GSU Blogger - Dr. J. Kahrs

This week has been pretty challenging with getting teachers to post grades in time for the calculation of honor roll, Val/Sal. Administration met with teachers a week ago and expressed the importance of posting grades as well as informing parents of senior failures. It makes me cringe that this task still did not meet the deadline. How can we hold students accountable and not model the way?

I have been overwhelmed this year and not handling it very well. I know I have not done my best in this program and am struggling to keep up at work. I was wondering what strategies some of you may do to help balance things,especially if you are going through something stressful at home (i.e. cancer, relationship, birth, etc)

Many teachers are behind on curriculum maps prior to students being tested for EOG and EOC. This has been and issue for several years in our county, especially since Common Core. Some teachers spend too much time re-teaching standards that they get so far behind on the pacing guides. We have implemented common planning time, benchmarks, and formative assessments. It is unfortunate that students are held accountable for mastering curriculum that they were not necessarily taught. Are teachers in your schools behind on pacing? What are some strategies that help keep teachers on pace?

I just recently found out that in order to become an assistant principal and principal you have to sign away your tenure. I find this shocking and a little troubling. Recently, I learned of a 1st year principal whose contract was not renewed. This particular individual did not have a clue his contract would not be renewed. I guess I thought if assistant principals and/or principals were struggling they would be put on a PDP, assigned a mentor, or something. Since I am trying to become an assistant principal this is a little scary.

For the past year, I have heard how overwhelmed teachers are and how demanding it is in the profession. I have only been out of the classroom for two years; however, I didn't experience the overwhelming feelings as a middle grades math teacher. Every year that new teachers come in, they have to be trained on our way of doing things and on the curriculum being implemented. We have offered sign-on bonuses for new teachers. High-need teaching area (math and world languages) teachers receive additional stipends. We have also increased the amount of professional development opportunities available to teachers. Unfortunately, we continue to lose a large amount of teachers each year. What are some of the reasons teachers are leaving the system or profession all together? What are some of the things people in your county are doing to retain teachers.

How do we get around the testing schedule we have currently in place? In my current high school we have some type of testing going on from today until finals in May. Milestones, SLO, Aspire, AP, and I am sure am missing others but this seems a bit too much. Are there any alternatives? Whatever happened to "old fashioned" schoolwork?  

I am a bit of an PBS junkie.  The News Hour is the fist thing I turn on when I get to my office, and I watch as I check my email accounts and plan my day.  And I usually have NPR on in the car.  Two recent reports caught my attention:  1.)  The lack of vocational training in our country that is causing shortages in jobs like plumbing 2.) The systematic way in which immigrants to this country are encouraged to start their own businesses. In our current American education system, college is the avenue that children are encouraged to pursue.   Law school is expensive and we are educating lawyers that the nation cannot use.  When Chatham County opened a vocational/technical school a few years back there was great excitement, and still there is a waiting list to get in.  In less than a decade Woodville Tompkins Technical and Career High School has become a U.S.New and World Report Bronze Medal winner and they are preparing kids to be part of the...

This is a make-up post because I couldn't help missing one while I was just on a 7-day Disney cruise with my family (not bragging...it's part of my post, really) to the Eastern Caribbean.  Anyway, I have a good friend that lives in St. Thomas (Virgin Islands), and the company he works for assists EDCs (Economically Developing Countries). On his way to drop us off at a pristine white sand beach with crystal clear blue water, he explained the state of the schools there.  Now, I've never really noticed or thought about how much we American educators complain and point out the injustices, inequities, flaws, problems, etc. with our school, system, state of educational affairs, or whatever, but after that 20 minute ride and conversation, it really struck me how fortunate and privileged we ALL are, even those of us in the most economically disadvantaged schools.  According to my friend, their average 10th grader reads at about the 3rd grade level. The island's school system is...

It's that time of year! Milestones testing begins for us on Wednesday. We are testing one grade level at a time, so this will take close to a month to complete. We will start with 5th grade, then 3rd, and then 4th. With every student testing online, the county thought it would be best to test one grade level (system wide) at a time. How is your system handling online testing. How are your teachers and students feeling about the upcoming state assessment. Many are stressed about the test beginning right after spring break. Truthfully, I think everyone will be glad when it is all said and done!

