The End.

By now we are all heading into the home stretch of the school year with our students and staffs. Celebrations are taking shape and students and teachers alike are getting restless as the days pass by. Undoubtedly, the year is coming to an end.

Before you put all of your thought into your ending, let's reflect back to the beginning. Do you recall that first month? Do you remember what you did to kick off your year to set the tone for the teaching and learning that has happened these past 8 months?

My (obvious) guess is that you focused on the power of relationships.

Your beginning, like mine, was consumed with getting-to-know-you activities, completing learner inventories and, of course, simply learning the names of your students. You were engaged and invested. You were discovering who you would spend your year with.

Now that the year is almost over, how will you finish? Will you remain as engaged and invested until that final bell on that final day?

Personally, I am fully entrenched in our year-end celebrations. We have planned out those special moments in which we acknowledge the accomplishments of the year. Change is around the corner and we are nervously excited for the next adventure in our journey.

Whether graduation for our kindergarten classes all the way through our graduates of the class of 2018, we must end as strong (if not stronger) than how we started. We must bring the pomp and circumstance and celebrate each milestone of our year.

Build your ending as strong as you built your beginning. This is the end of our year. Remember, your ending is their ending.

Laugh, cry, reflect, share and take note of all that is that you accomplished this year. Find ways to stay connected and stay engaged. There will never be another ending to the one you are about to embark on.

Enjoy, the End.

Looking In the Rear View Mirror. A Reflection on 2017

It has been quite a while since I took to the keyboard and posted my reflections with teaching, learning and with life. For me, these past 6 months have been about discovery of who I am and finding my purpose. Whether as a principal, a parent, a spouse or simply a friend, I have committed myself to the powerful art of reflection.

With that in mind, each of us takes our own journey. We also stop and take inventory of the work we are passionate about, the families that engage us and the friendships that we thrive upon. As each of us moves ahead in our journey it is an essential part of the ride that we take a moment and look in the rear view mirror. Often times it is what we have accomplished that will give us direction in the days ahead. This creates a constant state of growth.

And, even though I have been silent from posting here on my page, I have been anything but silent in understanding the powerfulness of being connected with educators near and far. Whether learning from the blogging group "The Compelled Tribe" or being a part of the twitter chat #Ohedchat or learning alongside colleagues from the Hilliard City Schools, this academic year has pushed me in my understanding the greater good, the awesomeness of learning and importance of leaning on others.

With that in mind, here is a reflection of my 2017:

1. Struggle. Ending the 2016/2017 school year meant learning from mistakes. At times it was stressful and finding resolution with various situations was difficult. However, in the end, it came down to trust and understanding. The Power of the Team (as we share where I work) was never as important as it was in the spring. With that, the year concluded and students, teachers and friends geared up for what would be a fantastic summer ahead.

2. Balance. The summer of 2017. Memories made and moments cherished. We often lose balance as educators and families and friends are put on hold as we give so much to the educational institution we each work for. For me, the summer of 2017 was about reconnecting and keeping it that way. Embrace each moment and remember that life is a series of experiences. My goal is to ensure that the experiences shape my journey. No looking back here. Friends and family were my focus.


3. Celebration. What a start to the school year! The @wmscats started the year off with #1st3Days for the 2nd year in a row. We focused on relationships first. No content allowed. Our charge was to focus on getting to know our learners and our learners getting to know us. I had the pleasure to share this work with over 25 educators that have reached out via social media for our template this year. The power of being connected proved itself time and time again. Not to be outdone, the #OHedchat team kept it rolling each Wednesday night at 9PM EST with awesome conversations and professional growth. I am a better educator thanks to this experience.

4. Purpose. As 2017 wraps up, I was offered a new opportunity in my journey of serving others. Starting next year, I have the exciting opportunity to open the extension project of the Innovative Learning Center (soon to be Campus) for the Hilliard City Schools. Entering my 25th year of education in the fall, I will take all that I have learned in serving others and embrace this change.  Innovation, collaboration, growth mindset and design thinking will drive what we do for students. We each need to be "pushed" (my OneWord this past year) and this will do just that. I am excited to be pushed out of my comfort zone and take on this new role.

