my version of transparent, collaborative leadership...with a Teamann twist

Involving Parents in your Academic Standard

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We all know that it takes a partnership between home and school to foster the kind of connections and growth we strive for as educators. When you have those kinds of quality relationships, it opens the door for parents to support the academic standards as well as the socioemotional ones.

I meet with a group of parents each month and have for the past 2 1/2 years. This group serves as my parent focus group, ones who are willing to sit down and have face to face conversations with me. This has led to several academic conversations that give me an insight into what my parents are thinking, as well as engage in some thoughts I have or decisions that we’ve made as a campus.

One that has come up over and over again is the idea of homework. Knowing that I scheduled it as a “think tank” conversation this month. I’ve written recently about avoiding those education extremes, homework included, and wanted to share specific things that parents could do at home to support ALL students and their academic growth. I wanted something that they could use with our kinder Wolves to my 4th-grade Wolves.

Knowing how incredibly valuable time is, I wanted to focus on skills that would transcend any specific content area and would fit naturally with a parent just living life with their student. Knowing that if it’s easy and meaningful, it would have a greater chance of sticking. We’ve also spent a considerable amount of time in our PLC’s talking through ways we could engage our families with our guided reading initiative and I wanted to offer a way parents could do more with reading, than just, well…reading…so the backside has questions that any parent could ask to help push students past just working on fluency and go deeper with their comprehension.

The end result was this, a Homework Helper. It was well received by my parent focus group and I thought maybe you could use it as well!

Bonus! I crowdsourced and solicited ideas in ways to help build a stronger connection from school to home with literacy, and this padlet was born. Let me know if you use any of these ideas, or feel free to add some of your own!

 

Partnership helpN,

Amber

“13 reasons why” I’m ok being a helicopter momma! #cpchat #leadupchat #momsasprincipals

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My beast is a freshman in high school. High school (if you haven’t had the pleasure of experiencing YOUR child in high school yet, just you wait), is a whole. new. ball. game. She is fiercely independent (which she comes by naturally), but is unable to grasp that I am still the conduit to all the things in her life. She doesn’t yet know all that she doesn’t know. Part of the growth process, I am sure. Each grade level, each stage of this educational ladder that she climbs up, is designed to take her one rung closer to independence, to college, to real life… right?

The problem is, there isn’t a “how to be a grown up” class. There are opportunities for her to learn from missteps. (But it sure helps when someone points them out to her!) There are opportunities to reflect and correct. (But it sure helps if she has someone who models that!) There are opportunities to learn about time management when you’re juggling sports, clubs, friends, and oh, and an all Pre- AP and AP course load. (But it sure helps when you have parent privy to all those calendars providing reminders and nudges.) This is a path I am walking with her. I don’t care that the police club sponsor awarded her with the “Most Likely to Have a Helicopter Momma” award at her police club banquet (side eye at officer Stewart). I am involved in her world. I am her chauffeur and her bank account. I am the questioner and the friend picker upper. This is what I do.

 

 

The beast has zero forms of social media. (Caveat: no allowed accounts that I know of, anyway!) I am an involved parent. I am the parent who still signs up for snacks at the high school during teacher appreciation week. I am the mom who texts the other moms confirming plans, times, and expectations. I am the one who rolls the window down every. single. time, and yells “Don’t forget you love Jesus, make good choices!” (I think she likes it.) We make sure she checks her grades regularly and has conversations when she needs to concerning a reteach or make up. We make sure SHE is responsible for all of the follow ups she needs to be successful. Is that helicoptering? Or parenting?

If I hadn’t connected with her school on Facebook, or her church group in Instagram, or her HS principal on twitter (Virdie Montgomery, a good follow!) there are so many things I wouldn’t be aware of or have the chance to talk to her about. Thankfully, it’s 2017. There are no paper flyers that come home from the high school that I have to hunt down. Through our LMS we are able to access them all digitally, and of course, I am able to keep up that way. Don’t know if your school has/offers a LMS? itslearning is a great place to start! It’s a way for parents to stay connected with their campus, and as a leader, I make sure I push out all that I can so that again, parents NEED to stay connected with your student and oh my lizard, you have to start somewhere!

Be involved with your children. As an educator, I see the value in what it looks like when parents are more connected and involved with our campus. Parental involvement is an important factor in a successful school community. We can’t do it alone! It also helps for students to see that parents and educators are on the same team. We all want our students (your children!) to be successful… and the best way for educators to know what that looks like is for you to be involved. Help us help you! A trusting two-way relationship ensures that neither side will have to make assumptions on the other. Don’t know where to begin? Knowing the way communication is usually handled and through what channels is a great way to start.

