NFV News
January
Ignite Learning. Build Leadership. Achieve Excellence
Facilities CMT
"The goal of the North Fayette Facilities Committee is to enhance North Fayette facilities to bring new students and families moving to the area and to retain current student enrollment through quality facilities that promotes the academic, athletic and fine arts opportunities offered at North Fayette in a safe environment.
This is wordy but spells out a mission for such a committee, and could be edited in this new updated committee for NFV. The purpose I have in mind is not focused on any more building or remodeling projects, but rather to take inventory of the conditions of the existing facilities and set a calendar of prioritized improvements or maintenance efforts for the district.
In the last 6 years there have been a few large projects which have provided for necessary spaces for the combined MS and HS enrollments. These include expending the parking lot at NFV HS, plus adding a tornado safe room with restrooms and two new classrooms plus a practice gym. At the NFV MS we have added a tornado safe room, remodeled the office and added a bus barn. West Union Elementary also got a new parking and pick up areas outside, plus a tornado safe structure that serves as a PE and multipurpose room.
So the question is what do we do next? We know that a roof is needed on West Union elementary, it is scheduled for next summer. We are talking about constructing a press box and restrooms at the baseball field to make it more handicapped friendly and to get the fans down by the game! We hope to raise some funds from private sources to add lights to that field. Beyond that there are many naturally occurring replacement items that need to be scheduled . We are thinking of the Valley roof, perhaps new windows and flooring in certain places, and the possibility of adding more solar capacity.
If you have an interest and/or knowledge base in building maintenance, you would be a great addition to this committee. Contact me at dwillhite@nfv.k12.ia.us, or Susan Winter at 563-422-3851 to volunteer. First meeting is scheduled for Tuesday January 22, 2019 at 7:00 pm, NFV HS Library.
Leader In Me 5 Paradigms
The 5 paradigms above provide a quick look into the teachings of Leader in Me and how we can use this program to improve our school culture. If you think about how we all like to be considered as a contributing and vital component of any social or work structure, the new paradigms described above are an accurate portrayal of what we want.
Back in the days of the industrial revolution, the common paradigm for labor and management relationships was that Management Decides and Labor Does. In that time, schools were much the same, Teachers Control and Decide what is learned, Students comply and memorize what is taught.
Our current economy doesn't offer many opportunities for people with good memories. It requires people with critical skills. Critical skills are not directly taught, but will be learned through participation and decision making, that is called Student Agency. Student Agency is the combination of control and voice that we give to students when we allow them to choose aspects of their learning. When workers were given that opportunity a few decades ago, productivity and worker satisfaction soared. That is why we are working with Leader In Me. It started with training on Steven Covey's 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. In those habits are skills that improve our conversations and relationships with coworkers and learners and will build Student Agency.
Some of the things that are already occurring at NFV include student leadership opportunities being developed at NFV MS, classroom leadership positions, key helping roles in offices and departments. As we develop these Covey skills, teachers and students will grow in leadership and relationship skills. As we are beginning to witness growth in students, we should also continue to expand their agency developing the new Core Paradigms as described. It will be exciting to see this program at complete implementation.
North Fayette Valley Community Schools
Email: dwillhite@nfv.k12.ia.us
Website: nfvschools.com
Location: 600 North Pine Street, West Union, IA, USA
Phone: 563-422-3851
Twitter: @NFVtigerhawks