Today was a good day

Today I was able to complete 11 classroom walk-throughs and put a dent in the ever growing paperwork.

Why do some teachers think Principals have all the answers?

It always amazes me how many time teachers come to me expecting me to have all of the answers and to solve all of their problems. When I was in the classroom I never looked to my principal for the answers. I knew my students best and it was up to me to figure out the best way to teach them.

The Train Keeps Moving

What a busy day. I feel like I'm on a train that won't stop. So much to accomplish before the students return on Monday.

Master Schedule

I can't really decide if everyone is happy about the master schedule, but a schedule cannot be created to benefit individuals. It must be created to benefit students.

The Staff Handbok

I'm not sure what takes longer.... writing a staff handbook or presenting it to the staff. I wonder how many staff members actually read it.

Interview Feedback

I emailed an applicant for an aide position to inform him that he was not selected for the position and he asked if I would call him to give him feedback on the interview. I thought that was an awesome request so I called him later that evening. I shared with him the things he did right and the things he might want to improve. It felt good giving this interview feedback.

Teacher Aide

I think I found an aide for our Pre-K classroom.

She seems like:

1. Someone who loves children.

2. Someone who's willing to do whatever it takes to make sure students are successful.

3. Someone who considers education a career and not a job.

In Search Of A New Teacher

About 2 weeks ago I discovered that I would have to replace my 5th grade science teacher. Initially I was a little anxious about the thought of having to find a science teacher during summer vacation, but then I stopped and took a breath and realized that it would all work out for the best. So guess what I'll be doing this week.... interviewing applicants. I know I'm going to find someone great. I need someone who thinks of teaching as their career and not their job. Believe it or not there's a big difference.

Rate Your Child's School

Did you know you can go to www.greatschools.net and rate your child's school.

Why Do You Have To Go Back To School So Early?

You can't imagine how many times I hear the question..."Why do you have to go back to school so early?" I guess the general public has no idea what is involved in running a school; and as principal I can list a number of reasons why I need to go back to school in July. First there's training I have to attend. I have to prepare a staff letter to welcome the staff back, prepare parent letters and parent handbooks, fine tune the master schedule and the staff handbook, interview and hire new staff. These are just a few reasons I have to go back so early.

Are You Seriously Yelling At The Teacher?

It's amazing to me how some students do not hesitate before yelling at their teacher(s). They raise their voice and yell and don't think twice about being incredibly disrespectful. One of our students didn't like what the teacher asked him to do so he began talking back and eventually yelling in the teacher's face. How can any teaching take place when disruptive behavior like this happens more often than you could imagine.

I Hate This School

I was wondering what was going through this child's mind when he started wandering around the classroom yelling "I hate this school". Could it have been something the teacher said or did? Probably not. I've found that often times the most disruptive student creates a disruption because he or she (usually he) is avoiding an academic task. The avoidance is there because he/she is below grade level and doesn't feel capable of completing the task.

I've got to get motivated

I've got to get motivated. I will be back at school on Tuesday and there is so much to do before I even hit the campus.

Sticks and Stones May Break My Bones...... And Yes, Words Really Hurt

A student was brought to the office because he spit on another student and said he would kill him. All of this because the student wouldn't get off the swing. Educators have to teach so much more than Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic.

Get Off The Wall

A teacher asked a student to get off the wall while the class was lined up in the hallway and the student responds by saying, "Okay B#@#*. This is what I'm confronted with as I walk out of my office to visit some classrooms. Needless to say, those classroom visits were put on hold.

I thought I was on Vacation

Even though we have summers off our work is never done. My last day was June 15th; however when I checked my email yesterday I had at least 50 emails. I hope they're not actually expecting a response because I do believe I'm on vacation. Now of course I say all of that but I'm sure I'll spend part of my vacation responding to emails, working on the master schedule, and many more things before I return in July. School seems to always be in session for me.

Urinating on the Floor

I'm wondering if we need to spend more time reviewing appropriate restroom procedures. Maybe if we did we wouldn't have a student taking his pants down in class and urinating on the floor. Yes, you heard right... one of our students took his pants down, urinated on the floor and then rolled around in it. I really don't have any words for this one. If only I was making this up, but I'm not.

Christmas Came Early

Christmas came a few weeks early for some of our students when one of our students brought firecrackers to school and passed them out to other students. I guess the positive side of this is that none of the students actually lit the firecrackers.

Duck and Cover

Today I was called to a classroom because a student refused to follow the teacher's directives. When I arrived the class was lined up and waiting to head over to the gym for PE class.  One student was sitting under the computer tables refusing to line up with the class.  I instructed the teacher to take the class to PE while I dealt with the student.  I asked the student why he was sitting under the table. He yelled at me.  I couldn't quite make out what he was saying so I told him I would give him 3 minutes to get himself together.  3 minutes came and went and the student was still seated on the floor.  I radioed for the assistant principal to call his mother and this really made him angry.  He yelled at me, threw a chair  across the room, and came at me with a chair raised above his head.  Needless to say, he was suspended for 3 days.  

Why do I have to spend 1/2 hour negotiating with a seven year old?  

I receive  a radio call that an administrator is needed outside.  I head outside and discover that a student has hit a classmate and when the teacher attempts to talk to the student he runs away from her.  The next 30 minutes are spent with me talking to the student about making better choices and hoping all the while that he doesn't run from me.  This wouldn't be the first time he has ran from me.  No college courses prepares you for this.