School Climate

What is the temperature of your school? If you don’t know, ask the teachers, students, and parents. A positive school climate leads to positive academic progress and achievement.

Parting Words of Wisdom to the GLHS Class of 2012

Dwight Carter Focus on Students, Leadership, School Climate ,

The culminating event for high school seniors and their parents is graduation. It is the moment that tells the world, “I did it!” Twelve years of school and more importantly, the last four years of a number of experiences and captured in this rite of passage we call commencement. It is the final time the class will be together as one to listen to inspirational messages and celebrate as a group.

As the day approached, I reflected upon my year of learning from members of my Professional Learning Network, articles, blogs, or books I read, and the daily Words of Wisdom I read to students. This reflection led me to write my parting Words of Wisdom that I shared with the Gahanna Lincoln High School Class of 2012 just before they recessed from the graduation ceremony:

Good morning Lincoln High School Class of 2012. This is Mr. Carter with a few parting words of wisdom.

For the past four years, nearly every day we began with the Words of Wisdom. The purpose of the words of wisdom is to give your something to laugh about or think about that would change your mind or more importantly, influence your behavior. With that said, I cannot let you go without a few reminders:

• Spend your time doing what you should. This leaves no room for you to do what you shouldn’t.

• Remember to say “please”, “thank you”, “excuse me”, and “I’m sorry”… and mean it.

• Gentlemen, open doors for women, children, and the elderly.

• Ladies, be a lady… at all times.

• As difficult as it may be, don’t treat people according to how you feel, but how you want to be treated.

• Don’t make excuses; make choices.

• Whether you think you can or you can’t, you are probably right.

• Ignorance is a choice. Choose to be a life-long learner by reading on a regular basis.

• Learn something new by creating a 30 day challenge for yourself. You never know what old habits you will break or new ones you will create.

• Forgive others and forgive yourself… often.

• Learn from your failures, acknowledge your mistakes, and then move one.

• Presentation does matter. How you dress, how you speak, and how you interact with others can either open a door or close a door of opportunity.

• Pause before you post. What you post on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram or other forms of social media is a reflection of who you are.

• Take advantage of the technology that is at your disposal, but the best form of communication is voice to voice or face to face.

• At times, it’s important to disconnect in order to reconnect with the people that are closest to you.

• Don’t forget to play!

• Pay it Forward.

• Be the first to greet others. You may be the only person who speaks to them all day.

• Try to give 12 hugs a day.

• Finally, YOU MATTER and don’t ever forget it!

With something to think about, this is Mr. Carter. Make it a great life…. or not. The choice is yours. Thank you!

Be Great,
Dwight

What If

Dwight Carter Focus on Students, Leadership, School Climate

I recently had to attend the funeral of my wife’s two month old great-nephew. The funeral was in Georgia, which is about a 10 hour trip from  Ohio by car, so I had a lot of time to think. As I observed two 26 year old  parents mourn the sudden and tragic passing of their son, I couldn’t help but  think about how much we take life for granted. We get caught up on what we  don’t have or who has more. We, at times, focus on the things that divide us as  opposed to what draws us closer together. As life happens we start to run on autopilot until we are interrupted by a tragedy. What if we were more aware of  our coasting by asking ourselves several “what if” questions?

 Personal/Family

What if we took five minutes to pray every day?

What if families had breakfast or dinner together at least twice a week?

What if we exercised for 30 minutes every day?

What if we watched less TV and read, wrote, and talked with others more?

What if we spent less money and gave more?

What If we gave 12 hugs a day?

What if we genuinely complimented at least 5 people a day?

What if we choose to learn from failure?

What if we forgave more often and extend the grace we too often are given?

What if we choice one day a week to turn off our mobile devices, desktops, and TVs?

What if we create a bucket list and actually did it?

What if we weren’t afraid?

 

School

What if every staff member believed all students can learn at high levels?

What if schools truly focused on learning for all?

What if every student felt like they belonged?

What if every parent felt like they had a partnership with their child’s teachers?