There is such outrage circling the interwebs right now about the young adult series on Netflix “13 Reasons Why”. I made my teen read the book several years ago, and we watched the series together. If parents were more involved, genuinely, truly involved, that series actually might not rank at the top of your “to be concerned about” list. The amount of inappropriateness that cycles through SnapChat, or IG, or Quiz Up would astound you. There are conversations that need to be had. If you think your child “isn’t ready” for those kinds of convos, all the more reasons to have them! I preach that social media should be taught to the younger kids ALL the time. By the time they’re old enough to actually handle it, they’ve been all trained up by their peers and are uninterested in what you have to share.

Your children need you. They may not want you…but they NEED your wisdom, your experience, your voice. Don’t be scared of the things that go viral on Facebook, friends, be more scared of the stuff we know nothing about.

Communication is key, and parental involvement is important. Utilizing an LMS is just one part of the parent-student experience. If your school doesn’t already use an LMS, check out itslearning today!

This piece is sponsored by itslearning.

 

Side note…if my calling my teen “the beast” puzzles you, read this. 🙂 

Parenting puzzleR,

Amber

 

Don’t forget…relationships should include parents too! What do parents want from a principal? #IMMOOC

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I am a relational leader. I am casual to a fault. I can’t help but build connections, which leads to relationships, which leads to a MUCH BETTER LIFE FOR ME. I have the benefit of having the VERY best parents in my Whitt Wolf world. One of them Mrs. Stacie Smith is not only a parent I respect  & admire, but our daughters are firstie besties as well. I decided to ask her, given that she does have 4 children, three of whom I will have had the pleasure of principaling, what she thought about the importance of relationships. In her own words, here are the 5 things she wants her children’s principal to know. After that, will follow the 5 things I want all of my parents to know. ( Yes, this goes over GC’s 200 words. Yes, it SO worth it!)

Here’s Stacie:

With 4 children, I have had the opportunity for that first day of school a number of times.  They usually all feel pretty similar, though the hand holding has stopped with my oldest two – they would probably die of embarrassment … Some uncertainty on the child’s part … Some worry on mine … Me placing my trust in those who will teach and lead and guide. Now I won’t ever go on record as saying I liked or even listened to the Spice Girls, but in collaborating on this blog post, the Spice Girls’ song with the ever-famous line, “So tell me what you want, what you really, really want…” may have come up – now was this for good blogging purposes or just for an excuse to break out into Spice Girls song? … Who really knows?

 

Got this song stuck in your head now? …  Going to be singing it all day? … You’re so welcome!

(Amber comment: See? Don’t YOU already love her too???)

What do I really, really want in my child’s principal?  I’m sure that list is a little different for each of us, but here are 5 things I’d like my children’s principals to consider:

1. I want my child’s principal to know my child.

Please know my child’s name.  I realize and understand that you are charged with the care of many students, but my child will know who you are.  My child will look up to you.  My child will want your approval.  My child will want you to be happy with him/her. If you know who my child is – if you can call him or her by name – then he/she, regardless of age, will feel loved.  My child will feel a part of something.  My child will feel connected to you.  My child will feel important.  My child will want to do better and will want to be better. Know your students.  Know what they’re going through.  Know what they struggle with.  Know what they excel at. Create a sense of team, of family, of unity.  I truly believe that when you are able to come to know a child, then – and only then – can you guide a child. I have never taught in a classroom.  I have never sat at the helm of a school and been in charge of hundreds of students … but I have watched my own children with different principals, and I have seen the impact a principal that genuinely wants to know his/her students can have.

2. I want my child’s principal to keep my child safe.

My child will be in your care for 7+ hours a day.  The most important thing to me is my child’s safety and that my child returns home safe and sound – physically and emotionally.  Please take measures to ensure that safety and make the safety of your students a priority.  Do your best to protect students from things that would not only harm them physically but that could harm their minds, their self-worth, and their innocence.

3. I want my child’s principal to love being a principal.

Be a principal because you genuinely love these kids and want to do all you can to help them achieve their potential.  Your love for or your disdain for your job is contagious and can be felt, and it will set the climate at your school.  Set a climate at the school that makes students and staff feel happy, safe, needed, appreciated, encouraged, and excited.  Be visible.  Be accessible.  Be supportive.  Be at events.  Be outside welcoming students in the morning.  Smile and laugh, encourage and love, discipline and direct.

4. I want my child’s principal to communicate.

Maybe it’s just me, but when I ask my kids what they did at school, I usually get the answer, “Good.”  Wait, what?!  Clearly you didn’t even hear the question, because that answer was for a completely different question!  Getting information out of my child is not always successful. Communication requires both speaking and listening.  Keep parents informed of what is going on at school – events, programs, testing dates, picture days, policies and procedures, etc.  Parents want to know what’s going on with their children at school.    Have an effective and a consistent way of communicating with parents, and communicate from many different avenues – email, voicemail, social media, flyers.  Listen to your parents.  Get feedback from your parents.  Have a parent advisory council where you can run new ideas and programs by a variety of parents to get insight and where you can get feedback on how things are going.  Let parents be a part of the team.

