A Thin Blue Line

Earlier this week, I was listening to NPR on my way into work and they were examining the current state of the police force in Chicago.  They were discussing how the police force is under increased scrutiny by the public and often have to walk "a thin blue line."  One officer stated, "The job's tough.  You got a lot of eyes on you and you have a lot of people who don't understand the job.  They want to jump to conclusions about what we do and don't do."  Hmmm....Sound familiar?

I was struck by the similarities between teachers and police officers: two professions which were once so highly respected but in recent years have been decimated by the public, social media, and politics.  At our recent principal PD, one of the presenters told us that across the United States teacher shortage is nearing 20%.  In Michigan, it is set to hit 40%.

Research shows that great principals identify the conditions most vital to the success of the school and concentrate their efforts on creating those conditions.  We have been presented with new challenges this year.  Additionally, some of our previous challenges appear magnified due to the high levels of stress common among educators in this politicized educational landscape.  Author Margaret Wheatley in her book, Turning to One Another: Conversations to Restore Hope to the Future, writes that throughout history human beings have met in circles and council to converse, do shared thinking, and develop trusting relationships.  The power of conversation can bring us together rather than tear us apart.

We would like to take the time over this week and the next to meet with you in small groups.  We can change our paradigm if we all start listening to one another again.  Richard Dufour has a series of questions we would like to start with:

• "What do you feel we need to know about this school to be effective as its leaders?"
• What makes you proud to be a staff member at this school?"
• What are some of the challenges that you confront in the school that makes it difficult for you to be effective as you would like?"
• "What would make this an even better school?"

Strong professional learning communities have four pillars-mission, vision, collective commitments, and goals.  When we return from break, we will have twelve weeks left of school.  We will spend time on these four pillars because we need your commitment to help clarify the school you hope to create.  Hopefully, by listening and talking with one another, we can heal some divides, work together to address these challenges, and make Cooper an even better place to be.

Quotes: 

"To name is to make visible."  Margaret Wheatley

"Most people to do listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply." 

Stephen Covey

"Children are the priority.  Change is the reality.  Collaboration is the strategy."  Judith Billings

Big Rocks:

M-Step is nearing.  The district is requiring that teachers practice, practice, practice with students.

• The district expectation is that teachers will demonstrate how to answer the Sample Test Items with students in class and then take classes to the computer lab to have them independently attempt to answer the questions in each set.  Extra focus needs to be given to the ELA items to give students lots of opportunities to work with the split screen and how to highlight text which students are expected to do to answer some questions.  
• As we stated last week, teachers should go online to www.michigan.gov/mstep under the heading "What's New" and watch the "Navigating the 2016 ELA CAT video" and "Navigating the 2016 Math CAT video."  These 6 minute videos demonstrate how to navigate the computer adaptive features.
• Performance Tasks-5th Grade Only-The introduction and directions are very lengthy.  Teachers need to model how to chunk the directions on the left side of the split screen into meaningful segments, process the information and understand actions required.  The performance task expectation is one or two sentences within a lengthy piece of text.  Teachers are expected to use the sample performance task with students and model how to complete it.
• ELA and Math are Computer Adaptive (CAT).  The options have changed.  Students will no longer be able to "flag" items to go back to review.  In ELA, students will be able to review completed items only within an ELA set (passage and questions).  At the end of each set, students have the option to "Return to Questions" or go to "Next Question."  Once a student has completed the set, students will not have access to those items.  Science and Social studies are not adaptive and can still be flagged.

Battle of the Books is here!  A big thank you to Judy Bowling and all coaches for the wonderful opportunity this event provides our students.

Best of luck to Sandy Crociata and our orchestra students at the String Fling on Wednesday, March 23.  It will be held at FHS at 7:00.

It has been a few weeks but many people do not know that Bill Lietz won an award at the PTA Founder's Day.  Congrats Bill!

This week will be a busy week with many teachers out of the building at conferences.  Sally, Wendy, and Shawn will be attending MRA this weekend and Monday.  Dawn and Linda will be at LIM Training on Monday.  On Tuesday and Wednesday, Linda, Tara, Sally, and Lauren will be attending the Symposium.  On Wednesday, Lauren and Sally will be presenting at two sessions: The Student Lighthouse Team: Empowering Student Leadership and School Work-a-thons: Engaging the Community and Cultivating Leadership through Beautification.  Sarah will be driving five students out to help them present: Grant (9th), Gabby (8th), John (7th), Kailyn (6th), and Martina (5th).  They will do awesome!

Cooper is receiving new computers for the computer labs this week.  Inacomp will be delivering the computers during the day on the 21st.  They will begin installing that night and complete installation on the 22nd and 23rd.  There will be a representative at Cooper to help with any issues that may occur.

Student Perception Surveys are almost over.  We have a few classes left to do.  We will call down RCR and Title students next week to have them complete their surveys.  Thank you for your flexibility with this process!