This year, our elementary school partnered with the high school to prepare our students for the future. It is never too early to prepare our young minds for careers. Since the district is moving toward the idea that "college begins in Kindergarten", this fell in perfectly this year. Each grade level aligned with an Academy at the high school. High school students from each of those academies have volunteered with the students in those grade levels all year. We recently had an academy night for our parents and students ,where the high school came out and students from each academy set up booths to provide information about each (school of business, school of  marketing) etc. to our parents. It was set up similar to a college fair! It was an awesome turnout and the parents were on board with our partnership.The students were also engaged and have began conversations about what they want to be when they grow up!

So I have decided to bite the bullet and apply for an assistant principal job out of the county I am currently in. This is a huge decision for me as I am established in the county I am currently in. Another thing is that it is in an elementary school. I have never worked in an elementary school except in a tutoring capacity. I believe this would be a good move for me and am excited about applying for it. I just hope that my student level experience is not a hinderance. One of the questions I have is-Is the salary posted my gross salary or is what the county pays for insurance included in this.

As testing season kicks off our principal would like to see that three AP's at our building working together on the testing calendar and building the testing matrix within our school.  The purpose of this is to ensure that if the testing coordinator is out there is a backup plan.  As our school's testing coordinator what is the best way to build a team atmosphere while knowing that my other AP's are already very busy with their own responsibilities?

There was a time I was against "School Choice" as an option for parents to educate their children. My concern for this movement was I believed first, it was a strategy to dismantle Unions, and then second, it would drain federal funds from public schools leaving only the most challenging students in public schools. I'm not so sure of this position anymore.  What are your thoughts?

Believe it or not it's that time of the year....STATE TESTING!  Yipppeeee.....Stress time, rather watch paint dry time, I'd rather be somewhere else time, etc. What is it about testing that brings out the hives?!  If you've been doing what you're suppose to do since day one then there's no need for panic.  I'm not saying I meet the testing spirit with whistles and rainbows.  I just recognize the sun is going to still rise in the morning despite if Johnny or Susie shows up on testing day.  So in the spirit of testing here are a few tips to remember:  Wear comfortable shoes that have a rubber sole....think nothing that will make a sound.  Nobody really cares that your tennis shoes does not match the day's ensemble.  Wear comfortable clothes. Nothing too tight (This includes girdles)...but then again it may just keep you awake wondering why in the world did you stuff yourself in too small clothing....Try not to p...

"Student learning is the ultimate measure of the success of a teacher and an instructional leader" (GADOE, 2016). Student Learning Objectives (SLOs) measure student growth over an academic year in non-tested subject areas. I asked a Curriculum Specialist how did she feel about SLOs. She said that it increased student teacher accountability for student learning across all areas. She also stated that it was just too much testing. I asked a Coordinator how did she feel about SLOs. She said that it was a good pre/post test. She also stated that is was not valid because some teachers has access to the questions. When we administered SLOs across the district 2014-2015, teachers across the county came together to unpack standards and create curriculum maps in courses that usually were "islands" in their schools. Testing was a nightmare though. Scheduling issues and data from scores being erased. Now that we no longer have SLOs, will teachers that teach non-tested subject a...

I am very excited that our school district is going to use AppliTrack as our online application system. Many of you who are a part of a big school district are probably already using this now. I went to a training three weeks ago and we were so amazed at how this tool would help our recruiting, screening, and Employee File Management efforts. AppliTrack provides applicants with a user-friendly tool to browse and apply for positions. Applicants are only a click away from viewing current vacancies, completing an online application, and uploading necessary documents. As far as school leaders, AppliTrack helps in quickly accessing qualified applicants, filtering and sorting through candidates, and improving communication throughout the process. I am curious to know if your district is using AppliTrack and if so, do you like it?

For those of you who have become principals or assistant principals, on average how many interviews did you go through before attaining your leadership position? I talked to my principal today and he reminded me that he went eight (8) principal interviews before his role as our principal. I want to know if this is normal, just an expectation of the process or should one interview be the norm in this process.

Our greatest challenge with behavior exists within our Kindergarten classes. Parents are not very supportive when we ask them to intervene. We have students that hit teachers, spit on teachers, hit other friends, throw chairs, use profanity etc. At the local school we have counselors involved to a great extent before discipline referrals are actually processed. We have SST meetings for behavior to provide a number of interventions as well Once have exhausted our options at the local school and other students are put in a unsafe environment, we have no other choice but to move forward with disciplinary actions.