5. Hope. This reflection is essential. Whether it is the mistakes we make, the accomplishments we are blessed to be a part of or the people we encounter, there is always a sense of hope going forward. Leaning on others and being on this journey together makes us better. It has made me better. By no means have I reached an end. Rather I am in a constant state of reinventing who I am. I have fully welcomed the understanding that it is the team, and the attributes of each member of that team, that will give me hope and courage in 2018 and beyond.

Here is to your journey, your struggles, your successes and your story. Share it. Let others hear your passion for the work you do and the communities you serve. Pledge to yourself that you will push yourself in the year ahead. Find balance and above all else, celebrate.

5 Ways to Finish

Spring has arrived and the final quarter of the school year is here. Whether you live in the northeast or the southwest, students and teachers know that the seasons have changed and this school year is quickly coming to a close.

With each day passing there is an opportunity in front of us as educators that we cannot dismiss. It happens every year and we see it around us. Many times it happens within us. Either we raise our game and put the throttle down and finish strong or we simply take our foot off the gas and go on autopilot and coast until that final bell.

Here are five ways to finish the year that is best for students and best for you. As educators we have invested countless hours in planning, delivering and embracing the opportunities of each school day. Now that the final months have arrived, here is our opportunity to deliver some of the most powerful lessons of the year. With that, consider these tips to stay dialed in.

1. Stay Focused. Seasons have changed and it is getting greener. While we hear the birds chirping and see the flowers blooming, remain focused on the lessons yet to be taught. Make sure your learning targets are clear, your lessons are rich with student engagement and you are intentional with your assessments. Measure learning NOT material. This time of year you can get more from your students than at any other point. Keep yourself focused and the impact you will make will be obvious.

2. Relationships Still Come First. You have spent 8 months building upon the relationships that come to your classroom each day. Your students are hanging on every word that you speak and believe in you now more than ever before. This is your opportunity to dive into some learning and really draw from them their passion to grow. Be intentional in your instruction and use the relationships that you have fostered to push the limits of teaching and learning.

3. Grow Yourself. Recently a conversation arose about teachers and professional development toward the end of the school year. Educators are exhausted and administrators are attempting to find balance between allowing for that space to breath while still expecting best practices and growth among their staff. The reality is this, we never stop learning. As an educator you should be pushing yourself professionally as much in April as you did in August. There is no "down time" and there is no break in learning. Model this with your students. Show them that growth happens year round.

4. Check Your Goals. Remember when you sat down created your SMART goals to start the year? This is the time to assess where you are and ensure you have put the effort into accomplishing each and every one of those. If you have not been able to complete what you intended to start, time to get busy. Goals are set for a reason and if you haven't reached them, do not abort your passion to do so, simply find a way to get to the finish line and lean on others for support and guidance.

5. Celebrate. We have worked hard. Knowing we have spent hours upon hours of preparation and delivery and now comes the reality that the year is coming to an end. The relationships you have formed have paid off in the expectations you have set of others. Whether as a classroom teacher, a building administrator or a district office leader, find balance in the push to the end while ensuring that there is celebration of the organizations accomplishments. Just like a graduation ceremony for seniors, include the pomp and circumstance for even the youngest of our students. Celebrate your efforts and the efforts of those around you.

Everything we do in education begins and ends with the interactions we have with others. Our role is to ensure that it is those purposeful and intentional relationships that will drive the successes we experience throughout the entire school year. As you wrap up your academic year remember to finish strong. Avoid going on autopilot and make the most of each moment of each day.

Looking Back on 2016. The Journey to Elite.

