The National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) is starting a new #prinleaderchat every Sunday at 9:00 pm EST. We will be starting this Sunday October 2. Our schedule is listed on this google spreadsheet https://goo.gl/SI9LVo.
Welcome to #PrinLeaderChat! We are so excited to moderate this evening and hope you are ready for 30 minutes of Powerful Peer Problem-Solving!
Please introduce yourself...Tell us where you are from and what you do...@casehighprinc@MacburyKristina@winstonsakurai@NASSP
Hans Appel, Counselor at Enterprise Middle School, in West Richland Wa. Excited to learn with such amazing leaders tonight!
#AwardWinningCulture#PrinLeaderChat
Welcome to tonight's #PrinLeaderChat.
I'm Brian, one of the 2018 @nassp Digital Principals of the Year.
So stoked to be here with two of my best buddies -- digitally and F2F -- @MrsRackleyCCMS
and @MacburyKristina.
LOVE these ladies. And they are WICKEd smart!!
So Awesome to be here this evening @winstonsakurai!!
Brian, HS principal from Massachusetts, and one of your 2018 Digital Principal of the Yaer hosts tonight.
#PrinLeaderChat
Welcome to #PrinLeaderChat! We are so excited to moderate this evening and hope you are ready for 30 minutes of Powerful Peer Problem-Solving!
Please introduce yourself...Tell us where you are from and what you do...@casehighprinc@MacburyKristina@winstonsakurai@NASSP
Steven Lin, principal @elcofort in Eastern Lebanon County School District. Checking in to #prinleaderchat. Very curious to learn about powerful peer problem-solving!
Hi Everyone! My name is Mariah. I’m a middle school principal from PA! I’m so excited to be hosting #PrinLeaderChat tonight with two of my favorite people in the world—@casehighprinc and @MacburyKristina!
A1: We are experiencing growth which is allowing us to shift from 7-8 middle schools to 6-8 middle schools! A lot of logistical changes coming up! We are excited to bring 6th grade to our MSs! #prinleaderchat
A1. Greatest challenge is fighting the status quo and moving the needle towards excellence. We are focusing on growth and moving each staff member from their Point A to their Point B. #PrinLeaderChat
A1 biggest challenge IMO is the case load of Ss we have coming to school w/so much trauma, and that our schools are not fully equipped w/enough personnel, tools, resources, etc to meet them where they are as well as their families #PrinLeaderChat
A1) Biggest challenge currently as a leader is influencing my principal to take the plunge on social media. The learning, connection, support, and story telling opportunities are a game changer. Need to help her see the power of Twitter.
#PrinLeaderChat#AwardWinningCulture
A1. With leadership change happening 2x in last 4 years, it’s been a challenge to get T buy in. We have had 3 different philosophies so Ts are hesitant which puts up walls to being fully invested. #PrinLeaderChat
A1 The ongoing challenge is overcoming apathy. Striving to help students get the most FROM their education and not just to get THROUGH school. #prinleaderchat
#PrinLeaderChat A1: Currently teaching a HS leadership course for a micro credential, YES, I am a elem. Principal. Also in the midst of a HS transformation that is going to reshape our entire district.
