BARBER BULLETIN
Week of February 18-22 Creating Joyful Leaders and Learners
GEORGE COUROS - GIVING STUDENTS OWNERSHIP!
The word “technology” was in my title for a large part of my career as a teacher, with the hopes that I would work with colleagues on finding meaningful ways to implement technology within the curriculum. Yet, simply having “technology” in my title meant to many others on my staff that I could and should fix anything that was technology related in the school. Literally. Anything that had electricity was fair game. I hated it.
One day, I was asked to fix something in a classroom and I was busy working with students so I asked some of my tech-savvy students to go and check in and help the teacher that was asking for help. While I was annoyed with the request, to be honest, my students were excited with the opportunity. They went to the teacher’s classroom immediately, helped them out, and came back and asked if they could do that again in the future.
LIGHT BULB MOMENT!
From then on, they became the student tech team and all requests went their way to help teachers with technology issues in the school. I was a last resort if the students were stuck, yet they never asked me for help. It was beautiful.
So many schools do things similar to this today, and I think it goes beyond taking something off of a teacher’s plate. It is about giving students ownership over the building. Do you remember when students used to pop keys off the keyboard? That ended altogether in our school because students would stop each other because they knew they would have to fix it eventually.
Through the process of empowering students in the day-to-day dealings of a school, I unintentionally created a situation where students took more pride in their school because it became “theirs” through the process. They felt valued because they were given ownership over important aspects of the operations of the school.
Making sure that a) students feel that they are valued and needed for school and b) have true ownership, is something that is beneficial to students as individuals and the school community as a whole.
How do you give students ownership over your school community?
COVEY CLUB DISPLAY BOARDS
We thought that it would be a beautiful depiction of all that we have going on if we had Covey Club displays on Leadership Day. Please create a display board for your club.
We will have supplies available for you set up in the media center this week. Photos have been printed for you to use on your board and your club name has been added to the top of your board. Remember to add captions and a description of your club. Don't forget, if you haven't already done so, to select 1-2 student representatives from your club to discuss your club with visitors on February 28 from 9:30am-11:30am in the PE room.
Email Mrs. Avant (jeavant@richland2.org) with who will be representing your club on Leadership Day.
Meet Kathy Nowlin
Kathy Nowlin and her family came to Columbia because her husband is active duty and is the Assistant Fire Chief down at Shaw AFB. Kathy and her husband have two amazing children, Dylan (19) who just left for basic training last week and Lilliana (6) one of our school's pledge leader and a Lower Montessori student in Mrs. Brown's class. Kathy is currently in her last class of her Bachelor’s Degree and plans to start her Master’s degree in April. She enjoys running and workout when the time allows.
Mrs. Nowlin serves as the teaching assistant in Mrs. Diroff's Primary Montessori classroom. She can’t wait to meet you all!
99 BRIGHT IDEAS
Sometimes big ideas live in small spaces. We’re interested in how to grow great ideas across different school and job sites and celebrate what makes our district premier! Our goal is to have 99 (or more) bright ideas by February 22.
What are you doing in your classroom, office or job role that is innovative? Ideas can be in the area of school schedules, work environments, communications, teacher retention, virtual education, new disruptive technologies, passion projects, or changing the world.
Visit RICHLAND2.BRIGHTIDEA.COM/99BRIGHTIDEAS TODAY, submit your bright idea and watch it grow! You can submit ideas individually or team up to submit an idea. Encourage your colleagues to vote on your idea! All Richland Two employees are invited to participate.
A LOOK AT OUR WEEK TOGETHER:
Student/Teacher Holiday
245 employees work
Tuesday:
Welcome Back, Nurse Larck
Sams Club rep set up in teachers' lounge during lunch; membership specials provided
Wednesday:
Grand Canyon University set up in teacher's lounge with Chick Fil A biscuits
TEXTBOOK CHECKS - please leave textbooks on students' desks during planning
Quarter 3 Lunch N Learn for ESOL cluster teachers in Brain Forest
3:15pm Leadership Day planning meeting in Brain Forest
Thursday:
INTERIMS - Please make sure all POWERSCHOOL grades are updated.
Good News Club begins
Grade Level Collaboration with ED EMMER in Brain Forest
KIDS HEART CHALLENGE during Global - BAG LUNCHES for all grade levels
7:45am SIC Meeting
9:00am CLUB PICTURES will begin (These are not Covey Clubs)
3:30pm Rick Davis baby shower in Media Center
Friday:
COLLEGE COLORS DAY
WATCH DOGS and SVHS football players greet students!
CAREER DAY
Bus Evacuation Drill
1:30pm TA Meeting
Data Meetings held, as needed (See Sign Up sent out by LaShon Bookman and Jelayne King)
ELIZA'S 5K Walk/Run is MARCH 30
The SuperEliza 5K Walk/Run will be on Saturday morning, March 30th, starting at the Blatt Center on Wheat Street. Once again, and for the 5th year in a row, this event is being hosted and run by the South Carolina Pharmacy Pediatric Pharmacy Advocacy Group (PPAG). We have so much thanks for their continued advocacy and support!
We are in the process of trying to secure sponsorships and could really use some help. You all know how important sponsorships are to making an event like this a success. Would you be able to ask your companies, or anyone you think might have interest? Having that "inside" connection is always helpful, and you've been a big supporting advocate for our cause throughout.
We of course hope you can come out and join us at the 5K. Bring the kids, pets, friends and colleagues. Can you help us please spread the word about our event? The easy to remember link to register & share is www.SuperEliza5K.com
Thank you and hope you can sign up today! Forever thankful.
Glenn & Cara O Neil
Eliza O Neil is a student in Dan Koch's class at Pontiac. She has been a Pontiac student since she was four years old. She is diagnosed with a rare, degenerative disease. Her parents, like all of us, continue to raise money in hopes of finding a cure for Eliza and other children with Sanfilippo.