Dramatic events in our lives often leave an indelible mark on our mind and memory. For some it was the assassination of JFK; for others it was the explosion of the Challenger Shuttle; or more recently 9-11 terrorist attacks. The shooting at Columbine High School in Columbine Colorado was one of those moments for me. I was completing my 2nd year of teaching experiences at SDSU (they call it Professional Semester II, Northern refers to the same experience as Junior Field). It was the end of the semester so the 12 or so students in my class had just completed our work in area classrooms and we were meeting to discuss the experiences. The topic changed quickly as we wanted to discuss the national event as details were continuing to be dispersed. Media was different then, so information was not quite as quick as it is today; national news outlets were sharing some information but it would take some time for the story to unravel. Being a college student that was practicing to be a teacher you can understand my concern with such events; the much more recent events at Harrisburg makes those concerns even more real today. Monday's assembly, Rachel's Challenge, lead by Chris Mowery brought those memories back even more; watching the old news footage, seeing those same images from 16 1/2 years ago turns old memories into raw emotions once again. The grainy footage and broken video seems almost eerie and surreal; how could something so horrible happen at a school. Yet out of those circumstances comes something very positive and powerful, and our students had the opportunity to experience that first hand Monday.
Monday morning started out with a challenge for all students in Warner courtesy of Rachel's Challenge and the Aberdeen United Way. Thanks to the United Way of Aberdeen, Chris from Rachel's Challenge brought a message of hope and caring that began from those horrible acts. Rachel, you see, was the first victim in that tragic event (her brother was a fire sprinkler away from being another) and from her writings, practices and family comes her "Challenge", 5 to be exact. A simple, practical and powerful message that resonates with students and adults alike. She wanted to have an impact on the world and only in death did she accomplish that. If you get a moment over the weekend ask your kids about the assembly and message; encourage them to practice her challenges and encourage others to do the same. We know it isn't always easy or 'cool' but one person has 'the power to start a chain reaction'.
Thanks again to Aaron at the United Way of Aberdeen for including Warner in this great presentation. Also, thanks to Dana Oye for getting us on the list of interested schools.
Friday, October 23, 2015
Thursday, October 8, 2015
Cuff Links and Skid Steers
Several weeks ago (towards the beginning of school) I saw a photo of myself climbing out the school skid steer wearing my official "superintendent attire"--shirt (with cuff links), tie, dress pants and dress shoes. I guess that sums up my answer for those people who wonder what I do all day; the simple answer is: whatever needs to be done. Teachers have the advantage to "plan"; they literally have lesson plans to give them a guide (of sorts) to follow for the week. I remember teaching (I haven't been away from it that long) some days you stick to the plan and the days rolls by right on schedule. Other days, the plan is gone by 8:35 and you are looking to regroup and take an alternative course of action. Both options offer great learning opportunities for the students; some are more personal than curricular but a learning experience none the less. The point being, you get to plan.
An administrator's work life is full of the unexpected and the expected. I like to think I start everyday with a 'to-do' list and the 'to-do' list can either grow or shrink depending on the day. Some days feel super productive; I may cross off several items from the list. There are different forms to fill out, evaluations to complete, personnel to supervise, material to review, budgets to examine, etc, etc. We also have various meetings to prepare for, in-services to plan and coordinate, building and grounds to survey, and expense lists to prioritize. When a person heads home and can look at the 'to-do' list and see several items crossed off you feel good about your day and know you accomplished something.
There seems to be plenty of "management" activities for us to complete on a daily basis, but we also have plenty of "other" things to do that don't seem like management and are not always planned. (The event from Harrisburg a week ago was a stark reminder.) I think in general school administrators complete many of the tasks that we don't want to have teachers worry about or tasks that will take them away from the classroom. We run skid-steers, drive bus, clean up illnesses, fix drinking fountains/doors/bleachers, substitute (I once was sent to the Junior Kindergarten room, this HS History teacher was a bit out of his element), we help with health screenings and numerous items throughout the day. The unexpected (both good and bad) is part of the allure of the position; there is something motivational about the unknown and how prepared you are to handle it. Don't get me wrong, the smooth sailing, 'to-do' list completing, pleasant weather days are eagerly accepted and often sought after. At the same time the unknown elements keep us engaged and helpful for both students and staff. Those events often remind us of why we accepted the education calling in the first place--to help kids.
No matter if the day is good for the 'to-do' list or shaken due to the unexpected; any day we get to help kids learn and grow is a good day. I often remind myself to not judge my day by the length of 'to-do' list but by the length of the accomplished list. We get lots of things accomplished that seem small in the grand scheme of things, but every management issue and surprise event that we can handle and allow our staff and kids to have a good day is productive for everyone. Plus, who doesn't love driving a skid steer--cuff links or coveralls, it doesn't care what you are wearing.
An administrator's work life is full of the unexpected and the expected. I like to think I start everyday with a 'to-do' list and the 'to-do' list can either grow or shrink depending on the day. Some days feel super productive; I may cross off several items from the list. There are different forms to fill out, evaluations to complete, personnel to supervise, material to review, budgets to examine, etc, etc. We also have various meetings to prepare for, in-services to plan and coordinate, building and grounds to survey, and expense lists to prioritize. When a person heads home and can look at the 'to-do' list and see several items crossed off you feel good about your day and know you accomplished something.
There seems to be plenty of "management" activities for us to complete on a daily basis, but we also have plenty of "other" things to do that don't seem like management and are not always planned. (The event from Harrisburg a week ago was a stark reminder.) I think in general school administrators complete many of the tasks that we don't want to have teachers worry about or tasks that will take them away from the classroom. We run skid-steers, drive bus, clean up illnesses, fix drinking fountains/doors/bleachers, substitute (I once was sent to the Junior Kindergarten room, this HS History teacher was a bit out of his element), we help with health screenings and numerous items throughout the day. The unexpected (both good and bad) is part of the allure of the position; there is something motivational about the unknown and how prepared you are to handle it. Don't get me wrong, the smooth sailing, 'to-do' list completing, pleasant weather days are eagerly accepted and often sought after. At the same time the unknown elements keep us engaged and helpful for both students and staff. Those events often remind us of why we accepted the education calling in the first place--to help kids.
No matter if the day is good for the 'to-do' list or shaken due to the unexpected; any day we get to help kids learn and grow is a good day. I often remind myself to not judge my day by the length of 'to-do' list but by the length of the accomplished list. We get lots of things accomplished that seem small in the grand scheme of things, but every management issue and surprise event that we can handle and allow our staff and kids to have a good day is productive for everyone. Plus, who doesn't love driving a skid steer--cuff links or coveralls, it doesn't care what you are wearing.
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