A1: Time...Time to do it all is always a concern. How do you address the needs of all our students—and not just the academic ones?! So many important needs... #PrinLeaderChat
A1. With leadership change happening 2x in last 4 years, it’s been a challenge to get T buy in. We have had 3 different philosophies so Ts are hesitant which puts up walls to being fully invested. #PrinLeaderChat
A1: The biggest challenge I am facing are two folds. 1st, I am new to the state of Pennsylvania, & sometimes feel like I should be able to answer some questions that you'd think a 1st year teacher could. 2nd ... #prinleaderchat
... We have great and dedicated staff. We have a supportive and visionary admin. We have great resources. We need to align those resources in ways we might not have done in the past so that the sequence of instruction makes sense. #prinleaderchat
A1: Similarly to all, we have our challenges, despite the fact that we are a very successful school. However, with that success comes the difficulty in helping our students find balance and empowerment within our school. @MrsRackleyCCMS#PrinLeaderChat
A1: we r currently in an old building but in the process of building a state of the art facility that is tailored to pbl. The issue is transforming mindsets to prepare to face the new challenges & practices habits that will make r move to the new building seamless
#prinleaderchat
Well said, Chris. Each of us is on our own personal-professional journey. Progress & growth is relative to one's individual circumstances. Leaders see the value in individualizing the experience. #PrinLeaderChat
I agree - I appreciate a small team of educators in my district working together to identify (post) high school experiences: college visits, job fairs, apprenticeships, internships, etc. #prinleaderchat
Turnover makes it super challenging to keep everyone grounded in their HOW and WHAT. Helping staff revisit their individual WHY might help with that. #PrinLeaderChat
Yes, we need to build a culture of celebration in our schools. Our Celebrating Achievement page https://t.co/pqZtw0t998 Celebrate all the achievements (academic, arts, sports etc.) of students and staff in all areas. #prinleaderchat
A2. For those of us that are fighting apathy and status quo - the power of our own example is what others need to start a movement. We must model the way! #PrinLeaderChat
Honored that @cybraryman1 is lending his Library of Congress-esque expertise to #PrinLeaderChat tonight.
On behalf of all educational leaders, we LOVE you!!!
Yes, we need to build a culture of celebration in our schools. Our Celebrating Achievement page https://t.co/pqZtw0t998 Celebrate all the achievements (academic, arts, sports etc.) of students and staff in all areas. #prinleaderchat
#PrinLeaderChat A1: Personally, finding a balance. I am a struggling doctoral student plus involved in Lion's Club and a youth coach. Balance is very difficult but everything is important.
Agreed. And it's fair to accept that as humans, we all have off days. The goal is not to let it become habitual/cultural. Human interactions help. Sometimes, the 20 min chat in a tchr's classroom after schl (even w/ the pile of work on your own desk) is worth it. #prinleaderchat
#PrinLeaderChat Give Ts an active voice- have you revisited your mission and vision statement? Check out ... 7 word statements ... hmmm I’ll have to look up the resource - I’ll get back to you- gr8 activity to regain traction
A1. With leadership change happening 2x in last 4 years, it’s been a challenge to get T buy in. We have had 3 different philosophies so Ts are hesitant which puts up walls to being fully invested. #PrinLeaderChat
I’m the new AP to my role now (4th new one) it’s been about team building, developing a culture and building relationships, I’m reminded that this takes time.. team building and leading w/a servant heart help #PrinLeaderChat
A2. @Samuel_Karns Ss with trauma is something we are facing. We created a school wellness committee which uses school funds & grants to bring in gardening, yoga,& we are training staff in mindfulness techniques. It’s a start. #PrinLeaderChat
A2 . Princiopals and school leaders must be the REVOLUTION.
If we need a change, then we must begin to model how to effect a shift in our building.
#PrinLeaderChat
A2 . Principals and school leaders must be the REVOLUTION.
If we need a change, then we must begin to model how to effect a shift in our building.
#PrinLeaderChat
Yes! Revisiting the "why"! I love it. With changes abound, reaffirming the constant can help us become more mindful and accepting. Our whys, hopefully, remain somewhat constant. Teacher agency matters. #prinleaderchat
#PrinLeaderChat A3: @GESFalcons earned the STEM designation from ODE and is 1 of 9 public Elementary in Ohio. We also began @TheLeaderinMe. We host monthly student led tours to promote student leadership and to collaborate with other schools and community partners. #WEareGRAHAM
You are absolutely correct, culture takes time to build with staff, Ss, family and the community but it’s the foundation for everything #PrinLeaderChat
Also, super proud of our ongoing success with school culture thanks to dedicated educators who value #WholeChild work.
Lastly, I’m personally proud of starting a school culture blog, a student-led leadership podcast, and being a lead learner without the title.
#PrinLeaderChat
Apathy is always difficult. Sometimes as a school leader it is our job to not simply manage it, but change it. We need to model the change we want to see and empower our T’s to believe in what we do as well. #PrinLeaderChat#culturalize
A3 We are partnering with the local Council on Aging to bridge the generation gap in our town.
Hosted a Valentine's Luncheon last week for more than 20 seniors who rode the school bus and ate in the cafeteria.
