Give Thanks To Those That Make This Possible

Today is a special day that we should all take a moment to honor American Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines that have served our county, and allowed us to have the freedoms we experience each day. The courage and commitment these veterans, past and present reflect perfectly the fundamental values of our great country. We can live without a lot of things, but we cannot live the lives we currently have without the American Military who sacrifice everything in their lives so we can have the freedom all deserve. I ask that you all take a minute today or some day soon to thank a veteran for their service. This year I think about my 90 year old grandfather who served in WW II, my 84 year old father-law who also served in WW II, my older brother who served years ago, my nephew who is getting ready to deploy again this time to Afghanistan, and my other older brother who just took a job contracting with the Army to bring his "Bomb Dog" to Afghanistan to help keep the soldiers safe. I can't help, but think about what they are doing or have done for us. Take a minute to thank those that made our wonderful lives possible. And remember we may be stressed, but our jobs are not putting us in a life and death situation every day.

The "Little" Things Matter Most

As we go through the school day or the school year it is easy to lose focus on what really matters. Each year the state asks us to do more than we did the previous year and we may even get less support to accomplish it. Some stress and lose focus on the important things, while others step up and get it done. Dr. Davis has five core expectations for all UCPS employees and I have told you these are also my expectations. We need to strive for excellence, work as a team, be professional, try to be a problem solver and most importantly maintain a positive attitude. This year as the budget talks kick in I am seeing the stress level higher than ever. Keep your focus on the "little things".

Why are you here? not for the extremely high salary although that is great too. You are here for the little things, the students. Keep that in mind when you are clocking in at 7:00, or when the angry parent e-mails you at 9:00 at night. Do what is best for the students and in the long run you will feel great about yourself and the students will be able to benefit from all you have to give them.

This weekend I was able to see and experience the benefits of doing what is right for the "Little Ones". I coach, or try to coach a 3 and 4 year old soccer team. It has been a long year with many frustrating moments, but this Sunday I experienced a sense of pride I never knew youth soccer could provide (I am a baseball guy. I hate soccer). I watched the team excel for the first time all year. We had no crying and every child actually chased and kicked the ball (baby steps). Then I saw my little girl Sam take the ball the length of the field and score her first goal of the season. It was amazing especially because she threw a small elbow to keep the bigger girl away. Watching those "little ones" made me realize all the time I have spent frustrated at practice and prior games was worth it. Do what is right for the kids and remember we are here for them. Hopefully we are giving them the skills they will need to score in the game of life (very corny I know).

Inspect What You Expect!

As I walk the building it is easy to see the great things we have going on at Antioch, But I must look deeper to inspect what is driving instruction. I need to step back and take a "30,000 ft view" to better understand where we are struggling and why? I can't assume because things went well last year that they will again be great. There is no time for complacency and we must assess what we are assessing. I would challenge you to do the same. Look at your classroom and make sure you are seeing exactly what is happening. Ask yourself what you intended to teach. Then ask if the students actually learned what you intended. How do you know? If not, what could you do differently to ensure the desired outcome is reached?


Often we make assumptions about what the students are learning, or why they are not learning. Be careful that you are not too close to the situation to see what is actually causing the issues. How observant are you when you enter your classroom? Do you really know what is happening? Be sure you are stepping back and assessing what is happening in your classroom and be sure you don't miss the signs that are all around you. The following link is a great example of not being able to see what is going on if you aren't looking for the right thing. http://http//www.bing.com/search?q=awareness+test+moonwalking+bear&FORM=Z7FD

Why Do We Do What We Do?

This week my message to you will be quick and to the point. As we are winding down the first grading period, I wanted to remind you why we are all here. We are here for the kids and this weekend was a perfect example. Watching the parents, teachers, and staff working together to make GatorFest a huge success is proof that you care. I was so impressed with the event, but more impressed with the number of staff members that came out to support the PTO and to interact with the students outside of the school day. Please watch the following video about Tyler. It will only take 11 minutes, but I promise it will be worth it. It starts out slow, but it will remind you all why we do what we do everyday. http://www.imtyler.org

Overwhelmed?

