First Days of School - Report 5

The reports keep coming in. Another “Brown” Guy writes :

“I want to weigh in on the first day of school.

As you know, I just took over a school that was operating way below its potential. I was in every classroom yesterday and today. Yesterday was a typical 1st day - handing out paperwork, lockers, books and making ID's - but today we were teaching.

It's amazing what happens when you set a crystal clear expectation and then monitor to make sure it happens. According to some staff members, we will get at least a week jump on last year, instructionally.

SC Response
First, great job. This will be what, school number six that you will turn around?

Second, this writer touches on one of the things that drives me nuts about most schools. Every teacher I work with complains that there is too much to teach and not enough time to teach it (sometimes - a valid complaint). Yet most schools are comfortable easing into the school year, wasting anywhere from 2 days to 2 weeks of instruction.

It is hard to argue against the unreasonableness of outside expectations, when so many of us provide ammunition for the opposition, starting on day one.

Now to finish on a positive, yesterday I visited this campus. No one knew that I was coming or who I was. Everyone staff member I talked to mentioned how much they like the new principal, his message, and how excited they are about this year. The message, "We will work hard and our students will succeed."

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...