Is it really almost October?

It is incredible to me that we have almost finished the first month of school. The problem with blogging is that one should really stay current. So much has happened over the past few weeks, I just haven't had a moment to write. After being so pumped by yet another inspiring conference of High School's New Face, ideas and conversations began to flow and planning for the year took over my thoughts. As with any change, I do believe that it all begins with relationships. They need to be developed and fostered. In a good relationship, there is so much to be gained. Relationships that are less than positive tend to stall progress.
As I looked to begin the school year, I spend many hours thinking about and planning an opening day speech. A privilege Superintendents get to do each year. I spend weeks lamenting over what the topic should be, how to touch my audience and inspire folks to be excited about another year. Typically I make a connection to our district's mission, goals and initiatives. This year was different. It is the beginning of my fifth year at Iroquois. I have shared my personal vision, read stories to make a few shed a tear, shared poetry and yes, our direction for the coming year. This year, I was stuck. I kept coming back to the common factor of relationships. I was also concerned that for a time during our opening day rituals, I have a varied audience. Teachers, custodians, grounds crew, bus drivers and mechanic. Technology specialists, teacher aides and assistants. All the great people that make our school the great place it is. What could I say that would touch them all. That something was so simple yet we never do it enough. That something was to show gratitude. A recognition that it does "take the whole village" and that each of us in the room take a part in educating our students and molding our future leaders of the world. My opening "speech" was to have each group of people stand, hear the contribution they make in the education of our children and have the rest our staff applaud them. The feedback and appreciation has been incredible. It has done more to inspire, make people feel needed and that they make a difference than any other words even my best speech could communicate. If there is a theme, it is "gratitude". With so many changes that are happening in education and the many changes I hope to see this year, the whole experience can be enriched by a simple "thank you". For sharing an idea, for listening after a particularly stressful day, for getting that jammed paper out of the printer....Thank you! With that as a foundation, there is nothing we can't do. My thanks come from having the opportunity to work in a school district that has enormous support from faculty, parents, community members and our board of education. I never take it for granted.
As opening day passed, students arrived. They experienced change immediately. Teachers were excited at the prospect of another year. Technology was improving by leaps and bound. Our campus is on the way to being wireless. Over 360 laptops on mobile carts with printers and a projector arrived over the summer. The issue of "access" is slowly becoming a non-issue. We have a teacher on special assignment that is respected and knowledgeable ready to help our teachers integrate technology with some of the best instructional practices. We are going to have an on-line platform where all teachers can share and gain information about of instructional initiatives. Thank you Pat Aroune! Professional development will focus on the work of Silver and Strong (Thoughtful Education), the integration of technology and literacy. We hope to look at learning styles and how that influences instructional practices. We'll look to see how we can personalize the educational experience of our students and make school more meaningful for each and every student. The Thoughtful Education components will help us engage our learners and teach them critical skills necessary for learning.
In order for all these initiatives to be implemented, teachers need time. Time to learn and time to plan. Tomorrow is the first of our early release days for just that purpose. As I look at the agenda for the afternoon, it is amazing how much is going on. We have a new web provider and each teacher has the ability to create their own web pages. They need to be trained in web design and posting to those pages. We have conversations that will take place at the intermediate level about literature and spelling . Our primary teachers will be looking at our elementary science curriculum that was revised this summer as well as a new spelling approach to enhance our literacy initiative. Our high school teachers will focus on the Thoughtful Education initiative. Each teacher will come having taken their own learning style inventory. This will be used as a springboard to how their style influences their teaching. Lastly, our counselors and related service providers will begin training in Life Space Intervention: techniques to better address students with behavioral difficulties. I cannot think of a more productive way to spend an afternoon.
We have certainly "hit the ground running" and I am proud to be a part of all the changes.