Most of my blogging has been on my "work" blog ... please see link below:

http://pennoyersuperintendent.blogspot.com/

Latest from Sir Ken Robinson - Thoughtful - Education Revolution

From TEDx London:
ir Ken Robinson, PhD is an internationally recognized leader in the development of education, creativity and innovation. He is also one of the world’s leading speakers with a profound impact on audiences everywhere. The videos of his famous 2006 and 2010 talks to the prestigious TED Conference have been seen by an estimated 200 million people in over 150 countries.
He works with governments in Europe, Asia and the USA, with international agencies, Fortune 500 companies and some of the world’s leading cultural organizations. In 1998, he led a national commission on creativity, education and the economy for the UK Government. All Our Futures: Creativity, Culture and Education(The Robinson Report) was published to wide acclaim in 1999. He was the central figure in developing a strategy for creative and economic development as part of the Peace Process in Northern Ireland, working with the ministers for training, education enterprise and culture. The resulting blueprint for change, Unlocking Creativity, was adopted by politicians of all parties and by business, education and cultural leaders across the Province.

Click the link to see the 15 minute video talk from Sir Ken

http://youtu.be/SUsP9Z0hx3U

Professional Associations Provide Insights, Leadership Tips, Guidance

For many years, I have been fortunate to have mentors and guides who have helped my career and my professional learning. Over time I have disciplined myself to read the journals, blogs, websites, and attend conferences of key/related professional associations. During the last two years in the superintendency, I am indebted to the great resources and help of the IASA, Illinois Association of School Administrators, and the AASA, the American Association of School Administrators (to name two great resources). In addition, I have learned more than I anticipated from the Twitter PLN I am lucky to interact with! My leadership advice today is: join organizations and make the time to read and reach out and network.

http://www.iasaedu.org

http://www.aasa.org

Renewed focus on Excellence

Now that the new school year is well underway and we're enjoying the autumn and the leaves changing and the seasons changing ... it's time to revisit our vision and mission and reframe our models toward excellence - our continued focus.


How do we "live this out" or how do we illustrate this ... several ways actually. We continue to "on board" new employees by meeting with them regularly (after week 1, week 3, and week 12) with structured guiding questions and active listening and reflection; we follow this up with regular strategic coaching conversations and feedback. 


In addition, we are continuing the volunteer efforts with the offer to conduct an interview with a team member, provide a strength principles feedback session; follow up with observation, feedback, and additional theme-based interviews.


Also, we prepare for "walk through" visits to all classrooms with the aim of stopping in, catching folks doing great work, and providing individual feedback and recognition! It's a busy time and an exciting time.

Sharing District Progress - Technology Integration

From the IASA website and video library: Dr. Michael Lubelfeld, Superintendent Pennoyer School District # 79, highlights the steps the district has taken to include technology in learning and community outreach. Districts might be interested in how Pennoyer uses both Facebook and Twitter to keep the public informed of student learning and events. The district uses many kinds of technology in the classroom, including the I-Pod Touch in primary grades.


Link to video

August - September

OK - the first month of school is just about complete. A lot has happened during the past month, and I have not "blogged" as often as I would like! Recently, the Illinois Association of School Administrators (IASA), invited me to share the journey of Technology Integration at Pennoyer School (click the link to see the 22 minute video presentation). This is flattering and humbling; and it's great to share the outstanding work of the Pennoyer faculty, staff, school board, and community!


This year school has started, teachers are using the Discovery Education Network's suite of digital tools. This year marks the second year of transformative technology, transformative instruction, and transformative change at our historic school.


In addition, I have been pursuing leadership training, consulting, research, and development with HUMANeX Ventures (Ventures for Excellence). This work synthesizes the day to day leadership I am lucky to pursue, as well as the macro, or systems leadership I'm lucky to promote and support across the country.

That's all for now - more later!

Article from AASA - Starting the School Year Right - Thomas Guskey

The School AdministratorAugust 2011 Number 7, Vol. 68

| The Charter Movement|44

Guest Column

Starting the School Year Right

by THOMAS R. GUSKEY

We soon will experience the most important time in the school year for all children — the first two weeks. What happens during this critical period pretty much determines how the rest of the year will go.

When children return to school after the summer break, their perceptions about school and about themselves as learners are mostly uncertain. It’s a new year with new teachers, new books, new classes, new schedules and new friends. All of these novelties come with the hope this year could be different and better than all previous years.

That uncertainty in their perceptions continues only until teachers administer the first quizzes and assessments around the end of the second week of school. When teachers assign grades to those first quizzes, the grades put students into categories. Getting out of a category is really difficult.

