Tag Archives: School management

Superintendent’s Blog

Date
Posted by
Comments10

I realized last night at the Public Hearing for the 2007-2008 budget, that there’s some confusion about budget matters within our community. Probably in most communities. Topics that people need to hear more than once to really understand. Things like the library increase that’s tied to our public vote being confused with coming from school taxes. And the idea that things happen at the Board level behind closed doors, when in fact they’re happening at the workshop meetings just prior to the Board meeting and that all sessions are open to the public. Or the outlandish idea that the increase in aid coming from the Governor which understandably increases the budget (even though there’s a less than zero increase to taxes for our taxpayers) might be a bad thing. Who would possibly consider NOT using the increase planned for us to make things more equitable and hopefully, more assuredly, increasing the quality of our education and therefore, our results? And the taxpayer who says that one $48,000 item like an SRO returning to the school could be considered a deal breaker for members of our community.

Seems to me we need a superintendent’s blog. One that can answer each of these questions in a separate, easy to understand post. This would be great PR and a way for the superintendent to get the facts out. I don’t know anyone better to do this than our own superintendent. He’s the guy who explains everything about school finance to me. It’s his thing. He’s good at it. He’s also a good teacher, especially when it comes to these topics.

So yeah, you’re reading it right. I’m calling him out. This community of readers needs that information. After all, that’s largely why we read, because we’re a community of learners who want to understand. Superintendent of G-Town, this is your opportunity, we need your voice here.

Teacher Appreciation Day

Date
Posted by
Comments2

Just want to take a moment to thank every teacher in G-Town for the tremendous effort you put forth each and every day. Here’s what I appreciate most:

your creativity, passion for kids and for your subject, energy, willingness to just make it happen, excitement and enthusiasm, quiet hard work, child advocacy, dedication to our success, sense of humor, ability to overlook or forgive my shortcomings as your leader, and your spirit of adventure.

On behalf of the other parents, our community and our students, thank you for making it happen here in G-Town. It’s a privilege and a pleasure to work with you.

And for every other G-Town reader who’s a teacher out there, getting the job done, in case no one else says it, thank you.

Positive Energy

Date
Posted by
Comments2

So about fifteen minutes after my arrival today, a colleague saw me about an issue on which he was clearly unhappy. Normally, I may have reacted to him differently, but today I just looked at him and thought “how unfortunate that he’s this upset.” I didn’t take in any of his negative energy, didn’t react, just calmly answered his questions.

I really wish I could manage from that perspective 100% of the time. My “business” is working with people who come with as many different attitudes, issues, and emotions as there are minutes in the day. It felt really great to maintain my own energy and attitude without taking in any of his.  I found that I was refreshingly calm, cool, and collected.

This was a great reminder that everyone needs a little time away to gain perspective. Coming back from a ten day student tour, I know it was a success because I feel ready to handle anything that comes my way. I’m reminded that this is the perfect job for me, and most important, that spending real time with our students (as I got to on this trip) is the secret to my own happiness and success.

Potential New Hires

Date
Posted by
Comments4

I spent this evening at a local university speaking with graduate students in education on the topic of the Gay Straight Alliance (GSA) at Gowanda. I had the privilege of joining Marvin L. Henchbarger, Executive Director of the Gay & Lesbian Youth Services of Western New York.

Readers may remember earlier posts on G-Town Talks about the evolution of this group, and more specifically, the evolution of my thoughts on the subject. Some might say it’s curious that I spoke with any authority on this topic when a few short months ago I was saying “I’m not sure what we’re going to do, but here’s a way that our students say they need us.” Marvin and I presented our ideas, we answered a few questions, and we talked to students at the end of the session.

