Reduction in Force...What it is to force reduced!

I have been an administrator and teacher for 24 years.  This spring is the first time I have experienced the "Pink Slip" that so many teachers fear.  Well administrators fear it just as much.  A teacher may be reduced but the teachers union and Master Contract provide opportunities for the individual to perhaps bump another less tenured person or if they are qualified they may take another position.

If you are an administrator ...not so many options.  I don't believe teachers or community know this fact.  If an administrator is reduced in force they don't get to bump a less tenured administrator unless the school board extends that option.  You are done and happy job hunting.

Now I do understand the need to 'reduce in force or RIF' staff , non-certified, certified, and administrative. I also understand all the angles and problems that happen when this procedure is used. (Lots!).
 

This is my concern...

 What is the force that is reduced?  

Often  the force reduced  is competent staff who have experience, creativity, and zeal and who ARE making a difference in children's lives and learning.  Reduction of force can also mean removing programs that help students learn in different ways or in a smaller student to teacher ratio (Title Math, At Risk Programs, Guidance, Art, Music etc.). Staff reduced often have to leave the community and find work elsewhere resulting in  loss of students if they have children in the district and homes being sold with loss of tax revenue for the community.

Usually the main reason for a 'Reduction in Force' is financial.  Now I know that you can't run a school or any business without the money.  Long term planning , not one year at a time knee jerk decisions are important. I would recommend  five and ten year planning and districts analyzing the needs of their students so any 'Reduction in Staff' notices sent out will not adversely affect student learning and graduation.  There are great step by step plans that school board members and superintendents can use offered by the state school board associations. Once a program is reduced or staff it is very difficult to get it back and if the program or staff position is added back it often will not have the same qualities as the previous.

So what to do?  
Start applying for jobs of course.
Are there other options?
Let me know...

Snow day...snow boarding day...any learning going on?

I will never deny that I love snow days, early outs, and late starts.  
As a professional educator I use the time to catch up on paper work, sort out cabinets and files, and of course go sledding or snow boarding with my son.  
The last is the first of my priorities....
My son and I try different hills, different sleds, different paths, and compete to see who can get to the bottom first.  
But you might say "No school means that testing is halted (yes it did put a dent in my Iowa Assessment schedule).  Great lessons are skipped or moved to another date.  Routines are interrupted.  
Well here is the learning that was had due to the snow day.

When the snow is real wet you go slower than when it is iced up.  
Two people on a sled go faster than one.
Snow board ribs make it easier to go around corners.
Plan a path before you push off.
Keep your hands and feet ready to steer and brake.
Watch out for trees before you get to them.
Know how to roll off a sled if you are heading the wrong way.
Racing someone down to the bottom makes it so much fun.
Racing is not fun if someone gets hurt.  There won't be anyone to race.
Going down a hill fast means walking all the way up to the top slow.
It is okay to take a rest and lay in the snow and enjoy the snow.
If you can't stand up on a snow board without falling on your face sit down on it and you will go a lot further and have more fun.
Having so much fun is hard work.

So do you see what I mean about learning on a snow day...

Christmas Break/Winter Break and Life Long Learning

"Life Long Learner"  great buzz word for education.
What does it mean and how to model it as an administrator/teacher/parent/community member?
It means that until I can no longer function I will take every opportunity to learn or relearn something every day of my life.
No breaks, days off, no vacation, no excuses.
How is this possible?
How is it not possible?

So this is what I have been working on with the few glorious days at home until school starts again on January 2nd, 2014.

Bible: Learn something new everyday I read it.
Voynick Manuscript: Really interesting mystery, great story, great images!
Facebook: Yeah rediscovering the potential as a social medium.
Pinterest:  I enjoy every minute being on the site but now trying to learn the educational value.
Blogger: Search titles and read such interesting items.
Rasputin: The Russian Revolution is so Interesting.
Duck Dynasty: Finding out what the show is about and why so many students like it.
Hummingbirds: They are truly amazing and want to know how to get ready for them when they come back.
Ipod Touch 5th Generation: What can they do and how can they be used in education.