I teach a middle school REP mathematics class.  I'm considered a connections teacher.  Because of this I see all grade levels.  I teach students who struggle in mathematics.  I was/am happy with my current position.  I pride myself in knowing how to reach the lower ability student.  As of late, I am questioning myself about if I'm really making a difference in this position.  In the regular classroom, I taught the standards and knew what was expected of me.  Right now I am still creating this class from scratch.  I am considered an interventionist but still have a heart of a regular content teacher.  One of the biggest issues I struggle with daily is my role as an "interventionist."  As an interventionist I am required to fill in the gaps to assure students can achieve mastery of basic skills in order to be successful with current grade level content.  However having come from the regular content class how can I sit by and watc...

It's obvious that a vacation is right around the corner. It seems as though faculty, staff and students all have one thing on their minds...SPRING BREAK! How do you deal with the lack of focus and increased misbehavior in the building? I know that I am ready for a week at the beach but realize I still have work to do before then. Does your school do incentives for good behavior leading up to a break? Please share!

I want to know who actively handles discipline in your building. I write this because after 16 years of teaching I like to see my administrators roaming the halls. In my current school I believe the teachers handle the everyday, every situation of student issues. Our administration just completes the referral process. Do the administrators in your building roam the halls? Does your administration lead by walking? What type of administrative presence dominates your building?

When I took on the job of Project Manager (PM), I had no idea my principal was such a micro-manager. I had worked with her for 6 years as the media specialist and she never "bothered" me. She just let me do my job the way I saw fit. Fast forward to almost a year as being the project manager and I am beyond frustrated. Every time the district asks me to do something, I have to clear it with her. She gets upset that the district does not copy her on EVERY email they send me. She has also told me on a number of occasions that what they are asking me to provide is her job or tells me not to do it at all. It is becoming a problem since I am tasked with replying to what the county requests. It is part of my job description. Up until recently I have just complied with what she said and not brought it to my boss's attention. My thinking was she is my boss. This changed when I got an email from one of the people the district hired to implement a couple of programs emailed my pri...

If you read my last post about my district's pay policy for administrators NOT really supporting the decision to advance in the profession by seeking a doctorate degree, you may have found yourself in the same boat as myself, wondering whether such a huge investment is worthwhile. Well, if you also happened to revisit that thread and read my latest contribution, I realized that such a momentous decision has to be intrinsically driven, regardless of any potential financial benefits. Salaries get raised and cut, policies change back and forth, but the degree is about personal and professional growth, contributing to the profession, and the hope of opening up greater opportunity for yourself in the future. Now with that being said, here's the very positive news that I referred to in my last comment (Note: this only applies to certification only (Add-on) folks...sorry). Apparently there is a little bit of a difference between the Leadership Add-on (Certification-Only) and Lea...

Do you agree with the statement that dismissing a student for bad behavior in school often simply pushes that behavior out into the world? Majority of students in the Southern States that are suspended from public schools are black. Some people have referred to some schools that have a high suspension rate as "Prison Pipelines". Many districts are incorporating Positive Behavior Interventions and Support (PBIS) to decrease the behavior students are typically written up for. PBIS schools have shown a decrease in the amount of students being suspended.  So what are school's role in addressing the diverse needs of our students and families that they serve. We cannot simply tolerate bad behavior in our schools to prevent suspension, but how do we put in supports that allow us to remediate behavior and provide students with a better opportunity?

Our principal has submitted their letter of resignation and Hampton High School will be looking for a new principal in the coming weeks with a new principal being approved by the Board of Education April 11th.  The dilemma I am facing is this.  If any of the three current AP's applies than no AP will be part of the hiring process, we lose our voice so to speak.  If none of us put in for it than I would hope I would be the AP involved in the hiring process because I have the most years of experience and I am the only AP left from last year when Hampton High School.  It has come to my attention that one of our AP's is going to apply even though they are in their first year as an AP.  That means we as AP's will not have a voice in the hiring process.  I had said I didn't want to put in for it but because I wanted to have a voice, but with the voice now gone I am wanting to go through the process of seeing what it is like to apply for a head principal's job. ...

As a special education resource teaching, I enjoyed working with my general education colleague to plan and implement lessons for our math students.  There were days when I used Alternative Teaching as a strategy to break the skills in manageable parts for the students I was working with (both general and special education), and then there were times when I was conducting the lesson.  My co-teacher and I would collaborate all the time and sometimes even in the presence of the students.  She would say, "Now Mr. Gamble, I'm not too comfortable with these algebraic expressions. You're going to have to take it from me." In the middle of the lesson, I would take over and the students encountered effective communication as well as learned to compute algebraic expressions.  There were days when I would have the gifted students extending their learning by creating math projects which would be spread out of the floor.  I miss that type of co-teaching.

