G-Town Talks

Today was a superintendent’s conference day and our entire faculty focused on literacy. It was our privilege to welcome Melvina Phillips, who authored the book, Creating a Culture of Literacy, for the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) , as our teacher today.

We talked about literacy across the content areas and focused on literacy strategies that content area teachers can employ immediately. Melvina taught the strategies to us through modeling and practice. I walked away with several strategies I know will help our students in the classroom.

I gave every teacher an exit ticket out the door on which they could reflect on something they learned, something they needed to successfully implement, something that worries them or affects them from today’s learning, and anything else they needed us to know.

It was interesting how many of our teachers expressed concern about two major points. One, they worry that our administration won’t see it through and two, that their colleagues won’t participate.

I learned clearly today that it’s my role as the principal to help teach strategies by providing peer coaching time and staff development, to allow opportunities to practice, and then to encourage (read: require) all teachers to help our students by applying these literacy strategies in the classroom. Regularly. Melvina said that all students need the opportunity to read, listen, write, discuss, and investigate in every lesson. It’s my job to help teachers learn and practice, then expect it to be done, regularly and well.

The fact that so many teachers were worried about their colleagues didn’t really surprise me. But if I don’t move forward and set high expectations for all faculty because of those teachers who don’t want to learn, to change, to make things better for our students, then I’m just leading to the least common denominator. Just like teachers who expect little of themselves and their students because of those kids who aren’t motivated and won’t work.

I’m a better leader than that, I refuse to allow those teachers firmly entrenched in status quo to dictate what happens for our kids. I expect our teachers to do better than that and I expect more from myself. For all of the wonderful teachers in our building who were willing to LEARN what Melvina taught today, I won’t let you down.

Our superintendent’s conference days were yesterday and today. Yesterday, Superintendent Rinaldi put together a panel of law enforcement experts, along with school personnel and counselors. Our entire district staff was in attendance for discussion about keeping our students safe, what law enforcement has learned about school shootings and how to respond, and what can we do better as a district.

The conversations were meaningful, the expert advice prudent and right on the money, and the staff feedback helpful. The message that I kept getting was that prevention will be much more effective than anything we can do should someone enter our school.

I’m not talking about metal detectors, armed guards, and security cameras. I’m talking about the one-to-one knowledge of every student. The concerted efforts to connect every kid with some adult in the building. A teacher, staff member, SRO, counselor, coach, bus driver, cafeteria worker, or principal. Helping our students to feel so comfortable and valued in our building that they share the responsibility of safety.

Parents, students and teachers talk to us every day about concerns. The follow through is just as important. And if the problem isn’t remedied when we’ve addressed it, that’s when we really need to hear back from parents, students, and teachers again. No one should ever think, “I told the principal and nothing happened.” Most likely something did happen and we assume the problem’s been taken care of unless we hear back from school community members again.

I hope the message is clear that communication and caring overwhelmingly trump metal detectors and armed guards. Anyone who thinks an SRO (school resource officer) alone can take care of school safety is wrong. It’s every member of the school community’s responsibility. We have to work together so that every child is noticed, supported, and safe.

Our physical education teachers worked with a staff development specialist from BOCES, Theresa Grey, on wikis, blogs, and YouTube today. They were excited about learning, engaged, and working together to figure out ways to use the technology. They developed a wiki together and overcame any technology snafus that came their way. I can imagine them using this for their own learning, to improve lesson planning, and with our students.

I’m most proud of their department leader, Amy Cassidy, for being the kind of leader who pushed me to teach them something new. It’s already a cracker jack department with fantastic participation rates and wonderful instruction. Encore subjects too often get left out in staff development and I’m delighted that Theresa offered them meaningful instruction that was all about their own learning, in their content. I’m hoping Theresa links in a comment to this post so that we can see what our physical education teachers created today (hint, hint). Thanks for being great learners.