Well, I'm just gonna say "sorry not sorry" about last week's prankish April Fools Day Blue Note. I say "prankish" because my message was only in part untrue. Obviously, the part where I told you I'd been offered a new position as a director at the admin center by our outgoing superintendent was a total spoof.
But the part where I was able to tell you how awesome I think you are, and how much I admire you as a faculty and believe in your capacity and your potential to be all-the-more awesome, even more than you already are -- with or without me -- well, every word of that part was 100% true.
Marshall is such a Good place, comprised of so many wonderful families, a host of great kids, and, most emphatically, an unprecedented number of truly talented teachers and support-staff members...
“This place is Dr. King’s dream.” That’s what I’ve always told people when describing the character of Marshall Magnet School.
Please, never forget: Marshall is uniquely equipped to deliver an exceptionally well-rounded, interesting, and eclectic curriculum and catalog of extracurricular electives to a beautifully diverse student body. In fact, I am convinced you are better able to do so than any other school in the nation. With or without my leadership, you, as the truly excellent gathering of professional educators that you are, are poised on the edge of real Greatness.
I've been wanting to tell you these things for some time and, when the opportunity arose to tell you in a heartfelt-but-fake letter of resignation, I took it.
I hope you'll remember what I said next time it feels like the world is conspiring against us.
'Cause you know it will.
Residency Forms
Please continue to make every effort to obtain proof of residency from everyone on the list you were given on Tuesday. Thanks!
Superintendent Dirksen
Many of you were out and about around the building on Tuesday morning when our new superintendent, Dave Dirksen, visited. He seemed to enjoy the little tour around Marshall I gave him, and remarked that it appeared we had a lot of nice, hard-working teachers, as well as some very gregarious students, at our school.He intends to visit several schools each week from now, so don't be surprised to see him in the halls here at Marshall now and then. He says he's not here to "keep tabs" on us but rather to simply get his "kid fix" whenever he can.
He's a super good guy (as in fair, plain-talking, and wise) in my opinion and, as I've told many of you, I'm very relieved that he is willing to serve as our interim superintendent for the next year and a half or so, while the Board seeks a new permanent leader for FUSD. If you see him in the building (He says you'll know who he is because he's "the oldest guy in the district," but I'm not sure if that's true) I hope you'll stop to shake his hand and introduce yourself to him.
Summer FACTS
I haven't received the official word yet, but I did get a draft of the District's upcoming 2016-2017 calendar at a recent admin meeting which indicated we're slated to host the summertime FACTS program here at Marshall again this summer.
In order to "share the love around" and not impose again on those teachers who were imposed upon last year, I'm going to do my best to convince the FACTS folks that we should use the classrooms in the long hall this summer rather than those in the first hall. I'm not sure how many classrooms they'll need, but if you're in the long hall, consider this your notice: FACTS will probably be using your classroom most of the summer break. The draft-calendar I have indicates they'll be here from 06 June through 29 July.
Last summer they did a pretty good job of not destroying too much of our stuff. And what stuff they did destroy they replaced quickly. But, word-to-the-wise, if you're worried about something in your room, you might want to consider taking it home or making arrangements with a teacher in another hall to store it for you over the summer.
NSTA Conference Report
Mrs. Reasor and I had a very productive four days in Nashville at the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) conference last week. Between the two of us, working strategically, we were able to attend dozens of interesting and enlightening break-out sessions (including the opening keynote by Bill Nye The Science Guy) and, likewise, we were able to spend some very productive time previewing several great new NGSS-based science curricula, too.
I am super pleased to report (this is kind of a big deal) that we've been able to arrange to pilot an array of kits and materials from Delta Education's new FOSS Next Generation Physical Science program (a major leap forward from the old second edition kits FUSD provides) for the coming school year. Delta's rep put forth a very convincing rationale for their new Next Gen FOSS program which, if implemented per their well-developed plan, will enable us to teach much of our science at every grade level within our existing literacy block due to its "robust integration of reading and literacy strategies to support the Common Core ELA for all students."
In addition to providing us with everything we'll need for a 10-week pilot, the FOSS folks have also promised to bring us up to 12-hours of exclusive in-house professional development during the pilot period to equip us to implement their program in the best way possible. We should be able to provide much of this training as on-site 301 and/or monthly two-hour PDs during the first grading period of the school year.
If, after the term of our pilot, we elect to purchase FOSS Next Generation Science for Marshall we would very likely be on our own to fund it. I'm pretty certain we would be able to do so using our Dodgeball money.
By the way, there's still time to get your team signed up. Might be we're gonna need the money...
Registrations are active at marshalldodgeball.com.
Subs
Just a heads-up: we've had a lot of trouble getting subs at the last-minute recently. Several positions went unfilled this week, which forced me to reassign a number of our people with little warning, something I am always remorse to do (though I am eternally grateful to those who stepped up to do so without grumbling when I had to ask).
I'm not saying don't call off when you or your child is sick unexpectedly early in the morning. But I am going to suggest, if you're able to help us arrange for a sub for you by calling someone you've got "in your pocket" as soon as you know you'll be out, that would be super helpful.
Hallways (again)
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| I'm just going to leave this here (again). |
Especially during our testing weeks.
I would be the happiest principal in town if we could go just one week without a parent, or a teacher, or an aide stopping into my office to tell me how horrible and noisy and rude our kids are in the halls.
Healthy Foods Discussion
The Marshall PTO is interested in helping the school move forward toward implementing Coconino County's recommendations for healthy classroom foods. They would like teachers and parents to come together to discuss developing a schoolwide statement about what foods teachers should ask parents to bring in as healthy school snacks, birthday treats and classroom rewards.
Calendar
Week A
- Tuesday 12 Apr
- Site Council in the Library, 4:00
- Thursday 14 Apr
- Payday!
- 2/3s and 4/5s switch lunch periods for testing
- Friday 15 Apr
- Lockdown drill, ~9:30
