Kathleen/CT - Good evening. This is a chat session for school administrators.
Kathleen/CT - Hey, Rocky Road, so glad you came!
Kathleen/CT - Rocky, how is the state of education in your part of New England?
Rocky Road - by state what do you mean?
Rocky Road - Is Deb still here?
Kathleen/CT - Are there many issues, much pressure, problems about test scores, etc.?
Rocky Road - In NH we have state tests and we just got the results back last week
Kathleen/CT - Rocky, were the results satisfactory to all?
Rocky Road - The state tells the press not to compare year to year since kids change each year meaning classes but the press still compares
Kathleen/CT - No way out of that, Rocky. It's the same everywhere.
Rocky Road - All in all my district has improved, we now have some longitudinal data to look at also
Kathleen/CT - Does your school board have a good understanding about what the tests mean?
Kathleen/CT - what the results mean, is what I meant
Kathleen/CT - Rocky, are you beginning to develop your budget for 2001-2002?
Rocky Road - I had my big budget meeting already for 2001-2002. We have an SB2 budget system
Kathleen/CT - Hi Addie! I was hoping you would make it for this. Addie is new to school administration.
Addie /MO - yes, i am new to this!
LHSwolf - Hello all. Yes, assistant principal.
Addie /MO - i am a k-5 assistant principal...we have 750 students
Rocky Road - I am a k-5 Prin in SW NH
Addie /MO - i am in southwest missouri
Kathleen/CT - Rocky, how many years in that position?
Rocky Road - my 5th year this year after 20 years in the classroom
Kathleen/CT - LHSwolf, Addie is from Missouri, Rocky from NH, from what part of the world are you?
Rocky Road - Rocky Road is John BTW
LHSwolf - I am at a senior high school in the piedmont of NC
Addie /MO - this is my first year...previously i taught kindergarten for 11 years
Kathleen/CT - A question for all of you: Can school administrators benefit from gathering in this sort of setting? Or do you have so many opportunities to interact, collaborate with other school admins that an additional forum is not especially needed?
Kathleen/CT - Teachers are flocking to the Internet for peer support, but efforts to draw school administrators to chats such as this have not been particularly successful, I wonder why.
LHSwolf - I think it will be extremely benefical to network with people outside NC.
Addie /MO - kat, i think that we could benefit....i think that the admin job might be even more isolated than the teaching job. i can talk to my principal who is right across the hall from me, but often we are so busy just going about our day.
Rocky Road - Sometimes time is tough but if more were here it could be beneficial
Addie /MO - i suppose that time is the major obstacle, but i dont know that i had more time as a teacher
Rocky Road - I enjoy discussing education
Addie /MO - actually, i probably did have more, since i had to go back to grad school
Addie /MO - i like to discuss ed. too, and lots of people might get bored from that discussion, so it is good to find like-minded individuals
Kathleen/CT - Each region is the US has a different ed. climate, a different culture really.
Kathleen/CT - What about the concept of mentoring over the 'net? Does that have any appeal to those of you who have less experience?
Addie /MO - that is true, kat, and i think that is what makes this type of exchange interesting. i dont have much experience outside of sw mo
Addie /MO - kat, i think that would be good...it might be better sometimes to just email someone instead of posting concerns, since it would be possible to violate confidentiality
Peggy/AZ - I think collaborating with other administrators outside my district is great! But logging in at a specific hour is tough!
Addie /MO - i have found a few people to email that are in admin...through t.net...especially at first, but i havent as much now. plus i have a friend who is about 2 hours from me and it is her first year as a.p. too. so we correspond by email usually weekly or so
Kathleen/CT - Peggy, any ideas about how to do it so that it's convenient to collaborate over the 'net?
Peggy/AZ - Thanks! I'm glad to be here. I've been an elementary principal for 22 years and still learn new things every day.
Addie /MO - what size is your school, peggy?
Peggy/AZ - No great ideas but I do benefit a lot from being on multiple education lists. Not just those for administrators but also teachers.
LHSwolf - I liked the established time. Chat rooms for administrators are often empty rooms.
Rocky Road - 22 years wow Pegy
Kathleen/CT - Teachers are talking A LOT about discomfort over high stakes testing. Do you all share their concerns?
Peggy/AZ - My school is 800 K-6 students in central Phoenix.
Addie /MO - i am concerned about the high stakes testing...the stress on the kids and teachers and the things that are important that may be missed when we only worry about what is on the almighty test.
Kathleen/CT - LHSwolf, we'll try a monthly session like this. Even if only 2 gather, that's a meeting, beneficial.
Rocky Road - 375 in a k-5 in SW NH here
Peggy/AZ - My teachers these days are very concerned about ALL of the testing. But right now our big concern is budget development. We are doing zero-based budgeting. Does anyone else do their budgets this way???
