Hello everyone,
Hope your weekend is grand. Technically, last Monday, 10 April, was the
first full moon after the vernal equinox, so that means this is a religious holiday time for some of our members.
Regardless of whether it is or not for you, I hope you're able to get together with those you love over the course of the next couple days, and that you're able to enjoy some quality time together doing whatever it is you do (or do not do) when the moon is first at its fullest in spring.
Junk
An upset dad stopped into my office the other day. Not too unusual. Happens from time to time. But in this instance, this particular visit was memorable because of the lessons it taught me.
In a nutshell, this dad was upset because his young daughter saw a little boy's junk on the playground. Speaking as the dad of a daughter myself, I view this as a totally justifiable thing to be upset about. And again, it happens from time to time. It's never okay. But it happens. Fortunately, it usually only happens when the littles are on the playground. As you can imagine, we have to deal with these things in a very
very different manner when it happens during the bigs' recess.
I'm pleased to tell you: this incident of indecent exposure by a little to another little was responsibly reported to me by the teacher who had been on duty that Friday afternoon immediately after it happened as we passed in the hall just before dismissal time. It's not at all uncommon for folks to report things to me verbally in the halls as we pass. As above, this happens from time to time. And it is by no means inappropriate for folks to do so. I am always hopeful to be helpful to you right away, in the moment if I'm able, whenever you need me. I like to think: that's my job. In a nutshell, it is.
Most of you know, I keep a canary-yellow legal pad on my desk, at my right hand, at all times. And you know that this pad is my to-do list and that I spend my days writing tasks down on it and crossing them off as I complete them. I love to cross things off my list. And I highly recommend to all who come to me to intern or inquire about becoming a principal, that keeping this sort of inventory of needful things to accomplish is essential. In lieu of a lesson plan, my canary-yellow pad has become the make-shift roadmap I've needed to help me get my work done despite the otherwise chaotic series of plate-spinning, spider-killing, fire-extinguishing events that my days as a school principal so often become.
Because I was in the hall and not in my office when the teacher reported the aforementioned incident of junk-showing to me, I didn't write anything down on my legal pad. And when I got back to my office, right at dismissal time, I didn't write anything down then either, I jumped right into the bus-loading process, as is my habit, instead. After finishing dismissal, the whole report had slipped from my mind. So I didn't write it down. Again.
"I just want to know, what did you do about all this?" the dad asked me. "What happened to the boy who pulled his pants down in front of my daughter?"
The chill that runs down your spine feels like a glass of cold water being poured over your shoulders when you're sitting across from an upset parent who's calling you to task about your disciplinary process, and you know how lame your honest answer is going to be...
"Nothing."
That's what I had to tell him.
"I'm sorry. I completely forgot about it," I confessed. "I didn't put it on my to-do list when it was reported to me, so I didn't do anything about it. I know that's a horrible thing to have to tell you right now, but it's the truth. Again, I'm sorry."
The dad stared at me for a second.
"Wow, dude, I cannot believe you just said that to me!" he said, with a look of stunned gratitude on his face. "That was amazingly honest,"
"I'm going to get on it right now," I told him. "I assure you."
"Good. Thanks." he said, standing and offering me his hand. "I just wanted to make sure this wouldn't happen again."
"I'm going to do everything I can to make sure it won't," I told him honestly.
The moral of my story is this: please remember, especially for the serious stuff, it's great to have you report behavioral infractions to me immediately, even if that means calling me on the phone or stopping me in the hall to let me know. Many of these concerns need to be acted upon immediately. I totally get that.
But likewise, please always-always, no matter what, follow-up on your verbal reports to me with the proper paperwork, the official
Marshall Discipline Data Form which, honestly, must
always accompany any/all office-level offenses. Eventually. I process and file almost every discipline referral form that comes to my office, not only as a reminder to me to write things down on my list, but also as a record of documentation to help our PBIS B-GDM, 504, and IEP teams track patterns of behavior and successful interventions for some of our toughest customers.
Staffing & Scheduling 2017-2018
Mr. Dirksen gave me the official word when he visited our school on Monday this week that we will have 21 FTEs (that means: certified full-time classroom teachers,
not including specials teachers and certified support faculty) again next year, matching our teacher-allotment for this year. That's super good news, imho. As you know, our enrollment declined somewhat again this year. But we landed just about exactly where the powers-that-be at FUSD predicted we would (they said 515 on the 100th day, and I think, if recollection serves, we were at, like, 518 that day, down from about 540 at the end of 2015-2016). Bottomline: we get to keep all our classroom teacher
positions for 2017-2018.
Based on that bit of news, and the things you've told me about your own personal plans/hopes/dreams for the coming school year, it's my intention to share with you our tentative staffing arrangement and specials schedule for next year at some point next week, maybe early in the week, maybe in next Friday's Blue Note, depending on when I feel like it's as ready for prime-time as I can make it.
At this moment, I anticipate that we will make a few reassignments of returning staff. No surprises here. If one of these moves will affect you, we've already spoken about it at length. Similarly, we'll have a few key positions to fill for the coming year. Pretty sure, based on current enrollments and such, they'll be something along the lines of: a PE teacher (Most is moving on), a third-grade classroom teacher (technically to replace Ingols for one-year-only), a first-grade classroom teacher (technically to replace both Rittman & Reger, Thompson is returning to teach second but Petrie will not return), and an RTI specialist (Grant is officially retiring) and a library specialist (Pinn's moving on, too).
When I share both of these documents out to you next week, I'll be asking, at that time, for you to carefully consider the components of each of them, especially the forthcoming schedule, as it pertain to you and your class(es). And I will hope that you will provide me with your feedback (preferably written) as soon as you're able. In doing so, however, please keep in mind that the schedule must work for the greater good of the vast cooperative endeavor that is Marshall Magnet School in its entirety. Some give and some take will always be necessary when attempting to craft so static a schedule for so dynamic a place of learning as ours.
Pinkalicious
If your class would be interested in a walking-fieldtrip to see the play
Pinkalicious (based on the book series) at Theatrikos, you're encouraged to contact Drew Purcell, the theater's executive director, to make arrangements. They have opportunities for classes to attend performances during the school day on 03 and 10 May. Mr. Purcell can be reached at 928-774-1662.
Calendar
- Monday 17 Apr
- Flagstaff Symphony Link-up concert, 9:00-11:30 (grades 3-5)
- Wednesday 19 Apr
- PTO Spring Carnival, 5:00-7:00
- Friday 21 Apr
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