These Four Walls

How do you market your school? What's your school's story, and how do you tell it? How do you share vital information with your students, parents, and community? That's the latest buzz around our school district this year. It really has changed my viewpoint on the need to find relevant ways to communicate with our school's stakeholders.  The old printed school newsletter just doesn't cut it anymore, as we wonder why so many of the "handouts" just don't get read. Family and parent engagement will not happen until we improve our ways of reaching all our families. Our society wants information instantly and in bite size chunks, with lots of reminders! Isn't that a statement on the fast paced lifestyle so many of us have adopted? Good or bad, it's the reality for many of our school families. I spent a lot of my summer on Twitter. It was life changing. I started following some amazing educators with so many exciting ideas. It completely reignited

Teacher Joy! I love it when teachers are shown appreciation for the tremendous job that they do! I had the pleasure of being involved in a day of camaraderie and school spirit before the chaos of the first day of students.  Five days of professional development can become pretty intense with curriculum updates, district agendas, classroom preparations and planning. My hope was to give our teachers the much needed opportunity to enjoy a day of building positive school culture and climate. "Invest in your people" was the agenda of the day (Pirate style, of course)!  The Leadership Team (that's me on the right) I planned this day for weeks and it couldn't have turned out any better! The professional development focus was a kick-off of our school-wide book study of Teach Like a Pirate by Dave Burgess. The atmosphere was set with pirate music, pirate names, decorations, costumes and treasure boxes! We even had a ukulele lesson by our music teacher! Teacher Jo

In two days, we kick off School Year 2017. This year, our district is focusing on school culture for our back to school professional development. I am especially looking forward to this since I've immersed myself in several books this summer that preach the importance of a vibrant school culture.  So I started to think about my own school's culture and climate and immediately thought of it as the "heartbeat of a school". It is truly what keeps your school alive and healthy.  I realized that, like our own hearts, you must take certain steps to keep it healthy. I wondered if we were doing enough? So who shapes school culture?  Everyone!! From the principal to the custodians to the students, we all play a part. Are we working as a team to achieve the same goals? Do we even all know the goals? "Culture First, Culture Next, Culture Always" is my takeaway from the book Lead Like a Pirate by Shelley Burgess and Beth Houf. These two have written the manual on bui

I'm terrible at keeping secrets.  Let's just say that when I'm excited about something, I want to run down the halls and share with anybody and everybody who will listen.  That's how I feel about the upcoming school year.  This summer I read three amazing books: Kids Deserve It, Teach Like a Pirate, and Lead Like a Pirate!  Some of our faculty met over the summer to discuss the book, Kids Deserve It.  It was an experience that shaped how I want to engage teachers in professional learning this year.  If you haven't read the book, it is a quick read but it will inspire you to be brave and try new things.  All because, Kids Deserve It!  And we all know they do!  It's also a real gut check. This year, I am planning to kick off a school-wide book study with Teach Like a Pirate by Dave Burgess.  I wanted it to be a surprise... and I'm sure a few people will be surprised but it's been hard to contain my excitement.  There will be challenges. There will be tea

I finally did it!  Here's my first blog and I'm sure I will make mistakes along the way. But I am committed to being daring, adventurous and fearless this year! After 24 years in education, I feel the need to share, connect, and gain from the experiences of like minded educators in the field. So here I go!  I already feel encouraged and inspired! I've always wanted to be a writer. As a young child, I especially loved writing poetry. As I got older, it seemed as though writing became more of a task to complete. I didn't enjoy feeling the pressure to write something creative as an adult. I guess many people experience losing touch with their passions in life.  But it's really where we, as educators, need to draw from in our professional careers.  It's what makes you special to students and your co-workers! Our students need to see what we are passionate about. I've been reading three professional books this summer that have really drove this point home for