country for Environmental Education, Northern Illinois University, where I earned my MS. in Curriculum and Instruction/Environmental Studies. I never went into teaching with an expectation to end up in administration but after decades of teaching Patti and I both came to the conclusion, almost simultaneously that we could better serve the kids, our colleagues and the system in leadership positions. Once that path became evident I returned to school and received my second MS. in Educational Administration from Western Maryland College. Patti also received a second MS. My school is only about four miles from the house. Funny how you can look back and see the circles closing and what seemed to be random events at the time now reveal themselves to be rational and sequential steps.
Favorite things: Beyond family and good friends, reading, cooking and standing in the water or on a boat and waving a stick because “Fish control my brain”.
Favorite places: That all depends on where I happen to be at the moment, as long as it possesses at least the possibility of clean water, fish and a fly rod because… Patti and I, as we start to think about retirement have begun to choose destinations to “try out” on vacation. We look at the landscape, the cultural and educational opportunities , the taxes and cost of living of course, but also carefully consider the fishing potential because…
Favorite quote: Bet you thought I was going to say something about fish. Not this time. I already said I love words; a quick wit and the cleaver turn of a phrase are a real joy. I also respect the power of language and through the years have collected quotes like the most ardent numismatics collects buffalo head nickels or a fisherman collects lies. I am paralyzed by the possibilities so I will cheat a little on this one. Not a true quote but a life lesson from my father, the finest man I have ever known. When I get close to the end if I can look back and say I have truly tried to be a man that my father would be proud of and I have come close to being the person my dogs think I am, I will be content.
The lesson (as filtered through my life experiences and with a nod to Pink Floyd and Harrison Ford) “If you are at all reflective you’ll come to a point when you have to ask; Am I just another brick in the wall or a rock in the foundation? Do I always look back or do I have a future vision? Do I seek to impose limits on others or do I help them recognize and strive for their greatest potential? You can be either a brick or a rock not both, but you do get to choose. Choose wisely.”
Reflections on the Outdoor School
(Past, Present & Future)
There are two things that I say almost by route about the Outdoor School and me. Neither of which is absolutely true but neither are they lies. One, “I am proud of every day I have worked at the school”. Second, “I love my job”. I am proud of my work but like everyone, I have those days when I think more about just getting it done than about how important this job is. I even wake up some mornings and think I would rather go fishing than go to work. When that happens I have to remind myself that this is a special place and a special time for each child and their only opportunity to experience the Outdoor School. I also “love my job” but not every minute nor everything about it.
I have often been told that I have the best job in the school system. To that comment I point out, it may be true but I am the only principal that has students twenty four hours a day, the only principal that has to put other peoples’ children to bed at night. Perhaps that aspect is one of the things that give me the most pride. Over 33 years we have served more than 80,000 students. Virtually every child in Carroll County attends the school and we are vested in meeting the needs of each one as an individual. At the end of each week we start all over again with a new group of students and parents with all of the anxieties, concerns, questions and accommodations that brings.
For 22 years I worked with Geary Myers as my boss, my friend and mentor and when I took over as the administrator I inherited a strong and highly respected program. As the leader of the school I asked how we could best serve the students. How do we maximize the time? How do we prepare them not just academically but as environmental stewards? How do we create both an environmental ethic and environmental literacy? I studied the research, chose the soundest methodologies and then began the process of defining a vision for the school along with the mission and strategies to create the reality.
That process continues today and always should because in constantly asking ourselves how we can better serve our students, colleagues and communities we recreate the Outdoor School each day. I have been privileged to work with some of the finest teachers anywhere. Their creativity, passion and professionalism has both humbled and honored me. I will accept credit for crafting a new and far reaching vision for this school but the teachers, nurses and assistants I work with embraced that vision, made it their own and then far exceeded what I thought possible. Each day their work takes this abstraction and makes it real.
The future of the Outdoor School.: The instructional methodology has withstood the test of time and is so fundamentally sound and still flexible that it only requires the continuous and creative application. It surpasses any one leader. The support for the Outdoor School is nearly universal and the need of citizens who are environmentally literate increases each day. When I leave someone else will inherit a model program and lead the organization to even greater accomplishments.
