One Word: 2016

Last year I gave up resolutions and like many other educators adopted one word that would be my focus for the year. The word I chose and the blog post I wrote about was "INSPIRE". I really wanted to help inspire my students, teachers and staff and I had some help along the way. "Teach Like a Pirate" by Dave Burgess was a great way to start the school year off with an inspiring message for our whole staff on how to bring passion to our students each and every day. I was able to end 2015 by facilitating #MEMSPAchat on the topic of Inspiration thanks to my friend Mike Domagalski By focusing on "Inspiration" I was the beneficiary of being inspired by so many others throughout the year. Funny how what I wanted to provide to others came right back to me.

Choosing my one word for 2016 was not much of a challenge. I knew right away what my word and my focus would be for this year. My word for this year is "Gratitude". I can't put into one post how much gratitude I feel for those who I work with, collaborate with, and learn with. That's fine, because I plan on spending the year doing the best I can expressing how thankful I am to be in a profession where success means changing a child's life for the better and equipping them to fulfill their full potential.

From administrators who challenge my thinking, to teachers who are continually looking for ways to improve, to support staff who come to work everyday to make a difference, I am grateful. For the many educators that I've never met in person, but inspire me through their posts and support on Twitter. For leaders that I see once a year at conferences that share with me what great things they are doing and that can help me help students at our school. For authors like Carol Dweck (Mindset), George Couros (Innovator's Mindset), and Todd Whitaker (What Great Teachers/Principals do Differently) that inspire me with their work, I am grateful. I am a continuous work in progress, but the successes I've had in helping others in education are due to all the people who have inspired, supported, encouraged, and had patience with me. I plan on spending 2016 focusing on showing my gratitude toward those people and living the statement that education is a TEAM effort!

photo credit: miravalresorts.com

PEARLS OF WISDOM

"Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow." - Melody Beattie

"Gratitude is the fairest blossom which springs from the soul." - Henry Ward Beecher

"Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others." - Cicero

Carol Dweck "Developing a Growth Mindset" (9 minutes) 

UPCOMING EVENTS 

Wednesday, January 6: SOTM Assembly (Be Proactive) 3:00 pm
Thursday, January 7: Staff Meeting 8:00 am
                                Elementary Principals Meeting 1:00 pm
                                PTA Executive Meeting 5:30 pm (No general meeting)
Friday, January 8: Title I Principals Meeting 8:00 am
                            Skate Night at Riverside Arena 6:00-8:00 pm

Tuesday, January 12: PBS Committee 8:05 am
Thursday, January 14: Staff Meeting (wsg Chris Pinta) 8:00 am
                                  Sports Science Assembly 9:30 K-2 / 10:30 3rd&4th

Monday, January 18: No School for MLK Day
Thursday, January 21: Staff Meeting (wsg Bridget Regan) 8:00 am

Monday, January 25: Data Dives in LMC
Wednesday, January 27: Star Wars/Youth Making a Difference Assembly 3:00 pm
Friday, January 29: Teacher Work Day (Optional report day)

The Ghost of Christmas Past

I mentioned last year around this time that I have given a narrative reading of Charles Dickens', "A Christmas Carol" many times. One of the most striking things to me about the story is the development and gradual decline in the character of Scrooge.  As the Ghost of Christmas Past demonstrates to us, he was once a bright-eyed and kind-hearted child. The spirit takes us back to look at the hardships and struggles of his early life that eventually mold his character into the "squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous old sinner" of later days.  As an educator, I see many similarities between the conditions that Scrooge had as a child and conditions that many of our own struggling students may face today.

"There was an earthy smell in the air, a chilly bareness in the place, which associated itself somehow with too much getting up by candlelight and not enough to eat." As we know, many of our students come to us hungry and perhaps the food they get at our breakfast and lunch program is the most substantial meal they have for the day. It always makes me smile when I see a hungry child come to the office and see our our own Mrs. Hill take out a healthy snack from her "emergency drawer". Students who are worrying about their next meal have a hard time concentrating on the lesson of the day.

