A National Perspective

I had the good fortune to spend last weekend in Washington D.C., as a result of being selected to represent Michigan as principal-of-the-year. All 50 states except Indiana sent their state winner to a phenomenal networking opportunity sponsored by MetLife.

I would be remiss if I didn't give credit to MetLife for their sponsorship as it's the most pampered I've ever felt at an educational workshop. The weekend began with a tour of White House and Capitol Building, but didn't end there. We had great accommodations, terrific food, a dynamic speaker, all of it capped off by a black-tie award dinner on Saturday evening.

There were several things I learned during the weekend. One--there is no magic bullet out there. I facilitated a discussion focused on support for struggling learners in math and literacy. I had really hoped that at least one member of this extraordinary group of educators would have the answer I've been searching for. I figured there must be a software program or teaching methodology somewhere that hooks kids in a different way and translates into significant learning. Unfortunately, that is not the case. The programs that claim success all boil down to a teacher committed to building relationships with a passion for education that is limitless.

The second thing I learned is that many of us face the same problems. No matter what part of the country we were from we all deal with a segment of our population that is just hard to reach. There are kids in schools across the country that just don't understand the benefits of education and lack the support structure to help them reach that understanding. That is all the more reason why the teacher is so critical.

The most encouraging part of the weekend was my own realization that we are on the right track here in Grosse Pointe. The programs we have implemented to reach our most struggling learners are similar to others across the country. Many schools are double-blocking or double-dosing math and literacy instruction to give students more time with those critical subjects.

On the other hand, the push for a more project-based education that has been outlined in our High Schools 2.0 presentations is still ahead of the curve. Other school districts may have parts of it implemented, but I feel our overall plan is better developed and more far-reaching.

So we will continue on the path we have established. It is ever-changing and sometimes difficult, but I am more convinced than ever we are headed in the right direction. Wish us luck!

Decision Time

You would have to be blind not to notice there are crucial decisions all around us. Tuesday, November 4th is now just around the corner. I've had many native Grosse Pointers tell me they've never seen so many people declare their interest in specific candidates as evidenced by the widespread yard signs.

I realize I'm getting older and that I sometimes forget how important events from previous decades once were, but this election appears to be the most important I've experienced. It was a short 2-3 years ago that national pundits referred to Michigan's economic woes as a one-state recession. I even remember references to "Michissippee" because of our declining industrial production. Nearly everyone at the time blamed it on the decline of the Big Three and their loss of market share. Unfortunately, the troubles weren't solely tied to the automotive industry and the rest of the nation has now caught up with us and the entire country is experiencing a recession.

So we have big decisions to make. And those decision will impact us both nationally and locally. At this stage of the campaign, I'm tired of the rhetoric and negative ads and am really anxious for Election Day and to learn the results.

We also have crucial elections relative to our local Board of Education. There are four candidates running for two spots. Study the candidates and what they represent and make a decision that best represents your interests. As a former social studies teacher, my best advice is simply to vote. We are fortunate to live in a place where we can speak our mind and exercise our freedom.

College Applicants, Beware!

A recent article in "The Wall Street Journal" had a title similar to that listed above except that is added...Your Facebook Page is Showing. It turns out that 10% of admissions officers from 500 top colleges and universities acknowledged looking at social networking sites to evaluate applicants. And of those colleges making use of the online information, 38% said that what they saw "negatively affected" their views of the applicant.

The two sites that are viewed most often are Facebook and MySpace. The WSJ article offered the following advice to members of the social network:
Don't:
- Include offensive language or references to illegal behavior on your site.
- Make offhand, negative comments about colleges.
Do:
- Establish privacy setting so your posts aren't accessible to the general public.
- Consider all communication could be public one day.

Our teens are experiencing a totally different world than parents and most adults in the school experienced while growing up. Some of it is better; some of it is worse. Probably our best course of action is to warn them of potential pitfalls that might arise solely because of their inexperience. Good luck with your efforts!

A Successful Week!

Every year I approach the week of Homecoming with trepidation. Although it typically goes well, I'm never really at peace until about this time...Sunday evening when the week is over.

I guess it only makes sense that when you intentionally get kids excited and near the point of exhaustion, the setting is ripe for accidents to happen. Add in the fact that competition among the classes is part of the design, and teenagers will sometimes make choices that are harmful to others.

Fortunately, we were able to avoid any major pitfalls in 2008. The students were very good throughout the school day, at the parade and game, and at the dance. As a matter of fact, I took some time to visit classrooms on Friday before the assembly, and you wouldn't have even known it was Spirit Week. Students and teachers were on-task and fully engaged in the lessons at hand. All in all, I was very proud of the student behavior.

We had a great turnout at the dance last night. I don't have a final count of students in attendance, but I know that more than 1200 tickets were sold before they went on sale on Friday. And from my vantage point, all of them appeared to have a great time.

Homecoming at South is a big venture. There are countless students and parents that work extremely hard to pull it off. A certain segment of students from each of the classes invest an incredible amount of time into the Homecoming festivities. They have watched older brothers and sisters enjoy the excitement of Spirit Week and they want to uphold the tradition.

The people that deserve to be thanked are too numerous to mention. It begins with the class sponsors, both parents and teachers. This group of adults put in countless hours of supervision and many open their homes to the students. The hosts of the float parties go out of their way to make everyone feel welcome and comfortable. Students are protected, entertained, and leave well nourished.

Particular thanks must go out to Dan Dickson, our Student Association president. Dan is a very effective organizer who leads by example. His fingerprints were left on all aspects of Homecoming and he led the charge to make meaningful improvements to the traditions we have held for many years.

I'm not sure of the particular reason, but it seemed that more parents than ever were complimentary of the events of Spirit Week. And I believe we are all thankful that a community like ours can put together healthy entertainment like this for our school community. However, I'd be lying if I said I wish it wasn't over.