Two Banker Boxes and the Student Who Changed Everything
Back-to-school season often comes with a mix of excitement and overwhelm. For Elizabeth Orme, founder and CEO of Creatively Focused, her very first year as a special education director began with two banker boxes arriving on her desk just three days before school started.
Inside was the file of a student she hadn’t even known was enrolling: a student who was blind with multiple disabilities, supported by sixteen providers (four of whom had just retired).
What followed was a whirlwind of paperwork chaos, late-night phone calls, and tapping into every possible connection for help. But the real turning point didn’t come from the files, it came from meeting the student herself.
The Chaos Before the First Day
Elizabeth immediately called her coordinator, Shannon, into the conference room. They started sorting through the paperwork, only to find dates that didn’t line up, multiple school moves, and missing medical documentation.
With sixteen providers listed on the service team (and four already retired) Elizabeth and Shannon looked at each other and had the same thought: “Three days?!”
It was one of those moments every education leader knows too well: when chaos lands in your lap and you’re expected to figure it out, ready or not.
When the Network Kicked In
Instead of panicking, Elizabeth and Shannon started calling. Retired providers, colleagues, anyone who might be able to help.
Two of the retired providers never responded. But two others were thrilled to hear from her. They had been worried about the student’s transition and jumped in to help. One even said: “You know what? I’ll come back for a month until you find someone consistent.”
From retirement. For this kid.
Meanwhile, Elizabeth reached out to her network of director colleagues, asking for guidance and pulling every favor she could. That was when it hit her: leadership isn’t about knowing all the answers—it’s about knowing who to call when you don’t.
The Meeting That Changed Everything
After the scramble to line up services, Elizabeth knew she needed to meet the student herself. Because the truth is, paperwork only tells part of the story.
When the student and her family visited the school, everything shifted. She walked in with a huge smile, cracking jokes within minutes and lighting up the entire room. Her humor was infectious, her confidence undeniable.
Whenever someone mentioned something that might be a challenge, she simply responded: “Well, I want to do it, so how will we make it work?”
Not can we. Not is it possible. But how.
That simple question transformed everything. Elizabeth went from feeling overwhelmed and defeated to determined and inspired.
The Student Who Changed a School
This student wasn’t just resilient, she was magnetic. She could tell which administrator was coming down the hall by the sound of their lanyard. Her laugh drew other kids to her, and her confidence challenged adults to think differently about inclusion.
She taught her school, and her leaders, what it means to be brave, to lean into joy, and to define access not as “if” but “how.”
What started as a nightmare scenario turned into one of the most important lessons of Elizabeth’s career: Sometimes our biggest September surprises become our greatest gifts to the school community.
The Lesson for Leaders
The paperwork chaos, the scrambling, the “are you kidding me right now” moments… they’re real. But so is the joy of seeing students thrive when we figure out how to make it work.
And that’s the truth of September in education. Survival matters. Persistence matters. And even in the chaos, the students notice how you show up.