What struck me tonight was the importance of the subject versus the relevance to the audience. I’m remembering Will Richardson’s recent post,The Next Generation of Teachers,  that generated a terrific comment conversation concerning graduate students and the hope that they’ll take the lead with technology. As Marvin and I shared our experiences and thoughts on the GSA, I kept looking at our audience and thinking “they just want to get jobs, they’re not worried about the GSA or the use of technology or taking any risks. These kids just want to get hired somewhere and earn a living and they don’t want to do anything to screw that up.”

Again, I go back to the model of a teacher that we all have in our minds. I’m more convinced than ever that teaching requires risk takers, people with passion about something outside of the classroom, like their hockey team, the band they’ve been playing in for years, or fish. Teachers who want to challenge thinking in their students, who want them to think deeply. Teachers who ask hard questions and better yet, help students find the answers to questions none in the room can answer.

I just heard a collective gasp. What’s she thinking? Risk takers, challenging thinking? What if these new hires push kids to think differently than we do? What if they disagree? What if they find an answer that differs from mine? What if they’re inappropriate? And for my friends to the very near north, what if they do something just plain wrong? What if they lead kids astray, in the wrong direction?

Who decided what the right direction was anyway? 

A few questions came, more out of kindness to the speakers than anything else. One young man, an English teacher in the making, asked what to do as the student teacher, in the cooperating teacher’s classroom, to stop “hurt comments”. I told him to step up, take the initiative, develop a presence, tell them you won’t have them talking like that on your watch. Others suggested he play it safe, don’t make waves. I understand why this was suggested, I truly do, but I still hate it. I just heard the collective gasp give way to the sound of those new teachers falling into line.

So there I stood in a room full of potential hires, waiting for the questions, the curiosity, the initiative, the spark. Those who didn’t have it need not apply in G-Town, because that’s what I’m hiring. Those who only want to play it safe, to keep their heads down, to do things the same way we’ve done them for the past 100 years, apply elsewhere. The teachers I have in G-Town are as willing as I’ve ever seen to at least “give it a go”, I can’t afford to hire new teachers who say “leave me in the status quo”.

Faculty Meeting Excitement, “Not”

Date
Posted by
Comments4

Why is it that my teachers say so little at our faculty meetings? I try to keep them to 30 minutes max and limit agenda items to discussion items, taking care of the smaller, informational items via email.

Today’s agenda had what I thought were some pretty hefty items: 

  1. Student Presentation on suggested alternatives to “That’s so gay!”, an expression used too often in our classrooms which teachers can help stop.
  2. Proposed New Summer School 2007
  3. Additional School Improvement Initiatives as decided at a recent School Retreat
  4. Proposed New Bell Schedule
  5. Schedule/Personnel changes to include additional sections of Social Studies
  6. Blocking Science/English Class for 2007-2008
  7. Review of New Cell Phone Procedure
  8. Attendance  Improvements
  9. Signs Need Prior Approval
  10. Do we want to use a student agenda pass system?

I thought there were some significant changes there, a new bell schedule, adding summer school, blocking two subjects. Still, very little discussion other than about 8% of the faculty. Why? Is it because they don’t think I’ll consider what they have to say? Because I’m so boring there’s music playing in their heads and they only hear ‘wah, wah, wah, wah, wah”? Because it’s too intimidating to speak in front of their colleagues or to me? Is it because I work hard to meet with individuals affected by changes prior to general meetings like this one?

Or is it because the more teachers have to say, the longer it will be before they can get out of there and go home? I really care what they have to say, but feel that urgency from them to take off. I wonder how I can better initiate conversation–which is two way, not just me disseminating information, but which will take much longer.

I Love My School

Date
Posted by
Comments6

We had a substitute teacher yesterday who taught here for many years, but retired prior to my principalship. She hasn’t really substitute taught in our high school since my arrival. Shortly after homeroom I saw her and she said, “that young man over there has an ipod on.” My reply, “I know, we allow students to listen to their ipods in the hallways and ask that they remove them in the classroom.” Retired teacher, “and another young man was walking around with a full cup of coffee in my homeroom!” At this I just smiled and nodded my head, but was thinking “yes, I allow that too” as I held my own cup of coffee. It occurred to me that she probably thinks the inmates are running the asylum.

