Dr. Michele Darby Email & Phone Number

“It Matters to This One” That’s the moral of The Star Thrower, by Loren Elseley. Essentially, a man sees a boy throwing starfish back into the ocean, one by one. The man asks the child “Why are you wasting your time? There are so many starfish that throwing one back into the ocean doesn’t not matter”. The child responds, “It matters to this one.” My professional and personal philosophy is centered on the concept that everything we do to improve the life of a child matters to that child and could change the course of their lives and future generations. Working in education for almost 25 years has taught me that the core essence of what we do is build solid relationships with our students (and hopefully their families) to educate the WHOLE CHILD – academically and social emotionally. My career as a teacher, assistant principal and principal led me to Westchester Department of Corrections where I experienced some of the most impactful professional relationships and growth, as Principal of a high school in a correctional facility. It was here that I learned how one person can make or break a student through their actions. By leading with passion, respect, and dignity, my staff and I changed the trajectory of the lives of many incarcerated youth. By showing them the love, care and expectations that they may have missed, they learned that school can be a safe space where one can grow, despite their external circumstances. It was in a correctional facility that I found freedom and was able to share it with my kids. Now I am using my voice, platform and commitment to change to teach and lead not only the students, but their parents, their schools and officials. Because it matters to ONE!

Listed skills include Leadership, Writing, Team Building, Public Speaking, and 15 others.