I've blogged about my concerns with the Smarter Balanced Assessments earlier in a blog titled, "What's Wrong with this Picture?" so I won't repeat my concerns. Our 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders took the assessments beginning in April and ending sometime in May when the last students submitted their results. It was a challenge for many, especially those students who aren't at grade level yet.
We started getting results in mid-May, a few at a time. Our scores are not looking great. We were prepared for lower scores than previous statewide assessment results; after all, this is a new test, and our students are not used to that format.
Before the school year ended, I was having a conversation with a teacher I really respect. She co-taught in an inclusion classroom and many of her students struggled academically. Several of them had special needs or English was not their primary language. However, no one would know that when they observed in this classroom and saw the students collaborating on projects, sharing presentations, asking questions of each other to clarify what was shared, or working in groups to solve a complex math problem. "They have come a long way since the beginning of the year," this teacher shared, "but they still struggle with academic language. They need that opportunity to discuss with their peers first. Then they can communicate their ideas but writing will still be a challenge for them."
So knowing that the SBAC results may not reflect our students' true potential, why do I keep checking several times a day to see if any more results are posted and if our percentage of students with a score of 3 or 4 has gone up? I wish I could care less, but hard as I try, I find myself looking at the scores and feeling somewhat disappointed.
After all, I know that the public uses test scores to judge our schools. We see headlines in the paper comparing schools by test scores, and we see magazines use the State Strive-Hi results to give our public schools a letter grade. There are winners and losers when the media opts to grade schools on a bell curve. My heart tells me not to worry about test scores, but my head wonders if there's more we can do to help our students be more successful on these kinds of assessments.
As the principal of our school, I was conflicted. As I reflected on this quandary, I remembered a fable titled, "The Animal School" written by George Reavis back in the 1940's. This fable reminded me that our job as educators is to see the possibilities in every child and to help every student achieve to their fullest potential. That is what is important, and that is why I have been an educator for over four decades.
Will I continue to check the SBAC results every day? Probably, but I will look at the results as just one piece of data and definitely not the most important one for our students.
Thursday, June 11, 2015
Sunday, May 31, 2015
Another School Year Comes to a Close
In three days, SY2014-2015 will come to an end. I was browsing through the yearbook that the Parent Teacher Organization put together and reminisced about everything that had taken place this past year.
Our Western Association of Schools and Colleges accreditation process was our biggest challenge this year. Every member of our staff was involved in the process, and the whole school community rallied around to ensure that the visit reflected our self-study report. The Visiting Committee validated our report as well as the areas of strength and areas for improvement. We are still awaiting news from WASC about our accreditation term; we will let you know when we receive that report.
As I thumbed through the pages of the yearbook with photos of the different activities, I felt proud that our students were community contributors. Our students loved participating in activities like the Turkey Trot, Jingle Bell Run, and Jump Rope for Heart. We contributed generously to the Hawaii Foodbank, the Wounded Warrior Project, the American Heart Association, the American Red Cross, and the Lymphoma and Leukemia Society. Our second graders also participated in their annual beach clean-up as a culmination of their social studies unit about renewable and non-renewable resources. We will continue to encourage our students to participate in these kinds of projects so they realize that they can make a difference in this world. After all, we may live on a small island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, but our students are global citizens. What we do now impacts their world in the future.
Our taught curriculum focused on the Common Core State Standards and embedded critical thinking, problem-solving, and project-based learning. But school is more than just academics. As I browsed through the yearbook, I saw evidences of other meaningful learning experiences such as the school-wide Cardboard Challenge, grade level gardens, learning about Hawaiian history and culture, intramural activities, and service clubs such as Student Council, Greeters Club, and Junior Police Officers. A well-rounded school experience includes art, music, drama, and physical education as well as the academics, and we are pleased that Hale Kula offers these opportunities for our students.
Of course, a review of the year would not be complete without mentioning our construction project. We started off the school year in the beautiful and spacious new administration building, and as the year ends, we are beginning to move into the new classroom building; next year, about 200 students will be in the new classrooms, and all students will be able to use the tech lab. Construction will continue for at least one more school year when the library media/student center and the covered play court should be ready for occupancy. We are so grateful to all those who made this project possible! Our students now and in the future will be the beneficiaries of their foresight in allocating the funding necessary to upgrade our facilities.
