G-Town Talks

I don’t know who the presenters were at the workshop my superintendent attended today, but based on his recent comment to this blog, they did one heck of a job. Thank you!

And Scott, he’s planning on taking you up on your offer to help start his blog–maybe we’ll even get Mr. Rinaldi as a contributor to LeaderTalk.

I’m posting his comment here so that it doesn’t get lost on the blog.

1. Charles Rinaldi:
   May 31st, 2007 @ 3:19 pm

I am the superintendent Kim Moritz “called out” for failing to blog. At this very moment I am in a room with two dozen other area supers learning about the ever-expanding potential for technology learning tools.

As I sat through the morning sessions I began to realize that I may be an impediment to progress. Due to my worries for student safety, I have refused to unblock and unfilter access to net resources. Due to my reticence, I have failed to invite comments and communicate our message and mission to a wider blog audience. Because I don’t know how to use a wiki, I have failed to promote the use in our high schools.

We have all heard the old saying; “lead, follow or get out of the way.” Well, it is time for me to do all three. I will lead where I am competent, follow when I need to learn and get out of the way when someone has a good idea. To all of those who wrote to support the notion of a super’s blog, please accept my note of thanks. Consider the “calling out” by Moritz effective. I will commit to initiating a blog as soon as next week.

Like Kim, Gowanda needs an advocate who can share the good news that is G-Town.

And to the NYS Regent who this morning denigrated low peforming schools on the local radio, I invite you to visit our schools and see for yourself that it is possible to be 91st and still do right by children. 

I’m warning readers right up front that this is not going to be a positive post. I’ve struggled with how to post about this topic, I’ve avoided it, but it’s all that’s on my mind this week. It’s much of what’s on most administrators’ minds, if they’ll admit it or not.

Business First ranks the school districts in 8 counties, then the individual schools. I haven’t even seen the high school ranking yet, but history will show me I’ve no reason for optimism. That and the fact that our district fell overall doesn’t indicate I’ll have much reason to celebrate.

I was up this morning at 4:30 checking the stinking website to see if the high school rankings were out there. They only give partial information in the on-line reports prior to Friday’s publication, and that’s not the bottom 20 where we’ll most likely sit, it’s the top 20. I’ve no idea what our “number” is, our ranking. As they say, “it ain’t gonna be pretty.”

Please don’t post a comment telling me that it’s skewed or based on socio-economic status. Don’t tell me it doesn’t matter. Please. I’m not comparing us to Williamsville. I’m comparing us to other similar schools and we’re still falling short.

I’m frustrated, ticked off, exasperated, disappointed, and NOT in a positive frame of mind about this ranking. This feels like the ultimate judgment of everything we do and it really fries me. I KNOW we are doing tremendous things in G-Town, I’m not delusional or full of political crap. I live G-Town, all day, every day, 10-12 hours per day. I KNOW what kind of effort is going into our curriculum and instruction, into our kids.

I literally cannot think of one thing that I’ve asked our faculty, staff, or students to do that they’ve not done. And I’m an idea girl, I read and research while others are watching CSI. I hold full responsibility for our building. We have made significant improvements, and yes Jennifer, I remember that many either haven’t been in action long enough or even yet, but when will we see the results? Readers will just have to take my word on the improvements or read through my posts on this blog for the detail.

I want every educator, in every district ranked above ours, to stop and realize that you are welcome to come and visit any time you like, I’ll take any suggestion that makes sense for our kids, we work as hard or harder than any one of you, and we have a rock solid school. Don’t you dare judge us based on a Business First ranking until you’ve come here and walked in our shoes. And don’t even consider judging my kids as less than yours. Not for one moment. At least not to me.

You cannot imagine what it feels like to work this hard and make such little progress. And don’t give me any cliches about working smarter or anything like it.

I promise to be back as G-Town’s #1 cheerleader tomorrow, but for today, read how this part of it honestly feels too.

Terrific play-off baseball game at Fredonia yesterday–both teams playing well with Gowanda winning it in the tenth.

It was exciting to watch our kids play with spirit, dedication and determination. Heart. In my opinion, much more important than any skill. Our team yesterday had it. Our coaches have developed a team who wants it and they have the abilities to get there. I’m really looking forward to a repeat performance on Thursday.

For me, the very best part of winning a contest is the emotion at the end. I love the crowd reaction, the pride in our kids, the parents who never miss a game and the joy they feel when their kids do well.

Let’s do it again, all the way, Panthers!

