leadership in high schools

Even the busiest of parents want to know that their children are not being left behind in the race schools are in to bring more technology into classrooms and invigorate learning. 

In Special Education, I always find this an easy one.  Empower teachers and support staff make the good calls.  In a 1:6:1 or 1:8:1 setting which is the case at the Hewes Center this entire feat can be established in 15 mins – a scripted invite left on cell phones and answering machines.  Email is fastest but not all families are so priviledged, anyway one cannot usurp the power of the spoken word!

Treats in the form of cookies and punch at the end of the presentation will lend a nice touch.  We at Hewes want to make this school building a place where parents come not only for CSE meetings but rather a place to celebrate the achievement of learning and showcase the opportunities being provided to students out of district.  The sacrifices of our component schools in financial terms  can never be underscored.  The priviledge is always that of the BOCES to provide a quality education for all students. 

A student in the fifth grade has brought in a young colorado blue spruce tree for planting in celebration of earth day this month.

How does a school deal with donations?  All donations to a school have to be approved or denied by the School Board.  No donation should be accepted quietly without notification to the School Board.  This latter policy is in place to prevent schools from becoming dumping grounds of others unwanted items that sometimes carry huge financial liabilities in terms of future injury to staff and students not to mention unwanted upkeep, expensive disposal and unnecessary maintenance. 

This tree has monetary value – $15 plus.  A written request to the Director of Instructional program stating the name of the tree, its growth needs and value, follows this donation together with an explanation of how this tree will be used for instructional purposes.  The BOCES Board of Education will be presented with news of this donation via an agenda item prior to the Board Meeting.  If this agenda item is approved as a donation, publicity can be sought for the planting of the tree.  Perhaps the local press can be alerted or the news will be published in the BOCES newsletter. 
We shall rely on the good services of our student at the High School level who are involved in the Conservation Program to prepare a hole for this tree and help our students plant it in a bright, visible place in proximity to our school building. 

May this tree flourish and live for years to come so that our students/teachers can enjoy it for years to come. 

Five teachers were recently trained on the use of a sophisticated mobile Science Cart.  Mr. Daniel Pierce, High School Science teacher and Supervisor of Alternative Education at our LoGuidice Center visited the Hewes Center April 23, 2008 specifically to undertake this task.  Two things are of exceptional note within our BOCES

1.  All teachers involved in the training are Special Ed. middle and high school level.

2.  All teachers involved in the training have enthusiastically embraced this science cart and began using it the next day.  Their central question to the trainer was “Where will the cart be stored – whose classroom?”

For now the science cart is stored in in a 7/8th grade classroom.  The science cart comes equipped with 2 student lap top computers, one teacher laptop computers, a video data projector and a DVD series on a variety of physical science experiments eg. gravity, velocity, motion etc.  Schools can purchase additions to the Science Cart to include the Biology, Living Environment and other science curricula. 

At the Hewes Center we currently teach Marine Biology as an elective and hope to add to our science course offerings next year.  The use of this science cart will be fully exploited by all Special ed. teachers grades 3-12+.  Having this kind of technology at the fingertips of our Special Ed. teachers speaks volumes for the growth and development we at the Hewes Center have seen in terms of instructional prowess.    This growth has been driven by our teachers and the learning demands of our students.  Embracing technology particularly digital technology has open learning doors into deep brain parts hitherto barely touched in our student except through related services like speech, OT, PT and physical education.  Today our students - autistic, learning disabled, reading disabled, mildly mentally retarded, other health impaired, emotionally disturbed, hearing impaired  can all participate in the wonder of the physical sciences through the introduction of 1-3 min. experiments conducted via our science cart. 

Our plan is to invite parents to a presentation of the Science Cart within the next five weeks.  At this presentation we shall launch the science cart and highlight its myriad uses for our parents.  Why wait until open house in the Fall?  We should promote and publicize this Science Cart now!  This equipment is exciting – just as exciting as showing off the skills of our teachers and boasting to parents about the quality of instruction their children are being exposed to.   

I went to visit the local chapter of the Cornell Co-operative Extension with the intention of finding out more about 4-H clubs in our county.  As a result of this visit I signed up two middle school classes for Conservation Days at Long Point State Park on May 28th, 2008.  Our students will greatly benefit from learning about bee keeping, bears in Allegany Park, grape growing etc.  all taught by experts in the field who will cater short talks and presentations to the middle school student.    In addition, students will have the opportunity to intermingle with other middle school students from the surrounding area in a general setting. 

I put up an announcement in the school lobby asking for interest in 4-H clubs.  I thought surely a student or teacher would contact me and that I would have to ask for parents to be solicited.  I feel very fortunate – a parent called me up and asked to be selected for the position of parent advisor to our 4-H Club!  Yes, all parents want to play a part in their child’s school!

We at Hewes are still in the planning process of starting a  club on campus.  In June I will meet formally with the parent, giving her time to review all our 4-H materials.  We will try and plan a summer trip to the county fair in Dunkirk with the hopes of showing things at the Fair next academic year 08-09 when we formally register the club, incorporate its activities into our school day and projects with the hope of inculcating an interest in our students in all the myriad activities the club has to offer.  Club activities include all grades in the school and culminate at the county wide fair each summer.  

Will 4-H replace our Academic Fair? 

Two teachers have visited the Hewes Center Special Education programs this year.  One has been a middle school 12:1:1 teacher in an inner city school district and the other has been an elementary special education teacher within the Erie 2 School District.  Both teachers have brought the center perspectives about the work we are engaged in.  The middle school teacher recommended a BOCES placement for a 12 year old autistic boy.  She had come to get some impressions and begin some communication with our BOCES teachers around the issue of “best programming” and appropriate placements for students when the local school district is no longer an option.  This teacher, Audra toured both HEWES and our Boces classes at CLCS.   The elementary teacher came in to share best practices around the area of Brain Gym and its potential value to our K-2 classroom. 

These two visitations are examples of how teachers inform others in the field regarding best practices and advocacy for students with special needs.  A teacher can request an Alternate Assignment through the office of the Principal and go visit, tour and see in action programs that might be of professional interest to his/her current job or school.  This is one of the ways in which innovation and change come into the schools. We at the Hewes Center are always happy to host visitors and tours of our programs.  Student teachers and students in college intending to pursue a career in teaching are encouraged to seek invitations to schools and engage in conversations with practicing teachers, faculty and staff regarding best programs and practices.