The ending of the school year is bittersweet. While most of us look forward to summer break, working in a military-impacted school means that about a third of our students and their families will be leaving our school. I wish I could see all of our students as they progress from kindergarten through fifth grade and transition to middle school and high school, but that rarely happens in a military-impacted school. It is my hope that these students will remember their time in Hawaii and at Hale Kula with warm memories and that they will spread "aloha" wherever they go. Fortunately, through social media, we can keep in touch with those who have left Hale Kula.
As this school year ends, I'd like to thank everyone for making 2014-2015 a memorable year at Hale Kula Elementary School!
Our Western Association of Schools and Colleges accreditation process was our biggest challenge this year. Every member of our staff was involved in the process, and the whole school community rallied around to ensure that the visit reflected our self-study report. The Visiting Committee validated our report as well as the areas of strength and areas for improvement. We are still awaiting news from WASC about our accreditation term; we will let you know when we receive that report.
As I thumbed through the pages of the yearbook with photos of the different activities, I felt proud that our students were community contributors. Our students loved participating in activities like the Turkey Trot, Jingle Bell Run, and Jump Rope for Heart. We contributed generously to the Hawaii Foodbank, the Wounded Warrior Project, the American Heart Association, the American Red Cross, and the Lymphoma and Leukemia Society. Our second graders also participated in their annual beach clean-up as a culmination of their social studies unit about renewable and non-renewable resources. We will continue to encourage our students to participate in these kinds of projects so they realize that they can make a difference in this world. After all, we may live on a small island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, but our students are global citizens. What we do now impacts their world in the future.
Our taught curriculum focused on the Common Core State Standards and embedded critical thinking, problem-solving, and project-based learning. But school is more than just academics. As I browsed through the yearbook, I saw evidences of other meaningful learning experiences such as the school-wide Cardboard Challenge, grade level gardens, learning about Hawaiian history and culture, intramural activities, and service clubs such as Student Council, Greeters Club, and Junior Police Officers. A well-rounded school experience includes art, music, drama, and physical education as well as the academics, and we are pleased that Hale Kula offers these opportunities for our students.
Of course, a review of the year would not be complete without mentioning our construction project. We started off the school year in the beautiful and spacious new administration building, and as the year ends, we are beginning to move into the new classroom building; next year, about 200 students will be in the new classrooms, and all students will be able to use the tech lab. Construction will continue for at least one more school year when the library media/student center and the covered play court should be ready for occupancy. We are so grateful to all those who made this project possible! Our students now and in the future will be the beneficiaries of their foresight in allocating the funding necessary to upgrade our facilities.
The ending of the school year is bittersweet. While most of us look forward to summer break, working in a military-impacted school means that about a third of our students and their families will be leaving our school. I wish I could see all of our students as they progress from kindergarten through fifth grade and transition to middle school and high school, but that rarely happens in a military-impacted school. It is my hope that these students will remember their time in Hawaii and at Hale Kula with warm memories and that they will spread "aloha" wherever they go. Fortunately, through social media, we can keep in touch with those who have left Hale Kula.
As this school year ends, I'd like to thank everyone for making 2014-2015 a memorable year at Hale Kula Elementary School!
 |
| Students ran to music at the annual Jingle Bell Run and brought in donations for the Wounded Warrior Project. The Student Council representatives researched different charitable organizations and voted to donate any funds raised to the Wounded Warrior Project. |
 |
| Our JPOs worked with the military police once a month to remind drivers to drive safely. |
 |
| Our partners, the HHBN 25th ID, assisted with various projects throughout the year. We really appreciate their partnership with our school, and they enjoy being with the students and helping out. Here, they are helping with the Cardboard Challenge activities. |
Sunday, May 17, 2015
Disconnected Leadership - Something to Think About
I look forward to reading Peter DeWitt's blogs in EdWeek. I find myself agreeing with him most of the time about issues like school climate, accountability, testing, and leadership. One of his recent blogs was about Disconnected Leadership. Peter conducted a survey and suggested that there are 3 areas that are at the heart of the disconnect between teachers and school leaders: faculty meetings and classroom observations which in turn affect school climate.
This blog made me reflect on how I lead at our school. I wondered whether our teachers felt the same way as many of the teachers in the survey. I think our teachers would agree that we do try to communicate as much information as possible via emails or our staff bulletin rather than through faculty meetings. Many of our teachers know of my aversion to sitting in meetings where we "sit and get" and where the agendas are composed of compliance issues and mandates. This is primarily why I do my best not to do that to our staff. However, Peter suggests that another reason why teachers may be disengaged in faculty meetings is because they have not been asked for their suggestions and have not helped to co-construct the agenda.