5. I want my child’s principal to value his/her teachers.

The teachers you hire will have the most contact with and potentially the biggest impact on my child.  Hire teachers that love to teach.  Value your teachers.  Realize that just like your students, they all have different personalities and different strengths.  Lead in a manner that pulls those personalities and strengths out of them.  Let them know they are appreciated.  Give them honest feedback.  Help them grow when growth is needed.  Inspire, encourage, and guide them.  Show them you value them by listening to them.

Each September, I send you what is most important to me.  I have trust and faith in you.  I am here to support you.  I will cheer for your accomplishments and rally for your successes.  I thank you for all you do.  We share in the same goal – to help these amazing kids realize their abilities and achieve their potentials.

Ya’ll. Is that not SO powerful?

Here’s mine…without a Spice Girls tie in, 🙂

1. I want my parents to know how seriously I take my position.

I don’t take myself too seriously. (Again, I am casual to a fault.) But what I do? Each and every day matters. Each interaction I have with you, or your child, is important. It could be the ONE time I speak to/with you or the 500th…it is still so important. It’s important that you know that you can come and talk to me, and that I am going to take you and your concerns very seriously. What matters to you, is important to me. I am a PROUD principal. I am HONORED to be where I am. I know some AMAZING people who would love to sit where I am blessed to sit every day, and I won’t ever take that lightly. That doesn’t mean that I won’t dress up or be silly with my Wolves, because I also take their LOVING school, very seriously.

2. I want my parents to know how much I appreciate their role in what we do.

I can’t do my job alone. More than that, I don’t want to. I am a firm believer in a collaborative style of leadership. If the smartest person in the room, is the room, then parents? I want you in my room! Who knows your child better than you do? Who is going to fight harder for your child than you will? No one. I see you up there, decorating, filing papers, having hard conversations. Mommying and daddying your hearts out. I see you.  There are 667 Wolves enrolled in my care, as of today. (I know this number, each and every day. Why? Because every.single.one.matters!)

3. I want my parents to know I trust my teachers and while I will ALWAYS listen to them, I will also go to my teachers with concerns.

As a professional, I recognize there are always three sides to every story. (Four sometimes if there is a kindergartener involved!) I will 100% listen to every single concern, situation, or question you have. But I will also 99% of the time go straight to my teacher when we are finished. They are on my front lines. They know the context of the situations, they know the dynamics of their classrooms. I value what my teachers do and the power in what they do every day. I will always have their backs. That doesn’t mean I won’t do right by you, but I will also try to do my best by them.

4. I want my parents to know I am doing the very best that I can, but I know I can always do better.

There is no manual with this position. Even after having been an assistant principal for 5 years, I can say I learn something EVERY day. I would like to think I get better every day.  I read books like a crazy person. I’ve chosen to surround myself with learners, some of the nation’s best principals via my learning network, and have our superintendents on speed dial. By going to conferences and speaking on leadership, I am actually growing myself, which makes me a better leader for you, our staff, and my students. I never want to be “all finished” with learning how to be the very best principal I can.

5. I want my parents to know I am a wife & mom too.

I have a teenager, my beast. I have a first grader, my TsT who keeps me on my toes. They are active girls, who deserve to have me at their events, at their celebrations, and awake in the evening. I am probably the meanest wife in the world, because by the end of the day, I have nothing left. I am asleep by 9pm. I say that it’s a good thing I’m cute & funny, because domestication tasks are NOT my gift.  Although, MT would tell you I’m actually not that funny!   My point is that I am like you…I have a life, responsibilities. And despite those, I am still 100% committed to being the VERY proud principal of my Wolves. Sometimes I may just need you to help me balance it all..

Which, actually, brings me to this.

Separately, we can only be so successful. But together? We can, and will, change the world. Do it…with me.

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And, yes, a Spice Girls song to help seal the deal.

 

 

Stacie, THANK YOU for writing this with me. I appreciate your truth, always.

Sharingly,

Amber

 

Not just another student…that’s my baby…

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This week my  sweet lil’TsT had her kindergarten roundup. As in..she will be FIVE soon…and attending kindergarten next year. To put the myriad of emotions I am feeling into words is next to impossible. She’s already IN a pre-school, so it isn’t as if she has never been away from me. She’s also, um, not the first child of MINE to start school. So yes, the fact that I should be completely ok with this hasn’t escaped me, but I still well up with tears thinking about her beginning. Time always flies but to think her big sister will be in 8th grade this year (gulp!!) is a testament to how fast it TRULY flies once they start the seasons of school.