Addie /MO - monday is usually a pretty good night for me, at least this semester...next semester i will have a night class
Rocky Road - I tell my staff not to worry or get stressed with the tests. I expect them to teach their best but we must remember that every year is different
Addie /MO - i am not sure how we do our budgeting...i am not responsible for that, but i hope to learn more about it.
LHSwolf - This is certainly an area of concern for NC educators. I left the classroom three years ago; the pressure of testing was intense then and has continued to gain momentum.
Rocky Road - If I dont show stress they dont either
Addie /MO - right now, the tests arent as "high stakes" in missouri as in other states, but we are headed that direction....we try to encourage the teachers, but i know they feel the pressure
LHSwolf - Peggy, what is zero-based budgeting?
Peggy/AZ - It's easy to say don't worry about the testing until the paper and state dept. websites publish their scores for all to analyze and criticize. Teachers care so much that it's hard not to feel stressed out.
Rocky Road - I was alllowed a 5% increase in my budget but need an additional $30 grand and am trying to go for it with the School Board
Rocky Road - I agree Peggy
Addie /MO - last year our school did really well, but the state looks for improvement, improvement, improvement....it will be hard to do better this year...i think there is a limit to how many kids can score in the top quintiles!
Peggy/AZ - Zero-based budgeting is quite an experience. In our district you basically start with "nothing" and develop your budget based on what you need to "sustain" your program. Then the district tells you how much money is available to fund everyone's needs. We then adjust our budgets downward to match the income.
Rocky Road - Good Point Addie
Rocky Road - The first year the tests came out the press went wild now they have settled down a bit
LHSwolf - In NC, we receive a yearly bonus if the students test to the state expected or above expectation. No gain or growth; no money. If there is no indication of expected growth for a period of 3 years, the state sends in an assistance team.
Addie /MO - but, if you scored really high it would be hard to do better...what does the state do then?
Peggy/AZ - We don't get increases in our budget--only decreases. This year we had to reduce our "needs based budget" by $100,000.
Peggy/AZ - Our state dept publishes the gains in scores by grade level, ignoring the fact that it's a completely new group of students. Frustrating!
Rocky Road - Same here in NH with the reporting
Peggy/AZ - Besides testing and budgets, our big concern right now is parking lot safety. Do any of you have problems in your parking lots? Our parents refuse to follow the rules!
Rocky Road - That is why I dont get stressed and the state knows they have problems in reporting but they cant figure it out LOL
LHSwolf - Improve. improve, improve. Some of the schools are labeled "Schools of Distinction" because 85% of the students scored at or above grade level. However, there was not signficant gain or growth so the teachers received no bonus. These schools are label School of Distinction; No Growth. This is published on August 1 at noon annually. The media provides coverage for the release of this information and a website is established listing each NC school new label.
Rocky Road - Oh yes Peggy! I had to put up barracades in certain sections so the busses could get in and out
Addie /MO - not usually, but we have definite crowding problems...we have a bus loading area with no cars allowed...one parking lot for parents who are picking up kids from more than one hallway...one parking lot for k and 1 pick ups and one parking lot for 4th and 5th
Peggy/AZ - Wow, Addie-that's a lot of parking lots. We have a beautiful new school with a great dropoff area but they won't use it correctly.
Rocky Road - but all in all parking and dismissal is ok
Addie /MO - we have had the same rules in place for several years now, so people abide by them. if someone tries to park in the bus lane, someone goes out and directs them to the proper area
Addie /MO - one of the parking lots is the blacktop part of the playground during the school day
Peggy/AZ - We are starting a new campaign called "Safety over convenience"-an idea I got from the internet being used in Utah.
Rocky Road - I am out there almost everyday directing traffic but it is good PR with parents as I wave at them
Addie /MO - we have two dismissal times...k-2 dismisses at 3:12 and 3 to 5 dismisses at 3:16...we have to have the buses pulling out at 3:20 or so. we hold our "walkers" until the buses are gone....pick ups are allowed to leave at the dismissal time for their grade level
Peggy/AZ - Addie, I think that is one of our problems. The new parking lot has caused us to lose our old routines. We're going to try a parent parking patrol, teaming with law enforcement to train them.
Rocky Road - same here Addie ( times are different but idea is the same)
Addie /MO - we have teachers on duty in each dismissal area and usually 3 or 4 people in the bus lane...we have 17 school buses
Peggy/AZ - We have plenty of people directing traffic--mainly teachers right now, but parents outright defy them and cuss them out. Not a pleasant duty!