Peter also mentioned that classroom observations are a problem, especially when teachers are at the receiving end of feedback and the observation does not create new learning opportunities for them. A major component of our State's evaluation system is a teacher observation using the Danielson framework. I personally do not believe that 30% of a teacher's evaluation should be based on one observation, and I've shared my viewpoints previously in an earlier blog. I enjoy going into classrooms to talk with kids and see what kind of learning is taking place, but I prefer less formal observations that give me information about what goes on in the classroom on a daily basis and not just once a year during a required observation.
Finally, Peter shares that school climate is impacted negatively when relationships between leaders and their staff are strained, and he suggests that we start by changing the way we do faculty meetings and classroom observations/evaluations. I agree. I believe that how we conduct faculty meetings, professional development sessions, or observation feedback with our teachers should mirror what we want to see in the classrooms where the outcome would be excited learners following their passions and trying new ideas, collaborating with their peers, and self-reflecting to improve. The first step is being open to ideas from our staff to determine faculty meeting agendas or professional development sessions. The second step is to work with teachers to build their capacity to lead these sessions with their peers.
After all, education is about the learner and the learning. This is true not only for students but for teachers and school leaders as well.
This blog made me reflect on how I lead at our school. I wondered whether our teachers felt the same way as many of the teachers in the survey. I think our teachers would agree that we do try to communicate as much information as possible via emails or our staff bulletin rather than through faculty meetings. Many of our teachers know of my aversion to sitting in meetings where we "sit and get" and where the agendas are composed of compliance issues and mandates. This is primarily why I do my best not to do that to our staff. However, Peter suggests that another reason why teachers may be disengaged in faculty meetings is because they have not been asked for their suggestions and have not helped to co-construct the agenda.
Peter also mentioned that classroom observations are a problem, especially when teachers are at the receiving end of feedback and the observation does not create new learning opportunities for them. A major component of our State's evaluation system is a teacher observation using the Danielson framework. I personally do not believe that 30% of a teacher's evaluation should be based on one observation, and I've shared my viewpoints previously in an earlier blog. I enjoy going into classrooms to talk with kids and see what kind of learning is taking place, but I prefer less formal observations that give me information about what goes on in the classroom on a daily basis and not just once a year during a required observation.
Finally, Peter shares that school climate is impacted negatively when relationships between leaders and their staff are strained, and he suggests that we start by changing the way we do faculty meetings and classroom observations/evaluations. I agree. I believe that how we conduct faculty meetings, professional development sessions, or observation feedback with our teachers should mirror what we want to see in the classrooms where the outcome would be excited learners following their passions and trying new ideas, collaborating with their peers, and self-reflecting to improve. The first step is being open to ideas from our staff to determine faculty meeting agendas or professional development sessions. The second step is to work with teachers to build their capacity to lead these sessions with their peers.
After all, education is about the learner and the learning. This is true not only for students but for teachers and school leaders as well.
Tuesday, May 5, 2015
"Grading the Public Schools"
It's that time of the year when Honolulu Magazine publishes their annual "Grading the Public Schools" article. As the proud principal of our school, I always buy the issue but I dread what I will read. You see, our school is never at the top of the list, and even if I know how the magazine rates schools, it is difficult to explain why we receive the grade we are given.
Last year was especially hard; it was the first year for a different rating system Strive-HI, and it is a challenge to try to explain how our score was calculated. Last year, we were rated a D+, and even if the State said we were in "Continuous Improvement," the general public sees that grade and reacts to it. I had family members ask if I was disappointed with the grade (of course I was!) or parents asking what we were going to do to improve. This year, the magazine rated us a "C." Our Strive-HI scores went up from 178 points to 228, but that's still a far cry from the maximum 400 points. 228 points places us #85 amongst 172 elementary schools in our state, smack dab in the middle.