Over the past week or so I have felt a stress I can't explain, but I am sure you can understand. As we have jumped into the year head first and raised the level of expectations I understand you all are feeling the stress. We have asked you to deal with technology issues, become familiar with "the new Moodle", raise your expectations for students, include LLI in your instructional plan, and develop a clear set of goals that will guide what we do throughout the year on top of all the regular teaching duties. Although that is a lot to ask it is all done with the best interest of students in mind.



I want to remind you all why we are here and what we are doing. This is not a job that we do for the paycheck, but for a much bigger cause. Think about the students in your classroom and make sure you are doing what you can to provide them with the opportunity to be successful in life. Unfortunately it is hard for us to see the fruits of our labor, but I assure you, you are making a difference and the students appreciate it (or they will one day). I have watched my own son gain back the love for school this year. He is eager to go and learn and this is a direct result of a teachers impact. Be that teacher, don't let the little things fog your vision of what we do. We change lives, shape the direction our students go and provide the love and support all children deserve.



And remember every year starts this way and after the first 6 weeks things settle down and you will get in your groove of teaching and the incredible impact you have on students will become much more evident. Keep up the good work!!

Welcome Back!!

As we begin another year, let's take a minute to reflect on what we accomplished last year. Over the past few years, I have encouraged you all to have "180 days of purpose". I have expressed that we have to maintain high expectations for ourselves and for our students. I have asked you to "Take Ownership" and to teach with "Urgency". Well, you stepped up and exceeded my expectations. I want to thank you for being the hard working, professional staff that you are. Each day I walk in the doors of Antioch I feel blessed to lead such an incredible group of professionals. You all make me look so good (and that is not easy to do), but more importantly you give our students the best you have.
As a young boy who made many bad choices, I learned one lesson very early in life. When I would have a great day, week or report card (???) my mother would say, "Now I know you can do it." The problem with excellence is that it does not come easy. I am challenging you all to be better teachers this year than you were last year. I can promise you all that Karen and I are going to do our part to be better supporters, coachers and leaders for you. Now that we set the bar, we cannot become complacent. My motto for the year is going to be exactly that, "NO TIME FOR COMPLACENCY". Just because something was ok in the past does not mean it is ok this year. Each day come prepared, reach your little gators at their level, integrate technology and inspire each and every child that walks into your room to learn. Give them opportunitites to THINK, CREATE, PROBLEM SOLVE AND COLLABORATE. These are the skills they need to be successful in the 21st century and it is our job to provide them opportunities to practice them. If you are not skilled at small group instruction or you struggle with technology, do what you have to so you can meet the needs of your students. Do not let your pride get in the way with what is best for students. Remember we are already 10 years into the 21st century and some of us still struggle with the 21st century skills we are trying to teach.

We all need to grow. Remember there is NO TIME FOR COMPLACENCY!

No Growth in the Comfort Zone

As we enter the final 8 days of school I want to take a minute to thank you all for the hard work you put into this school year. As we began this journey we set goals and designed a plan of action we felt would help us to achieve them. From the first grade level meeting we tried to become more results oriented. Karen led you through a goal setting activity and we discussed the three focus areas for the year.

This process began last year as we identified areas of need, with your input. As the summer months slipped by Fran designed the staff development plan. Throughout the year we maintained the focus on integrating technology into instruction, improving the quality of small group instruction and becoming more culturally proficient. Each of these areas is a key reason our EOG scores are looking so strong.

With these three focuses we plan to improve even more next year. I want you all to take a minute to reflect on the year and identify where you can continue to grow. As the title of this post states "there is no growth in the comfort zone". I challenge you all to take some time this summer to think about where you can improve. Don't pick IGP goals that are easy to accomplish. Challenge yourself and grow as a professional.

I feel blessed to have the opportunity to lead such an incredible staff of professionals. The results we are seeing are not happening by mistake. They are a result of the hard work you all have put in and the focus we have maintained on continuous improvement. Keep up the good work and enjoy the long weekend, you deserve it.