We are no longer allowing students to chew gum at Cooper.  Gum is being found in the computer labs, on the floor of the lunchroom, in urinals, and in drinking fountains.  Thank you for your support with this matter.

Emerson principal, Ann Owen, met with me to discuss Emerson to Cooper Transition.  She discussed the placement procedures for placement into Support, Advanced, and Plus classes.  She did ask that we try to avoid placing attendance and behavior issues into the Support classes.  As for the advanced classes, she asked that Cooper teachers tell parents that students must have a second layer of test scores and the test scores must be consistent for placement into the Advanced classes.  Last year, it was very difficult for Cooper teachers to use the spreadsheet since it was in ABC order.  We are looking into having Kathy Baldwin help us with categorizing by teacher name so it is an easier process for our teachers.  Ann also discussed looking at i-Ready data.  They would like to have a point person at Cooper to make the process easier.  If you are interested, let us know.

The Leader in Me is sponsoring a Student Speech Contest.  All students can enter by submitting a two-minute speech on video before April 30th, 2016.  They have the opportunity to win a $500 Leadership Grant.  Some of our students who have already been on video for Career or Leadership Day may use those videos.  We will send home an eblast but wanted to make you aware of this opportunity.  edu.franklincovey.com/contest.

Calendar for the Week of March 21, 2016:
Monday: Emerson Transition Meetings
               6th grade lunch meetings with Pat Wright and Leo Fink for 6th graders who didn't attend                    EMS Open House
               11:50 Kristi meeting at Hayes
               1:00-2:30 DSIT (Sarah)
Tuesday: 3:00 Evaluation Meeting @ CO (Sarah and Kristi)
                6:00 Battle of the Books
                Final day for Student Perception Surveys
Wednesday: 7:30-2:00 Leader in Me Symposium presentation with students (Taxi Driver Sarah)
                     11:15 PTA Leaders
                     Emerson Transition Meetings
                     7:00 String Fling
Thursday: 8:00 Staff Meeting in the Makerspace
                 8:05 Sarah at Grant QAR Feedback staff meeting
                 Will Sarah be running?
                  Music Choice Forms Due
           

The Compelled Tribe

"If you don't set goals, you can't regret not reaching them."  Yogi Berra

"The only goal you can't accomplish is the one you don't go after." Vilis Ozols

One of the goals at the top of my bucket list is to write a book.  Yet, for years I did no writing at all.  I loved teaching writing and would model writing for my students but I didn't write for myself.  When Terry suggested we write a blog, I was intrigued and reluctant.  What did I have to say?  

Writing a blog post is like standing at the edge of a cliff and yelling out into the abyss.  Sometimes things echo but more often you wonder if anyone heard you at all.  So imagine my surprise when my friend and colleague, Jon Wennstrom, invited me to join The Compelled Tribe.  The Compelled Tribe is a blogging group of educators who support each other to take a deeper look at our craft, provide opportunities for reflection and peer editing, and support one another in improving our work as administrators.  

Many principals ask why I spend time on writing a blog post each week.  For me, it started as a platform for sharing information with staff and has become an avenue to reflect, inspire, connect, and grow as writer and educator.  Every week, I am compelled to write something of substance.  Sharing personal stories has allowed me to connect with many of you and convey my values, beliefs, and mission in a, hopefully, more engaging way.  

Who is your tribe?  What is a goal you want to achieve?  Can I help you in achieving it?  As Dr. Seuss so eloquently said, " You're off to great places.  Today is your day!  Your mountain is waiting!  So get on your way!"

Video:

I watched this powerful TED talk from Shonda Rhimes, the talented titan behind shows such as Grey's Anatomy, Scandal, and How to Get Away With Murder this weekend.  Her powerful message of how saying yes to everything, led her to less work and more play, and ultimately gave her her life back is an excellent reminder for all of us.  

Big Rocks:

Thank to you Robin for organizing a very successful Family Game Night with Learning Gizmos!  We were very grateful to everyone who stayed to help and our families had a wonderful time.  

Thank you to Linda for leading our staff meeting on Leadership Day on Tuesday.  Angie has also done a wonderful job creating some letters to go home to parents.  We appreciate all of your thoughts as we envision a different leadership event this year.  

We have completed nine classrooms of Student Perception Surveys.  We will continue this week.  Our deadline is March 23.

Cooper wants to send big hugs to Judy Bowling and the Bowling family as they mourn the passing of Judy's father in law.  

