Update from the Field - Texas Charter School Conference and TEPSA Webinar

The Texas Charter School Conference threw another successful conference. Highlights included:

1. Seeing some old friends from my days when I was the State Director of Innovative School Redesign.

2. The official Chef of the LYS Nation, Chef Dwayne, set up another four-star meal for a group of LYS Principals and Central Office Administrators at his restaurant, the Chart House in the Tower of the Americas. As long time readers know, I will put Chef Dwayne and his staff up against any other restaurant in the country.

3. Seeing a different teacher from John Woods Charter every time I turned around.

4. The enthusiastic audience for my presentation and the great discussion pieces that they added.

5. But the biggest surprise came from George Sanders, one of my teachers from my Harris County days. George showed up for my session, without realizing I was the presenter. We were both surprised and when he told me that he is now a principal who led an exemplary school last year, I could not have been more proud and happy.

The TEPSA webinar, my first as a presenter, went as well as I could expect considering that I am a novice. I still have to learn how to talk for 45 minutes without moving and without visual or verbal feedback. It is a strange experience. But the close to 100 attendees stayed logged in for the whole time and the questions that were sent in lead me to believe that they found the information useful and timely.

If you took the time to listen to me at either of these events, thank you. If you didn’t get the chance, in the near future we’ll be at the TASA Mid-Winter Conference, TASB Winter Law Conference, AASA National Conference and NASSP National Conference. Get out and represent your school, your district and the LYS Nation.

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

A Reader Writes... (Special Case Common Assessments)

In response to the 10/21/2010 post, “Special Case Common Assessments," one of the pioneer practitioners (and LYS Principal) writes:

SC,

You know I couldn’t let this one go. Have you mellowed? Where is the risk taking maverick that took no prisoners? I guess it’s up to me to give the person who asked the question the straight take.

Your top students taking advanced courses will probably be OK no matter what you do on common assessments. I assume from the scenario you presented that you are working in a junior high/middle school.

In my mind the important thing is to devise a method to collect true information (not just data) from the common assessments. This can be very tricky. I would give you the following recommendations:

1. Don’t fixate on 70 as a passing rate.

2. Use common assessments to close your achievement gap.

3. If you don’t know how, ask Cain for my personal e-mail address and I will give you the tools I have developed over the past 6 years to make sense out of common assessment data.

SC Response

Get out of my head, old man! The writer’s school is fast tracking through the learning (pain) curve. They are using 80 as their cut score and they are only tracking the academically fragile. Then they are doing “no BS” one page data analysis to back fill their deepest holes on the fly.

Some of them still have the “deer in the headlights” look, but for just one exception, the principals didn’t jump off the roof after the first assessment (remember that experience?). And even more promising, most of the teachers are trying hard to rise to the challenge.

If anyone asks for your e-mail, I’ll gladly pass it on. After talking to you, I’ll look like the nice and reasonable one. How often does that happen?

P.S.

If you are attending the Texas Charter School Conference on today look me up. At 3:45 pm, I’ll be presenting on the first steps of school improvement. The session title is, “Broke to Better.”

You can also catch me on the TEPSA Webinar on tomorrow at 11:00 AM (central time). The topic, “Effective Working Relationships: A Primer for Principals and Assistant Principals."

Follow the link below for more information.

http://www.tepsa.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=282

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

Game On! School Write - Part 2

In response to the post "The LYS Nation in the News,” on 11/4/2010, Dr. Stephen Wurtz writes:

Game On! is an incredible system designed by Sean Cain and the Lead Your School organization. I love the systematic approach to increasing student academic achievement while fostering character development and person responsibility.

Game On! has helped to foster a truly transparent environment where everyone understands their role on the team and how that role impacts the group as a whole. It has made a real difference in streamlining hard working teachers so that everyone's efforts are pointed in the same direction... toward achieving our school mission! I highly recommend it!!

SC Response

Thanks for the kind words and you know that everyone on our side couldn’t be more excited for you and your kids! Your success makes it easier for other schools to embrace the changes that will benefit their students.

On an unrelated note, don’t forget if you are attending the Texas Charter School Conference on Tuesday, November 29, 2010, look me up. At 3:45 pm, I’ll be presenting on the first steps of school improvement. The session title is, “Broke to Better.”

You can also catch me on the TEPSA Webinar on Wednesday, November 30, 2010 at 11:00 AM (central time). The topic, “Effective Working Relationships: A Primer for Principals and Assistant Principals”

Follow the link below for more information.

http://www.tepsa.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=282

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

Upcoming Events and Happy Thanksgiving

To the LYS Nation,

If you are attending the Texas Charter Schools Association Conference on Tuesday, November 29, 2010, look me up. At 3:45 pm, I’ll be presenting on the first steps of school improvement. The session title is, “Broke to Better.”

You can also catch me on the TEPSA Webinar on Wednesday, November 30, 2010 at 11:00 AM (central time). The topic, “Successful Principal and Assistant Principal Relationships.” Follow the link below for more information.

http://www.tepsa.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=282

Until then, be safe in your travels and enjoy this brief respite. The blog will resume on Monday, November 29, 2010. I leave you with the following message from Coach Tim Edwards, Texas coaching legend and proud member of the LYS Nation:

During the holiday, remember these reasons to be thankful.

1. Our health

2. Our country

3. Our wonderful way of life

4. Our freedoms of speech, religion, and expression

Enjoy your days off,

Coach

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...

A Reader Writes... (Advice for the First Year Principal - Part 1)

In response to the post, “Advice for the First Year Principal,” a reader writes:

“Since the Texas Charter School Conference I have read all your postings but, Advice for the First Year Principal, is what I've been waiting for. Even though I am assistant principal, my principal is three hours away at the main campus making me the de-facto principal and last year the teachers ended the year with zero morale, so this really helps.

Will there be a part two?"

SC Response
Part two is the on-going LYS conversation. If there is something particular that you are considering, or need help with, just send in a comment.

Even though you are the assistant principal, in your case use the one of the primary leadership rules of the Navy. In the Navy, when on shore, officer rank really matters. The admiral outranks the captain who outranks the commander who outranks the lieutenant commander... But when the ships are at sea, the highest ranking officer on board is the Captain of the Ship.

When you are three hours away from the boss, you are the leader. Embrace the role. That alone should have a positive impact on morale. Weak and/or non-existent leadership is a morale killer. We all want to know that there is a vision and purpose for the organization; that those above us are working as hard we are to further that vision and purpose; and that someone will make the decisions and mobilize the resources that will put us in a position to be successful. When we know that is not the case, we flounder and the organization suffers.

When I worked for Brezina, there were times when I was the highest ranking leader in the district (admittedly, this did not happen very often). When this did occur, I made sure that I was extra visible during the day. I stayed late to make sure that if anything happened I would be there. Even though my “watch” was always unofficial, I made sure that I had my finger on the pulse of the organization. Then when Brezina returned, I would tell him that everything ran smoothly while everyone was away. Which I always found humorous, because he had no idea why I would report this.

The point being is that you have a great opportunity to make a difference, greater than what is typically expected from your nominal position. Work every day to make the most of the opportunity. Finally, if you get in a bind, just drop a line or call.

Think. Work. Achieve.

Your turn...