Seeing that there is a lot of conversation on how to achieve "buy-in" from veteran teachers with newer agendas, I read an interesting article that provided suggestions on how to achieve this.  Of course this is not a one size fit all solution.  However, it is a starting place to assist with moving forward. https://www.edsurge.com/news/2016-01-21-how-to-rally-veteran-teachers-around-a-personalized-learning-model Feel free to share thoughts or suggestions on how you achieved buy-in from your veteran teachers who are "reluctant" to get on board with newer agendas.

My boss is getting ready to discuss grade level placements for the upcoming next year that the next faculty meeting. This has many teachers up in arms. The conversations that have gone through he building have not been the most positive. Many believe that they should stay in their respective grade level as they have been teaching that specific level for 5, 10, or even 20 years. But, isn't your contract to the county and for the grades in which you are certified for - P - 5, K - 8, etc? How would you as a leader handle this sticky situation and what would you say to back your decision.

I recently attended a training on leadership and I wanted to share what I think is great information for all of you aspiring to be principals. The first golden nugget is that building-level leaders must understand that leadership is second only to classroom instruction among all school-related factors that contribute to what students learn at school (Leithwood, Louis Anderson, Wahlstrom, 2004) (www.wallacefoundation.org). In fact, the total (direct and indirect) effects of leadership on student learning account for about a quarter of total school effects. Building-level leaders primary areas of work include: Setting directions Developing people Redesigning the organization People are motivated by goals which they find personally compelling, as well as challenging but achievable.  Having such goals helps people make sense of their work. The second golden nugget has to do with expectations of school leaders. I have listed 25 I thought were worth sharing. Th...

Students are not allowed to leave campus at any point during the school day unless they are checked out or absent. I am noticing students during the lunch hour walking the halls with various fast food items. It has been brought to the attention of administration. The problem is if something happens to a student who leaves campus without permission the school is responsible. I am of the opinion that students who leave campus should have their parking privileges revoked. What are other schools' policy on students who leave campus?

As many of you have read, seen, or heard, the high school head football coach is a very "lucrative" position according to some media outlets. Does it bother any of you that the head football coach is second in salary only behind the superintendent in some counties in Georgia?  What about your high schools? In many high schools around the state, the head football coach is second only to the principal. Is there a problem with our salary structures in Georgia? As school administrators (principals/ assistant-principal) is there a problem in your schools when the head football coach makes more than the assistant principals?

This is the toughest time of year, the transfer process opens next week, and it's decision making time as to who has performed adequately to stay and for those who have not performed adequately, conversations have begun to let these individuals know that they are being considered for non renewal. This is partly one of the toughest responsibilities of the job, but equally difficult is knowing that for 180 days of what should have been an impactful learning experience for our students has not. To think that one teacher greatly cheated 20+ students out of effective instruction is also just as difficult.

Okay, I know this can be a touchy subject, but let's also acknowledge that it's an important one and start a conversation. I've been doing my "Aspiring AP" homework, but that has led to more questions and bewilderment (not to mention disillusionment) than answers, clarity, and hope. I'll start with this: How many of you might be interested in eventually earning a doctorate degree? Well, I just found out that my system (and many others) have decided to no longer pay administrators at the T7 level. So from here on out, even if I earn an EdD in Leadership, I'd only get paid for my EdS (T6) degree...as an AP, I would also get a $3,000 annual supplement.  Now as a teacher, I can earn an EdD (let's say in C&I) and get paid at a T7 level, but then if I move into an AP position, I would revert back to the T6 plus 3K.  Does anyone else see a problem with that? If not, let's consider how many extra days (not to mention extra hours on both ends of the reg...

I have watched videos of Shirley Hord and Stephanie Hirsh (Learning Forward) discuss and demonstrate the members' roles in professional learning communities (PLCs), what they should look like, and how it should be conducted. However, it appears most PLCs are gatherings of information dumping with one person in charge. Is it that these meetings are opportunities to overwhelm teachers with new mandates? Are the PLCs really about building teacher and student capacity through analyzing data?

