the RAH
July 27 - July 31, 2020
from J-
I've been thinking about you (collectively & individually) a great deal. How you are, what your day-to-day looks like, how you balance home life and our common cause, and what our work will look like this coming school year. My goal and role is to support, pull and push to a level of excellence never experienced before. And I truly believe we can accomplish that - not in spite of the challenging days - but because we will put unity to our common good over loyalty to our personal interests. Your leadership matters. Our leadership matters every day.
I recently overheard this statement from a staff member: “I love that my leader is willing to take me the way I am.” Such a great statement and feeling, and one I hope that we are all in a position to say. Honoring this, may I also suggest that we are something less than a leader if we leave a person the same way we find them.
There seems to be a misunderstanding on the part of people today as to what it means to be a leader. Acts of a leader should result in self-improvement, better attitudes, self-regulation, comfort with change, self-respect, and self-efficacy. When we make a person feel he or she is wanted, they change their whole attitude. Our leadership will be recognizable if our actions and attitudes result in their growth and capacity.
Knowing what you stand for is required. Some of us endanger the valued classification of leader because of our unwillingness or fear to be one under all circumstances. A leader is a person who will suggest and render the best guidance regardless of the immediate consequences.
A leader is not one who passively nods approval. A leader is a person who cares, and because of that care comes the occasion to chasten or reprove. But let’s not confuse having courageous conversations (which makes personal, temporary withdrawals from a relational bank-account) with our capacity to affirm and guide their sense of purpose and quality of life. The goal is both simple in words but complex in time and effort.
Yes, a leader is a person who is willing to take me the way I am; they are also willing and able to leave me better than they found me.
Be the good-
J
HR is hosting a TalentEd 101 Training: Recruit/Hire & Records zoom session on Tue, 7/28, 2-4pm. All are welcome as a refresher, new principals are highly encouraged. Check email/calendar invite from Liz Cooper.
Learn. Lead. Succeed.
Tuesday, Aug 4, 2020, 08:15 AM
Virtually
Elementary Leaders Kickoff
Wednesday, Aug 5, 2020, 09:00 AM
TBD/Virtually
From the Curriculum Team
For your awareness, Learning Support will be sending the following as an email (most likely today or tomorrow) to elementary teachers to address the number and intensity of questions that are coming from them. Nothing for you to do- just a head's up:
We wanted to provide you with updates regarding the Back to SPS Re-Entry Plan and how it relates to your curriculum for the upcoming school year. Many of you have begun planning for the upcoming school year. We wanted to provide you with guides to help you in planning for in-person instruction (2 days per week), virtual instruction (1 day per week), and at home curriculum and tools (2 days per week). You will receive information and training on resources at ActivateSPS the week of August 17-21, 2020. The coordinators will lead the trainings for ActivateSPS to help you navigate offline and online resources, explore Canvas courses, and review curriculum expectations. We appreciate your flexibility and patience as we navigate this new way of delivering instruction and supporting students. If you have questions, please let us know. Partners in education, Allison Pilley, Director of Learning Support Amanda Bodenstein, PBL and Social Studies Coordinator Ann Wallenmeyer, Science Coordinator Brad Brummel, PE and Health Coordinator Catherine Castillo, Elementary Numeracy Coordinator Matt Rosebrough, Elementary Literacy Coordinator