Opening the School Year: It's a Roller Coaster Ride!

Two of the best moments in my life were the birth of my two daughters.  Both of those moments were a roller coaster ride filled with anticipation, excitement, fear, anxiety, stress, and pure joy. I never thought I would ever experience anything like those moments again. 

Well, I’m here to tell you that preparing an elementary school for a new school year as a principal has pretty much contained all of those same kinds of emotions for me.

However, despite the lack of sleep, the anxiety, and the energy it has taken to open a building, I have never been this excited for school to start. Ever.

I can’t wait to see the kids walk into the building for the first time this year! We get a chance each day to make a difference and to change the world by helping to prepare our kids for the future. Just think about that for a moment. We honestly get the opportunity each day to change the world. That to me is a dream come true.

The anticipation of the first day of school and the monumental task we have been given is worth the roller coaster ride and I am ready to go over the hill with my hands up! Here’s to a great school year!

The Week Ahead

Monday, August 18 -- Convocation -- Hilliard Bradley High School, 2800 Walker Road

*Please remember to wear our new ADE Staff t-shirts!

7:45 am–8:15 am - Coffee and Juice in the Commons 

8:30 am – Welcome and Program Begins in Gymnasium

 After Convocation, the rest of the day is for you to get ready for the new year!

11:30 - School Safety Team meeting (Media Center, 15 minutes) - - I will email those of you who are listed on the Incident Command Structure.

4:00-5:00 - Meet the Teacher Open House -- Support staff, please make yourself available to help our families find classrooms. We may need some volunteers to help families access Home Access. I will be in touch with some of you to see if you can help out.

4:00-6:00 - PTO Ice Cream Social -- Located outside behind the gym. Servings are on sale for $1 each.  Thanks to ADE PTO for organizing this event!  

Tuesday, August 19 -- First Day of School!
Wednesday, August 20 --
Thursday, August 21 --
Friday, August 22 --

Articles / Blog Posts Worth Reading

"4 Principles Of Student-Centered Learning" http://www.teachthought.com/learning/4-principles-student-centered-learning/ … via @teachthought

"Who is going to stop me?" http://wp.me/p1w9ty-as  via @MrBernia

"OS!M" - Teacher at Heart http://teacheratheart.weebly.com/1/post/2014/08/osm.html … via @jacki_prati

Update for August 11-15

Love, Literacy, and Lasting Impacts

This was a week of learning for me. The Ohio Innovative Learning Environments Conference packed five days with fantastic keynotes and breakout sessions. It was great to see so many educators spend part of their summer learning about new ideas. I walked away from the conference with three words that have impacted me and will stay with me for a while.

1. Love -- Love is such a powerful, versatile word that is often associated with romance. However, Steve Farber’s (@stevefarber) keynote reminded us that love doesn’t need to be provocative; it is at the very heart of what we do. We should love what we do, otherwise why are we doing what we do? I appreciate Mr. Farber’s advice on love and work. He suggests that we ask ourselves, “Why do I love this work, and how do I show it?”. The answers to this question will help us grow.

2. Literacy -- Franki Sibberson’s (@frankisibberson) keynote on digital literacy, student choice, and authenticity of the work students do spoke to my heart. Franki spoke on how literacy and what it takes to be “literate” has changed. Franki referenced the National Council of Teachers of English definition of 21st century literacies during her keynote. It is a definition that has helped me personally and professionally understand how my own learning has changed. The definition has also helped me frame the shifts in literacy instruction that we need to be taking in order to help students navigate a media-rich world.

NCTE Def of 21st Literacies has changed me forever as an educator - Excellent guiding document! #ileohio http://t.co/2zrsXJiUMK
— Herb Higginbotham (@HHigginbotham) August 7, 2014

3. Lasting Impacts --  I made it a point to go up to the stage to talk to Franki after her keynote. I did that because she has had a profound impact on me as an educator. Her books and her blog have helped me to understand what reading really means and what teaching kids how to read really means. When someone has that kind of impact on you, I think that you should let them know it.

Saying "thanks" to Franki.

This moment made me reflect on the lasting impact I have had on others. This is hard for me to do because it feels a little self-serving. However, since some would say that being an educator means I am “in the business of changing lives”, I should reflect on the impact I have on others. Recently, a friend and colleague of mine presented her first session at a state conference. She would be the first to tell you that it put her outside of her comfort zone. However, I knew that what she had to share would have a positive impact on the learning experiences of students and teachers.