I recently attended a planning session at our local BOCES for alternative education. I was invited by the Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction. She had challenged her alternative ed principal, faculty and staff to create a new program. They were given model programs to consider and evaluate and then began the arduous task of deciding what is needed and where they’re headed.

Enter me, the suit in the room. The person no one really knows and who none have a reason to trust. Now the Asst. Supt. knew why I was there and regular readers of G-Town will understand. I’m passionate about the fact that we need another way for about 20-25 G-Town students, those who are dropping out. I went because I have an intense desire to design a program that will work for our students and/or become involved in one that’s happening elsewhere.

I was invited to participate but quickly realized that my involvement was not helpful. I was reminded through this experience that trust has to be built. My school community knows they can trust what I say and that trust empowers me to say what I think, to plan, to envision our future. This community of educators had no reason to trust me.

I wish they could have trusted me when I said, “I’m here because I’m excited about what you’re creating, I need this for some of my students, and I appreciate the hard work you already do in alternative education with the students for whom public school doesn’t work.” I remembered again that it takes time to build credibility and trust, it’s not given away easily.

So for the record, I can’t wait to see what the BOCES alternative education experts create. I hope it’s different from what’s already not working with this group of kids and offers a real option to dropping out. I’m very glad that there is a leadership initiative to head down this road and I trust you to make it happen.

I woke up this morning sick, tried to get ready for work, and wound up staying home sleeping the day away. This happens to me rarely, maybe once or twice per year. I’m feeling better now and thought I’d log on to read all of my email from school for the day.

I realize how terrific it is to have a great team in G-Town. I don’t feel worried that things went wrong without me there today because I have a team who I can count on. I know, unequivocably, that our main office and guidance staff would have handled anything that came along.

Without a doubt, our Dean of Students and Guidance Director will have handled any student, teacher or parent concerns. And our secretaries running the main office will have either answered questions and problem solved themselves or funneled anyone who needed anything to the right place.

It’s an effective and pleasant place to work where everyone has a stake in our success. Staying home today reminded me how much I count on all of you. Thank you for doing the job and much more, every single day in G-Town.

About a month ago, I did an informal survey of readers of G-Town Talks. An unprecedented number of you responded, 68 readers in total. I’m just finding the time to look at who and where you are, and what you do for a living.

Readers who responded hail from 19 states and 3 countries, including Canada, Africa, Israel, Arizona, Minnesota, New Jersey, Washington, Michigan, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon, Montana, Virginia, Texas, California, Illinois, Florida, North Carolina, Arkansas, Wyoming, and Virginia.

Twenty three respondents are from our school district to include 11 teachers, 2 BOE members, 8 parents, 2 students, 4 support staff, and 2 alumni(sometimes readers fill dual roles). Other Western New York educators include 2 superintendents, 2 principals, 2 tech support, and 3 BOCES staff developers. Across the world we are principals, administrative interns, teachers, college faculty, superintendents, librarians, tech support personnel, researchers, and HR managers. And for the record, my mom, brother, daughter, and husband.

What does this tell me? That we’re all interested in education, many specifically in G-Town. That’s hardly a surprise. There’s a reason that I’m not reading blogs on when the trout run.

Just thought I should come back to the “experiment” and report out to you. See that’s what happens with readers, I now feel a responsibility to you. To keep writing, to share honestly, to get my word into your ear, to provoke your thinking, and in some cases, to try to influence your thinking.

If you commented, thank you. Makes me feel like we’re in this together. And that’s part of it too, isn’t it?

The Buffalo News has a story in today’s Sunday newspaper showing the NYS Report card for Erie and Niagara high schools. While our elementary school is in Erie County, our high school is in Cattaraugus County, so we’re not included in the report.

How does Gowanda stack up? The News reports passing rates (at 65%) and excelling rates (at 85% and above) for five Regents exams.

For 2006 in English, GHS is at 81% passing, 20% excelling (better known as mastery level) an increase from 2005 at 68% passing, 13% excelling. On the Math A Regents, 85% passing, 21% excelling; up from 2005 with 83% passing, 13% excelling. On US History, 89% passing, 43% excelling, up from 2005 with 76% passing, 30% excelling. On Global History, 70% passing, 17% excelling, up from 2005 with 59% passing, 16% excelling. And Biology, 78% passing, 10% excelling, down from 2005 with 85% passing, 19% excelling.

While we do not have the results of many of our Erie and Niagara county neighbors, when looking at our year to year improvement, it’s obvious that we’re getting there. On seven of nine Regents exams in 2006, we show strong improvement over 2005 results.

