Wednesday, July 15, 2015

Thank You and Playground

A couple of quick notes for today's version:

1) Thanks to Brad Oye for his 4 years of service to the Warner School District as a Board of Education member. Serving on any public board is generally a very thankless position and education boards are no different; you tend to hear only complaints and few compliments, even when you do something for the greater community good. School Boards are typically an undesirable office and often garner little interest from candidates or voters but those who are willing provide a significant service to the communities they serve. They ensure a quality education for all attendees while maintaining fiscal responsibility to the local taxpayers while under duress from lack of financial or political support from state offices. Brad provided a certain levity to our board and an open mind to what new possibilities were available for Warner students.
Thanks again Brad for your commitment to the Warner School District

2) Playground Remodel Project--Step 1: Extraction of Old Equipment
Saturday, July 18th at 9:00am, we will begin the playground remodel by removing the "Twin Tower Slide" and "Two Person" Swing set immediately north of the slide to make room for the new pieces. If you are able to help, bring some tools for dismantling, gloves and willingness to take part; we are going to preserve the pieces the best we can for possible resale.

Thursday, July 2, 2015

Year 2

I started working in Warner 366 days ago, I was well aware of the 'leap' I was taking by accepting the new position and was looking forward to the challenge and change. The new responsibilities didn't scare me, the move didn't worry me, neither did the new co-workers; the scary part revolves around the impression you leave on the district.

When I was teaching, the classroom was my central focus, but more important than the room was the students. Was I leaving a good impression on them, was I a positive influence, a strong supporter of their efforts and an individual who challenged them to be more than they thought was possible? I didn't worry much about things outside of the classroom; property taxes or boundary changes or student population; I was aware but not overly concerned. When I accepted my first administrative job as an Athletic Director; my focus changed from the classroom to the sports' facilities; I focused on arenas our students competed in. Doing my best to support students, coaches, and staff with all of their extracurricular passions. I became more aware of taxes as we made facility improvements; I also paid more attention to student populations, as it impacted our classification and competition, but the focus was limited to a certain population. Both environments were great learning experiences and helped shape my views on education. I would like to believe I left a quality impression at both places of employment; I'm not sure how you measure that but when I return to those places people still talk to me (so I'll take that as a good sign).

Rewind 366 days: I was going to make it a learning year, I wasn't worried about making a bunch of changes, I was going to spend more time observing and less time dictating. I was going to see what made things 'tick' around here and as importantly I had to learn to pay attention to the district as a whole. I needed to expand my view and see the whole picture (the whole district and all the patrons). I also needed to understand my actions left more than an impression on students and staff. The year was what I thought/hoped it would be and much more. I was able to collect tons of information about the district and gather a great appreciation for the staff and community. This information will make moving forward easier and hopefully more successful for the district and myself.

So on day 366: I know I still have a lot to learn about the role; I am beginning to comprehend the impact I can have and how it is different than previous positions. I am still making sure I pay attention to the details of the office and properly carrying out the duties of the position. Moving forward, I hope I can make an impression that everyone across the district respects. I know we won't always agree or even understand everyone's point of view but I want patrons to understand I make decisions that are in the best interest of the district as a whole, even if they aren't always the most popular.

I look forward to continually representing the district in the days and months to come, but also plan on doing everything we can to help the students grow and develop into quality adults and continual learners. Life is about learning, learning is about being open to new ideas and how they can impact you as a person. Be open to new ideas, you never know what you will learn.

I hope everyone enjoys the rest of their summer.
Michael Kroll
Superintendent/9-12 Principal