I could group the above interest into tech and non-tech but really I do most of my learning through tech devices and sites lately.  I find that interesting and thought provoking.  What would I do if the tech were not available? What would I do if I had to learn the way I did 10 or 20 years ago.  What would I be missing, what would I not be missing?  What would my learning curve be like?

See what I mean when I say "How is it not possible to be a 'Life Long Learner'?

 "As our case is new, we must think and act anew."
"Books serve to show a man that those original thoughts of his aren't very new at all."

Abraham Lincoln

The Educational Pumpkin Pie

I like pumpkin pie and have been making it for Thanksgiving dinner since I was 10 (a long time...). I always make the same kind; the recipe is found on the side of the pumpkin pie filling can (not a dedicated cook just like to feed people). This year the theme of my personal learning has been 'Technology'.  I have always used technology, like it, sometimes love it, support it, and encourage others to try it.
Soooo.... I have been incorporating tech in every aspect of my teaching and life, not just by having fancy devices  but rather as the a tool it is; to improve my learning and others (students, staff, administrators, community ... yeah our school had a site visit last year).
So Pinterest is a big theme for me as I find it relates to staff as a tool in their life outside school and can be branched very efficiently into a learning tool.  Pins and boards feature educational information, sites, and ideas with even AEA 8 having a board for all to use.  Think of it as TWITTER with pictures.
So I decide to find a pumpkin pie recipe on Pinterest and add it to my 'Got to Cook this' board (very original title need to rename it 'Somebody Cook This for me and Clean up the Mess'). Well I found a recipe that looked great (the picture was really good and I was hungry) . I tried to pin it but it would not load at that minute so I wrote down the ingredients and headed to the grocery store.  Well the ingredients must come from a large metropolitan area grocery store because they are not available in small town Iowa.  I asked women in the aisle to help, none knew what Biscoff spread was , then I asked a clerk (cute college girl with a cell phone in her pocket). She got her phone out and found the comparison using Google Search and it was Nutella (yeah they had that in the store).
So I went home to cook the pie.  Happy story right ?  NO!  Got on Pinterest and the recipe was gone, searched every idea, spelling, etc.  NOTHING.  Soooo. time to be creative... Looked at the list and tried to put it together.  Went like this...
Pumpkin Puree (means stick it in the blender?)
Almond Milk=canned milk (didn't know you could get milk from an almond)
Demerara Sugar (know idea am putting in brown sugar)
Ground cardamom (seriously ! = pumpkin pie spice)
Organic Eggs= what eggs I have in fridge
Pie Crust = why would I make it they come already done and in the pie tin.
Well I made the pie and believe it or not it was pretty good.  The problem ...I will never be able to do it again since I really didn't have a recipe. Luck is not a recipe.

So how does this relate to education and technology.  Technology is a tool that assists in learning. It is part of the recipe that helps teachers teach and students learn.  It is not the pumpkin pie.  Everyone has a different recipe for the different tastes that they enjoy, technology is the same, different devices and ways to use the tool to teach different types of individuals.  It is the job of the educator to find the ingredients  that are available and helpful to teach the students in the classroom.  It is a great idea to try new recipes, to be creative, to take a risk but remembering the goal is learning. Evaluation of the tool is key to learning (how did the pumpkin pie taste?) and must be done with fidelity.  

So start COOKING!

May 2nd Snow Day...

Well thought the snow day cancellations were over, would of bet on it...seriously? 

Yesterday had a faculty meeting; comments were made about possible weather scenarios for May 2nd. 

 I informed staff of the possibility of a two hour delay.

  Much fun was made of that comment even by myself. 

Well I did not know how powerful a suggestion was, or did I?

 I won't make that mistake again!

Only in Iowa... 

Smarter Balance Test Pilots...Crash or Fly?