"'The school is not quite deserted', said the ghost, 'A solitary child, neglected by his friends is there still'. Scrooge said he knew it. And he sobbed." How many of our students face abandonment issues or have separation anxiety, because they don't know what they may return to when they get home each night? It makes me happy to see our staff and volunteers strive to make school a safe zone for students, where things are consistent, stable, and cheerful.  We can't control their home environment, but we can guarantee them a safe, happy, and productive day at school five days a week!

It's hard to have sympathy for Scrooge when we first meet him.  He's selfish, greedy, and "warning all human sympathy to keep it's distance". However, when we see him through the eyes of the Ghost of Christmas Past, we see him as he once was and with the potential to be a generous and decent human being. Do we see our students for who they are at the moment, or do we see them as what they can become?  That can be challenging for some of our students with behavior issues, but we need to look at the child apart from the behaviors and always strive to help them progress into who they can become and what they can achieve.

I often think that if Scrooge had someone who had intervened early in his life for the better, then perhaps he would not have needed a visit from Marley and the Christmas Ghosts. Luckily for our students, WE can be that positive intervention in their lives right now! We can make sure they are fed, that they are not forgotten, and can see them for who they can become. So this holiday season, let's remember our special role as educators and make a difference now, so the Ghost of Christmas Past will always hold joyous memories of learning for our students in the days to come!

photo credits: Walt Disney Studios 2009: A Christmas Carol

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! 

66 Days

After posting about my reflections on a year of growth and those that have supported me, it's fitting to follow up with a post about where I want to go for next year. Recently, I've been reading a lot of posts about new research that shows that contrary to popular belief, new habits are created in 66 days (not 30 days). I also attended a session at our Wayne RESA, where I was given a worksheet to help with this process. The form was called the 66 Day Challenge and it covered areas ranging from spiritual to personal to professional growth. The grid is open, so one can start on any day of the year and track their progress. It seemed like a great idea for the start of a school year or for resolutions for a new calendar year, but the important thing is to start!

Not long after receiving the 66 day challenge sheet, I heard a sermon where it was stated that anytime we take away a negative, we should add a positive. In other words, rather than just avoiding a vice we should also pursue a virtue. A health example would be in addition to eliminating soda, one would be more physically active. In family time one could eliminate TV time, but also add more family activities. It's clear to see that eliminating something can help you, but adding something can help both you and others.

There are many ways we can apply the 66 day challenge, but as an educator, I want to focus on ways that I can apply it to being the best principal I can be. So I'm accepting the challenge and taking the advice to add a positive and take away a negative in the school setting. When we return to school in 2016, I plan to make a positive phone call every day to a family. I already make phone calls for our Students of the Month, so why not increase those positives from a monthly to a daily basis? I also pledge to decrease my time in the office. My goal is to never be in the office for more than one hour at a time. I will be sure to leave the office and get into classrooms or greet students at the very least every hour. Taking away time from the office will help me both physically (get my steps in!) and mentally and adding the daily calls will bring happiness to my students and families. I'm hoping my 66 day challenge will help make me a more productive principal. What challenge are you willing to take on for 66 days?

PEARLS OF WISDOM

"It is easier to prevent bad habits than to break them." - Benjamin Franklin

"Creativity is a habit, and the best creativity is the result of good work habits." - Twyla Tharp

"Successful people are simply those with successful habits." - Brian Tracy

DEATH CRAWL VIDEO (6 Minutes)

UPCOMING EVENTS

Monday, December 14: Rotary Meeting (Wennstrom) 12:00-1:15 pm
                                     Board of Education Meeting 7:00 pm (All invited to support Andrea)
Tuesday, December 15: Holiday Sing-a-Long in the gym 3:05 pm
Wednesday, December 16: IEP Limberg/Nadon 8:20 am
                                          Santa Shop in Room 18
Thursday, December 17: Santa Shop in Room 18 (am only)
Friday, December 18: Joe' & Diane's Omelette Cafe open in the LMC 8:00 am

Monday, January 4: School Resumes
Wednesday, January 6: Student of the Month Assembly 3:00 pm (Be Proactive)
                                      Hearing Testing Make Ups in the Music Room
Thursday, January 7: Elementary Principal Meeting 1:00-4:30 pm
                                 PTA Meeting 6:30 pm
Friday, January 8: Skate Night at Riverside Arena 6:00-8:00 pm