Students who receive a C on that first math quiz begin to see themselves as C students. Their uncertainty suddenly becomes fixed, and they begin to accept the idea they are likely to earn C’s in math for the rest of the school year.

When the second quiz or assessment occurs, they expect to receive another C. When they do, it reinforces their perception. Similarly, if they receive a failing grade on that first quiz, they think all ensuing grades will be the same. But if they succeed on that first quiz and receive a high grade, that too is their perception of all that might follow.

Student PersistenceFor school leaders, this means doing everything possible to help teachers ensure students’ success during the first two weeks. At every level and in every class, they must press teachers to do whatever is necessary to help students experience successful learning during this critical period — and not fake success, but an accomplishment on something meaningful and challenging. It should be something that makes students feel good about what they have achieved and confident in their abilities as learners.

The key to motivating students rests with that success. Students persist in activities at which they experience success, and they avoid activities at which they are not successful or believe they cannot be successful.

This is the reason truancy and attendance problems rarely occur during the first two weeks of the school year. They begin to occur after the first graded quizzes, papers or assessments. In students’ minds, the grades they receive on these first quizzes and assessments establish their likelihood of future success. And why come to school if there is so little chance of doing well?

Parent UnderstandingSchool leaders also must help parents understand the importance of this time and how essential it is for them to be genuinely involved in their children’s education during these first two weeks. Routines established at home in this critical period profoundly affect the likelihood of students’ success.

Daily conversations about school activities help children recognize that their parents value success in school. Providing a quiet place for children to work on school assignments and limiting the time they spend watching television or playing computer games further increase the chances for success. Checking with the teacher to ensure children are well-prepared and ready to succeed also can help.

Successful experiences during these first two weeks of school do not guarantee success for the entire year. But they are a powerful and perhaps essential step in that direction. School leaders, teachers and parents alike need to take advantage of this critical time and use it well. It can make all the difference.

Thomas Guskey is professor of educational psychology at University of Kentucky in Lexington, Ky. E-mail: Guskey@uky.edu

School Year 2011-2012 Has Started!

Our school year started yesterday with the teacher institute day and today with the first day for students. At school, the excitement is palatable, the energy high, and the shine on the floors bright! 

All of the expectations are fresh, all of the students are on an even playing field, and all of the school supplies are fresh! As the principal and I visited all classrooms K-5 and all 5-8 students at a welcome back assembly, we were warmly greeted and welcomed by students and staff alike.


One of the great benefits of working in a one-school school district as the superintendent is the true instructional nature of the leadership position! On a daily basis the principal and I are in classrooms, in hallways, in the lunch room, in the parking lot, basically "everywhere" students and staff interact.


Our aim is excellence. Our mission is:
At Pennoyer School, we are dedicated to the development of our children academically, emotionally, and socially. We must prepare our students to become life-long learners, positive contributors of our community and responsible citizens of a global society.

We are very happy to facilitate learning for our 400 students and we are happy to facilitate professional growth for our 31 teachers and 10 support staff personnel!


Stop by our district's website and Facebook and Twitter pages to stay informed!!

The upcoming school year

The 2011-2012 school year is all set to be an amazing year for student growth, teacher growth, learning, integrating digital literacy and technologies, and overall progress for our school district.

This year we will continue to implement the changes begun last year like Google Apps for Education (Gmail, Documents, Sites, etc.). We also plan to continue the use of Gaggle Net email for students (protected, restricted usage). This year our Interactive White Board experiences will expand from Promethean and eBeam to include Mimio as well, and we have acquired several mounted and mobile projectors from our generous Parent Teacher Council.

In addition, we have contracted with the Discovery Education Network for video streaming, science curriculum materials, media sharing, and digitization of material across all curriculum areas. Beyond the "stuff", we will have job-embedded professional development throughout the school year on how to best utilize these digital media tools within the classrooms.

Teachers will continue to use the student management system Skyward for grades, attendance, etc. The school plans to "open" the portal to parents later in the fall for 24/7 access to student progress and performance. This year our substitute system will be automated with AESOP (an online caller and tracker system).

Students will also use iPod touch devices for reading and math remediation, practice, and enrichment. The school will also continue to use the Multiple Assessments of Progress (MAP) assessments in reading, language usage and mathematics to track and measure student growth and learning.

Finally, students will still be encouraged to use Prezi, Glogster, Voice Thread, Edmodo, Wiki's, Blogs, Encyclopedia Britannica Online, Alexandria, and countless other Web 2.0 and 3.0 services, tools, and learning enhancements.

The school's Twitter and Facebook pages will continue to be updated with information, events and happenings at Pennoyer School.

All in all we are looking forward to a GREAT school year full of exploration and growth for students and staff!