“@lad817: Learning Mystery Skype#ileohio pic.twitter.com/cRXhVqjBks” Can't wait to try it! Thanks @FourthGradeHZN @NorwichElem @HoffmanTrailsEl
— Stephanie Miles (@smiles3boys) August 6, 2014

As you can see from the smiles, it was a great experience for everyone.

As we begin the school year, I will be thinking about how I can continue to find the strengths of others and then put them in a position where they can use their talents and knowledge to help others learn.  

What will your impact be this year?

Take care and stay positive,

Herb

Upcoming Dates

Aug 13 Staff Retreat at Buckeye Ceramic Supply, 9-12pm

Aug 14 New Teacher Work Day

Aug 15, First Staff Meeting, starts, 8:00am

Aug 18 Convocation at Bradley H.S., 8:30am - 10:00am

Ice Cream Social, 4pm - 6pm

Open House, 4pm - 5pm

Aug 19 First Day of School!

Update for August 4-8

Summer Days...

Crickets are chirping in the evening and the number of daylight hours are decreasing each day, both signs that the first day of school is right around the corner…

Using a blog may be considered an unconventional way to deliver a weekly building update, but I am doing so for two main reasons. First, I believe in being transparent with you, with our students, and with our families. This blog is a way for me to be transparent with you all. Second, social media has become an important communication tool for us personally and for schools. We can reach a broader audience by utilizing social media to share our stories of learning with our community. 

I wanted to share with all of you something that I have been reflecting on during this summer in the hopes that it may inspire you to reflect.  

Since being chosen to be the next principal of Alton Darby Elementary my world became incredibly busy. This came as no surprise and I fully expected that to happen.  It was like jumping on a treadmill that was running at max speed. I'll never forget it and I loved that time because everything was new and exciting.

What I didn't expect was that the emails, the meetings, summer school, and ending the school year started to take me away from the "why" of wanting to be a school leader in the first place. Let me explain what I mean. 

Simon Sinek, who wrote Start With Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action, said "People don't embrace WHAT you do, they embrace WHY you do it". The WHY that Sinek talks about is our purpose, the reason for doing what we do.  My reason for wanting to be the lead learner of a school is to help others, especially students, discover their passions and interests and to know themselves as learners. I am committed to that purpose and it is what makes me wake up each day with a smile on my face. (Sinek did a TED Talk on this topic. It is one of the best videos I have seen in a long time and I highly encourage you to watch it). 

The details and the WHAT of being principal started to take over my focus and it took some downtime this summer to realize that if I wanted to be the best leader I can be for students, teachers, and families, I needed to start each day with my WHY. 

I spent some of my time during vacation changing my morning routine around to give myself time to meditate and visualize my day. I started my mornings by reading and by doing some writing before I did anything else. I am amazed at how much more focused I am during the day. I am getting more done and the time that I spend working is more focused. I believe that I am in a better position to keep my WHY in focus this school year.

As we begin the school year, I encourage each of you to define the WHY for yourself. 

What was it that inspired you to want to be an educator?

How can you share that WHY with others?

How can you use your WHY to inspire others to take action?

All the best to you and your family as we begin this school year!

Herb

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ADE Upcoming Events

Monday, Aug 4 – Friday Aug 8 – Ohio Innovative Learning Conference, Hilliard Bradley High School:

-There is still time to register if you haven’t done so already.  Here is more information about the conference: http://ileohio.org/.

-Friday, Aug 8 is the FREE EdCamp.  I can’t wait to be a part of this participant-driven professional day of learning! Here is more information about EdCamp CBus: http://ileohio.org/about-edcamp-ile-columbus/

-Tuesday at 12:30, see Jay and Karen present Reenergize, Inspire, Reconnect with Your Passion in room A13!

Monday, Aug 4 & Thursday, Aug 7 – Poverty Simulator presented by Son Ministries, Alton Darby Elementary

We are the host site for the Son Ministries Poverty Simulator that is one of the breakout sessions during the ILE Conference.  The simulator will take place in the gym.  Thanks to Dave for getting the gym setup! I highly encourage all of you to attend one of the simulations. 