They LOVED every moment!
#PrinLeaderChat
A1) For me a challenge is playing the duel role of school leader, teacher, grad student, and working another job. Finding time to rest and refocus! #prinleaderchat
YES! This is spectacular! Love the idea of being intention and offering choice! Teacher agency is just as important as student agency! In fact, it starts there! Bravo! #PrinLeaderChat
#PrinLeaderChat A3: This is our 1st year of voice and choice for PD. Tchrs can earn 40 hours or do 40 hours on their own under an umbrella of areas. They can then stay home on PD Days if they have banked hours. Been a big hit and encouraged many to do many thing this summer.
A3 We just started e-track which is a pilot this year and on our early dismissal days Ss chose from 26 extracurriculars that focus on the #WholeChild they vary from sign language, to volleyball, metal shop, cooking, etc #PrinLeaderChat
A3: we are the only pbl k-12 district in the state, we have a brand new building being built, we passed an operating levy, and we have a strong belief that we can do better every day for kids.
#prinleaderchat
A3) our teachers are really cha ting the game when it comes to our #blendedlearning teaching model. Working on making learning personal everyday! #prinleaderchat
A3: After a lot of research, conversations and collaboration with all stakeholders we have created a phase out plan for academic accolades such as class rank, Val/Sal honors and other nebulous awards that are creating an arms race of GPA points over passions. #PrinLeaderChat
A3. Our MS Dean & Guidance Counselor tan a 6th grade advisory that used the “cross the line” protocol which helped reunite friends that were holding grudges. next period in lunch, the Ss were crying tears of joy that they reconnected. Small moment, huge payoff. #PrinLeaderChat
A3. We have worked hard but also our staff have found time to laugh and connect together (bowling, staff socials). Fun leads to culture change . #PrinLeaderChat
Can’t do just one...
1. #CharacterStrong
2. BomoWorks Apprenticeships
3. JAG Program
4. SentreCut Signs student run business
5. Exhibition of learning
6. Future Stories event
7. PBL work/computer science/engineering
#prinleaderchat
A4 Thanks to a challenge by @drneilgupta, I will shadow a student by the end of the month foran entire day.
Year #4.
I'm hoping to be reciprocal and have the student follow me for a day in March!!
Only thing standing in my way in my calendar.
#PrinLeaderChat
A3: I took a leap of faith & invited the staff to practice #mindfulness for their own self-care, & then if it mattered to them, perhaps to invite Ss. This has taken off faster than I expected. There is promise that mindfulness can anchor our school culture! #prinleaderchat
A3: I’m also a huge proponent of @wakelet! I love the ability to curate ideas and provide information to our families every week so they can see the amazing things happening in our school! #PrinLeaderChathttps://t.co/S4jfd2uMYH
#PrinLeaderChat A2: @drneilgupta, we moved to a middle school 6-8 about 18 yrs ago. The challenge was the 6th grade families who were concerned about leaving Elementary. We took community members on many tours of other 6-8 bldgs and involved them in the design planning.
A4 The thing that stands in the way of each inativative is time and not wanting to to do too much too fast and in the process burn out staff. Finding the balance is the constant struggle. #prinleaderchat
A4 We would love to implement a true advisory period weekly for our Ss that focus on #SEL, study habits, Ts advising Ss on academic work, community circles, bringing in community members who have walked in our Ss shoes, etc!#PrinLeaderChat
A3: So many things to celebrate! Faculty book chats, specialists doing a super cool collaborative stop motion project, tons of student growth and the hardest working people on the planet who would do anything for each other! #prinleaderchat
A4: #PrinLeaderChat schoolwide intervention and small group instruction. No more talk of #AllKids, but actually reaching them all! Training on small group instruction- mindset of adults needs to change too
That's awesome! Be on the lookout for a blog from @LaVonnaRoth and me soon to capture our #shadowastudent challenge we participated in earlier this year! #prinleaderchat
Luckily we have time to plan things like this to ensure we aren't just logistically ready but also support parents, students, and staff with the SEL in the move. #prinleaderchat
A4 Connect every student with a real college/ career experience that gives them hope for lifelong success - small program limited on options and that is bogus! Every Ss deserves that opportunity
#PrinLeaderChat
A4. I want to involve the community more in our learning so kids see the Relevance. We are getting there but it takes steps before we can run. PBL community presentations is my goal. #PrinLeaderChat
A4 Connect every student with a real college/ career experience that gives them hope for lifelong success - small program limited on options and that is bogus! Every Ss deserves that opportunity
#PrinLeaderChat
A3: We also finally started our Computer Science program for this upcoming year.