Rocky Road - only 6 busses here and 3 little busses for our intensive learning students
Addie /MO - peggy, i bet it is a matter of retraining the parents....we have the city police around to help the buses get out...they stop traffic at each school and let the buses go
Peggy/AZ - I have you all beatWe have only one bus! But we have LOTS of parents who want to drive their kids to school.
Addie /MO - that is sad that the parents are so rude to the teachers
Rocky Road - I have my expectations in the handbook as well as reminding parents all the time in weekly notes etc.
Addie /MO - 800 kids and one bus! no wonder you have a pick up problem...probably about 650 of our kids board buses, so we dont have that many getting picked up
Peggy/AZ - Addie, I completely agree with you. Retraining is exactly what's called for. The model we're using is to train them in non-confrontational strategies focussing on safety over convenience.
Rocky Road - I only have about 10 kids who walk home, about 20 who are picked up by parents and the rest go on busses
Kathleen/CT - For the transcript, a book published by Heinemann which appears to be interesting: Going Public Priorities & Practice at the Manhattan New School by Shelley Harwayne http://www.heinemann.com/code/template.ghc?direct=search_titles&dw=view&book_id=1688
Addie /MO - peggy, i think that will work over time...emphasizing the safety factor. most people arent going to argue that they want things to be unsafe
Rocky Road - Good Point Peggy...When parents question me I stress safety and how can anyone argue over being safe?
Peggy/AZ - I'm hoping it will work. We also publish all of the guidelines in our handbook and frequently in our newsletters, but the ones who don't follow the rules are the ones who don't read the newsletters.
Rocky Road - seems we all agree about safety being # 1
Rocky Road - I have been getting the best results by sending home a weekly newsletter called Thursday Notes
Addie /MO - peggy can you have signs made for the parking lot directing parents to pick up correctly?
Rocky Road - if someone says to me they didn't hear of something or know how to pick kids up etc. I ask if they read the notes
Addie /MO - we have a weekly calendar of events that goes home with notices and information on fridays
Peggy/AZ - Yes, we have lots of signs--very clear ones--like dropoff zone only-don't leave your car unattended. They even park in the fire lanes to walk their kids to class.
Rocky Road - they usually say no and I say well check your kid's bag every Thursday
Addie /MO - i used to do a weekly newsletter in the classroom and i would say the same thing as you, rocky..."it was in the newsletter..."
Peggy/AZ - Yes, we use that line a lot, but they usually try to argue with the teachers. It's not everyone, but enough to cause a real safety concern. I'm excited about the parents who want to help.
LHSwolf - We have begun mailing monthly newsletters (Boy, is that costly!) and posting info on our website.
Rocky Road - I now have some parents calling if we dont send a Thursday Notes home each week. We usually do without fail!!! they are now looking forward to them
Addie /MO - i bet mailing is costly....why dont you send them home with students?
Peggy/AZ - I do my school newsletter bi-weekly and even include a raffle ticket at the end with 4 important questions that can be answered somewhere in the newsletter. It helps.
Addie /MO - what kind of prizes do you give in your raffle?
Rocky Road - I found once parents got use to receiving stuff on Thursdays they really searched the backpaks looking
Peggy/AZ - The winner of the raffle ticket gets to go to lunch with the principal (ME
Addie /MO - that is good rocky, parents can get into a routine
Rocky Road - will I have to travel to Az or will you come to NH?
Kathleen/CT - Phaedra, are you here for the school administrators' meeting?
Peggy/AZ - It's the students that go to lunch, because they are being rewarded for getting the newsletter to their parents and making sure they read it.
Addie /MO - how fun! do you mean the kid or the parent or both?
Rocky Road - yes and my secretaries are into the routine too. At first they wanted no part of it but now they know the Notes work
Peggy/AZ - Rocky Road--I'd love to come to NH. I got my doctorate at UMass/Amherst and miss the beautiful colors. Not the snow, though
LHSwolf - High school students do not feel the need to deliever newsletters to the parents. If we want the parents to get the info, we have to mail.
Phaedra - Rocky Road, I think you have hit on the idea. Have parents looking for newsletters, etc. on a specific date.
Addie /MO - one of our secretaries does our calendar of events as part of her job
Rocky Road - wow UM I know it well
Rocky Road - it does work Phaedra
Rocky Road - I agree with that one LHS
Peggy/AZ - I was a principal at Leverett Elem for 3 years back in the early 80's. What a wonderful school! 130 students-fully supported by the community!
Addie /MO - LHS, i can see that. i have a h.s. son and hardly ever get any info from the school, unless it has to be signed
Rocky Road - We also have one of those bulletin boards on the front lawn with important events which we change weekly
Kathleen/CT - If you came with a good idea to share, would you post it now for the transcript? Thanks!