I am proud that we are making our building available to Son Ministries for the Poverty Simulation. I met with Kim Emch, Executive Director and Founder of Son Ministries, today at one of the Hilliard Free Lunch sites.  I met some of our students there and all of the kids were having a great time. Kim is a passionate advocate for providing programs and services for families in poverty or who are in need. She wanted to make sure that we knew that we could reach out to her if we discover that there is a family in need in our building.

One of my goals as a principal is to build partnerships with other people and organizations outside of our building to provide amazing experiences for kids and families, and I am glad to be working with Kim and Son Ministries.

Monday, Aug 4, 6:00PM -- PTO/ADE Staff Get-together at El Vaquero, Hilliard-Rome Road

Wednesday, Aug 6 -- Kindergarten and 1st Grade Assessment Day

_______________________________________
Articles Worth Reading 

-"Ten Tips for Personalized Learning via Technology": http://edut.to/agWUYo  via @edutopia
-"The power of digital student portfolios" http://smartblogs.com/education/2014/07/29/the-power of-digital-student-portfolios/ …
-"5 easy ways to improve your classroom learning space" http://www.justintarte.com/2014/07/5-easy-ways-to-improve-your-classroom.html …

Save the Date! -- Alton Darby Staff Retreat Announced!

New Beginnings: The Pizza Conference

I am honored to continue serving my district as the next principal of Alton Darby Elementary. The goal of this blog was to document my journey to the principalship because I wanted others who might have been interested in educational administration to see what the journey may be like if they decided to take it. Now that I have accepted a position as principal, I will shift my attention to the transition period that has already begun to take place. I am excited to start documenting these reflections through a blog series called “New Beginnings”.



As I continue to learn more about the Alton Darby community, I have been looking for opportunities to have conversations with students, families, and teachers. Recently, I had the opportunity to speak with a special group of stakeholders: the students.

I wanted to make sure that students were the first stakeholder group I met with because they are at the center of the work that we do each day. With the help of the Alton Darby staff, two students from each classroom were invited to have lunch with me to have a discussion about the future. Kids have such a unique perspective on most things in life, and I wanted to find out their thoughts and feelings about their school since "school" is such an important part of their life right now.

We grouped the kids together - 1st and 2nd graders, 3rd and 4th graders, and then just 5th graders - so that we could have a small group setting for each conversation. I kept the framework of the conversation open and I asked two questions:

• What do you love about Alton Darby Elementary?


• If you were the principal and you had all the money you wanted to spend on Alton Darby, what would you do?

I could have held the conference all day!

Each child's response was so genuine and honest that I wanted to know more. Collectively, the students' answers to both questions demonstrated a strong sense of community at Alton Darby. They remarked how nice and friendly everyone is at Alton Darby. "The school is filled with positive energy," said one 2nd grader. "The related arts teachers let us use our imaginations," said another. "The teachers push us to learn something new," replied a 5th grade student.

Here's what I loved about what I heard. Even though students were divided into different groups and met at different times, they all made the same positive comments about the Alton Darby community. Alton Darby Elementary's reputation of being a student-centered learning community that believes in building positive relationships with all its members was affirmed by the members of the community whose voices are the most important ones. I believe that is a credit to the work students, parents, and staff members have put into building meaning relationships throughout the school community.

Now, the responses to the second question (What would you do if you were principal, etc.) were just as interesting to me. Again, each student group generally gave the same replies. One comment that came up over and over again was that students really want to have more physical activity. And if they were given all the money they wanted to spend on Alton Darby, students would have amazing playground equipment. They also suggested expanding the gym so that there was more room for more groups of students to do activities. One student really wanted a disco ball in a room where kids could work.



While I don't think we can count on a disco ball or rebuild the gym, I did want to make sure I was sending a message to these students that I want them to Dream BIG. Giving kids opportunities to dream also gives them opportunities to explore their passions and dreams. As teachers and family members, we have the amazing opportunity to support students their learning journey and to do what we can to support their goals.

This was my very first Pizza Conference and I am looking forward to having more in the future!

