"Gesundheit!"

Update for March 16-20

Photo credit: farm4.staticflickr.com/3523/3208368220_fba319c478_o.jpg

“When the principal sneezes, the rest of the building catches a cold.”

This quote has been swirling in my head lately.  It comes from Todd Whitaker, a former principal, speaker, and author of What Great Principals Do Differently: Eighteen Things That Matter Most (2012). Whitaker’s point is that a principal’s impact “is significant; our focus becomes the school’s focus” (p. 36).

I’ve been thinking about this lately because I find that I am pushing myself to stretch my filter.  Let me explain.

We all have those days where things don’t go as planned.  As a principal, I’ve found that “those days” are heavy ones and the volume of work and the toll it takes on me mentally and physically is unlike anything I have experienced.  However, even on those days I can still find many positive things that happened to focus on as I reflect.

Now, here’s where Whitaker’s point comes in to play.  

Let's say I walk out into the hallway after dealing with something heavy and a teacher comes up to me and asks how my day is going.  I have a choice to make.  I can share what I just went through or I can share one of the many bright spots in the day I have already experienced.

Which response would motivate you as a teacher?  

As I reflect on the size and strength of my filter, I hope to continue to share what is going well and marginalize anything that is not. Feel free to hold me accountable on this one!

Have a great week!

Herb

Articles Worth Reading

"What Personalized Learning Is Not" http://pernillesripp.com/2015/03/11/what-personalized-learning-is-not

"Steps to Create the Conditions for Deep, Rigorous, Applied Learning" | MindShift http://blogs.kqed.org/mindshift/2015/02/steps-to-creating-the-conditions-for-deep-rigorous-applied-learning/

Upcoming Dates

Mar 16
Tech PD with Kelly Riley, 7:45am

Last Day for Spring Flower Sale Orders

Mar 17

Admin Meeting (Herb), 9:30

Teacher Steering Committee Meeting, 3:40 -- (Replaced with meeting on Mar 10.)
Student Housing Committee Meeting (Herb), 4:30pm

Mar 19

Class/Group/Staff Pictures

Admin Meeting (Herb), 8am
1st Grade Musical for school in Gym, 2:30
1st Grade Musical for Families - Show up at 6pm to help :)

Mar 20

Spring Flower Sale Money due

Mar 22-27

Spring Break

Apr 1
ADE Staff Meeting - PBIS Update, 8am