This past year has been quite the journey in teaching and learning. There have been ultimate highs and forgettable (yet teachable) lows. The most euphoric moments have been affirming to the great things happening with the teachers, students and community in which I serve. The dips I have faced, some more recent than others, have been a reminder of the amazing growth that awaits me. One of the qualities I strive to maintain is that I am teachable. You each coach me up. We serve each other on a journey to elite.

And with another year coming to an end, part of the process is to take a look back at where we have been. Reflection is essential. The method and platform in which we do is personal. Some engage in conversation while others take to the keyboard and write.

Personally and professionally this year has provided me with once-in-a-lifetime experiences that will not be soon forgotten. With great excitement, some moments and experiences in 2016 will be welcomed back in 2017 via the "red carpet". These moments are the ones that define us and help us grow in our depth of our leadership as teachers and administrators. The moments that will not return, the good and the bad, are what refine us. Those moments are equally as important in our growth.

Here is a look back at 2016 via the posts that I have shared. Not every high is reflected nor is each of the lows. What I have shared are the moments in which I was inspired to write. Here is looking forward to another year of growth in 2017. I hope you join me, and the #CompelledTribe, on the journey we are all on.

• Let's Finish where it started in 2016. I am ecstatic to report that the goals that were established in this post one year ago have been met with fierce intentional passion. Our culture defines us. It is what makes us relentless in our pursuit of excellence.

• One of the most read posts of the from 2016 came from a post written in March. The title, So You Want to be a Principal speaks for itself. There was great feedback from what was shared. And, as a principal myself, so much yet to learn.

• An essential element of being a driver of the culture of your school community is the power of being connected. I have written more than one post about my belief in this professional growth but this post in particular this year, Rules of Engagement - Being a Connected Educator, resinated with many of you. This post is worth coming back to time and time again. 

• The most shared post in 2016 was one I least expected. There in lies the lesson itself. When writing A Back-to-School Checklist for Educators (And another post for those aspiring to be an Administrator) there was one thought that kept racing through my mind and that is, "How would I want to remember my year as a learner?" My focus for 2016 was relationships. This post, like so many others over time, continue to come back to the theme of "purpose". Do you know your purpose? I continue to learn mine.

• My most powerful moment of 2016 was months in the making. The staff at Hilliard Weaver Middle School provided a back-to-school experience like never before. Our #1st3Days for students focused on these core essentials in teaching: relationships, passions and identifying who we are as learners and where we were going as  to head on this journey. Not Your Ordinary Start to School gives an overview of this experience we are excited to bring back in 2017!

An just like that 2016 comes to an end. A simple post, What I Have Learned So Far This Year, brings it all together. Relationships, environment, best practices and drive all resonate with each of us as leaders in our classrooms and in our buildings. Continued growth is essential.

Remember, the journey to elite is not done alone. You need the power of a team, you need trust and you need a desire to grow. Passion must be present and the peaks and valleys of your year will only make you better at what you do and how you do it. 2016 is in the past and I am excited for what awaits in 2017 and the learning that will occur.

Review and Reflect

The final weeks of school can be some of the best days of the year. We are celebrating a year's worth of growth and we are proud of all of the accomplishments. It is exciting! With that, I challenge you to take some time to reflect on the year coming to a close and also prepare your students (and yourself) for the summer months just a few hours or days away. Face it, you have worked hard and acheieved so much. Be excited and celebrate. And, have a plan for moving forward.

1. Review Your Goals. We all started the year with both personal and professional goals and with the best intentions hopefully we achieved them. Take a few moments and reflect on what you have done this year. Here is a letter I send to my teachers along with a copy of their goal sheet. From there, it is up to them to do a review and plan for the year awaiting.

Annual Review of Goals

2. The Power of the Team. We are better at what we do because we work together, we collaborate. These jobs on our own would be daunting and overwhelming. As you wrap up the year, reflect on the power of your team and where things could be tweaked, refined or improved. Check out this document that we used this year with our middle level teams as the wrapped up their work. Our goal was to share with them this template and then come together to process.