I should have told her that our daily average attendance rate has increased every year during my three years with rates in 2004 of 89.01% as compared to 92.43% in December and in 2004 January of 90.39% as compared to 92.77% this January.

I should have told her that we haven’t had a fight in our school that I can remember, certainly not this school year and that our ISS/OSS numbers have decreased significantly. I should have told her how the climate has changed, we respect our students instead of expecting the worst of them and that this is the reason for our increases. I should have shown her how we’re keeping more students in school for the fifth year instead of losing them to drop outs and how we’re increasing on the Regents results. I should have talked about our honors classes and JCC college credits.

Instead, I turned to talk to a student. And if the student was carrying an ipod or a cup of coffee, at least we were talking. I love this place.

Idle Threats

Date
Posted by
Comments7

There’s been a lot of conversation centering on Governor Spitzer’s “Contract for Excellence” wherein superintendents, boards, and principals will be held accountable for taking action and raising student achievement. But only if you’re a school that’s deemed needy financially, as compared to “successful” schools, to warrant an increase in foundation aid of at least 10%. We are and we do.

Does the governor’s office, or the public in general really think I’m not accountable now? I’m a public school administrator. Here’s who I’m currently held accountable by:

  1. 467 students
  2. 467+ parents and guardians
  3. 60 teachers
  4. 2 union presidents
  5. 20 support staff personnel
  6. 1 superintendent
  7. 1 business official
  8. 7 Board of Education members
  9. 2500 community members and taxpayers
  10. 3 administrative colleagues
  11. 3 members of my own family
  12. 1 me.

And the governor and his accountability through the contract for excellence are supposed to worry me? Two thoughts: if someone, including an official at State Ed has a good idea that will help my school improve, bring it on and I’ll give it a try,  no “contract for excellence” necessary AND if anyone wants to remove me because I neither get every student to attend school every day, pass every Regents exam with a 65% nor graduate, they darn sure better have someone better to replace me.

Why? Because this is my school district, where I live, shop, pay taxes, and educate my children. I don’t need the threat of removal to do my job nor do I find it motivational. This contract assumes the worst of me and I resent it.

G-Town Talks Blog Policy #001

Date
Posted by
Comments3

Our G-Town students have recently weighed in on this principal’s blog in a big way. Anyone following a post from January entitled “Cheating or Initiative”, has seen the large number of comments generated by our students. It’s been a great learning experience for me and is probably one that would send many principals running. However, through disagreement there’s a lot to be learned. If I didn’t keep the blog, I’m not sure students would have expressed their opinions and I would be left thinking everything was resolved when, for some, it just wasn’t.

As I work hard to be a principal who is approachable, who investigates and listens, one of the things I always remember is that sometimes things that don’t seem like a big deal to me are a very big deal to someone else. It’s important for me to respect and honor each and every student. Oftentimes the decisions I must make don’t please everyone, sometimes they seem to please no one. Because of this blog, students were able to express themselves in a way that allowed for further conversation. That’s important to me.

Here’s one thing I learned though. Sometimes people will say things anonymously, on-line that they would never say in person. And while it may be okay for other blogs, or chat rooms, or message boards, it’s not okay for me. So here’s my first official “Blog Policy”. For me, on this blog, as a public high school principal, it’s important to own what you say. If you want to post a comment, I welcome it, agree or disagree. But if you write, please step up, attach your name to your words, and own your ideas. After all, that’s what I’m doing every time I write here so I’m not asking you to do anything I wouldn’t do. And if you can’t say it on-line, openly, then come and see me, call me, send me an email. I am always interested in what you have to say.