Rocky Road - The more you can get info out the better
Peggy/AZ - Our Middle School principals also mail their newsletters for the same reason. If we have to send something important home (the newsletter goes to all) we send it with the youngest child.
Addie /MO - peggy, that does sound nice....eventually, maybe when i finish my cerfication, i would like to be principal at a smaller school with k-1 or k-2
Phaedra - I'm in Adairsville, GA. Adairsville is in NW GA. I'm the Curriculum Coordinator at the Elementary School there.
Rocky Road - I guess my idea is a weekly notes newsletter to keep parents informed. we also fax it to 3 local papers who publish some stuff or see events to come to
Kathleen/CT - Rocky, that bb on the front lawn probably helps the community feel connected, too...those who don't receive the newsletters
Peggy/AZ - Have any of the rest of you experienced the contrast between being a principal in a small, then large school? Observations???
Rocky Road - you bet Kathleen
Kathleen/CT - Rocky, that's a great idea to share it with the newspaper, and terrific that they actually publish some of the info or show up for events.
Rocky Road - that is one way I have gained community support
Addie /MO - our local paper prints school news too...small town
Phaedra - Kathleen, my idea for posting is about welcoming teachers back at the beginning of the new school year. My principal and I are collecting plastic water bottles. The "Welcome back to school " letter will be sent to teachers next year like a "message in a bottle".
Peggy/AZ - We went to bi-weekly newsletters because it seemed like we were spending all our time writing newsletters. We also use a marquee and electronic bulletin bd. system on closed circuit TV for those who come to school.
Rocky Road - without community support we are sunk
Kathleen/CT - Phaedra, CATCHY, cute and I'll bet, effective. Nice idea.
Rocky Road - wow love the idea Phaedra Can you mail something like that?
Peggy/AZ - It's not that easy to publish things in our local newspaper because it serves 7 million people in Metropolitan Phx.
Kathleen/CT - Rocky, so true about the need for public support. especially now when there are more members of the public who don't have children in school than the number who do.
Rocky Road - here in SW NH we have 2 local papers who publish once a week and we have a daily which serves many towns
Addie /MO - photos for the local paper are good too...i can email digital pix to our local paper and they come out really nice
Phaedra - Rocky Road, another principal in my area did this. You just have to put a mailing label on the bottle with the address for delievery. The water bottles are clear, so the post office was OK with it.
Peggy/AZ - We tried doing a community newsletter that we mailed to homes last year for just that reason. They loved it but we just don't have enough hrs in the day to keep up with it all.
Addie /MO - i like the water bottle idea
Phaedra - Thanks, Addie. Where in MO are you located?
Addie /MO - our superintendent does a district newsletter and it goes home with the students...but, i must admit, i have never gotten one from my h.s. son.
Addie /MO - seneca, rural southwest mo
Rocky Road - Our super sends out a quarterly newsletter to all homes in the district
Rocky Road - he mails it
Peggy/AZ - It's so important to keep our community informed of the good things going on in our schools--not just the kids tampering with mailboxes or throwing grapefruit on their lawns.
Rocky Road - 10 Grand for the 4 printings
Addie /MO - at the beginning of each school year our central office sends out a calendar for the year with all the events for the year, sports, early dismissal, etc...and it contains lots of statistics about the district.
Peggy/AZ - Oh, my, our time is gone and now I need to get to work on my newsletter! Great chatting with all of you!
Phaedra - Is any one out there using a school website for keeping parents up to date on school events, lunch menu, etc.?
Addie /MO - great seeing ya, peggy
Kathleen/CT - Well, Rocky Road (John) is the winner of tonight's drawing. If he e-mails his postal address to me kathleen@teachers.net I will send a copy of Howard Gardner's Intelligence Reframed http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0465026109/teachersnet/
Addie /MO - not yet, but i would like to see us get there!
LHSwolf - We use our website.
Kathleen/CT - Peggy, will you come next time?
Rocky Road - wow Thanks
Addie /MO - congrats, rocky!
Peggy/AZ - Congratulations, Rocky Road! See you next month.
Phaedra - Congrats! to you Rocky Road!!
LHSwolf - Congrats, Rocky Road.
Kathleen/CT - Past Administrator meetings are archived in http://teachers.net/archive including one about school security measures.
Rocky Road - I will be here
Peggy/AZ - I'll definitely be back--if I can just keep the time figured out since AZ isn't on daylight savings time.
Rocky Road - I enjoyed it
LHSwolf - I look forward to the next session. Nite, all!
Kathleen/CT - A good start! Thank you to all who came.
Phaedra - Goodnight everyone!
Kathleen/CT - Watch for an announcement for another SAC meeting.