Lastly, all Staff Professional ‘Learning’ days have been led by our own people and through a variety of choices the staff get to pursue what they are interested in! #PrinLeaderChat
A4 Thanks to a challenge by @drneilgupta, I will shadow a student by the end of the month foran entire day.
Year #4.
I'm hoping to be reciprocal and have the student follow me for a day in March!!
Only thing standing in my way in my calendar.
#PrinLeaderChat
Tonight has been so epic...my mind is swimming with such inspiring leaders from across our great nation!!
Thanks all for being a part of this awesome #PrinLeaderChat !!
A4) I’d love to start GENUIS HOUR at school. Intentionally build in more opportunities to promote curiosity, creativity, and student agency by empowering students to take leadership of their own learning. Love this graphic by @bbray27#PrinLeaderChat#AwardWinningCulture
#PrinLeaderChat A3: Here is pic from last PD session that was an option: Embedding @TheLeaderinMe N 2 everyday instruction. What is awesome is this is a guid counselor, a PE tchr, and 1:1 para working thru a design challenge that was introduced and explained to model 7 Habits.
A4: We have a lot of resources to re-organize and align so that it makes sense in the simplest fashions. We have started the work. As the principal, I owe it to the community to learn as much as I can. We will get there soon enough! Our people are amazing. #prinleaderchat
We’ve started playing with @wakelet thanks to you. Once we get it up and going, I think it’s gonna be a great resource for #WildcatNation#Prinleaderchat
A4: Use of formative asset data; use of any data is very new and overwhelming in our district; time to learn about the amazing benefits is difficult to find #PrinLeaderChat
#PrinLeaderChat if anyone is interested, I am leading a book study using @Flipgrid on the book, Leadership Challenge. DM and I will send you a link. Great thing is, you respond on your time.
A4: I would like to design a teacher-leader/aspiring admin learning experience utilizing a combo of university open online courses and online and/or in-person collaboration. Any models, resources, or ideas? 🤔 #PrinLeaderChat
Thank you to all of the moderators! I love the ideas and the camaraderie. May we be ever adaptable, ever visionary, and may we rest assured in the unchanging constant of our why! #PrinLeaderChat
Love this idea, Hans! We have had a couple teachers do #GeniusHour but not the whole building...Keep me posted! Can’t wait to hear how it goes! #PrinLeaderChat
We’ll definitely have to connect about @careacter! Glad you’ve been looking into it! It’s sounds like a perfect fit for what you guys need! #PrinLeaderChat
#PrinLeaderChat A4: 1:1 would be great, but my biggest dream is authentic daily PBL that is a mix of long and short term projects that students have to balance and coordinate with different groups. Laying the ground work, but a lengthy process to do right.
Q4. Students & family, staff & their family charity walk/runs. The mixing of our personal families with our school families creates a unified front. Hard to have your wall up when your own kids mesh well with your students. Obstacle is T willingness. #PrinLeaderChat
Aloha - Derek Minakami here. Just got up from a restorative nap & joining in. A1 helping/convincing Ts to design their own engaging, challenging, meaningful lessons instead of strictly sticking to the basal/textbook #PrinLeaderChat
I'd be glad to help in any way! Direct Message me with any questions! If you are on @voxer - find me at drneilgupta - would love to learn with you! #Prinleaderchat
In reply to
@IHHSPrincipal, @hansappel094, @casehighprinc, @voxer
A3 - Related to my A1 we have a few but growing number of Ts Ready to innovate by collaborating w community partners to implement #PlaceBasedLearning#PBL & #SEL to provide students a nurturing yet challenging, fulfilling learning experiences #PrinLeaderChat