Team Reflection Agenda

3. Check the Pulse. If you truly want to know the direction of your staff, you better ask them. Literally. Don't be afraid to hear the straight talk from you teachers and seek feedback from all aspects of the school year. We should expect feedback from our staff so that we can grow and ensure we are meeting the needs of those we work with. It is essential and this is your chance as a leader to get the information you need to be that much more successful.

Staff Satisfaction Survey

4. Plan for Personal Professional Growth. If you expect your students to grow in their knowledge then you better expect the same of yourself. You have put in countless hours this school year in planning and delivering best practice. Now it is time to take care of yourself. Check out this list of resources for your summer learning. Whether reading a good book, attending an EdCamp or blogging, there are some simple and powerful ways to grow as a learner.

Professional Growth Plan

5. Balance is Essential. The saying goes that if you work hard you should play hard. The same applies for us as educators. As you think about all of the work you have accomplished this year, take an opportunity to give yourself a break. Spend time with friends and family and power off. Find balance in the days and weeks ahead. 

Remember, some of the best learning can happen away from the classroom. You have worked tirelessly to prepare your students and your staff for the next chapter in their learning. Reflect, celebrate, be purposeful and enjoy your today as you work toward being ready for tomorrow and beyond.

Home Stretch

You have made a difference. 

You have worked hard.

Celebrate the work achieved by your students and what you have accomplished yourself. 

You are better for pushing yourself. You have learned so much.

I am inspired by your dedication to your teaching. I am moved by your willingness to try new things. You have faced obstacles and overcome failure. Your students are better for your efforts.

I am humbled by your graciousness. I am in awe of your passion to give unconditionally.

The school year ends. Lessons are wrapping up. The learning within your walls will cease.

Know that you have instilled within your students a desire to be better. To be thinkers. To be reflective. To take action.

We have learned so much. We have cared and we have listened. Now it is time to send them on their way. They will face new opportunities, new challenges, new growth.

We are better off for having the encounter that we have had this year.

You have made a difference.

You are on the home stretch.

Finish.

At Weaver Middle School in Hilliard, OH, we truly believe that relationships are at the core of what we do. We also know that relationships alone will not make our students or our teachers successful. As educators we also must build skill, have trust in one another and be open to feedback of instructional best practices.

Below is a letter I wrote to my staff to share the importance of finishing the year strong. The events are precisely as they occurred. The facts, the names and the situation are 100% authentic. Our own lives and the events that happen are often times the most impactful vehicle to help us grow as leaders and learners. Here is an open letter to my teachers at WMS. 

Teachers -

This morning I was dropping Aidan off for school (7^th grader at HMS) and he asked me a rather random, and what I thought was an odd question to say the least.

He asked, “Do I have to go to school the last week?” (Meaning the final four days. Keep in mind it is only May 9th.)

I paused. I thought of my reply. I simply said what any parent would say to that question and replied, “Yes, yes you do.”

In the final moments of the drive I went ahead and braved the question I somewhat dreaded to ask, “Why don’t you want to go?”

He simply said, “We don’t do anything. The teachers show us movies and just keep us busy. We don’t learn anything.”

Wow. I thought to myself. That is pretty straight-forward answer from a 13 year-old 7^th grader.

There is some back story that adds to this. For those that don’t know Aidan, here you go:

• When he was in third grade we made the tough decision of treating his ADD through medicine. 
• With that we have experienced all that comes with it. Appetite, mood-swings and more.
• What we gained in return though was a clinical case of a focused kid. He went from dreading school to having a new found love for it.
• He is a straight “A” student. Not one single B the entire year. Impressive, I know. 
• And, we never saw a lick of homework, ever. (Not because he didn’t have it because he sure did. Instead, he had a sense of time-management. He knew that in order to get the videos he would have to work first.)
• He is a kid (as awkward has he might be) who found his way to enjoy school instead of avoiding it.

