Thorough and meticulous, Principal Shelley Handcock used to read every email and check every box before leaving Eisenhower Elementary in Grand Prairie ISD each day. “I live by the mantra ‘work smarter, not harder,’ but in Holdsworth I realized I wasn’t living by my own advice,” she said. The long hours and frantic work pace not only hurt her 12-year-old daughter, she came to realize, it shortchanged her capable staff. Trusting those around her to take on more responsibility allowed Shelley to not only spend more time with her family, but to grow those around her and project calm at school. When teachers saw Shelley more relaxed, they let out their collective breath. Kids got the message too and began to have more fun learning.
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