leadership in high schools

Once a year as a supervisor/principal of this BOCES I have to complete summative evaluations for all staff including teachers, related service professionals. teacher assistants, aides and other support staff.  Suffice it to say that this most important work that speaks to assessments and accountability on the part of schools is like writing an essay that never ends.  I always feel that when I mark someone in need of improvement, I myself have failed as a principal……….the connection a principal feels to programs, teachers and staff is a very personal and profound relationship.  It is sustained by the excitement of new programs, tweeked programs, new emphasis etc.  This will be a very difficult week for me because all this work has to be completed before the June 1 deadline.  My rationale for waiting so long?

• I want to maximise opportunities for staff to shine
• I want to have examples of more than one stellar achievement.
• I want to give folks an opportunity to show growth and improvement. 
• I work best when under pressure and stress.  Words flow more smoothly and my creative juices are more visable in my writing style…..at least I think so:)

http://msn.careerbuilder.com/custom/msn/careeradvice/viewarticle.aspx?articleid=1265

The above link proposes to rid us of Bad Work Habits.  I liked the problems listed and the tips to solve them.  I do belive that we will all be better supervisors and employees if we heed the messages contained herein.

This is a bountiful year for us at the Hewes Center.  We have never hired these past 6 years,  so many new teachers and staff.  A welcome reception will be hosted for them on Monday afternoon.  The purpose of this social is to introduce teachers and staff to each other before the first faculty meeting this week Thursday. 

Those on “stage” will be  Mr. Curto, Ms. DeLeon, Ms. Calimeri – teachers, Ms. Swanson – physical ed. teacher, Ms. Darling – guidance counselor, Wendy Johnson – Behavioral Consultant teacher.  New aides are Jessica Blake, Rick Cogliano and Justin Clark.  In addition to these 5 teachers are 2 that joined us at the beginning of the year, Laurie Wilcox and Christine Barber.  The Hewes Center is a vibrant, exciting place which is poised to see continued growth and development in terms of student programs, graduation rates, active, student-centered instruction, use of technology and an environment that is disciplined and professional at all levels. 

There are a ton of social networks out there for educators.  Here are some that I use.

• NING
• Tapped In
• Classroom 2.0
• Twitter

Two teachers at the Hewes Center have joined classroom 2.0 and this is great.  I would like the new gym teacher, Jamie Swanson to join Twitter because I have invited a “friend” who is following me precisely because he owns his own gym and is big into teaching, health and exercise.  I would like Jamie to maximise her interest in digital technology to introduce our students to exercising for health and mind so as to reap its myriad rewards.

The Associates Degree in Botany did not make the cut for our final teacher selection.  The Highly Qualified and Certified teacher status under NCLB regulations, took its toll on our potential candidate and the regulations won out.   

Our 7/8th grade special teacher has now been officially selected.  He is Mr. Samuel Curto and he comes to us from Buffalo, NY specifically Sloan.  I learnt that Sloan is near Cheektowaga and the Gallaria Mall.  I am familiar with the Gallaria Mall – Canadians flock here when the dollar is weak.  Gallaria Mall is also famous for the case that Johnny Cochran (famous O.J. lawyer) won when he challenged the Mall policy of not allowing public busses to pick up and drop off in front or close to the mall.  A girl died because of this policy.  Johnny sued on behalf of the family and won the case.  I had never heard of Sloan being a small part of Buffalo but as the saying goes, one learns something everyday!. 

Mr. Curto fascinates us at the Hewes Center because we hope he will bring an interesting array of perspectives to our school building.  His teaching experiences in Las Vegas, NV and in our Erie 2 CC BOCES sites of Baker Road and Ormsby will surely inform our practices as will his undergraduate studies at Buffalo State College and graduate studies at D’Youville College, Buffalo. 

The letter went home today to parents and guardians announcing him as the new teacher.  What a relief for students, my office, parents and CSE chairs.  A soft spoken, caring teacher in place before the end of the second week of school.  This weekend I am relieved.