Summer School started today. I was at school at 5:30 am this morning to get things ready. I was at school on Saturday in an attempt to put thing together but it ended up that there were so many events that we could not set everything up for Summer School. We had to put rosters on the doors, pull out the boards, get the gym ready and set up the Chromebooks for the guidance counselors. While it was not hard, it was just time consuming. By 7:30 am, we were ready to go and we let students and parents into the gym to sign up on the wait lists and wait until we could put kids into classes. We kept the guidance counselors in a separate room so they were not bothered and Rich and I answered questions for parents and kids so the guidance counselors could really focus on the students and getting students into classes. This plan worked so well with everything that we did to front-load summer school that we had students in classes by 9:15 and were sending students home because we did not have room for them. The other two high schools had students in classes by 10:00 am. However, I will say that we had two assistant principals so that may have had something to do with it. Nah…..we are just that good!!! LOL!!!! Rich went around and did the "discipline" talk with all the classes as I dealt with the technology issues and supply issues of teachers. At the end of the day, we had all the kids into the classes and dropped the ones that were no shows in class. By the end of the day we were good to go and had a smooth transition into summer school.
Tuesday, June 17, 2014
So today was the day that we had to tell kids no and sorry. We had lot of student show up saying they forgot summer school started yesterday and asking if they could get into classes and of course we cannot because they already missed 5 hours and we turned so many students away yesterday. Online Virtual School is closed as well as regular seat based school now also so students are out of luck at their point if they are trying to sign up for first session. I feel bad for all the excuses they give from sick on Monday to have to go to take my grandmother to the doctor but if you make exceptions for one then you have to make it for all and they only have 24 days for a full year of classes so there is no room for excuses. Online is a little different and if they knew they were going to miss something they needed to do online because they can work at their own pace when they want to as well.
In the afternoon I spent time planning for the Data Team Training I am doing this summer with teachers. I am nervous about this because while the teachers are already meeting in content area groups, they have not really been looking at their data and making instructional decisions. Therefore using the five step process will be a good thing but I worry about them rejecting the process before they give it a chance. The end of the day was crazy. We had a student who was making threats against a teacher and the school on Twitter that had to be called in and talked to. I did not have to sit in on that meeting but I find it scary that students will make threats repeatedly and this is a smart kid also, he should know better. The scary part is that he is a senior and getting ready to go to college and made repeated threats over a period of time.
Wednesday, June 18
So, Data Teams is today. This sets up the tone and expectations for the upcoming school year. I am really nervous about this. If I mess this up or the teachers don't buy into it, I am sunk. I know that Steve Ventura has trained me well. I know my work in Lexington Richland 5 has prepared me to lead this training and answer questions. I also know that my conversations with Sara Longshore, Erin Doty and Kaaren Hampton have allowed us to think through all the possibilities and be prepared to train a group of teachers in the Data Team Process. My work in Lexington Richland 5 was mainly to "fix" teams that were having problems but I have never had to train a group from the beginning. I am a little worried I have too much for each day and will not be able to get through all the content. However, better to plan too much than not enough!!!
Training went incredibly well. There were 8 of the 16 teachers that need to be trained there and it was a great group. They were open to new ideas, trying something new and looking at data in a different way!!! They asked some fabulous questions and there is a lot more clarity on what their roles are during this upcoming year for Data Teams. I am very pleased with the progress we made and I am looking forward to training the next group and getting started during the 2014-2015 school year.
Thursday, June 19
The second day of Data Teams training was today and while it went well today was step 4 and 5. If you know the Data Team process then you know that Step 4 is Choosing Instructional Strategies. This is a hard step because at this point, teachers are being asked to commit to a common instructional strategy to do with their classes. This becomes a problem because all of a sudden there is concern about everyone doing the same thing because they are being asked to change from "what they have always done." It because a situation where teachers begin to complain that they have to change. This is not a bad thing, we want change but teachers sometimes feel they are being questioned on their ability to make decisions and do what they want when really it is what is best for kids!!!! The final step is one that often gets missed because it is looking at Results Indicators. This step involves identifying what you are looking for form the teachers and students and is almost an extra step. Many people don't like to do this step but it helps because it allows you to see if the instructional strategy chosen really did work so it is a crucial step. In addition, it allows the team to make mid-course corrections if necessary.