 

New Beginnings: They Will Never Really Be Gone

I am honored to continue serving my district as the next principal of Alton Darby Elementary. The goal of this blog was to document my journey to the principalship because I wanted others who might have been interested in educational administration to see what the journey may be like if they decided to take it. Now that I have accepted a position as principal, I will shift my attention to the transition period that has already begun to take place. I am excited to start documenting these reflections through a blog series called “New Beginnings”.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="640"] http://s0.geograph.org.uk/geophotos/01/82/03/1820355_1f977215.jpg[/caption]

As each day passes, I feel like I am becoming more involved with in the Alton Darby community. I am having more conversations with teachers, parents, and students, receiving more emails, and I am thinking more and more about the future. Meanwhile, I am wrapping up projects that I am currently working on at Hilliard Horizon Elementary.

Hilliard Horizon students and families are finding out that I now have the opportunity to lead with the Alton Darby community and I'm having more conversations that feel like I'm saying "goodbye". Those conversations can be tough because of what the students, families and teachers of Hilliard Horizon Elementary mean to me.

This past March, I had to say goodbye to my dog Sadie who lived 13 fun-filled years with me. Sadie was a black lab who was full of life and acted like she was throwing a surprise party every time I came home. Sadie was special because she was there for some of the biggest life-changing events in my life. College graduation, marriage, my first home, the birth of my daughters - She was there for it all.

[caption id="attachment_635" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Sadie catching a nap in the sun.[/caption]

That's what made saying goodbye so hard to do. She had become apart of who I am today, which made me realize something important about saying goodbye: The people who matter the most in our lives will never really be gone.

The five years that I have spent with the Hilliard Horizon community has forever changed me. It's where I learned to be a better teacher. It's where I learned the importance of working with families to support their son or daughter. And it's where I learned to take risks with new ideas and to not be afraid to fail. The experiences I had and the people I worked with and learned from these past five years have changed me into the educator I am today. It is not possible to say goodbye to that.

This transition into the principalship has been an important reminder for me that the impact we have on others is immeasurable. There is no method that can quantify our relationships in a way that captures how others change us. Maya Angelou reminds us:

“I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

So as I spend these last few weeks saying goodbye to the students, families, and teachers that I have worked with over the past five years, I know that they will never really be gone. They have changed me in a way that will always make them apart who I am.

Check out this song by Imagine Dragons called "It's Time". It holds a new meaning for me these days as I face this turning point in my life. Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CskHY7k3vo

New Beginnings: First Steps

I am honored to continue serving my district as the next principal of Alton Darby Elementary. The goal of this blog was to document my journey to the principalship because I wanted others who might have been interested in educational administration to see what the journey may be like if they decided to take it. Now that I have accepted a position as principal, I will shift my attention to the transition period that has already begun to take place. I am excited to start documenting these reflections through a blog series called "New Beginnings".

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="500"] http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6163/6231641551_541c96e583.jpg[/caption]

 

Since I was announced as the next principal of Alton Darby, the question that seems to come up most is "What is the first thing you are going to do?". I love that question for a few reasons. I think it's funny that sometimes people will ask the question and they stop themselves short of saying "...with all that power?". They see the principal as the decider who makes sweeping changes.

The truth is the "power" does not lie with me. The power lies with US -- the students, parents, teachers, and community members that represent Alton Darby. My mission and my responsibility is to empower these representatives and to synthesize our voices into one vision for learning so that Alton Darby continues to be a reflection of the values, goals and dreams of its community.

The other reason I love this question is because it gives me a chance to talk about my vision for where we can go as a learning community. I believe that leaders need to be transparent in their beliefs. Being transparent helps to foster a culture of trust within the school community. So when someone asks me what I want to do as principal I tell them, "I want to discover the dreams, goals, and passions of the students, teachers, and parents of Alton Darby". I feel that I can effectively lead when I have a deep understanding of what my learning community values and what we want to accomplish. I choose to share this message because I want everyone to know that I believe in building relationships and creating learning environments that are safe and welcoming to all.

So, what is the first thing I will do as principal?

Listen.

Listen to teachers.

Listen to parents.

And listen to students. I can't wait to start having conversations with students so that I can find out what they love about Alton Darby and what they feel we need to focus our attention on in order to help each student reach their goals and discover their passions.

I am thrilled to being my first steps as the next principal of Alton Darby Elementary, and I look forward to continue sharing what I am learning about educational administration.