What if principals truly made classroom visits and visibility a daily priority?

What if principals weren’t afraid to confront behaviors that are counter to the school  vision, mission, and values?

What if, for one night a week, there was no homework assigned?

What if the senior year was truly relevant?

What if teachers were inspired to work in your school?

What if students were passionate about learning in your class?

What if students were given the chance to recover from an academic failure?

I can’t help but to think about the words spoken by the 2 month old’s mother as she courageously  addressed the guests at the funeral: “Even though he wasn’t with us long,  he brought so much peace to this family and brought us all together. I hurt,  but I can’t help but to be happy for what he has done for this family.”

Her words caused many emotions to flood my system, and with the emotions came time to  reflect upon the many questions I’ve posed in this post.  Before another moment ticks by, before  another life is lost, allow yourself to question, “what if?” What are we going to do with the time we have? What if we picked just two questions from each list and took time to apply them to our lives? Imagine what a significant impact you would have on others. Let’s keep this going. What questions do you think should be on the list?

Be Great,

Dwight

Something To Believe In!

Dwight Carter Focus on Students, Leadership, School Climate ,
Images from Jostens Renaissance Facebook page

One of the most uplifting, exciting, and celebratory conferences for educators and students is the National Jostens Renaissance Conference which takes place every July. I’ve had the privilege of attending the conference for 7 years and each year I leave feeling recharged, rejuvenated, and valued as an educator. Yes, it’s that great!

Jostens Renaissance is a philosophy that focuses on creating a positive school climate and culture by inspiring students and staff to celebrate educational performance.  Learning, risk taking, collaboration and play are celebrated throughout the entire conference. The energy comes from the participants including students of all ages, teachers, support staff, and administrators.

This year’s conference will take place July 13-15 in Orlando, FL and the theme is “Something to Believe In.” The line up of featured speakers is top notch: Todd Whitaker, Keith Nord, Emmy Award winning speaker, Mark Sharonbrauch, Jessica Weiner, Justin Patchin and Sameer Hinduja, Ruby Payne, and the “Red Rubber Ball” man himself, Kevin Carroll! While this line up is outstanding, the power lies in the hundreds of presentations by educators like you and me.

There will be a list of breakout sessions that highlight what schools from across North America are doing to increase student achievement, attendance, citizenship and service in connection with local communities.  To top it off, for three days, those of us in attendance are treated like royalty! There is no talk about what educators aren’t doing, only appreciation for our service and dedication to the young people we have been blessed to work with. Carve out some time in July to attend this awesome conference! Not convinced? Check out Jostens Renaissance on Facebook. If you believe in inspiration, creativity, collaboration, celebration, unity, and learning, I look forward to seeing you there! In the meantime, check out this song by Parachute, which is the inspiration for the conference theme!

Be Great,

Dwight

When Will You Light the Fire?

Dwight Carter Focus on Students, Leadership, School Climate ,

Recently the Gahanna Lincoln High School Orchestra and Chorale collaborated on a meaningful performance that raised thousands of dollars for those in need. This was the second year of the event and both years the audience walked away feeling proud, overjoyed, and appreciative of how we focus on the arts in the Gahanna Jefferson Public Schools. This year I was much more aware of the time commitment and hard work it took for the teachers and students to prepare for this performance because of the use of social media. The final product was simply a masterpiece. I asked GLHS Orchestra Director, Kevin Dengel (@KevinDengel) to reflect on the collaborative process and share his thoughts:

What Drives You?

What drives you? For me, it is the creative process; developing unique experiences and facilitating collaboration. It helps to continually energize and refresh my battery – and those of my students. Collaboration also makes me a better educator, because it gets me out of my comfort zone. You know  ‘the comfort zone’, that forlorn cubical far away from any windows or humans. It’s adjacent to the fire escape and tornado shelter, and has not been dusted since 1943. Your comfort zone is where you keep your red Swingline stapler and await the next ‘TCP’ report (Office Space). Fantastic mentors instilled in me an appreciation and understanding for the power and impact collaboration has on individuals and communities, and I pursue these within my own department and across the curriculum. I have been able to find a new, more exciting and interactive, comfort zone.

