The Pillow Page
9/7/15
I Am So Lucky
Have I mentioned lately just how lucky I am to be your principal? If I haven't, know that I am. I couldn't have asked for a better campus to lead. Every day I am amazed by how great a staff we have. Everyone chips in and does what needs to be done to make sure that all of our Panthers are taken care of. As I was looking back at the pictures I've attached below, I was reminded of all of the great learning happening in each of your classrooms. You are experts in your field and I am so thankful that y'all are the ones leading and developing the pathway to future success for our students. You should get paid 3 times as much as you do now.
2 weeks are down and we have a short week this week. Time is already flying by. I know you are doing a great job setting up systems and reinforcing expectations in your classrooms. Don't forget to balance that with the academic expectations we have for our students as well. By this point you should already have an idea of who is going to need extra care and attention in certain subjects in your classroom through discussions and formative assessments throughout the first 2 weeks. If you're still figuring that out, that's fine, but be mindful of those kiddos that are going to need extra help from you through interventions and small group instruction. As you know, every child comes to us at different levels and it is our job to make sure we are providing the right amount of press and support so that ALL of our Panthers are successful. It's the difference between equality and equity. We can't just give all of our students the exact same amount of support. We have to be equitable in our distribution. You are all experts at this, so I know I'm preaching to the choir.
Ms. Cardenas and I have enjoyed being in your classrooms and we are looking forward to getting into them even more in the future. While we continue to wait for our new lunch monitor to be cleared by HR and while we are helping some of our neediest Panthers adjust to life at school, we haven't had as much time to get into classrooms, but that will all change soon. Know that we are here to support you and always come to us if you have questions or concerns. Speaking of that, it's been brought to my attention that some teachers have been bothered by my use of technology throughout the day...mainly my cellphone. I figured I would address that now instead of waiting until the next time we meet. Know that I never want to give off the impression that I am not fully engaged in the conversations, meetings, etc. that are going throughout the day. If I've given that impression, I apologize. The job of campus principal has changed over the years and we are expected to be on call 24/7. All of my work comes through my phone. So much so, that I rarely use a desktop or laptop. I am constantly being texted, emailed, called, etc. by my bosses, teachers, community stakeholders, etc. and I cannot be without my phone during work hours. It's just not possible. If there is an emergency and I miss a call or text because I put my phone aside for a meeting, that's my fault for not being available. For those that don't understand the need for admin to be on call 24/7, you might think that it's rude or insensitive of me to have my phone out at different times throughout the day. Know that it is a necessity and that I am doing work...not ignoring anyone. I hope that helps. If you still have concerns, please come and talk to me. My door is always open. I want y'all to feel comfortable voicing your opinions. We might not agree on everything, but we have to at least talk things out.
Ok, enough of that. Don't forget to check the upcoming dates below. Especially the 2 PPfT deadlines. These are very important. Utilize your teammates if you have questions because many of them have already completed both requirements. Also, thank you to Ms. Rech and her class for leading our assemblies this week. I'm looking forward to it.
One last note I want to leave you with. Last Friday we had our first Principal Coffee of the year. It was awesome to see the amount of parents show up. We had over 25 parents stuffed in the PSS room to hear about what's going on at the campus. That might not seem like a lot of people, but it is! We were able to tell them all about SEL and how they can support it at home. Our parents are great and they really do appreciate all that you do as teachers. They tell us that all the time. Know that your hard work is noticed by all and each and every stakeholder really appreciates all that you do. I'm looking forward to another great week! Whole Child. Every Child. Every Day. That's what we stand for and that's what we do.
-Mr. Hill
Recent Pics
W.A.R.P. Wednesday Read Aloud From Ms. Fairbrother!
Little Helpers In Ms. Stover's Class!
Ms. Stover Leads Her Class During Carpet Time!
Honoring Dorinda Pillow With A Hallway Display By Ms. Finnegan!
3rd Graders Using Dry Erase Boards For Formative Assessments!
Ms. Frenzel's Bulletin Board Promoting SEL!
Ms. Pearlman's Class Shows Off Their "Work To Bark At!"
Ms. Cormack Teaches Ms. Torres's 1st Graders Spanish!
EdAustin Visits Pillow!
Someone Just Became Mr. Hill's Favorite Student!
GoNoodle Brain Break In Ms. Barrett's Class!
Ms. Reynolds's Students Are Totally Engaged!
Upcoming Events
Labor Day
Happy Birthday Ms. Leatherberry!
9/8/15 - Tue
1st - 2nd BOY Primary Reading Assessment Window Opens
PPfT Online Training Deadline
3:00pm - 4:00pm - CST Meeting
9/9/15 - Wed
1:15pm - 4:00pm - T. Anderson Visits 3rd-5th
1:30pm - 2:30pm - Mentor Kick-Off Event
9/10/15 - Thur
B. Hill Out
3:00pm - 5:00pm - Heggerty Training
9/11/15 - Fri
PPfT Individual Learning Plans Due
Grandparents Lunch
Useful Links
Pillow Connect
Email: brian.hill@austinisd.org
Website: pillowelementary.weebly.com
Location: Pillow Elementary School, Crosscreek Drive, Austin, TX, United States
Phone: 512-414-2350
Twitter: @PillowPanthers