Mustang Message
January 30, 2017
A Principal's Perspective
I am so thankful for the investment that Charles Butt, founder of HEB, makes in public education and specifically investing in the principals of Texas. See link for latest support (http://www.dallasnews.com/news/education/2017/02/02/h-e-bs-shy-billionaire-explains-donating-100-million-improve-texas-schools). This week I attended the Raise Your Hand Harvard Principal Leadership reunion. Attendees are Texas administrators that attended the Harvard Leadership Institute in the summer funded by Charles Butt. Since 2008, over 1000 Texas principals have attended! Each year I look forward to attending the reunion because I learn so much from Harvard professors, national experts in education, and most importantly from fellow educators. I also look forward to catching up with friends and colleagues that I first met at the institute in 2009. It is like camp each year where we don't miss a beat catching up and brainstorming solutions to educational issues. This year was special because Stormy Hickman attended with me. Stormy is an elementary principal in CSISD and was GP's first assistant principal. I love seeing the institute through her eyes. I also enjoyed going with her to Trader Joe's for her first shopping experience there! Her thoughts about the institute:
"Charles Butt paid for me to go to the Principal's Leadership Institute at Harvard last summer (no small expense), and just this week paid for me to spend three days in Austin with the brightest minds in education problem-solving and talking about innovation. His organization asked me to visit with my legislators and set up the conditions for me to do so, but not once was I told what to say. They asked us to represent our students and advocate for public education in the way we think is best because they believe that educators are the experts on education. And now he's doing even more."
This year we heard from Michael Fullan, a worldwide expert on school reform, George Couros, author of The Innovator's Mindset, and several Harvard professors. We also had the opportunity to meet with our legislators to voice our opinions on bills coming up in legislation concerning education. Most importantly, I always leave with the challenge to foster a school environment where our students are so excited about coming to school because they are engaged, challenged, and their voice is heard. I often think of this video clip below where the little girl experiences rain for the very first time. Our challenge as educators is to create a learning environment we call school where our students kick and scream (so to speak) to return each day because our staff has enthusiasm for not teaching but learning!
Be Innovative - Design the possibilities!
Donna
Principals together since 2009!
Texas Principals Converge on the Capitol!
Morning Duties for the Week
Morning Assembly (7:20): Bingaman
Gym (7:20): Simmons
Cafeteria (7:20): Lewis
Bus (7:15 - Buses/ Cafeteria after all buses arrive): Paine
Parent Drop Off Direct Traffic (7:20-7:50): McGregor (subbing for Parr)
Parent Drop Off Car Doors (7:20-7:50): Gibbs & Reed
Counselor Schedule: 3rd & 4th
Librarian: PC
Week at a Glance
Friday: Education Foundation's 50 Men Who Can Cook 6:00 pm at the Expo Center; Campus Council Agenda Items to Donna
Monday: Atlanta Falcons or New England Patriots? Super Bowl 51 is here! Who will win???? Falcons Triumph - wear jeans Patriots Win - choice of jeans or warm ups
Tuesday: Faculty Meeting @ 3:25 All Staff Attending
Wednesday: Lunch Lounge Wednesday - Eating in the teacher's lounge? Wear a GP shirt and jeans! Tech and Specialists' Open Office Hours 3:15-4:15; Campus Council at 3:30 in conference room
Thursday: Class Picture Day; REACH 3:15-4:15
Friday: ELA Meetings with Specialists (Math will meet on Friday, 2/17), Fab Friday- Connection with a Confection!
News & Notes
- Please take note of the picture schedule through e-mail in preparation for Thursday's picture day.
Mustang Yee Haws!
- Congratulations to Nicole Vaughn, Stephanie Anderson's daughter, who completed and passed her training to become a certified nurse's aide through A&M Consolidated High School! This program consists of 100 hours of classroom and clinical training, and students are required to take and pass a state-administered skills test, as well as a written test.