My overall opinion is that Data Teams need to meet on a regular basis but we have to start somewhere so we are going with twice a month and I am hoping they will meet some in the 15 minutes before school or after school that is part of their contract this upcoming year. That is the HARDEST thing about coming from a non-union state to a union state - the contract and making sure that I don't do anything that causes problems / grievances. In SC, we do trainings and ask teachers to stay and for the most part because we do not abuse them, they do it. In CA, it is hard to get many teachers to do anything outside of their contract hours therefore making it so you have to pay the teacher for anything outside their normal day, which we did in SC, it just was not this bad to get teachers to stay.
I left work at 5:45 pm to make sure that I got to the Karen Allen Salon form my appointment. when I got done, I was so tired that I went strait home and ended up crashing on the couch. I fell asleep and did not wake up until 11:30 pm on the couch. I went right back to the bed and fell asleep again. This is not like my at all so I don't know if I am getting sick, am really just this tired or what. I am hoping to catch up on some sleep this weekend but we will see……
Friday, June 19, 2014
Today we saw more students who are getting in trouble during Summer School then we have all week. Students are now bored and tired of being in class for 5 days and now they are starting to keep their cell phones out and be defiant to the teacher who has up to 45 students in the class. It is getting ready to be the end of Day 5 today and there are only 19 more to go but I know it will get progressively worse as we go. I wired with Ali today on the Master Schedule a good bit and we have a plan.
1. Make the board match the computer.
2. Identify our special populations and programs.
3. Fix the programs and populations issues.
4. Start plugging away at looking at the conflicts that we are having and begin working on those.
We even set up time to meet to work on this over the next few weeks to make sure what we can go ahead and start getting kids placed in the right places. Again - Ali is going to be the life-saver for North this year as I learn the Master Schedule process!!! Between the two of us, we will get it done but I do hope that I can contribute!!!!
I left work at 6:15 and made it to the gym. I have to lose some of the 25 pounds I have gained over the last 6 months. People just bring food to school and there always seems to be someone eating something or someone dropping off food. I know that I don't have to put it in my mouth but if it is there, I eat it without thinking about it. I am hoping to get to the gym more this summer. I use to teach up to 6 Zumba classes a week and now do none. I use to go to the gym at least an hour a day and I am lucky if I make it there three hours a week. I have to make sure that I can get some of this weight off or I am going to need to buy new clothes. UGH!!!! I hate shopping, so I will take the workout avenue. I got home and crashed again with Squeak. She is acting very needy right now and wants lots of attention, it is kinda cute!!
Saturday, June 20, 2014
I got up this morning and went to the gym. I am tired of the Transformers movie already this weekend. UGH!!! But I did my workout and came home, I thought it would be a "be at home Saturday." However it was not, and that is fine. We had an issue at the school as well and then I got a message from a friend I have not talked to recently and went to visit them to try and cheer them up. They have have a very hard few weeks with terrible news. It was nice to visit and get caught up about what is happening in our lives and try to cheer them up with a listening ear. Sometimes that is what it takes - just an ear to listen, a smile and a hug. That is what friends are for. After that, I ran a few errands this morning to take back a picture frame, drop off shoes to go back to Zappos and came home to get caught up here with different aspects of my world. I am hoping to get some reading done for the PhD in the next few weeks because I am really tired of having to think about it and I want it done!!!
While the weather here is hot, it is not humid so it makes it bearable and I am still living life without the air conditioner being turned on. If you actually get in the shade it does cool off and it is wonderful. Squeak is happy to have me here and Megan is bringing Squeak a friend this afternoon. Her cat Gizmo is going to stay here with us for a bit while Megan moves to Washington and then Gizmo will follow later on. I am hoping the two of them get along well and that Squeak will be happy to have a friend to hang out with. Cross your fingers and hope!!!
The past few weeks have been tough at work with learning the new responsibilities of my new position and some things going on in my life right now. I know that I can make it through this. I have the support, love and friendship of some awesome people and I share that love, support and friendship with others so I know things will get better.
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