An Intentional Leader

This has been such a busy month...but we survived!

I'm so excited with all the things that our leadership team is putting in place for our students.

Ms. Craven, Literacy Coach

Mr. Courtwright, Principal

This week, my Principal, Literacy Coach, and I created a schedule to listen to each of our students read for at least one minute. 

This week we listened to all 1st grade classes and part of our 2nd grade classes. It was such an eye opening experience. To know some of our students in 1st and 2nd grade can not read, was a wow factor for us. 

In this moment, I realized why I wanted to be an administrator. I want to make a difference...impact change. In my role, I have an opportunity to ensure students are provided with an a chance to be successful. 

Our leadership team is working together to create opportunities for students who can not read. Intentional tutoring, interventions, teacher workshops, programs...whatever it takes. 

This week gave me a new goal as an administrator...I want to become an Intentional Administrator. My goal is to identify moments where I can make a difference or impact change with our students, staff, and parents. I want to be an administrator that takes every opportunity as an opportunity to provide hope to our teachers, students, and parents.

Being an intentional leader will require me to always be able to make each situation an opportunity for us to learn and grow. Everything will have a purpose...good and bad moments will become an opportunity to teach, lead, model, inspire.

I'm excited...

To Do Lists

Another week under my belt. This week was filled with observations and Title 1. I started back with my weekly To Do List...Managerial Monday's and Title 1 Tuesday's. Having a few days to focus on certain things has given me sanity.

So what are my theme days... See an earlier post New Year Vision.

Monday is Managerial Monday where I spend as much time in the office doing paper work, filing, emailing, organizing, etc.

Tuesday is Title 1 Tuesday, as Title 1 Coordinator, I spend this day updating our digital crate, planning events, working on the budget, etc.

Wednesday is our Walkthroughs. Due to the window for formal observations, I am doing observations for the next couple of weeks, so this will start again near the end of October. Our admin team spends at least 10 minutes in each classroom and provide teachers with feedback on ways to grow and ways to glow.

Teacher Empower Thursday will begin back this week. It will be an opportunity to ensure I empower our staff.

Friday Flashback Data is looking at the weeks data...assessments, programs, walkthroughs, discipline, to see what we can do to make a difference.


I enjoyed successfully getting through  this week and checking off my To Do List. As an administrator we have so much on our plate, sometimes we are not able to get everything done. I've learned that the key is prioritizes and making sure you have that list.













And this week couldn't have been better without participating with our 5th graders study of clouds:

Going Goo Goo for Google - Part 2

This has been a looooooooooong week. As I write this week's Friday Flashback I am excited to say...we made it!

This will was filled with the usual #AdminLife things...discipline, walkthroughs, parents, IEPs, PD, testing, and more. The things that make me grateful for the opportunity to lead, inspire, motivate, encourage, and more.

As an administrator, I've come realized the importance of organization...staying on top of things...and prioritizing. One thing that helps me is using Google. I use Google for my calendar, To Do List, and gathering data, surveys, and more...

There are earlier post of how these can be created, so I will just dive in to how we used Google on our Early Release Day PD...

First a Sign-Up Form was created for the staff to sign up for at least two sessions, one was a mini face-to-face session and the other an on-your-own session.

After the PD, each staff member completed survey that asked them what they participated in and their next steps. 

From the data, a pivot table was created to organize the information. The key was looking to see their next steps. Learning their next steps will help the administrator team understand what we need to provide to them individually.

The last step was providing feedback to each staff member base on their next steps. 

If you haven't tried Google Forms out yet, boy you are missing out!  

Walkthroughs

Oh wow...it's the end of Week 2. It was definitely a busy week. Let's take a look back at my memorable moments for the week...



Walkthroughs began this week by observing teachers how their Blended Learning Procedures and Routines. Our admin team used a Google Form to complete the observation and each teacher received feedback using Google's Add-on Autocrat. If you have not heard of this dynamic duo...check out by post: Our Walkthroughs with Google Forms





Sometimes the many things on your To Do List can have you sitting in your office until it's time to go home. When I need a great pick me up, I can always find a few classes during Brain Breaks with Go Noodle. We all need a brain break at least once a day and I enjoy doing it with our students.

This was a Brain Break while we were doing our walkthrough...Perfect Timing!

Having fun in @edudaye pic.twitter.com/3FmFG9SMGF

I love Google because it makes many things in your life and on your To Do List, just easier. But when you see your staff using Google for Restroom Passes and Parent Information, it just makes your hear belt. Can't wait to share what a few of our 5th grade teachers are using Google Forms for! Stay tune!

The week ended with a few celebrations for students. I visited Ms. Rossi's 5th grade homeroom and they rapped for me their time tables, each with a fun beat...SWAG! As a reward, I provided them with doughnuts and juice. As a former math teacher, this is how you get students interested and engaged in math...with FUN!

 

34 more weeks to impact, inspire, and motivate students, teachers, and parents. 34 more weeks to provide HOPE (Having Opportunities to Pursue Excellence) to all. I'm pumped and excited to be on this journey! 

Career Bucket List

We have officially completed our very first week of school. So excited! This is year 2 for me as an Assistant Principal. I really love my school, admin team, staff, and students...this have really made being an Assistant Principal amazingly awesome.

One of the things on my 2016-2017 Career Bucket List is...blogging. 

(Found on BER Facebook Page....)

For my blog, I will do a Flashback Friday to reflect on my week, sharing my week in review.

This week's most memorable moments...

First day back at school was Monday...YAY! This is my 15th year in education. I have completed about 782 weeks...5475 days...131,487 hours...7,889, 238 minutes... This year is my second year as as an administrator and I am super excited. My daughter is going to 8th grade and my son is going to 2nd grade.