Reaching Out

We were not created for isolation and must be cautious to not withdraw ourselves into it. “Think outside of the box” … well for heaven’s sake, who put me there in the first place?! In the Gahanna-Jefferson Public Schools (@GahannaJeffersn), I am blessed to work with amazing colleagues and students. Many have thrown the box out with the trash – the same one with all the pre-scripted lesson plans. We are always pursuing new endeavors and initiatives, both personally and professionally, making the learning environment exciting and fresh, if one choosing to engage with it. Few quarantine themselves into isolation, but it is an educational travesty when they do. If we are all experts in our field, we should be engaging in authentic community. If nothing else, to show students that our world is not departmentalized.

Inception

Two years ago, I approached Jeremy Lahman (@JeremyLahman), LHS choir director, interested in combining two of our ensembles. This collaborative question is flourishing into something we could not have anticipated. Since then, our Chamber Orchestra and Chorale have joined musical-forces to perform Gabriel Fauré’s Requiem Mass and Antonio Vivaldi’s Gloria. We now hope to collaborate every year. It is not only fun for everyone, but it benefits Gahanna Residents In Need (GRIN) – a local charity! Preparing for this performance is always a tall order; however, I have learned that the best growth and learning occurs when we experience challenge and difficulty. To teach and not allow for these is … well, poor teaching. Do you always play it safe?

Light the Fire

Had Mr. Lahman and I not capriciously discussed collaborating that one day, Gahanna Residents In Need (GRIN) would have not had their yearly budget triple for two-consecutive years. Had our students not been exposed to these pieces by Fauré or Vivaldi, they would not have performed masterworks in the classical repertoire. Had the community not rallied behind the arts, our most-needy residents would have little hope. Had that ‘acorn’ of an idea not germinated, this collaboration would not have grown to bear fruit. 

What fruit? Firstly, the proceeds from ticket sales allows GRIN to improve the quality of life for many struggling families in our community. Secondly, it is service-learning; the process of aiding others grasp that one person or group can become a change-agent. Remember always that a Giant Sequoia (Redwood) starts as a seed no larger than a pea – and the seeds require a fire to germinate. What “seed” are you holding onto? When are you going to light the fire?

Reaping and Sowing

Pastor Claude Davis, at New Life Church, Gahanna, says, “Whatever is sown will give 1) what was planted, 2) after it was planted, and 3) more than was planted.” It’s a Biblical principal that is as real as gravity. Mr. Lahman and I hope that our first two “harvests” will pay forward for Gahanna, illustrating to our students the power of reaping and sowing for the benefit of our brothers and sisters. Who knows what our current students will do to improve others’ lives in the future, because of the collaborative experience in service-learning now.

“I had to keep pinching myself.”

Retired Director of Bands, Jeff Shellhammer said these words to our students, at the conclusion of our final rehearsal before GLORIA! “I had to keep pinching myself. Are we really in Gahanna?!” Gahanna has top-tier arts, from music to theatre to visual arts. We are able to offer our students high-quality opportunities, because our administrators, community, and staff value the arts. Parents encourage their students to enroll in our courses because of this! It is due to the convergence of ALL these that our students are able to thrive.

Moving Forward

So I ask, “What seed are you keeping in your cubical?” Become an agent of change and accept the challenges associated with it . Allow the words of Jeff Shellhammer to be your community’s reaction, “Are we really in ________?” Push the quality and opportunities to a new level. The process is not easy. It requires creativity and collaboration, but it is worth every drop of sweat. What will you sow? When will you light the fire?

In Arts Education, 

Kevin Dengel

@kevindengel

 

A Blessing, Not a Responsibility

Dwight Carter Focus on Students, Leadership, School Climate

Administrators wear many hats and deal with what can be categorized as minutiae throughout the day. It’s a part of the job. Athletic Directors also have to handle minutiae throughout the day and have the privilege to interact with student-athletes and coaches in very meaningful ways. I’ve asked the Gahanna Lincoln High School Athletic Director, Justin Sanford (@jsan0900) to provide us a glimpse of his day:

So let’s begin in the morning!  