The truth is that every school does the best they can with the cards they are dealt. I guarantee that every school looks at their students and designs programs that best address the needs of their students. We have a transient military population with students coming in and leaving at all times of the school year. We know that most of these students will be with us for maybe two or three years before leaving for another state or country. Our vision is to "empower learners to explore, discover, create, and share," and that means access to learning using a variety of tools, including technology. I am amazed when I see students so confidently using different tech tools to collaborate on projects or to share what they have learned. Our teachers use project-based learning to engage their students in understanding concepts through interdisciplinary units, and we offer students opportunities to experience coding, design studio, Robotics, drama, intramural sports, gardening, and media club. This year, many of our teachers have integrated art into their teaching, and the students are responding with incredible projects.
Last year, I complimented a fellow principal on her students' success at the `Olelo Youth XChange media competition, and she wryly responded, "You mean our D- school?" We laughed when I told her, "Well, we got a D+," to which she replied, "Gee, those "A" schools must be really outstanding!" We both realized that as long as we focus on engaging our learners and providing them with unique experiences, we are preparing them to be successful despite the grade in the magazine.
We may not ever achieve the highest scores or grades on Strive-HI, but I am proud of all the opportunities we offer our students. I am confident that they will leave our school better-prepared to make their mark in the world. Here are just a few of the activities our students experience at our school.
Last year was especially hard; it was the first year for a different rating system Strive-HI, and it is a challenge to try to explain how our score was calculated. Last year, we were rated a D+, and even if the State said we were in "Continuous Improvement," the general public sees that grade and reacts to it. I had family members ask if I was disappointed with the grade (of course I was!) or parents asking what we were going to do to improve. This year, the magazine rated us a "C." Our Strive-HI scores went up from 178 points to 228, but that's still a far cry from the maximum 400 points. 228 points places us #85 amongst 172 elementary schools in our state, smack dab in the middle.
The truth is that every school does the best they can with the cards they are dealt. I guarantee that every school looks at their students and designs programs that best address the needs of their students. We have a transient military population with students coming in and leaving at all times of the school year. We know that most of these students will be with us for maybe two or three years before leaving for another state or country. Our vision is to "empower learners to explore, discover, create, and share," and that means access to learning using a variety of tools, including technology. I am amazed when I see students so confidently using different tech tools to collaborate on projects or to share what they have learned. Our teachers use project-based learning to engage their students in understanding concepts through interdisciplinary units, and we offer students opportunities to experience coding, design studio, Robotics, drama, intramural sports, gardening, and media club. This year, many of our teachers have integrated art into their teaching, and the students are responding with incredible projects.
Last year, I complimented a fellow principal on her students' success at the `Olelo Youth XChange media competition, and she wryly responded, "You mean our D- school?" We laughed when I told her, "Well, we got a D+," to which she replied, "Gee, those "A" schools must be really outstanding!" We both realized that as long as we focus on engaging our learners and providing them with unique experiences, we are preparing them to be successful despite the grade in the magazine.
We may not ever achieve the highest scores or grades on Strive-HI, but I am proud of all the opportunities we offer our students. I am confident that they will leave our school better-prepared to make their mark in the world. Here are just a few of the activities our students experience at our school.
 |
| Fourth graders were able to make an ipu from scratch and learned to play this musical instrument. |
 |
| Students from preschool through fifth grade learn to garden. This is a fourth grade Hawaiian garden with native as well as introduced plants. |
 |
| Our Robotics team has had much success despite having to form a new team every year. This is a tribute to the students and their coaches who put in a lot of extra hours to prepare for the competitions. |
 |
| We have the support of our military partners for school-wide events like The Cardboard Challenge. The students and soldiers have so much fun creating!
Finally, we are proud of our Media Club for creating and producing outstanding videos. Check out our HKES Kids Vimeo Channel for some of the projects our students have created.
|
Monday, April 27, 2015
"Choose Kind"
When I went into administration, I found myself reading more professional literature, and recently, I have my Personal Learning Network to provide me with blogs, articles, research, and suggestions about leadership, educational policy, and teaching and learning. I found myself needing a balance, though, and my just-before-bedtime routine included reading books by Baldacci, Connelly, Child, and other favorite authors.
Recently, my grandson asked his dad for a boxed set of the "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" series for his birthday. His special day isn't until the end of May, but Grandma and Grandpa quickly went on Amazon and purchased the set for him. "Why wait?" we thought. "If he wants to read it now, we should get it for him now." Since so many of our students (especially boys) seem to love the Wimpy Kid series, I decided I should read the book. It took me a few days to get through it, but I can see its appeal for young boys. It's easy to read, has cartoon-like illustrations, the number of words on a page aren't overwhelming, and the main character is pretty believable and amusing.