So, why do I share all this with you? Well, I challenge you to this:

First, I strongly suggest that you set aside time to celebrate the year. Celebrating is a must! It gives us a chance to throw our hands up in knowing we have worked hard. And, because we worked hard, we get to play hard. So again remember, work hard, play hard! We have a few events planned for that:

• 8^th grade goes to the park on the 31^st.
• 7^th grade teams have their team activity (also on Tuesday).
• Honors Nights! (Yes, TWO of them!)
• Author visit on the 18th with Candice Fleming
• Student-staff basketball game on the 27th

And secondly, and equally important:

• Stay focused on learning.
• Avoid the movie trap. Don’t show them. Not even if you can connect it to content. (They watch enough as it is.)
• Avoid yearbook signing time. (That is our generation more than theirs.)
• And teach (and learn) until the #lastbell.

I know you need to get grades in and you are excited to start your summer. Me too. But the reality is that kids will come to us until June 3^rd. And, we need to teach them up until the final bell, on the final day of the year.

Remember we have lots of other great activities too that you can help promote and be a part of. This year we will be collecting donations for the student-staff basketball game, 8^th Grade Leadership Academy kids will be participating in an activity on Wednesday, June 1^st  and more. So, on those days, plan accordingly. Suggestions for that final day(s) may include: a goal reflection activity, encourage kids to think about their summer growth, create and play Kahoot review games, and more.

I am truly excited for all that has been accomplished this year and I look forward to an amazingly strong finish!

For Aidan’s sake, and all of the others out there, please continue to share your amazing abilities to connect with kids and teach them all of the lessons you have yet to do so.

With gratitude,

Craig

Finish

The year has come to a close. Much accomplished, yet some tasks did not come to complete fruition. Being accepting of what was done, and what was not, is significant to our growth. It is important to celebrate the end of one year and think ahead and be ready for the one to come.

In looking back, ideas were plenty in 2015. I was challenged by colleagues in a way that motivated me to be better. I was inspired by students to dive deeper into the relationships that drive the teaching and learning. And, I was surrounded by professionals that continued to raise the bar both personally and professionally in all that I do for those that I serve in education.

For every up, there is often a down. There were failures. I did not always do as I said I would. There was disappointment. Ideas were left to flutter in the wind. Conversations did not turn into action. When I should have listened, I spoke. Pressing pause to reflect should have been required not simply encouraged. Failure occurred. Defeat was felt.

However now it is time to look ahead. A New Year brings a new set of opportunities and new growth in all that I do. 2016 is here for the taking. With all that I have learned about life and about myself, I know there is OneWord that will drive me this coming year. That word is:

 -  FINISH  -

In thinking to what I have accomplished, and what I have not, it excites me to think about what lies ahead. Already in the works for this coming year:

• My staff will dive into intentional work as it relates to culture not only in our building but in the classroom and in the hearts and minds of all stakeholders in our community. 
• As a middle level building who serves the most impressionable of minds, we will look into our own beliefs and lay out our expectations of ourselves and each other as we serve the students in the middle. 
• With best practices we will continue look at how we measure a students growth and assess their knowledge and strive to prepare kids for tomorrow and focus on the now. 
• And finally, I am excited to work along side colleagues globally to offer rich, authentic learning in a forum that supports our passions to being the servant leaders we each are. 

With that in mind, the only way this becomes a success, however, is if I FINISH what I start. We would all agree that ideas are plenty in each of us. Actions are spoken with confidence. The beliefs we have are indicative of the communities we serve. We can talk the talk. We are each well versed in the power of conversation. The desire is there.

The reality for me is that I must FINISH. Come in early, stay late, push boundaries, support the uncomfortable, encourage the quiet, process the negative, lean on others, learn from all, listen to and do not ignore the obvious. Feel the pulse. Know my surroundings, support others in the process and remember that it is the teaching and learning that we do that is at the core of what motivates me to not only show up each day but most significantly, act each day.