G-Town Talks Blog Policy #001: “Kimberly Moritz, Author of G-Town Talks, recognizing the importance of discussion, differing points of view, and a fair exchange of ideas, believes everyone deserves an equal opportunity to post comments to this blog. Therefore, all will be provided the opportunity to post a comment provided they register their name and email address. Anyone who chooses to post anonymously will not have the comment allowed on the blog.”

Leadership MEME

Date
Posted by
Comments6

Cripe. Miguel Guhlin tagged me in a meme. This one is “What are seven qualities we don’t know about you that help you be a leader?” This meme thing makes me crazy. I see the tag, I think “wow, isn’t that nice that he thought to tag ME?”, next I think, “cripe, what am I going to write?” Okay Miguel, here goes. And for any readers who know me personally, if I’m at all delusional here, call me out on it, would you please?

1. I’m a good sport. I’ll play along, like this meme, even if I’d rather not, even if I’m out of my comfort zone. I’ll try.

2. I’m not always the smartest person in the room. The person who thinks she’s the smartest person in the room is seldom a good leader.

3. I’m very curious. Because I know I’m not the smartest person in the room, I’m not afraid to ask you questions.

4. I need a lot of information. In the “True Colors” test, I’m extremely green. Once I know we’ve asked all of the questions, given careful consideration to an idea, I can accept “no” for an answer. But only after careful consideration, research, and proof. Consequently, if you want a “yes” from me, show me you’ve done your homework. Well.

5. Guts. I’m not lacking any.

6. Love. I’m not lacking any of that either. Especially for kids.

7. Some say “it’s good like this, why mess with it?” I say, “it’s good like this, how can we make it better?“

And now my tags to seven other leaders, administrators, or directors, as Miguel suggested. These are seven of the twelve blog authors who I read each and every time they write.

1. Lisa R. at HR Thoughts

2. Chris Lehmann at Practical Theory

3. Christian Long at think:lab

4. Neil Rochelle at changing high schools

5. Pat Aroune at Educational Change

6. Rick Scheibner at RickScheibner.net

7. Doug Noon at Borderland

On What Should I Focus?

Date
Posted by
Comments11

I’m betting this post, about a small issue, will resonate with many readers. Do you know what a “blanket” email is? That’s when the boss sends an email to all 76 employees about something that probably only applies to about 20 of them. For example, we have a rule in our school that students aren’t allowed to wear hats or hoods in the building. It’s been well communicated to staff and students over the years. It’s not a big deal issue, until half the staff finds themselves enforcing the rule while their colleagues let it slide in their own classrooms.

Hats and hoods are just one example of this, it could be any school rule. I remember the issue of inconsistent application of the rules from my teaching days and it continues to come up in my administration. Teachers end up ticked at each other, those enforcing the rules feeling like they’re always “the bad guys”, while their colleagues let kids do the very things they just corrected.

But back to the point of the post, the “blanket” email. It goes like this, “Thank you to those of you who are consistently asking students to remove their hats and hoods. If you’re not doing this, then get to it and do your job.” Those teachers who are applying the rules end up insulted that I’ve blanket emailed everyone. Why not just email those who aren’t doing their jobs?

Because I honestly refuse to take the time in my job to send personalized emails to 20 individuals about such a trivial matter, something they should be doing anyway. AND, I want the teachers who are complaining about it to see that I am addressing it. I understand that this is part of our day to day business, I understand that we need consistency, I understand that it’s my job to follow through and make everyone accountable. I also understand that, like teachers, I  have a great deal to do in my work day. A “blanket” email takes me 2 minutes, while personalized to “violators” takes me 30 minutes. I’d rather focus my other 28 minutes on something more meaningful.

I’d hope that the focus of my principalship will be remembered as one of literacy, attention to instructional strategies and content, positive schoolwide behavior management, technology, good fiscal management, increased achievement and graduation rates. I hope when I’m gone from G-Town I’m not just the leader who was always polite in reminding people to do the routine parts of their jobs. If my approach is at times too direct, I don’t apologize.