Smarter Balance is a test type that is being piloted all over Iowa in both elementary and junior/senior high schools. 
So what do I know so far? 
It is done on computers in a two week time line. 
It has a manual that is 147 pages long.
All students need head phones and no part of the test can be read to the students.
It is not a timed test but recommendations say one week is the plan.
There are 4 types of questions that go from multiple choice to written responses.

Oh I could  go on ... I have 4 pages on notes so far. 

Hope the tech goes as planned.  That is always the issue lately. 

So after the question will be better or worse than Iowa Assessments? 

We will see....

Awesome staff!

I will admit some days I wonder if I will ever get all my work done.  Some days I wonder what I am doing. Some days I wonder what is coming next...
What makes my day awesome  are the staff members who are truly awesome.
Staff members who are flexible and will take on new tasks with a smile.
Staff members who jump in and help without being asked.
Staff members who show respect and give guidance.
Staff members who work past hours stated and don't even consider it a task.
Staff members who try to solve the problems first, seek resources, and then ask for assistance.
Staff members who help each other out all the time.
Staff members who love their job and show it  in so many ways.
And most of all...staff members who love children and put them first!

I can't give my staff members enough praise and thanks but I will try...

Site Visit... Site Visit...Site Visit...

Three weeks to the Site Visit.  Well stress is high and work not done but in progress.  This is my first Site Visit to prepare for.  So many things I have learned and so many things I would like to do differently or know more about.  Wish I had five years to prepare but you have to work with what you are given and do your best.  Perhaps the need for perfection should be a five year process and even then I think it is not possible.  A Site Visit is an opportunity for the school district to show off what they are doing and to learn what more they can do.  I understand that and promote that to staff.  It just seems like three days is not enough time to show and demonstrate to the state of Iowa what a fantastic school district I work with and what great teachers and students I am privileged to interact with everyday.  So back to preparation and trying to enjoy the process.

26 Random Acts of Kindness

I have started on my 26 Random Acts of Kindness in honor and remembrance of the 26 innocent lives lost in the Connecticut school shooting.  I was made aware of this idea from my daughter who also is working on her 26 acts of kindness.  I am on number 4.  I would challenge everyone who needs to make a New Years Resolution to complete 26 Random Acts of Kindness .  Just think if everyone did that.  What a wonderful year it will be and what a great way to honor those children and adults in Connecticut.

Education goes on...please let us keep on learning

Well I finally went and looked at a site that showed the victims of the Connecticut school shootings.  I did not go to the site right after it happened, did not want to add to the hysteria or the publicity, and wanted to let the mourning be for the people involved. 

I went today to acknowledge the tragedy and learn from it. 

That is why all things happen so we can learn, if we choose. 

Well this is what I have learned.

Children died but they did not die alone.  They died with the teachers that loved them and with Jesus at their sides.

Teachers died doing what they chose to do, love the children given to them to teach and care for. Thank you God  for teachers of that caliber.

The principal and staff died trying to save the children and keep the school safe.  Thank you God  for sending such outstanding leaders to that school.

A mentally sick young man killed his mother and with evil in his heart killed the most innocent things he could find.  God was with him also that day but he refused to see him. 

I pray that the families, communities, and the country let God into their hearts and let Him heal them as only He can, with LOVE.

I have also learned that there was NOTHING that the staff or school district could have done to prevent this tragedy.  They did everything possible and it still happened. 

Mental illness is so terrible and it is everywhere.  Why?  Perhaps the time, perhaps not, it just is. There isn't a person I know who does not know or have someone who is mentally unstable in their family or a friend with the illness.  Yes it is an illness but it can be controlled but the way it is being controlled it not working.  We need to look at mental illness closely and to invest the time into figuring out how to help these people. By helping mentally ill people we will help families, communities, and our country and world.  Easy to say now what can I do? It just takes one person at a time...wonder where we have heard that before.   

Random questions from Tuesday?