2016 is here. I am ready to FINISH what I start. I will embrace today, I am ready for what lies ahead.

That's a Wrap

Each year I find myself taking inventory of the lessons I have learned both personally and professionally. Let's face it, we are always learning.

This year is no different. And, as we close in on the end of this calendar year, I already have my sights set on some new and innovative goals for 2016. So with that in mind - 2015 - that's a wrap.

Here is a look back at the powerful professional takeaways from this past year. There is absolutely no significance to the order in which I share.

Relationships First - As educators, we know the value and the significance of strong interactions with our community of learners. This past year I became more purposeful and intentional with my interactions with those that I am surrounded by both in the "real-world" and those that I connect with online through Twitter, Blogging, Voxer and other social media platforms. All of my relationships have been at the core of my success. Going forward, my goal is to continue to strengthen my relationships with colleagues both face-to-face and online and focus on those that need the most attention first.

Pressing Pause - My past is filled with moments of impulse. It's human. We react to our environment. And, I am not alone. I would like to think that as I have become older, I have also become wiser. Now I find myself (and sometimes it is my colleagues who help me) pressing pause in various moments throughout my day. Doing so has positively impacted my leadership. This simple action has made me a better leader, a better listener and a better friend.

Response Matters - Recently I read the book, Above the Line by Urban Meyer. Within his success, and this book, there is an equation which is referred to countless times. In fact, I have written about it before. "E+R=O" has been at the core of my work in the fall of 2015. The key component of this equation is in the "R". It is our responses to various situations that will define us and will make us effective, or not. To learn more about the "R Factor", check out the work of Tim Kight and Focus3Culture.

Raising the Bar - Being a building principal, I am constantly amazed by the professional drive of the staff that I work with. Being in a large district, we are blessed to have the resources we do. Whether embracing the newest student management systems, embedding over 3600 1:1 devices in a blended learning model or supporting teachers through ongoing professional development, I firmly believe that if we have the crucial conversations, the tough moments and keep the bar set high, the return on our time and energy will out-way all other efforts combined.

There are many additional moments during 2015 that could be a part of this post. Friends made, relationships cultivated, recognition received and opportunities provided just to list a few. Even though I look forward to yet another year of amazing opportunities and learning experiences, I am saddened to close this chapter of my personal and professional life. As an avid reader myself, I look forward to the upcoming chapters and putting the ink to the pages and creating this next part of my story.

First Chair

Guest Blogger Monica Todd is an 8th grader at Hilliard Weaver School in Hilliard, OH. She is your typical middle school student. Or is she? What is shared below are her words, her takeaways, from her 7th and 8th grade middle school journey. Her English teacher, Meghan Schultz, introduced blogging to her students this year as a way to communicate and receive feedback for their leaning. With Monica's permission, I share her post with you.

Monica's Musings

Eighth grade was a tremendous year for me. I learned so much, did so much and changed so much. I just have to make one last blog post all about it. Just for closure. 

I've had so many great experiences over the course of the year, but Washington DC wins by a landslide. I truly believe that Washington DC changed me as a person. I got so much closer to my friends, I saw so many beautiful things and I learned so much about our country. But the most important thing I learned wasn't about history- it was about life. I had a revelation standing atop the Lincoln Memorial. In that moment, I realized I needed to be an optimist, that I needed to think positively in order to have good memories. To savor every moment. That had to be from God. I've been trying to live like that ever since, and it has made me so much happier. If I've learned anything this year, it's how to live in the moment and that good thoughts are what make good memories. 

Another huge win for this year was that I have made some truly amazing friends. Making good friendships is something I've always struggled with. I've always been shy, so the beginning of 6th grade was a nightmare. I was going to Tharp, away from all my friends in elementary school. I prayed and prayed for God to send me good friends. I thought I found them, but at the end of 6th grade, I realized that they were not good friends at all. Again, in seventh grade, I thought I had found the perfect group of friends. It also didn't work out. Finally, in eighth grade, I think I've found my group of friends. I finally have friends that know me well, that support me and I can hang out with for hours. Sure, we're not perfect, but at last I have found friends that I'm comfortable being myself with. 