           Recently, I participated in a book study at our school with a group of teacher leaders who were interested in creating a positive school culture. We read an interesting book entitled, Transforming School Culture: How to Overcome Staff Division by Anthony Muhammad. In this book, Muhammad shares a few interesting points in which I would like to disclose. Muhammad believes educators are classified into following four categories: Tweeners, Believers, Survivors or Fundamentalists.             First, Tweeners are who we may consider our “new teachers on the block.” As you probably have observed, these teachers typically starts out with enthusiasm and usually comply with administrators’ requests. These teachers can be very vulnerable and easily persuaded. They are trying out new things all the time to see what works best for them.           ...

I know teachers are put on PDP's if they are ineffective, but what about assistant principals? I know of an assistant principal that is simply ineffective. This has been proven in multiple ways. His surveys are always negative, when he is in charge of testing, it almost always, is messed up, he has no connection with his staff, parents, and teachers. Some examples are when he gets on to students they laugh at him and once (I witnessed this) a teacher was explaining an incident to him and he actually shushed her, yet he still holds his position. If he were a teacher and doing this, he would already be put on a PDP. I recently found out that principals are not eligible for tenure but are assistant principals?

Our school began implementing PBIS in the fall. Students earn hornet bucks for showing PBIS expectations. We have posters hung throughout the building that display the rules and expectations of the school. We also have PBIS commercials on our school website that can be watched at any time. Yesterday, I attended part one of a three day PBIS training presented by GADOE. I took away valuable information on how to set rules and expectations and the importance of understanding of what students know and do at home. We watched this wonderful video by Rita Pearson called "Mama Said". I encourage you to watch it. Do any of your schools use the PBIS model, and if so, what do you do to promote positive behavior?

I read an old article by Tomlinson entitled "One To Grow On." The author raved about the best practices of a few good principals. These principals are coined as adding value to their staff. One principal ensures students were assigned to an adult in the building. The other would assist in any area where short handed. The other would be present daily in classrooms. The point is an effective instructional leader is essential to the success of any school. The leader must be able to articulate a vision and have support from his/her staff. The leader must be visible and flexible. The leader must stay current on trends in education.

STEM/STEAM is the new buzz word everyone is using these days.  While I feel we have been doing this for quite some time, we just happen to have called it something else in years past.  Currently, in my county there are three middle schools.  Of the the three, two are doing STEM/STEAM exclusive teams.  My school is in the creating stage of STEM. Our administrators felt we should not rush into something without researching it and everyone is well versed in it ( Happy to be around people who are thinking rationally about this.) Our STEM committee meets to brainstorm what needs to be asked of staff and the committee serves as a spokesperson within their department.  In these meetings there are quite a few concerns and many questions.  My questions to you are the following providing you are a STEM/STEAM school? What steps did you use to start your STEM program? How did you incorporate buy-in from staff, students, parents, and community? What committees we...

When I entered the teaching profession in my 40's one of the first things that I noticed was what I considered a lack of advocacy for the educators in the classroom.  I had come out of the engineering field and was teaching in Savannah Georgia and my thought was, "Who is human resources for the teachers"? On page 20 of his book School Genetics , Lockhart states, "Researchers have proven undeniably that the major contributor to student achievement is the teacher" (p. 20).  He further states on page 21 regarding a leader's relationship with teachers, "Evidence must trump emotions every time in the human resources business.  In other words, it's personnel, nor personal." With a shrinking pool of teaching candidates, and seasoned educators leaving the field in droves, something has to change in the way be care for our educators.  What are some of the ways you care for the teachers that are entrusted to educate the children in your building? ...

We are all accustomed to hearing the stories and reading the literature concerning teachers who leave the profession in the first 3-5 years. I am interested in the literature and stories about assistant principals who leave the profession in the first 3-5 years of their careers. If this applies to you, could you please share why. What are some of the reasons why assistant principals leave the profession? Are their similarities with the classroom teacher? If so, what are they? Conversely, does the assistant principal position doom one to fail? What are the measures of success (going beyond LKES) for an assistant principal?  

My principal shared this article with our leadership team last week, and since I wholeheartedly agree with the premise and research findings, I thought it would be worth passing along to you all. It seems like common sense for leaders...empower your teachers and build their leadership capacity (be a Multiplier). In reality though, too many leaders refuse to share or relinquish any degree of control, and they only trust in their own ability to make important decisions and produce results (they are Diminishers). Most teachers can and do have brilliant ideas and creative solutions to existing problems, and they have the potential to be powerful agents of positive change. Unfortunately, most times their amazing potential is never realized or actualized. Like the article states, "It is the organization led not by the genius, but by the genius maker that taps and unleashes brilliance across an entire school or district. What could your school accomplish if you could mobilize all the ene...