I have certainly grown to appreciate the blessing of time; Time that you have to spend with those that you love and unfortunately, the time that you don’t.  The job of an Athletic Director doesn’t begin an end as a traditional school day would, this appreciation of time spent with your family is precious.  

Each morning, I’m grateful for the joy of preparing a quick breakfast for my boys – they love bagels or waffles; what can I say?  Then, I take one or both of them to either preschool (Kirill), or to catch the bus heading to High Point Elem. (Caleb).  Even if for just a brief 10 – 20 minutes with them each morning, I’ve come to cherish this time for, there are several evenings throughout the week that a sporting event will keep me at school after the boys have already turned in for the night.

Here at Gahanna Lincoln, I have the privilege to manage the custodial staff, oversee the operating expenses for the high school and serve as Athletic Director too.  

This morning arrival (7:20), I went straight to the gymnasium – I had received a call from one of our night custodians that there was an issue with the bleacher system retracting back into place following our Girls Basketball game last night (FYI, left the school for home at 9:30pm last night).  Knowing our Phys. Ed. Classes would need those retracted for class, that was the first order of business… Unlocked the bleacher lever that somehow locks on its own, and Boom!  Bleachers Retracted!  

Then it’s off to answer emails and radio calls-the front door closing mechanism isn’t working properly (I’ve got no answer for that one), maintenance work order entered into the system – done! 

Logged into the AESOP system to see what custodians might be calling off today…all present and accounted for!  

More email answering for contest requests of game scheduling, purchase order request to be completed and appropriated, met with one of our student-athletes to go over her NCAA clearinghouse worksheet, completed the officials payment statements from last night’s game, tally the deposit from the game as well…

Where were all the spectators by the way, that was not a very good gate…

Take a stroll through the hallways to get some face time with students (did you say facecake?)…

And before you know it, it’s off to an 11:00am meeting with Scott Schmidt at Central Office to discuss facility rental agreements and schedules.

How about some lunch?  Is there tuna salad at the salad bar…my favorite and would choose to eat that every day if available…..oh the suspense….Ahhh….Chicken Salad….skipping lunch and heading to the bank to make a deposit.

This afternoon will bring more paperwork…this time its documents for our athletic conference (the Ohio Capital Conference – OCC) for which we are a member.  I have the great pleasure to serve as the Audit Committee Chair and currently working the conference through compliance for our 501.c3 non-profit status.  Did I say great pleasure???  There are filings that need to be met for our Articles of Incorporation and the IRS  SS-4 filing…I must have missed a meeting and was assigned this position, I highly doubt anyone would volunteer to head up an Audit Committee…So this afternoon will mean meeting with our conference commissioner and getting his signature of sets of documents that need filed.

The next hour or so, I received several “pop ins” from teachers that have maintenance issues in their rooms, an impromptu phone call from a parent that’s upset with something going on in their child’s athletic program and a visit from Dale Foor, soliciting items for the Gahanna Jefferson Education Foundation Auction. 

Have to make copies….jam….clear copier jam and resume copying….jam….call Ms. Effie, she has the magic touch and doesn’t like when I touch the copier anyway!

As we approach the 3:00 hour, I will meet with our head night Custodian, Ken Wolford and discuss any scheduled events for this evening, issues that need attended… then, he and his crew start their duties as the building begins to clear out.

Make my rounds throughout the building to visit with coaches and teams, to see how the programs are doing…stop by for a quick critique of the Cheer Comp Squad routine…they’re gonna rock this route this year…and if I’m lucky, interact with several of our student-athletes along the way.  

This by far, is the greatest blessing of this job…to be a part of these student-athletes lives, even if from somewhat afar.  The lessons and attributes in which they learn and are exposed to, can be life-changing if they allow it.  Working with coaches that can influence the lives of these young people every day is not only a blessing, but a responsibility; and it’s one that the coaches at Gahanna Lincoln High School take great P.R.I.D.E. in.