I realized that since my boys are grown and I am no longer in the classroom and my grandsons don't live here in Hawaii :-( , I really haven't kept up with too many of the recent books that have been published. So I resolved to visit our library more often to borrow some of those books that are popular with our students.
Two of the books I recently finished had a similar theme. Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper and Wonder by R.J. Palacio made me feel so many different emotions - anger, sadness, joy. Both of the main characters have challenges that they must overcome to be accepted by their peers. In Out of My Mind, Melody has cerebral palsy and though she cannot speak, she has a curious mind and an amazing memory. Auggie, the main character in Wonder, has facial deformities but he is a bright, funny child who just wants to be accepted. Both stories made me laugh sometimes, but it also made me upset to feel the cruelty of students towards Melody and Auggie.
Our librarian shared that Wonder had been voted the winner of this year's Nene Award by the children on Hawaii, and she insisted that I read it. I'm so glad I did. There are lessons in this book about acceptance, overcoming adversity, resiliency, and kindness. Yes, kindness. Mr. Browne, Auggie's English teacher, shared one precept a month, and the precept for the first month of school was by Dr. Wayne W. Dyer: "When given the choice between being right or being kind, choose kind."
Choose kind. Random acts of kindness. Treating one another kindly. I believe this is the mantra we need to live by. We should all choose kind, and the world would definitely be a better place.
Recently, my grandson asked his dad for a boxed set of the "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" series for his birthday. His special day isn't until the end of May, but Grandma and Grandpa quickly went on Amazon and purchased the set for him. "Why wait?" we thought. "If he wants to read it now, we should get it for him now." Since so many of our students (especially boys) seem to love the Wimpy Kid series, I decided I should read the book. It took me a few days to get through it, but I can see its appeal for young boys. It's easy to read, has cartoon-like illustrations, the number of words on a page aren't overwhelming, and the main character is pretty believable and amusing.
I realized that since my boys are grown and I am no longer in the classroom and my grandsons don't live here in Hawaii :-( , I really haven't kept up with too many of the recent books that have been published. So I resolved to visit our library more often to borrow some of those books that are popular with our students.
Two of the books I recently finished had a similar theme. Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper and Wonder by R.J. Palacio made me feel so many different emotions - anger, sadness, joy. Both of the main characters have challenges that they must overcome to be accepted by their peers. In Out of My Mind, Melody has cerebral palsy and though she cannot speak, she has a curious mind and an amazing memory. Auggie, the main character in Wonder, has facial deformities but he is a bright, funny child who just wants to be accepted. Both stories made me laugh sometimes, but it also made me upset to feel the cruelty of students towards Melody and Auggie.
Our librarian shared that Wonder had been voted the winner of this year's Nene Award by the children on Hawaii, and she insisted that I read it. I'm so glad I did. There are lessons in this book about acceptance, overcoming adversity, resiliency, and kindness. Yes, kindness. Mr. Browne, Auggie's English teacher, shared one precept a month, and the precept for the first month of school was by Dr. Wayne W. Dyer: "When given the choice between being right or being kind, choose kind."
Choose kind. Random acts of kindness. Treating one another kindly. I believe this is the mantra we need to live by. We should all choose kind, and the world would definitely be a better place.
Wednesday, April 22, 2015
Are We Future Ready?
When Eric Sheninger came to talk to our complex area school teams last summer, everyone was inspired and excited, but like other professional development sessions, there was no follow-up plan of action or requirements for schools. As a result, integrating technology got pushed to the side at many schools as the reality of Department mandates and requirements consumed a principal's day.
Today, Eric came for a full-day training with us, and the focus was on Future Ready. When I heard about the Future Ready initiative and read the State's plan, I saw this as a way to get additional devices for our school. I was ready to jump through hoops to get a piece of the pot, and I thought we had a pretty good chance to be one of the schools in the next phase. But wanting to be selected and being Future Ready are not one-and-the-same.
As we reflected on where we are and discussed the categories or gears of the Future Ready Framework, our complex principals realized that we are all at different places and that we have no common vision for 21st century teaching and learning in our complex. The first task for us is to have a common K-12 vision for our students and teachers and to begin the discussions with our staff about what it means to be a Future Ready school.