I am in a quandary. My job as Project Manager for my school is only for 2 years (I am currently in my 1st year). When this job was presented to me I was led to believe that wonderful opportunities would be available once my job assignment was over. However, I have since found out that my school will have to reabsorb me. I have no guarantee where I will be placed. The principal has the option to keep me in my current position, but must use discretionary funds. I have since learned that there is a really good possibility there will be several assistant principal jobs available for the upcoming school year. My quandary is I am not sure if I should apply for these positions since I told them I would be PM for 2 years or if I should finish my 2 years and then pray other opportunities will arise. I could go back into the classroom, but I haven't been in there for 8 years and I feel it would be a step back. While I am not asking you to tell me what to do; I would love feedback on what yo...

As we all know as educators there are often times that a school will have visitors in the building in regards to accreditation.  I am a firm believer in having a real view of how a school is run as opposed to the dog and pony show that often goes on.  Today I had to sit in on a panel that discussed school culture and climate.  I did not feel comfortable answering questions honestly in front of my principal so I chose not to say anything at all.  How do other administrators feel in this situation?  I would answer candidly in a survey or questionnaire but did not like having other AP's, my principal, and guidance counselors present when answering these questions.

When juggling multiple things, there comes a time when all that you juggle will come crashing down. That's the time to reflect on the circumstances to find the message in the valley.  While reflecting, boundaries are established and things that really matter will take precedence. Balance.

I had an opportunity to attend Edcamp Savannah this past Saturday (early Saturday morning I might add).  The whole purpose of my attendance is because I'm educational nosy and I had seen quite a few posts on twitter where edcamps were taking place all over.  People were posting pictures and stating they were having a good time and learning a lot.  Of course, I needed to see what the hoopla was all about.  Before sharing my experience, here is a brief history about edcamp: 1st Edcamp May 2010 in Philadelphia  Over 200 edcamps worldwide  Edcamp Foundation formed 2011   The Edcamp Foundation vision is to "promote organic, participant-driven professional development for K-12 educators worldwide.   When they say organic they mean organic.  As a newbie this was a little daunting.  Let me explain. Sessions were created by participants giving suggestions on what should be discussed for the day (If topics were around the same they were ...

This past week I along with one of our counselors had the pleasure of starting a new club at our school "Young Entrepreneurs of Graves" We chose 12 students but only 8 attended which was still a nice manageable group. We will teach students the principles of starting their own business by creating a product of which they will be able to present and sale during an expo at the end of our sessions. The students will learn how to write a business plan, market their product and how to raise money/budget their money for their product. I am looking forward to collaborating with these students and their awesome ideas as we work together to create masterpieces that maybe one day be advertised!

I was sitting at my desk when two teachers entered. The first teacher (a former leader) sat at the conference table and began a discussion about Individual Education Plans (IEPs) and the other waited to tell me about her electronic Due Process Checklist that she planned to complete, print and place in the students’ IEP folders.  After the second teacher finished speaking, the first teacher retorted with her elbows propped on the table, head in hands and face towards the table, “Just get the dang things completed and printed. Don’t come in here with excuses. Nobody wants to hear that!”  The same teacher turned to me and said, “I said what you were thinking. That’s exactly what you wanted to say, wasn’t it?” I looked at her and said, “No. That was the furthest thing from my mind. That’s not it all.”  She smiled and another conversation was held. Transformational or authoritative leadership – do we really get it? Do leaders really understand when people are verball...

Recently, I had an opportunity to observe a committee meeting on parental engagement.  It was a meeting held via Skype with several parent resource personnel from varying elementary schools.  As the members of the committee gave suggestions about how to engage parents, one member stopped and asked if parental engagement and parental involvement were the same?  Does it make a difference?  And what are some ways to utilize new technologies to involve parents in the education of their children without them having to enter the brick and mortar building? The structure of our families as well as our society have changed significantly over the last half century.  Still, we often hold on to old notions and definitions of the involved parent.  What do you think?  What are some new ways that your school is using to partner with your parents in the education of their children?

In  my school, we have a total of three Assistant Principals. One does curriculum and testing while the other two handle discipline. Is this normal for a high school of approximately 1600 students? I am concerned about the role (pigeon hole) of our Assistant Principals. I would love to learn all of the roles of our APs but I feel like if I became an AP in this setting I would never do anything more than discipline or curriculum. I would love some feedback on the various roles some of you APs play in your schools.  