Will Smarter Balance testing take the place of the 'Iowa Assessements' in two years?
My guess no, then yes, then really no. 
Is open enrollment a good thing?
My thoughts, yes, sometimes definitely no, but yes in the end.
What are the benefits of being an assistant principal?
My answer today....up in the air.
Why does money seem to dictate educational decisions.
My remark... because people value it way too much.
When will there be time to get my work done?
My instinct says never.
Why am I an educator?
Because I can't not be... I will always love all children!

Books are Priceless and the price will continue to go UP

Went to an auction and there were boxes of old books.  Well the price ended up being $5 a box of books.  Really?! They were old books, some smelled old, some were abused and well read, and one was a bible.  I could not say no.  Bought the books and took them home and put them in my garage.  My eleven year old son came in with a few of the books and put them on the end table and told me that one was from 1879 and that we should read it.  I started yesterday and I am almost done. It is Kavanaugh by Longfellow.  Worth reading but not an easy read.
So is this a recommendation for a book?  NO!  I have aghast at the idea that books are worthless and people can't even give them away.  Was it so long ago that only the rich could have books, then libraries made it possible for all to have books, now no one wants them.  I think  and have heard that other countries do not take books for granted but with technology maybe paperless is what everyone wants.  I don't, I loved opening that old book and smelling the age, feeling the paper, enjoyed holding it in my hands, really enjoyed the handwritten message inside.  I foresee a future when books will slowly become so rare that  only the rich will be able to own them.  They will be on "Road Show Antiques" and discussed as being a rare find.  Until then I will continue to buy books , just need a library to store them.

Administrative Focus or lack of...

I really try to focus, work on a task or problem, give it my all, and then feel a huge amount of accomplishment.
I find it next to impossible as an assistant principal/curriculum director/teacher/family person/individual.
Just to illustrate the above this is a list of what I have worked on this weekend....
Two 5th grade basket ball games
Babysitting twins
Shopping for groceries
Menards for house repair supplies
Making dinner
Cleaning the house
Repair an Anderson Window that was broken and rehang
Caulk the front door and window
Replace siding that was rotten, repaint, and caulk
Laundry
Church and Sunday School/Christmas Program Practice
Watch a DVD with my family
More house cleaning
Read the paper
Read two chapters in my new book ('One Thousand White Women' really good!!!)
Work on Site Visit Documents
Update my calendar and respond to emails
Favorite 'Smarter Balance' test site and read more about the entire testing system
Update my blog, oh yeah this one and the PVELART site that I just started
Review Iowa Assessment information and updates
Help my son with homework
Clean up after the dogs
OKAY STOP!!!!
How is it possible to do all that in two days and stay focused???????
Well my answer at this point is stay up late.  I also am going to hire a personal assistant that will work for free and be rewarded with the joy of just being around me.
SO HOW DO YOU FOCUS?  ANY GREAT TIPS WOULD BE APPRECIATED JUST COMMENT AND I WILL READ IT AROUND 11:30PM OR LATER.

Elementary Students Elect the Next President of the United States of America!

What a great day of learning.  The 5th grade staff completed a unit about elections with a school wide election on the same day as the national elections for president.  Now I know that this has been done before,  but I will say the Prairie Valley Elementary 5th grade staff and students did it WELL!  After the background work in the classroom; investigating elections, past elections, student prior knowledge, and introducing new concepts , students created election posters (applicable to the Preschool- 6th grade students and staff), registered all voters, set up precincts, voting booths, public announcements, trained poll workers, and set up schedules for voting.  It went very well and the school was updated on results throughout the day precinct by precinct.  One of the requirements for registering to vote was that the student or staff donate a non-perishable food item.  If the students forgot to bring one extras were brought in by all. 
I got to assist with some of the younger student precincts and helped read the names under the candidate pictures.  It was a joy to see how many five and six year old students knew the names, identified the faces, and were anxious to vote. 
A five year old student that I assisted tried to come back to the voting booth. I told her the rule was that it was a private voting booth and she had already voted.  She then declared that she wanted her can back so she could vote for the other guy since that would only be fair. 
At the end of the day I reminded the students as they went to the bus to watch the election results to see who the nation picked for president. One student said, "We have voted and it would be nice if the nation would let us elect the president like we did today, just the kids in this school, or just the kids all over."
What an IDEA and after the day I experienced;caring, patience, excitement, interest, and fairness, I would trust the kids to elect the next president, and it would make sense. 
Someday they will....