I thought we were doing quite well at our school, but the questions on the self-assessment told me otherwise. Frankly, I was a bit depressed after realizing that we are not as Future Ready as I thought. Yes, we have some areas that we are doing pretty well in, but there are other areas that are woefully dismal and that we may not have control over (such as funding).
So what are our next steps? First, we need to come together as principals and have an honest discussion about our vision for the K-12 learner in our complex area and create a plan to address our priority areas. Then as a principal group, we need to commit to learning together and growing professionally. If it's important to us, we need to make the time to support each other.
Now that I've had time to reflect on the day, I am feeling more hopeful. I truly enjoy working with my colleagues in the North Central Complex Area, and I know that Future Ready can take us to the next level where we are all working with a common vision for our students and our schools.
Thank you, Eric, for sharing about Future Ready with us. It is hard, and there are lots to think about, but you are right; it's not supposed to be easy, and we need to challenge ourselves to get better.
Today, Eric came for a full-day training with us, and the focus was on Future Ready. When I heard about the Future Ready initiative and read the State's plan, I saw this as a way to get additional devices for our school. I was ready to jump through hoops to get a piece of the pot, and I thought we had a pretty good chance to be one of the schools in the next phase. But wanting to be selected and being Future Ready are not one-and-the-same.
As we reflected on where we are and discussed the categories or gears of the Future Ready Framework, our complex principals realized that we are all at different places and that we have no common vision for 21st century teaching and learning in our complex. The first task for us is to have a common K-12 vision for our students and teachers and to begin the discussions with our staff about what it means to be a Future Ready school.
I thought we were doing quite well at our school, but the questions on the self-assessment told me otherwise. Frankly, I was a bit depressed after realizing that we are not as Future Ready as I thought. Yes, we have some areas that we are doing pretty well in, but there are other areas that are woefully dismal and that we may not have control over (such as funding).
So what are our next steps? First, we need to come together as principals and have an honest discussion about our vision for the K-12 learner in our complex area and create a plan to address our priority areas. Then as a principal group, we need to commit to learning together and growing professionally. If it's important to us, we need to make the time to support each other.
Now that I've had time to reflect on the day, I am feeling more hopeful. I truly enjoy working with my colleagues in the North Central Complex Area, and I know that Future Ready can take us to the next level where we are all working with a common vision for our students and our schools.
Thank you, Eric, for sharing about Future Ready with us. It is hard, and there are lots to think about, but you are right; it's not supposed to be easy, and we need to challenge ourselves to get better.
Tuesday, April 21, 2015
Proud of our Teacher Presenters
I've been suffering from blogger's block for the past month or so. I've started several blogs but never quite finished them. Well, tonight, I am determined to get this one done.
This past weekend, several of our teachers and I attended the Moanalua High School Professional Development Conference with keynoter Eric Sheninger. Last summer, Eric gave up part of his Hawaii vacation to speak to educators from our complex area, and he made quite an impression. This past week, Eric has been very busy, sharing about digital leadership not only at this conference but with teams from different complex areas on Oahu and the Big Island.
But this blog is not about Eric; it's about our teachers and their willingness to share with others about what they have learned about the use of technology with students to explore, discover, create, and share. At this latest conference, our teachers shared about a wide range of topics - Virtual Coaching, Google Sites, Kinder Creations, Google Presentations, Using Social Media to Grow Your PLN, and Tools and Tips for Integrating Technology. I was really proud of them all!
I believe that the strength of a school is in its staff and their willingness to try new ideas and share their successes and challenges. Our teachers have presented at various conferences on a variety of different topics. Those that are hesitant have the opportunity to try presenting to their colleagues first at an afternoon Tech Tips session or at a faculty meeting. When sharing with their colleagues, our teachers can build their confidence, and if they are afraid to go solo, we encourage them to partner with someone else. That usually works well.
It is rare for classroom teachers to have the opportunity to hear someone like Eric speak unless they attend a conference. Because they were presenters, our teachers' registration fees were waived. Eric's keynote validated that we are on the right path in creating a school - or classrooms - that work for students. It is about learning, and we need to prepare our students for the world they will live in. It is a work-in-progress, but Eric's keynote showed the teachers that with their leadership, we are moving forward in the right direction.
Tomorrow, Eric will be working with our Central District principals; I look forward to learning more about digital leadership and Future Ready, and we will be reflecting on where we are as a school and as a complex and where we want to go in the future.
 |
| Eric Sheninger with some of our Hale Kula staff |
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)