Couple that with the fact that I do this for a living and you’ll probably be even more confused at my emotions.  

I pull screaming kinders away from their parents each year and smilingly send them away

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, reassuring them that this will be FINE, that their baby will be GREAT, and they need to just let us take them.

(Oh dear…do we even want to THINK about someone trying to wretch my sweet girl outta my arms?!?)

The mom in me thinks, “She’s so tiny. There’s so much she can’t do yet!”

The admin in me thinks, “Here we go, another one to build an academic future!”

The mom in me thinks, “Please be gentle with her, she’s not ready for playground politics yet!”

The admin in me thinks “Just you wait, she’ll be running the show soon.”

The mom in me thinks “You have no idea…this baby makes me SO insanely happy every day…”

The admin in me thinks “Every new kinder baby is someone’s whole world, nothing new to see here…”

The mom in me thinks “I will be THAT mom for my kid…I will! Please keep her in mind when making decisions!”

The admin in me thinks “We have to think about what is best for ALL kids, momma!”

 

The dichotomy of these rival roles playing out in my mind is like its own greek tragedy.

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 Thank goodness I am in an incredible school where I truly KNOW and love each and every one of our kinder teachers. I see how hard they work, I know how much they love what they do, and am lucky enough to be there when my girl begins her schooling adventure. Couldn’t have asked for a better team to surround my sweet girl.

I just hope they can handle this dichotomy better than I can!

TsT

Kinder counting down,

Amber

No second chances on a first impression…make your welcome worth it!

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This school year marks a new beginning for me in my professional career…the enormity in changing of districts. I spent my first twelve years in the same place, so each back to school season was one of comfort and familiarity. I knew faces, I knew places. I knew language, I knew priorities. I am lucky enough to have landed in a place that handles their newbies with understanding and grace.  If you’ve got new team members, or new to your area students, think about integrating some of these pieces into your back to school routine. I wrote about our C&I retreat where our higher-ups went through a  timeline of the district curriculum implementation. This was such a huge piece for me. Knowing the history of what had been tried and planned will be so helpful as we move forward. I now know the reason why we are things “this” way or why it isn’t happening “that” way. Your new people need a synopsis of where your campus been in addition to where its going. It will help solidify in what direction they should be moving. Another amazing detail about this district is the pride they take in the local community. I had lunch with the namesake of our campus, Wally Watkins. It was so humbling to sit and talk with a man who has contributed to so much to the area, that I was now working in the school they honored him with. He and his lovely wife Nita cemented my devotion to making them proud of what we do each day. IMG_2320 For new teachers to our campus, there was a special breakfast. They were given a goodie bag, a campus tee-shirt & magnet, and an opportunity to meet with key members of our staff. Two of our veteran team members were there to talk them through what it means to be to a Watkins Wrangler. They shared the campus vision and the mission, as well as a glimpse into what it means to work here.  One of our teacher leaders who opened the campus shared that before carpet was laid on the floor, the teachers were encouraged to come in and write what they wanted to see achieved on their  cement classroom floor, or a scripture. Each room has a message written on the floor. Knowing that every room was so intentional in their student focus just warms my heart! How can you not walk through the halls and feel a connection to student success? They then took the new staff members on a tour of the school, showing them in the in’s and outs. New district members were invited to a luncheon, held on a high school campus where local vendors and businesses shared their services and gave away little goodies as a welcome. From calendars with local sports teams schedules to a Race Trac cup with a free coffee coupon, you saw the faces that made our lil’ community what it is. It gave new meaning to “shop locally”, after seeing the support they provide for the school district. how could you not want to shop local first? They also donated enough “goodies” that EVERY single new hire recieved a door prize. Mine? My word. IMG_2409   Finally, the first day of our teacher in service, each teacher was given a tee shirt, a welcome note, and a cookie for each of their students. Our teachers then used Optimap to develop a round trip map and they went and visited each home for their homeroom. My principal and I drove the attendance zone and watched the expressions on those lil’Wranglers faces as they opened the door and met their teachers. The teachers and families absolutely loved it.  This is the #WylieWay!

Whatever method you choose, take some time to make your new team members & make sure they know you’re glad they are there. The best way to get someone to buy in to your purpose is to make them feel like they are a part of the campus family. I am so blessed to have experienced such a welcome!   Wrangler lasso’d, Amber     PS: Feel free to follow our campus throughout the year, you can like the Wally Watkins Elementary School Facebook page or on twitter, @WatkinsElem! (why yes, social media and communication IS encouraged!)