          This past Sunday I was among a group of assistant principals who are all a part of the GAEL Aspiring Principal Program. One of the many topics discussed was the alarming teacher attrition rate in Georgia. I am sure many of you, if not all, heard about the teacher survey that the GaDOE suggested educators take in an effort to figure out why so many teachers leave the profession within the first five years of employment. It was reported that almost half of the teacher workforce responded to the survey. Of course, the survey findings were troubling to many including the state school superintendent, Richard Woods, who is diligently searching for answers. Georgia is not the only state faced with high teacher attrition rates. The District of Columbia school system is feeling the pressure as well. In fact, they are taking a drastic approach to teacher retention. Please read the article below entitled, “Keeping Irreplaceables in D.C. Public Schools.” You will...

As the second semester begins and we begin to move forward on a block schedule our principal wants to ensure that all AP's at Hampton High School cross train in areas of curriculum, testing, and special education.  My concern is that as the testing coordinator, 11th and 12 grade discipline admin, and observer of 18 teachers I will not have the time to be cross trained in special education and curriculum.  If I make the time I worry that testing and assessment responsibilities will suffer.  The goal for next year is to move myself to curriculum, special education administrator to testing, and curriculum administrator to special education if that makes sense.  Also the other two administrators are in their first year as AP's at HHS so they are still learning the ropes of their designated responsibilities.  I will do whatever my principal requests I just worry about moving to early and having our areas of expertise suffer.

Last week, I attended a three day training session on project based learning. I attended this training with eight other teachers from my building. Half of the teachers were weary and unhappy about the training. They felt that this "PBL" business would cause chaos in their classroom, require way too much planning, and would not allow for them to teach the students. I kept saying to keep an open mind and hear what the facilitators had to say. Day one was rough, lots of small talk and negative statements out of mouths. By day two, the mindset began to shift and teachers began to realize the PBL was not chaos but a way to integrate multiple subjects into a project that will assess student understanding. By the end of day three, nobody wanted to leave. We walked out of the training with a PBL that we all created that will be implemented in classrooms next year. We created a project that doesn't take away from the learning but rather enhances it. The PBL is integrated into sma...

I'd like to ask for some candid feedback from some of you that are currently APs. We've been learning about the crucial role of the principal as instructional leader in the school, but aside from TKES evaluations, how much do you really lead and support teachers to improve instruction? Do you conduct PL workshops or teach model lessons in the teachers' classrooms? Do teachers actually come to you and say "Hey, do you have any ideas for an integrated lesson design for our lesson on these standards?"?  The reason I'm asking is that I'm starting an administrative internship next week, and I know that it could potentially lead to an AP position. Honestly, there's not very much about the AP job that I find attractive except being in a position to lead and support and help other teachers to do their jobs well and enjoy coming to work everyday.  Am I naive to think that I will actually be able to do that? I think I could make a significant and positive impac...

On the fence about becoming an assistant principal.  Today we only have one administrator in the building and I, along with our instructional coaches, was asked to help out. While I am excited about this, I am finding it difficult to actually function in this role. For instance, I had a student blatantly disregard something I asked her to do. It wasn't a major thing, but there was no course of action for me to follow since I don't have the authority to really do anything except send her to the only administrator here. If I were actually the assistant principal, I would be able to call her into my office and take appropriate action. Since I am already not sure I want to be an assistant principal, this incident made me really question if being an assistant principal is for me.  what I would like to hear is how you, as an assistant principal, really feel about the job. I am worried about having to deal with the students, teachers and parents. 

During my Masters and Specialist programs, I worked very hard and enjoyed the process.  However, I was a classroom teacher and a Special Education Lead Teacher working in an elementary school with early hours. I was able to manage all of my students and hours worked at the school. I moved to Middle School and in my second year I was promoted to Lead Teacher.  Middle School is a BEAST!  Administrators were constantly calling me to come "NOW!" to resolve some crisis.  Be that as it may, my special education compliance work was unfinished; therefore, I had to stay after 4:30 p.m. to complete the tasks given me from the district.  The hours passed and it's now 9:30 p.m. on several nights and I'm still not done.  I get home to attempt to study...I pass out. Everyday for the first semester, I am the first person in the parking lot and the last person the leave the school.  Yes, school was effected. I would like to thank Dr. Kahrs for coming out to my sch...

