My Mission Call

Teachers,

Here is your weekly dose of “5-Point Friday. 

My Mission Call—

Baruti Kafele (@PrincipalKafele), a presenter at the Title 1 Conference, asked some important questions that I want to relate to you. 

• “What do you do that demands school-wide excellence?”
• "What is my purpose for being in this school and does it drive what I do and say?”
• "What is my educator mission? What is the thing that I want to accomplish and will stop at nothing to get it done?”
• “ Do I treat my teaching/leadership as a job or a mission?”
• “Am I being intentional?”

These are tough questions to answer. This takes a lot of thought and reflection. The easy answer would be to educate children. But what are the answers to these questions?

Some of these students have more on their plates than we will ever understand. Education takes a back seat to their issues at times. Relationships with students are important. They need to know they matter. that is my mission. That is what I want to improve on and make sure students understand. They matter.

So what are your answers to these questions? I am still working on my answers. When I find them I am sure they will evolve and change. Reflection on them will take time. Take some time and reflect on these questions, then make your answers your mission. 

Quote I’m pondering —

“It’s lonely at the top. Ninety-nine percent of people in the world are convinced they are incapable of achieving great things, so they aim for mediocre. The level of competition is thus fiercest for ‘realistic’ goals, paradoxically making them the most time- and energy-consuming… The fishing is best where the fewest go, and the collective insecurity of the world makes it easy for people to hit home runs while everyone else is aiming for base hits. There is just less competition for bigger goals.” - Tim Ferris

What I’m watching —

Road Tripping with Kids

This is similar to road tripping with Administrators. Everyone has been a part of this somehow. Enjoy. 

Favorite Article This Week —

Splat!

This math-based website has free lessons that make students problem solve the answers under the splat on the page. These are great for collaborative centers for students to find the answers and explain their thinking. 

A Big Thank You —

Thank you Shelly, Alma, Anita, Inez, and Amanda for helping at school while Kim and I are learning how to make our school better. We have information to bring back and help our school be the best ever. We have ideas the share and programs to suggest and for you to look at. We cannot do this without amazing people that help lead the school while we are home. Thank you. We also appreciate every teacher for all you do. We know that while we are gone the students will be cared for and taken care of like they always are. Thank you for being the best teachers. Thank you.

I appreciate all of you and your hard work. It will be wonderful to be back in the school. Learning. Have a great weekend.

Budgeting Thoughts

Teachers,

Here is your weekly dose of “5-Point Friday. 

Budgeting Thoughts —

I went to a Title 1 meeting today and we talked about a few things I thought you might like to know. We talked about iReady. Some of the schools are having a few issues like the computers are freezing and kicking students out. Please let me know if this has been the case in our school. Sherry Ann will be heading to a meeting on Monday morning and I would like to know if there is something we need to let iReady know. The Diagnostic should be done soon so we can see more progress from the students.

We also talked about Title 1 money for next year. This will effect all of the Title 1 schools in the district. As more charter schools come on line in Utah we are seeing our education monies being distributed more and that leaves us with less money for programs like Title 1. Dixie Sun will still be a Title 1 school because we have a high Free/Reduced Lunch population. There are 13 Title 1 schools in Washington County. So our district is coming to a crossroads. There are a couple different options our district needs to look at.

• We can have less schools be Title 1, which will leave those schools with less Aides, no iReady Lab, no Title 1 money, and anyone paid out of Title 1 will need to find another school. 
• If we cut back 2 schools, that will leave us with what we have now. 
• If we cut back 4 schools, that will give us a little more than we have now. 
• If we keep the same amount of Title 1 schools we have in our district, we will be losing a good chunk of money because it will be spread out more. 

So the question we are looking at is do we cut schools that need the money, but are on the bubble, or do we keep it the same and everyone gets a budget cut? I would be interested to hear your opinion and reasons.

If you would like to know more about this, please come and talk with me. The decision will be made in the next few weeks by the district, but we can share our thoughts about the decisions. If you have questions, please ask.

Money will always be an issue in education. It always has been and it always will be. But if we use what we have wisely and for the progress of students, we will always get the best results. But money does not always compensate what really matters in a child’s education, a great teacher. 

Quote I’m pondering —

"Education is not the learning of facts, but the training of the mind to think." - Albert Einstein

What I’m watching —

The Gifts of ADHD

“Often the conversation about ADHD is about what students can’t do”… this is a very short video trying to help change minds on how we could look at ADHD. 

Favorite Article This Week —

All The Mathematical Methods I Learned In My University Math Degree Became Obsolete In My Lifetime

The part I love in this article is when he talks about needing a deep understanding of the skills, not just how to compute numbers. It also talks about how important number sense is in our world today. Interesting.

A Big Thank You —

Thank you teachers for your understanding as I try to schedule WIDA. I think I am pretty good with a schedule until I get something I have not had any experience with (WIDA) and we go with what happened before. Unfortunately, every year is a little different and brings with it a new set of challenges. So I adapt and learn. I just appreciate your willingness to do what is needed and help us get through this process of testing. It is a privilege to work with you. Thank you for all you do, especially when it comes to my learning process. Thank you fro your patience with me. Thank you.

I appreciate all of you and your hard work. Have a wonderful weekend.