Finally, I have done so much this year, I can't write about it all in detail. I'll just do this highlights, then a long list. First, I made first chair in orchestra. I still do not get tired of the thrill of seeing your name on the top of the list. All the hard work paying off. Your tired fingers and rosin-coated strings were worth it. Your passion paid off. I know I won't be feeling that kind of joy for a long time. I may never be first chair again in high school, so I'd better savor it. I've also become a much better artist this year, and not just in skill, though I have improved. I am so much more passionate about art than I was at the start of the year. I'm much more relaxed and I've learned how to have fun with art. I'm also learning to become proud of my art. I used to get so embarrassed about how people would just go on and on about how good it was. Now I know that you shouldn't be ashamed about how you inspire people. Yes, I'm still working on dealing with the embarrassment, but it doesn't stop me. 

This year, I've been so involved in drama. I thought it was a minor passion, but now I think it's a real one, specifically directing. I loved it. Even all the stress was worth it. I wish I could do it all over again, just to feel the joy of seeing your vision come to life. It's a feeling like no other. I've done so much else this year, but I think I'm going to have to draw this to a close. I'm running out of good words. 

All I have left to say is that I have done so much this year. I have changed so much, from becoming an optimist atop the Lincoln Memorial, to growing in all my passions, and becoming truly happy. That's right, I became truly happy this year. And finally, I came to love blogging. This is not my last blog post ever, I have plenty more passions to write about. 

Ask the Tough Questions

One of the hardest things to do is to ask for help. Equally as challenging is to ask for someones opinion. The kind of opinion that is genuine, truthful and doesn't come with fears of repercussions. When asking for help, we are often afraid of the backlash. Scared that we will be judged or thought less of.

Yet, that is exactly what we are doing as we wrap up this school year.

The school in which I lead will once again open themselves up to these very ideas. We are asking the tough (and some not so tough) questions of our students, our staff and our school community. I have often heard the following expression: "one year does not make a trend". Therefore, let's collect the data. Let's discover some trends, let's find what is working, and as equally as important, let's find what is not working. With this information we will be ready for the school year that lies ahead. As with any school district or school itself, our goal is simple - we strive to be at our best. To be the best for our students, our community and for our fellow colleagues,

As we work with students in the classrooms in which we teach, we remind them that the answers to their questions are within reach. Therefore, here is how we ask our stakeholders for their take on our work:

- We give our 7th and 8th graders the Student Experience Survey through Battelle for Kids. This specific survey speaks to Engagement, Hope, Belonging and Classroom Management. Giving this survey in both the fall and spring gives teachers feedback to what they need to know to reflect on how students perceive their environment and helps them understand their students.

- As students exit our school building next week, we will also be giving them a survey specific to their experiences at our middle school in relation to activities, the learning process, their teachers and their likes and dislikes. Many of the questions will be multiple choice but their will be some questions that ask for more information. This is a very transparent exercise that shows our willingness to reflect and improve and/or maintain.

- We also ask our teachers for their feedback and their opinion of their year, throughout the year. We ask what's worked or not worked. And we ask where have we hit (or missed) the mark with our leadership. They are encouraged to be as honest as possible. And, after giving this survey for the past few years, they are. And thanks to them, we are better at what we do.

- Through the relationship with our Parent-Teacher Organization, we have cast our net that much further when it comes to embracing our work and the expectations they have as a group of invested parents. We know the community plays a significant role in the education we deliver and the experiences our students have. Whether classroom interactions or extra-curricular activities, our community gives a perspective that assists us in improving our services. As we wrap up our year with them, they too are given a survey of sorts in which they can help us grow as a system.