Sitting here I can't help but think about the lack of diversity in my school system i.e. teachers of color (Latino, African-American, Asian, etc.) and male teachers in the classroom as well as in administration.  I can't help but wonder why the disparities.  Is this population not wanting to teach or become an administrator?  Is this population not qualified to teach or lead?  The questions can go on and on.  The question is....how can effective quality teaching and leadership be maintained without diversity?  I really don't understand why we don't see the importance of staff matching student demographics. Is diversity MIA in your schools?  Please share any and all recruitment strategies or suggestions. 

     A few years ago in one of my graduate courses I was assigned to read Now, Discover Your Strengths by Marcus Buckingham and Donald O. Clifton. Just recently, all of the administrators in my district received a similar book entitled StrengthsFinder 2.0 by Tom Rath. The latter book is claimed to be a “new and improved” version. Both books help readers to uncover their talents and stress the importance in developing their strengths instead of focusing on their shortcomings. After completing an on-line StrengthsFinder assessment (you have to purchase a book to receive an access code), I received my top five talents in which I totally agree with all five. Now, I have access to resources that will help me apply my strengths. Do you think people should focus on their strengths as oppose to their weaknesses in the workplace? What about in a school setting? Should teachers focus on students’ strengths instead of areas of weaknesses? 

I sit in the parent center at the school where I do my practicum and I watch the students and the teachers walk by.  The children are smiling, laughing, hopping on the squares (when the teachers aren't looking); they are on their way to specials.  The teachers are not so energetic.  They are stressed and they are tired.  You can see the wheels turning as they walk by, planning what they need to get accomplished during this "break". We are facing an impending teacher shortage in our state and in this country with teachers leaving the field in record numbers, and young students entering college not even considering the field of education.  As Educational Leaders, what can we do to head off this all too soon coming crisis?

With the new year upon us we are embarking on something new for next year. I am sure many of you have heard of personalized learning. We have a very veteran staff that seems lukewarm to the idea already. I want to know from those of you who have implemented this program already what are the positives and negatives. Do not hold back.

The most timely news event is the publishing of the survey results by the GA DOE questioning why teachers drop out of teaching and why there is currently such a high attrition rate. Over 53,000 teachers responded, and the highest participation came from teachers in the field from 11 - 16 years. The highest ranked reasons for teachers leaving were prevalence of mandated assessments and the current teacher evaluation practice. Please offer comments on your thoughts and responses to the report. What does it mean for the state of the teaching profession? Will the proposed compensation changes be affected by this survey? Should they be affected by the survey? GA Teacher Attrition Survey

January brought many changes at school. First, we cut our STEAM stations down from 5 days a week to one day a week. We began implementing instructional focus time 4 days a week and hold weekly collaborative planning sessions with each grade level (includes administration and coaches). Oh yeah, we also went to breakfast in the classroom to add more instructional time to the day. Students pick up their breakfast from the mobile carts and take it straight to their room. This was all brought to the faculty before the Christmas break, and some where weary and afraid. Others were excited, and then there were those whom you can never please. However, after almost two weeks of the new changes, there seems to be a feeling of calm coming over the building. The kinks with new scheduling has seemed to smooth out, breakfast is over and done with much fast than last semester, and teachers have now realized the importance of instructional focus. I am eager to see how the third quarter pans out...

Blog Post Comment on Posts January 18 Jones, Pair, Reeves, Williams H., Williams T., Glausier, Martin Favors, Giles McElroy, Harper, Hodge, Howard, Carter, Davis, Edwards, Joe Gamble January 25 Favors, Giles McElroy, Harper, Hodge, Howard, Carter, Davis, Edwards, Joe Gamble Jones, Pair, Reeves, Williams H., Williams T., Glausier, Martin February 1 Jones, Pair, Reeves, Williams H., Williams T., Glausier, Martin Favors, Giles McElroy, Harper, Hodge, Howard, Carter, Davis, Edwards, Joe Gamble February 8 Favors, Giles McElroy, Harper, Hodge, Howard, Carter, Davis, Edwards, Joe Gamble Jones, Pair, Reeves, Williams H., Williams T., Glausier, Martin February 15 Jones, Pair, Reeves, Williams H., Williams T., Glausier, Martin Favors, Giles McElroy, Harper, Hodge, Howard, Carter, Davis, Edwards, Joe Gamble February 22 Favors, Giles McElroy, Harper, Hodge, Howard, Carter, Davis, Edwar...