When compared to our other neighboring contract districts of Lake Shore, Silver Creek, and Salamanca, on many measures, we are doing as well as or better, depending on the exam and the school. Our mastery levels, or excelling, must continue to improve. Our friends in Silver Creek knock it out of the park in this area, with excelling/mastery levels ranging from 33% to 64%. Still, when compared against our previous year’s data, we are showing gains here. 

Salamanca, who’s population is nearest ours, struggles with the same problems showing passing rates of 81% on English, with 33% excelling; on Math A passing 68% with 12% excelling; on US History passing 73% with 36% excelling; on Global History passing 52% with 16% excelling, and on Biology passing 64% with 7% excelling.  

For G-Town readers who, like me, wondered where we fall in this school to school comparison, this post should provide the information you need. For G-Town teachers, parents and students, I’m learning that improvement and achievement gains take time. Our Regents results show evidence of your strong work and efforts to bring success to all Gowanda students. Thank you–I look forward to June, when we expect our best results yet.

Okay gentlemen, I’m pretty sure that Kelly, Chris, and Brian have all tagged me in a meme within the last couple of insane weeks. I’m not sure I have an exclusive on the 7 Secrets to Success meme, but lately, I’ve been thinking the secret to success lies in being genuine, a bona fide original, whatever that might be.

For most of my teenage and adult life I’ve been trying to correct some behaviors that have suddenly seemed much more like assets than liabilities. Every time I’ve ever written down goals over my entire life time, there’s been something in there about keeping quiet, not speaking my mind all of the time, being less direct, more subtle. Keeping my mouth shut. 

It’s as if, at 43, all of the things I’ve been trying to fix about myself are suddenly the things that get noticed, in a positive way. Who knew?

To this day, I’ll enter a meeting, like the Regional Forum on Native American drop out rates this week, and I’ll swear to myself that I’m going to keep quiet, play it safe, listen, let others take the lead. I don’t think I’ve ever lasted more than twenty minutes. Honestly. Impossible.

I’ve endeavored to be “more professional” like other administrators, tried to be more of a “suit”. I’ve worried that I’ll never make a good superintendent because I’ll never be able to play the political game.

So 7 Secrets to Success for me? I guess just being myself, finding a great fit, and getting old enough that the smart mouth I had as a teenager has developed into what’s now termed a strong voice. Nice.

And the productivity meme? I have the most kick butt secretary in the world who’s really my partner, she’s the secret to my productivity. Sue and my compulsion to clear my desk, my emails and my voice mails before leaving every day. Starting the next day fresh is the only way I can keep my brain clear–that’s how I stay productive. And blogging, getting thoughts onto this blog and out of my head. And forget the random facts meme, I’ve got too much going on to even fathom that one. Maybe in July, when I’m more productive. 

May is the most unbelievable month (have I written that in other months?) because of a number of end of the year events, along with planning for next year, and the added pressure of getting all 125 seniors to graduation, with 38 facing some additional challenge and some who are melting down under the pressure that they feel even more than we do.

I literally spend all of my time thinking about what we do every day, researching ideas and programs, and looking at alternatives. Today, in a day so busy I could barely complete an idea in a full sentence, two of our counselors and I talked about alternatives for kids including a vision that we came to term “night school”. Not the same as our “day” school, but a significantly different idea of credits and requirements and time and preparation for the Regents exams.

But the purpose of this post is really to talk about those counselors, Beth and Jennifer. And my superintendent. And my colleague at Silver Creek, David. And the Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction at BOCES, Colleen. And the Assistant Superintendent from Niagara Wheatfield, Bob,  whom I met yesterday and who emailed me today. And the encouraging readers of G-Town who take the time to comment.

I want to take a moment to recognize how absolutely vital these people are in my life. As I seek out information as answers, as I try out ideas, as I problem solve and dream, I positively need these people in my professional life to think through ideas with, to offer encouragement, but most of all, to entertain the ideas with me. To walk down the path, to think and listen and learn and discuss. To imagine the possibilities.

There is enough discussion of the barriers, of the reasons why the system is the way it is, of the desire to stay in the status quo, that I am immeasurably grateful for everyone who is willing to step off the ideological ledge with me and at least ask the questions about why we do things the way we do and how they can be better. Thank you, colleagues, for the connections and the discussions, for not saying “no, it can’t be done”. You energize me with your efforts.

What if all of our efforts in the area of school improvement only make things better for the kids who would have stayed with us anyway? Maybe our mastery level of 85-100 is improving while our drop out rate remains consistent because we just keep doing what already doesn’t work for our drop outs, only we’re doing it better?

I’m serious. We’ve made improvements in G-Town. Maybe none of them changed anything for our drop-outs.