Calendar for the Week of March 14, 2016:

Monday: 8:00-11:00 Principal PD at Riley (Sarah)

               11:15 Student Lighthouse

               1:00-4:00 i-Ready Coaches Training (Robin, Sandy, Shawn)

               12:00-3:00 Principal PD at Riley (Kristi)

                Emerson Transition Meetings

Tuesday: 8:00-3:00 QAR Visit Grant (Sarah)

               6:30 PTA

Wednesday: Emerson Transition Meetings

                     8:00 IST

                     11:15 PTA Leaders

Thursday: 8:00 Staff Meeting in the Makerspace

                 1:00-4:30 Elementary Principals' Meeting

                  St. Patrick's Day Luncheon

Friday: 8:00-11:00 Curriculum Advisory (Sarah)

            8:15 Title I (Kristi)

             

Growing Readers

When I was little, one of my favorite places to visit was the public library.  I would carry my Paddington Bear yellow tote and fill it full of books.  At home, I would crawl onto my mom's lap and listen to nursery rhymes, fairy tales, and poetry.  As I got older, I would read walking from room to room and from the car to the house.  We didn't have a lot of money but my parents would always order from the Scholastic catalog.  They would buy all of the Caldecott and Newbery winners.  In what some girls would deem a travesty, I never was allowed to read any of the Sweet Valley Twins books because my mom thought they were "rubbish!"

When Carys was reading chapter books before Kindergarten, people asked me what we did.  Did we do flash cards?  Force reading time?  No, I would respond.  We simply read to her a lot.  Allowed her to see us read, surrounded our house with books, and talked to her all of the time.  As we had more children, they all caught the reading bug too; developing into children who loved to read.  

A few weeks ago, I attended a conference with some other Livonia principals entitled "Closing the Literacy Gap."  It was predominantly focused on PK-3.  However, there was still a lot of information to help us grow readers and writers at the upper elementary level.  Some of the information was quite shocking.  According to the 2015 Michigan Third Grade Reading Workgroup report, Michigan is one of only five states to lose ground in reading proficiency from 2003-2013.  Additionally, Michigan ranks 40th in the nation in literacy according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP).  

Professor Nell Duke worked with other literary researchers to compile the document, Essential Literacy Practices for K-3.  The following practices have the most research to support them.  

1. Foster motivation and engagement
2. Read alouds of age appropriate books and other materials, print or digital
3. Small group and individual instruction, using a variety of grouping strategies, most often with flexible groups formed and instruction targeted to children’s observed and assessed needs in specific aspects of literacy development
4. Activities that build phonological awareness-conscious attention to the sounds within words, all oral (segmentation and blending are the most important) (K-1)
5.  Explicit instruction in letter-sound relationships (oa, ai)
6.  Research and standards aligned writing instruction
7.  Intentional and ambitious efforts to build vocabulary and content knowledge
8.  Abundant reading material and reading opportunities in the classroom
9.  Ongoing observation and assessment of children’s language
10. Collaboration with families

      Emilie Buchwald once said, "Children learn to read on the laps of their parents."  Unfortunately, we know many of our children don't have that luxury.  As we enter Reading Month, we need to remember what a prominent role we play in shaping our students' literary mindsets.  Teaching reading really is rocket science.  We need to stay current on reading practices.  Nell Duke made a powerful analogy at the conference.  She said, "We wouldn't expect a doctor to treat cancer the same way we treated cancer ten years ago so why do we let teachers teach the same way they always have."  

    Big Rocks: 

    We will be pulling classes to take them to the computer lab to take the Student Perception Survey starting on Tuesday morning in Lab 3.  It should just take 10-15 minutes.  

    Family Game Night is this Tuesday from 6:30-7:30.  Training for staff runs from 5:30-6:30.  A light dinner will be served.  We had lots of laughs last year!

    We are looking to make some changes to Leadership Day this year.  Robin sent an email regarding the ideas that have come out of the planning meeting last Monday and Lighthouse team last Tuesday.  There is another planning meeting tomorrow, Monday, March 7 at 8:00.

    We keep receiving M-Step updates at Principals' Meetings.  Central Office is encouraging teachers to have students practice like last year.  This year the test is computer adaptive (CAT).  There are videos on how to navigate the CAT features for both the ELA and math tests on the MDE website.  These are designed for teacher use, not for students, and are 6 minutes long.  The expectation from the District is that teachers will watch the videos, become familiar with the CAT features, and then model the features for the students.  The videos can be found at www.michigan.gov/mstep under the heading "What's New" and are listed as "Navigating the 2016 ELA CAT video" and "Navigating the 2016 Math CAT video.

    Calendar for the Week of March 7: 

    Monday: 8:00 Leadership Day Planning

                    8:50, 10:00-Anti Bullying Assembly with Rodney Page

                    12:00-3:00 Curriculum Advisory Meeting (Sarah)

    Tuesday: Voting Day-Voting will be taking place in the building.  

                    3:30-Chess Club Meeting

                    3:45-5:00 Lighthouse Team

                    6:30-7:30 Family Game Night

    Wednesday: 

    Thursday: 3:45-4:45 Extended Staff Meeting

     Friday: 8:45 LEAD time with Accountability Partners