It was said, “That a coach will influence more people in a given year, than most people will do in a lifetime.” Billy Graham

And our coaches – myself included, choose to accept this as a Blessing and not a Responsibility!  I’m grateful for our coaches, and my opportunity to be the Athletic Director at Gahanna Lincoln.  

Hey look, its 4:00 and we do not have an athletic event tonight, so I’m shutting down and heading home to spend a few, precious, appreciated moments with my family.

Until we do it all again tomorrow!  Go Lions!

Educon 2.4 Takeways

Dwight Carter Focus on Students, Leadership, School Climate ,

Educon 2.4 was a unique conference experience because it’s more a conversation than a typical conference of presentation after presentation. Many of our conversations continued at lunch, dinner, during breaks and on Twitter.

 The backdrop was the Science Leadership Academy, an inquiry-based, student-centered public school that has an extremely diverse and eclectic student population. The word “community” is an obvious part of the school’s culture and the students were very much a part of the Educon experience as they served as guides, conversation facilitators, and tech crew.

 I spent quite a bit of time reflecting about my three days at Educon and have come away with several key takeaways to think about:  

  1. Ask “what if?”– We often have the case of the “yeah, buts” when new ideas are shared instead of thinking about possible ways to make something happen. Have you ever said, “Yeah, that’s a good idea, but…..” followed by a list of reasons why a particular idea won’t work. Creativity and problem solving are stifled before given a fair chance to cultivate into something meaningful.
  2.  “Why should I use it?”-When sharing a new web 2.0 tool, such as Twitter, Diigo, or Google Docs explain how it can make one’s life easier before sharing what it is. We often get caught up in the excitement or “cool factor” of a new tool and leave out why and how the new technology can increase efficiency and productivity. Time is at a premium for everyone these days and there are a number of tools we can learn to use in the classroom and share with our students to capture time. The more we share with them and explain “the how” the more prepared they will be to thrive in an ever changing future. 
  3.  “Culture matters”– Innovation is a not a “flash in the pan experience,” but a process that occurs over time. We have to create and maintain a culture at GLHS that makes risk taking and failure safe for our students and each other. A part of the learning process is failure with a chance to recover and reflect. 
  4. “Be Resilient!”– Resilience is defined as the ability to cope with stress or anxiety. We live in a pressure cooker as educators and the release seems a far way away.Therefore, we have to review our systems and ask how we are adding to our own stress and students’ stress. For example, we assign projects, papers, presentations, and performances at the same time and expect quality work from our students. We have hard deadlines because we are teaching responsibility. Yet, do we take into consideration the scope of a student’s entire day at school? I constantly push my staff to “try this new tool,” “read this article,” “review your grading practices…” on top of the other general demands of being an educator. It’s no wonder we are so tired and on cognitive overload. What in our system, that’s within our control, can we change to provide time for us to talk with one another and give our students time to work, breathe, and decompress?  
  5.  “Tech Savvy”-Being a tech-savvy educator is more about a willingness to learn, share, fail and reflect than mastering a particular tool. Embracing technology is an example of one’s desire to learn new ways to make learning more engaging and relevant to our students. The phrase, “I don’t do technology” is not only unacceptable, but it’s a declaration that “I’m done learning.” If we are not willing to learn then we are not willing to help our students learn. It seems we see new tools daily, so mastering a tool is maybe not the best approach. 
  6. “Laser-like focus”– Upon entering the Science Leadership Academy, the mission, core values, guiding principles, and rules were posted everywhere and recited by every member of the school community. More importantly, they were evident in the way the school functions. “Recite” is not the best word choice here because it conveys a message of memorization as opposed to belief. They believe in what they are doing. They not only share a common belief, but a common language that provides clarity of purpose. Whether talking to the principal, Chris Lehmann, a teacher, freshman tour guide, or senior facilitator, each spoke confidently and clearly about what the school is all about:

           Mission-How do we learn? How can we create? What does it mean to lead?

