leadership in high schools

Suffice it to say that our turn around on this has been nothing short of phenomenal.  Earlier this month a call came in inquiring as to whether we had openings in the K-2 grade level.   On Monday 2/25/08 the classroom will open with 3 students.  A tour will occur on the same day, and we hope to register a 4th student on Tuesday 2/26.  A place is being reserved for still another student who is moving into one of our component district within the next few days.  In 2-3 weeks this slot will be filled.  My goal is to have the classroom filled to its capacity  by late March.  Isn’t it great to have goals?

The Hewes Center has not had an elementary classroom in ages!.  I have heard good stories about “when the little ones were last here”  but short of seeing signs of the program’s existence via small people’s furniture in the store rooms, we have no experience with this type of program at the Hewes Center during the regular school year.  (Summer is great because we see all the age groups).  I sought our Pete Holl and Marci Kupiec, teachers who remember the headstart program at Hewes.  These two teachers have provided me with history and background.  My excitement has been tempered by these teachers who describe what their experiences were with the early elementary population.  Good thing we have these instructional and classroom behavior experts on hand,  believe you me we shall be using them in the weeks to come. 

Opening this classroom will complete the continuum of educational programming at the Center - Kindergarten through Age 21.  Our maintenance crew has been wonderful.  The library had to be broken down,  bookshelves had to be moved into classrooms.  The Art Room had to be re-located.  The printing station had to be moved to another location.  Christine Burdick, Supervisor, sent boxes over of relevant school materials.  Interim Supervisor, helped interview teachers and brought over some more materials from the LoGuidice Center.  The School Nurse, Sue Collander sat in on in-takes with me on 2/22/08 at a component school site.  Sue also helped interview for classroom staff. 

Before mid-winter break I took a ride on a John Deere mini hauler with Paul Peru and brought up little 8 wooden chairs.  I deliberately lined up the chairs in the lobby for a week as a way to rev up more excitement for our work at the Hewes Center.  Attention was received.  Pete Holl turned over one of the chairs and discovered his name written under one; testament to his time teaching elementary. 

It is wonderful to see how having big dreams can come to fruition when we all work toward one goal - taking our united talents, focussing them on instructional delivery and providing educational opportunities to students that are meaningful, relevant and service oriented.  Kudos to our fellow teachers in component schools.  Mary Alice, Special Education, is noteworthy.   She sat in on the student in-takes and provided all the background information on a student as well as the recommendation to refer to BOCES.  Teachers like Mary Alice are a fine example of “first line responders” in our teaching profession.  It is these teachers who try their best to include students, experiment with strategies, invite parents to be a part of the educational decision making and when after much head banging (I’m sure) no professional text book or personal experience methods seem to work, have to recommend another placement for students.  Not an easy decision and one that we at BOCES have to respect tremendously.  I have invited Mary Alice to come to the Hewes Center and visit our 1:6:1 classrooms to see what our teachers can do with students in a smaller classroom setting.  She has much to share with us and I am sure she will want updates on Joe!

High School English Teachers Phyllis Caloren and Jim Hedlund will spearhead the Big Read America Project in 2009.  Through a grant opportunity and collaboration with SUNY Fredonia,  our Alternative and Special Education students will be participating in the national reading of To Kill a Mockingbird.  I can imagine various faculty, staff, parents and community members reading this book at the same time and then being able to participate in discussions with our students about themes, strains, connections to today, relevance and historical perspectives.  I can imagine Phyllis and Jim sponsoring an Afternoon of Reflection based on the book for students and community.  This is an example of how students can educate us and we them.  Honestly, when was the last time you read To Kill a Mocking Bird?  Have you read it?  Faculty and staff at Hewes, if you have not, you can get a head-start on students - read it before Spring 2009!