Thursday, January 14: Sports Science Assembly K-2 9:30 am / 3&4 10:30 am

Monday, January 25: DATA DIVE (all day in the LMC)
Wednesday, January 27: YMAD Assembly 3:00 pm
Friday, January 29: No Students / Teacher Work Day (Optional Report Day)

Reflections

As I look back on 2015 (Wow, that sounds futuristic:), I realize how much I have grown from the support systems that surround me. Specifically, three support systems of professionals that have helped me grow and stretch my thinking.  The first group that has supported me and helped me grow professionally is the wonderful principal team that I work with. We meet formally every other week, but it's the informal meetings and sharing of ideas that has helped me as a school leader. Being able to call a colleague and share an issue or ask for advice on a topic is extremely beneficial. I also feel like my principal group are colleagues and not competitors. We share ideas, give honest feedback, and even disagree from time to time on issues, but always do so respectfully and with the intent of helping each other help students. I'm inspired by my colleagues in Livonia and always appreciate the support they give.

The second support system that has helped me grow as a professional is MEMSPA (Michigan Elementary and Middle School Principal Association). I have been a part of this amazing organization on and off for over 13 years. While I've always benefited from the amazing educators in this group, it's only been recently that I've started to "give back" a little. Last year was the first time I presented at a conference and this year I am serving on the board. To be honest, my "giving back" has helped me grow as a professional by pushing me to do more and trying to emulate some of the inspirational leaders that I get to work with. From the weekly twitter chat of #MEMSPAchat to the annual winter conference and the summer leadership institute, I have gained new ideas, made new connections, and most importantly learned how to be a better educational leader.

Finally, I have to recognize my Twitter PLN (Professional Learning Network). It's hard to put into words how much I have learned, how much I have been inspired, and how much I have grown from the educational leaders I have connected with on Twitter. From the #CompelledTribe blogging group that pushes me to write and reflect and more importantly read the reflections of others, to thought provoking twitter chats like #TLAP (Teach Like a Pirate) #COLchat (Culture of Learning) #EDbeat and others, to those ed leaders who inspire me with their words of wisdom and innovative ideas. It's amazing to me that on a weekly basis I can connect with the best and brightest educators from around the world. What an exciting time to be an educator!

With our busy schedules, it can be hard to find the time to reflect on a school year. However, it can be so beneficial to see where we've come from and to determine where we want to go. When I look back on 2015, I am overwhelmed with a feeling of gratitude toward those educators that I work with in my district, the leaders that I learn from in MEMSPA, and the educational heroes that I connect with on Twitter. Education is a team sport and together we can help all children succeed!

photo credit: City of Chicago

PEARLS OF WISDOM

"The real man smiles in trouble, gathers strength from distress, and grows brave by reflection." - Thomas Paine

"Education begins the gentleman, but reading, good company and reflection must finish him." - John Locke

"Follow effective action with quiet reflection. From the quiet reflection will come even more effective action." - Peter Drucker

"Reflection" - from the movie Mulan (3 minutes)

UPCOMING EVENTS

Monday, December 7: Window opens for Gallop Style Poll Grades 2-4
                                     Classrooms choose poster contest winners (Be Proactive)
                                     District Administrative Professional Development 8:00-11:30 am
Tuesday, December 8: PBS Committee 8:05 am
Wednesday, December 9: 504 Meeting Limberg/Boggs 8:20 am
                                        District Furniture Committee (Jon) at Central Office 1:00 pm
Thursday, December 10: No Staff Meeting
                                        Climate Goal Focus Group #1 at Board Room 8:20-10:45 am (Jon)
                                        Elementary Principal Meeting 1:00-4:30 pm
Friday, December 11: Winner of Poster Contest announced! (Be Proactive)

Tuesday, December 14: Christmas Carols in the Gym 3:00 pm 
Wednesday, December 16: Santa Secret Shop in Room 18
Thursday, December 17: Santa Secret Shop in Room 18
                                         Lunch in Classrooms
Friday, December 18: Staff Breakfast hosted by Joe & Diane in the Library 8:00 am
                                    Window closes for Gallop Style Poll Grades 2-4
                                     Skate Night at Riverside Arena 6:00-8:00 pm