Students, staff and community, the three pillars of education. We have to be able to ask the tough questions and be open to hearing the raw responses. It is imperative to seek out feedback that will enhance the climate, the learning and the student experience in our schools.

They Did it Again

It's late in the school year. Content to cover is nearing its end, lessons are winding down.

Celebrations of a successful school year are being planned. End-of-the-year parties are taking form. Students are eager for summer. Teachers are not far behind.

And then, without missing a beat, my teachers, well, they did it again.

Just when I thought that every amazing moment had been captured for this school year, I stepped into classrooms throughout this week and witnessed ongoing opportunities for kids to extend their learning through a teachers passion of instruction. There it was. The affirmation that is never out of arms reach and always welcomed at every turn. The learning is powerful.

The reality is, the learning never stops. Teaching never takes a break. The school year may be winding down but our teachers are not.

This week I have witnessed teachers giving of themselves as if it were the first weeks of school and not the last. The countdown has not begun. There is too much to accomplish.

Just this week, Teacher Appreciation Week, I observed math lessons that encourage students to collaborate and be creative in their method of learning probability. There were the in-depth conversations within Language Arts classes that dissected literature and allow for authentic feedback. Science classes are beginning their exploration of gravity, inertia and energy through hands-on building of contraptions. And, just last evening after a month of preparation, over 50 of our students put together a Variety Show full of singing, dancing, skits of comedy and interactive performances.

Teaching is a gift. Watching my teachers this school year deliver the types of lessons they are is invigorating and inspiring. The passion they bring is contagious. My teachers, hopefully like yours, are giving of themselves every moment of every day until the last day.

I am taking the extra time this week to give them additional thanks for all that they do for our students and our community. I never take your talents for granted and am grateful I am allowed to work with you each day.

Paper Chains

This week I came across a message from one colleague to another that referred to the paper chain countdown. Last year, this post came out at the end of April. This year, I share already. Enjoy the read and please, comments are always welcome.

Recently I joined in on the Alabama Ed Chat (#aledchat) hosted by Jennifer Hogan and Holly Sutherland. The conversation centered around how we as educators can finish the year strongly and maintain growth both for our students and for ourselves. That conversation inspired this post, Paper Chains.

"I can't believe the last month of school is already here!" she said as she walked down the hall with her friend to math class. "I know," she quickly fired back. "What are we going to do?"

It was in this moment that I was reminded that summer vacation may not be all that it is cracked up to be like many of us may think. Sure for some students and teachers, it is a much anticipated break. There is time with family, vacations and a break from the routine of traditional school. However, the reality is that many kids (and maybe even an educator or two) that would rather be in these halls with all the "rules, guidelines, teachers, homework, academic expectations and friends" than what the unknown other option may be. That other option, that unknown, is what many of us may not realize what awaits them.

And with that, I sent the message that the paper chain was going to take on a new meaning. The paper chain was now going to be viewed in a way that had not been considered before. This new view of the paper chain would have a sense of learning, not a sense of time passing by.

Instead of counting down the days until summer vacation by removing a link of the chain each day, we will remove a link of the chain that will be counting the days of learning remaining, of being with friends, of getting the most out of our academic journey. And with that, our outlook on the final month changed. It would change in a way that students and teachers would embrace. Our pledge:

We will commit ourselves to learn all that we can. 

We will teach like it was the first day. 

We will invest in ourselves and our students and our colleagues like we had just met. 

Our passion would be our drive. 

Our lessons will keep "selling tickets". 

Our expectations would continue to rise and our desire to connect with the learning will not reach an end. 

We will be there for our students knowing that this will be how they will remember how we taught them and how we cared for them. 

Our colleagues will feel the same.

I would end with this message and the message that I shared in the chat the other evening with this, "The last day(s) should be (and will be) as filled with as much energy and passion as the first." I challenge you to do the same. Rethink the Paper Chain.