Quit spitting on me!

I was out at recess duty today,(yes I am assistant principal at an elementary) and a student raised his hand and told me the boy behind him in line was spitting on him.  I watched for a second and did not see the boy spit but the other student yelled, "He did it again, make him stop". Okay I admit the boy standing behind was a spitter, spit on others before, probably wanted to spit, BUT I WATCHED AND HE DID NOT SPIT!  I noted that it felt like I was being spit on and of course, it was almost raining.  I told the student and all was good.  So what is this blog all about?
Well sometimes you get spit on so often by the same source you can't see that the spitting is coming from somewhere else.  It is difficult to look around and notice where else a negative situation might be coming from when it always has come from the same source.  It pays to look around once in awhile and get another point of view. 
Kids lead my thoughts to analogies and revelations. 
Enjoy (blog pack of one always does)

Uncreative students...what's up with that?

Okay was sent this article because I am an art teacher/administrator.  Found aspects of it very interesting.  I don't agree with a lot of it.  The Freedom aspect is a little out there for me.  I also don't  agree with the reason the creativity has dropped since the 90's.  I would say it is more about what toys children have that make them not need to push the creativity button.  Part of the article talking about boredom plays a role in creativity in children I do agree with.  I also believe that system wide testing does not test for creativity and should.
Another thought what part of the 'Iowa Core' works with creativity?  How is creativity taught in the classroom (Art and Music are not the only places it should be taught and have a standard or benchmark for creativity).
Read the article and comment.

As Children’s Freedom Has Declined, So Has Their Creativity

New research suggests that American schoolchildren are becoming less creative.

Published on September 17, 2012 by Peter Gray in Freedom to Learn

 

http://www.psychologytoday.com/em/106391        

Curriculum and Assessment What?

Well thought last year was busier than the year before.

Well thought this year would be interesting and less stressed.

Well seriously what was I thinking!

I am now the new district Assessment Coordinator ....

and wait for it....

Curriculum Director.

So what did I give up.... nothing. 

Still teaching Art, Math Support, and Assistant Principal.

Sounds like I am bragging ... if you think so go with that....

Instead I would like to know what other

Assessment Coordinators and Curriculum Directors do

and if the same people have other job titles and or teach. 

 I need some guidance in time management. 

So Someone give me their wonderful guidance...I will be happy to reciprocate when I can.

Assistant Principal/Teacher

Assistant Principal/ Teacher...of course all administrators are teachers...not always so and the degree is so much different.  Due to a change of contract (less administrator more teaching) I am teaching Art in an elementary setting and filling out my contract with administrative duties.  Not what I thought I would be doing, not what I planned on doing, but hey everyone is adapting to the the rural decline of educational budgets.  So happy to have a job and still have some administrative duties.  So what is the blog about? 
I am being convinced that teaching an actual class is very beneficial to the principal job.  Why?  Well the last couple of years when working with students I usually knew the few that were in the office all the time, tried to know the others, but with the amount of students many were nameless smiling faces. This year I will know each and every one.  They are all in my classroom at least one out of six days.  Why is this beneficial?  I have one to one conversations with them.  Each student seems very aware of who I am and how much I enjoy teaching.  They also are fine with my other role as assistant principal and all that comes with it.  I also have first hand experiences to relate if or when I need to communicate with parents, staff, or administration (other than myself).  When a teacher indicates there is a problem with a students learning or behavior, they know that I also have first hand knowledge. As an administrator I am able to recommend behaviors that work for me or help develop a plan that I can assist with in the classroom.  I also get to work with the grading procedures , see how the schedules are working, and discover the joy of recess (not on demand or last minute fill in) every day. 
Now what is the flip side?  It is very difficult running and managing a schedule that puts me in a classroom at least two to three times a day, recess duty,and then working in my office on bus discipline, testing, and administrative duties.  Staff are often unsure of what my role details when visiting their classrooms. (is she wanting my students to bring glue to art or is she doing a drop by evaluation).  Parents are not sure of my role so I assume the community is not sure exactly what I am doing.  (Just had a student who said her dad wanted to know what my job was. She told him I do everything. )
So to conclude I think the positive outweighs the flip side.  I hope to always have a classroom with students in every role I have as an administrator.  Still have not figured out the meeting and schedule problem but with skype and technology I know it is possible.  I will always remember that I am a teacher first and I went into administration because I love to teach.
So it there anyone else who can share the experience I am involved in this year. 
(Thought this was going to be a year of making lemonade out of lemons and finding out with a little lemon juice you can make an incredible educational punch! )

