Updates -- 24 October 2014

Hello everyone,

 Happy payday-Friday!

 The weekend promises to be gorgeous, weatherwise.  Hope you're able to get outside and enjoy it.

 Lockdown Drill
A fine job was done by all during our first lockdown drill of the school year today. Thanks!  

 It was so quiet and still in every corner of the building during the drill, the only sound I could hear as I walked the halls checking doorknobs was the thunderous beat of the Taiko drums from across the street.

 Halloween
As you know, next Friday is Halloween.  As a father, husband, child-at-heart, I love Halloween.  It's a heck of a lot of fun!  

 But, as an elementary school principal, I've come to hate the non-holiday, if only because of the pressure it puts on me to take what can only be described as a most-Grinch-like position on the day and how we as a school acknowledge it.

 Over the past four years, the following has been my published policy on Halloween at Marshall:
  1. Unless class Halloween parties are aligned with standards and instruction, they're probably not the best use of instructional time. 
  2. If Halloween parties are aligned with standards and instruction, they must not impact or interrupt other school programs, schedules, or special classes, including but not limited to RTI.
  3. For safety reasons, children (and teachers) should not wear Halloween costumes at school. 
But, I'll be honest, I've grown tired of fighting with teachers and parents about this.   So this year I am going to amend Marshall School's Halloween Policy #3 on a trial basis.  For the record, I'd like to say, I am not at all crazy about this change in school policy, and that I believe it unnecessarily complicates what has otherwise been a very reasonable approach to this non-holiday.

Nevertheless, for one year only, our policy will be as follows:  

Teachers may choose to allow their students to wear costumes at school on Halloween.  However:
  • If costumes are in any way unsafe students will be required to remove them.  
    • No attire may be worn which would in any way impede the student from moving safely and quickly out of the building in the event of an alarm.
    • If students do not have a change of clothing, they will be required to stay in the office until parents arrive.
  • Costumes must not obstruct vision or movement or in any way present a hazard to the student or other classmates. 
    • Masks may not be worn outside the classroom. Ever.
  • No fake knives, swords, or guns of any kind may be used as a part of any costume. 
    • Such items will be confiscated and may result in disciplinary action including but not limited to suspension from school.
  • Costumes must not be overly gruesome and overtly violent.
Also, please keep in mind: many of our constituents find the celebration of Halloween to be offensive, contrary to their religious beliefs, or just a distraction from what should otherwise be a normal, productive day of school.  In planning to incorporate Halloween into your teaching next week, should you choose to do so, I expect that you will recognize and honor each individual's position on this issue and their right to hold it.  You may not choose to exclude from instruction students who choose not to recognize Halloween.  Please keep in mind: a separate-but-equal instructional program for such students is most often neither.

If you do choose to recognize Halloween next week, your students must abide by all of the aforementioned policies.  Note: it is your responsibility to communicate the aforementioned policies and expectations to your students and their parents and to provide acceptable accommodations to all who choose to abstain.  

Likewise, it is your responsibility as the classroom teacher to enforce these policies.  I cannot possibly review the safety of each students' costume as he/she enters the school building in the morning.  If you choose to allow your students to wear costumes on Halloween, you must be diligent about doing the work of ensuring each child's costume is safe and compliant with all school's policies.

Morning Duty
For the record, I am going to republish below the email that I sent to all faculty and staff earlier in the week:
Because I am now on the playground (rather than at the bus lane) every morning at 8:15, it’s come to my attention over the course of the past few weeks that a number of staff members have arrived at their assigned duty each day well after 8:20.  And some have failed to arrive at all.
 The morning playground is a very complicated place. It is perhaps the most complicated activity that occurs at Marshall School.  Some 500-600 kids can be found on the playground most mornings, two to three times the number of kids that we supervise during any given lunch period, and five or six times the number of kids you might supervise during a grade-level recess.
 Because of the sheer number of students, every assigned staff member’s presence on the morning playground is absolutely essential.  Likewise, it’s essential that every assigned staff member arrive at his/her duty on time.  Each minute you’re late for duty, as the number of students on the playground increases by the minute, you place an undue burden on your cohorts.  Two or three people (as was the case this morning) cannot adequately supervise 500-600 kids on two separate playgrounds.  In the absence of a morning Fit Kids staff member at the present time, even one absence or a few minutes of tardiness is felt all the more.
 Please remember: you are not to assign your substitute or your student teacher to do your morning duty for you.  If you have planned to be absent you must make arrangements with a cohort to trade duties (and, naturally, you must then remember that you traded).  If your absence is unplanned, you should notify me as soon as possible so that I can do your duty for you.
 Also please remember: The assignment of a before or after school duty is in policy (G-4600).  It is also a component of your TPEC evaluation.
 Most importantly, your performance of your assigned duty in a timely and responsible manner is an essential component in our school’s ability to provide a safe environment for all of our students at all times.

Calendar
Week B
  • Wednesday, 29 October
    • ADE SEI Audit, all day
  • Friday, 31 October
    • Chili Cook-off, 12:45-1:30 in the Library


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