 

Reading to our Kindergarten students. 

Our Kindergarten and Enhancement teachers had to go to a training, so I took their classes. I really enjoyed spending time with them. 

Learning Fun Ways to Spell with Ms. McNeil's 3rd Grade Class

What an amazing and fun way to learn spelling words. It is important teachers are making school fun for our students. I love going in our classrooms because it's engaging, fun, and a lot of learning going on. I can't wait to begin my walkthroughs next week. I love being in the classroom. As an administrator it is important that we are in the classroom making sure our students are learning.

And I can't forget yesterday's amazing news...I'm just going to sit this right here...

Our school Exceeded Growth for the 2015-2016 school year. 

🐾Bobcat Pride🐾

Here's a little fun:

http://youtu.be/fKE2XEsBEQI

Read Across America Week Fun

It's Read Across America week and I am so excited to partner with our Media Center Instructor to host a week filled of Seuss-tastical Fun! 

Spirit Week and Morning Meeting: Each day is titled with a book and quote from Dr. Seuss. The quotes can be used as great conversational starters for your morning meetings. Remember Thursday dress as a team..It's Twin Day! 

Daily Book Readings: YouTube Videos for RAA Week! The link has a video for each day we are celebrating. Thursday does not have a book, so choose  a Dr. Seuss book to share with your class. http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNrbTVZVMNZ2OLP7Ef7eok6n4lP145ZX5

Here is also a file with QR Codes for read alongs of a few Dr. Seuss books...which are YouTube vides. 

Our Media Center instructor, Mrs. Crockett, have offered to come to classes to read their favorite Dr. Seuss book.

Weekly Trivia: Everyday we will have a weekly Trivia Question on the morning announcements. Students can write their answer on a piece of paper with their name and teacher. Place all student answers in the Seuss Mail box located outside of the Media Center (all take a picture of the box tomorrow) by 1:00 pm each day. I will draw a name with the correct answer daily for a special treat. For our younger students, teachers may help them answer and write the answer. 

Monday: What was Dr. Seuss birth name?

Tuesday: Where was Dr. Seuss born?

Wednesday: What was the name of Dr. Seuss first book?

Thursday: What was the name of his first popular book?

Friday: How many children's books did Dr. Seuss published?

Teacher Fun: "I've Been Seussed!" If you are Seussed, place the provided hat on your door from the bag, refill the bag with treats, and Suess someone else. Be sure to place a new Cat in the Hat paper hat (found in the mailroom) in the bag for the next recipient. The "I've Been Seussed" fun will begin on Monday February 29th and go through Friday, March 4th. If you get Seussed and do not wish to participate in the fun, pass the "I've Been Seussed" to someone. Do not keep and and not Seuss someone. If you have any questions, please let me know!

Traveling Snack Bar: To show appreciation to our teachers and to make Monday a Funday! We will travel to each classroom with a snack bar for teachers. Most of the snacks will be from a Dr. Seuss book title...here is a few...

DEAR Wednesday: I have attached a few resources you can do in your classroom throughout the week. On Wednesday March 2nd for Dr. Seuss Birthday, we are going to spend the last 30 minutes of school reading. At 1:50 I will announce we are participating in DEAR in honor of Dr. Seuss' Birthday. This will allow students to pack their belongings and get out a book to read in silence until they depart.

More fun: I have purchased the Dr. Seuss Cam App to capture fun pictures of students and staff throughout the week. I will share via Twitter throughout the week!

Dr Seuss Photo Stand

Stay Tune for more...

Yale or Jail...

Yale or Jail? What do you see?

My Thoughts

The article Yale or Jail is about how we view young black boys in school. It draws attention to the fact that black boys are often judged before they are given an opportunity. "The cover is always judged before the book in the case of people, especially in the book of the young black man." 

I see our black boys walk the halls of our school daily and I often wish I am doing something that will make a difference in their lives. But truth be told, what they need and require I can not give it to them. We must try to reach them at an early age. Teaching for many years at the high school level, our young black boys were already created to answer the question of: "Yale or Jail". Teaching our young black boys at a young age is the key. 

It is important that we teach them the importance of an education. And let's be real for a minute...teaching them does not mean following a pacing guide that does not reflect their interest. We lose our students when the learning is not interesting to them. Take the risk and get to know your students...take that relationship to create an educational experience that involves them. Make learning about them...interesting, hands-on, inspiring.

We begin to lose our young black boys at an early age because of their educational ability. These are the students who becomes lost in the classroom, often ignored and left to defend for themselves. As a result they desire attention, but only knows how to get it by acting up. What we fail to realize is even at the age of 6, these students have been labeled. As educators it is our duty to reshape what they think of themselves to begin a transformation...

New Year Vision Board - Becoming a Digital Administrator that leads with 21st Century Skills

As we begin this new year, I have not made any resolutions but have created our annual vision board. On my vision board, I have a category called: Career.

My vision for my career is becoming a Digital Administrator that leads with 21st Century Skills..

To accomplish this, I am working on using digital tools to help me become effective and efficient...

1. I installed Boomerang Add on for Gmail to schedule weekly emails that I send on Monday to my principal for our weekly memos. My goal is to create the messages at the end of each month for the next month. As I read and come across messages that can encourage, motivate, and/or inspire our I staff, I can create a message and schedule a time to send it out.


2. Posting at least one blog a week to share how I am having Fun Integrating Technology as an administrator.

4. Use Todoist as a digital To Do List. I have it organized by days. Of course it is on my Apple Watch, so I can automatically see what I should be doing.




5. Continue to increase my PLN through Facebook and Twitter...reconnect to Linked In.

For more new digital tools I've learned, check out my post:
Apple Watch for the 21st Century Administrator