Batman

I was a huge batman fan when I was very little.  I can fondly remember being around 6 and someone drove the Batmobile in a 4th of July parade and I was so excited (wow, bam, pow  excited).  When the first movie versions came out I wanted to share that experience with my children.  So as the Batman fan I was, I went and bought Batman t-shirts for all three of my kids and myself and we went to the movie as a family.  We continued going to the movies together until the kids got to the point where they said they didn't care to see anymore (as sad day but holy crap Batman it was bound to happen).  My youngest son ,who is 11, was not born when the first wave of Batman movies came out but he has been a fan for the next set.  He wanted to go so badly to 'Batman Dark Night Rises' and asked everyone if they had seen it and if they liked it. 
Then the Colorado shooting happened.  Kind of put a damper on the entire experience for me.  I really did not care to go. I am praying for the victims. No one  else in the family seemed to want to go either, except for my son. 
Well my son and I went tonight.  Not a big crowd but enough.  We bought  our new Batman t-shirts, yes they matched, and off to the show.  How wonderful that he did not care at 11 that Mom was matching. I let him buy any kind of candy he wanted and the biggest pop he could drink.  We sat in the back and enjoyed each others company.  I will admit that it bothered me that those victims in Colorado were doing exactly what I was doing, trying to enjoy life with family and friends.  I did talk to my son about always staying alert.  I told him how much I enjoyed being with him.  I told him how much I loved him. 
The movie was not as good as the second but it was okay.  It had a lot of shooting and violence but most Batman movies do.  The special effects were good and my son loved the helicopter tank hover craft thing.  I have seen better Cat Women but the actress wasn't terrible. 
I am glad I took my son.  I am glad I did not let some crazed mad man take away a wonderful family tradition.  And golly gee Batman keep making the movies. Okay I am really waiting for another Star Trek movie also so hurry up Captain Kirk!!! (I would settle for a Star Wars)

Read,Read, Read...summer time is here!

I love to read. My Mom loved to read, I love to read, and my kids love to read.  One thing as a parent I know I did right.
During the school year I read all the time, but in another format, mainly educational articles dealing with testing, grading, reading strategies, etc. 
Summer time is when I get to read anything I want.  Finished a biography of John McCain. (It was sitting on the top of a pile of books and I have to read every book I have in the pile.  It was actually very good for lots of reasons I did not expect)  Also read one called 'Vigil' my son recommended and it was also great (he picked it out for me at a book sale for $1, he loves his Mom). Read a vampire series that my daughter likes (Can't think of the title since there are so many vampire series).
So now I get to pick...Had $20 left on an Amazon book gift card so I splurged and found a book that was recommended by my profile and it just jumped out at me.
'Shifting the Monkey' by Todd Whitaker.  Looks really interesting, great cover , kind of weird title and graphic.  So that is my 'judging a book by the cover' moment.  The book is shorter than I thought so should be an fast read.  Here I go , will update at moments of profound inspiration..(yeah that is what I always go for).... If you have or are reading the book chime in. Guess I would be talking to the two people who follow this blog. Oh did I ever say thanks for following my blog?  THANKS!