           Core Values– Inquiry, Research, Collaboration, Presentation, and Reflection

           Rules-Respect yourself, Respect Others, Respect the Learning Environment         

So, I had to ask myself, “If someone asked me what our core beliefs are, would my answer match that of a department chairperson, first year teacher, secretary, or student of any grade level? It’s something we all should think about and discuss within our school communities.  

Be Great,

Dwight

Community University: Engage Parents and Community with Tech Classes

Dwight Carter School Climate, Technology Integration ,

Early during the 2010-2011 school year, my Principals Advisory Council came up with the idea to engage parents and community members by teaching technology classes once a month. We were cognizant of a potential gap that was occurring in terms of technology tools our students use, we use, and our parents use. If we were having difficulty keeping up, we figured our students’ parents and community members were too.

As we were planning what “Community University” would look like, I read a blog post written by Burlington High School Principal, Patrick Larkin, about the technology classes his school offered to parents. I knew we were on to something! To decide which classes to offer, I surveyed the staff to find out what classes they would be willing to teach and from there, created a schedule and class description for parents. The next step was to inform parents and make it happen!

We launched Community University in October, 2011 with a Facebook 101 class and it was a hit! Our orchestra teacher along with our district Chief Communications Officer facilitated the class for about two dozen parents. Parents were very appreciative of our efforts and left excited about the new information they learned. We saw it as opportunity for them to engage their students in a conversation about digital citizenship as well.

Community University classes are offered the first Monday of each month for an hour. We now offer two classes each month and since October,  we have held a resume writing class, understanding Google Docs class, Facebook 102, and a telescope class, which was faciltated by students. Some of the future classes are as follows: How to use your Smartphone, What is Digital Citizenship?, Twitter 101, Enhance Your Power Point Presentations, Understanding Movie Maker, iPad 101, and Understanding Prezi.

Each class is facilitated by a GLHS staff member who volunteers their time to connect with and engage our community. I encourage you to offer technology classes for your community as well. We see it as an opportunity to increase parents’ and community members’ confidence in using the technological tools that are increasingly becoming a part of our world.

Be Great,

Dwight

This is cross-posted on Connected Principals.com

 

No Zeros Until… Part II

Dwight Carter Focus on Students, School Climate, Staff and Faculty

It has been almost a year since I made the statement to my staff that I do not want them to assign a zero to any student until they intervene in some way (ask the student why the work wasn’t turned it, call the parent of the student, do something besides assigning a zero and moving on…) Since I made that now infamous statement, various reactions have occurred among staff, students and parents.  Here is a summary of such reactions:

 I. Teacher Perspective

  • Some were doing this long before I made the statement because they philosophically don’t agree with academic punishment for a behavioral problem.
  • Some were confused because they believe I said, “No zeros. Ever.”
  • Some follow the policy as written in our Student Handbook, which is “no credit is given during on out of school suspension, unexcused absences, or class cuts. No credit is given for long term projects or papers not completed by the deadline.”
  • Some just want a decision to be made so they know what to do.

 II. Student Perspective

  • For some, it has increased their work ethic because they know their teachers will stay on them until an assignment is turned it. Not turning in an assignment is no longer an option for them.
  • For some, it doesn’t make a difference. There are some assignments they don’t do and are not going to do regardless of what the teacher wants them to do, or what interventions are provided.
  • Some don’t believe it’s right or fair for students to be given a second chance to complete assignments. If they didn’t complete by the deadline, tough.

 III. Parent Perspective

  • Some are having a difficult time with the lack of consistency: some teachers give chances while others don’t.
  • Some are very appreciative of our focus on learning and completing quality work while not focusing so much on deadlines.
  • Some believe we are perpetuating a lack of responsibility and accountability.

This is a polarizing topic and there are no easy solutions. Here’s what I’ve done thus far and what I will do in the future in regards to this topic:

  1. I’ve asked my Principals Advisory Council to review and respond to a statement of clarification and to ask questions, share concerns, and to help make the statement more concise before I send it to the entire staff.
  2. I’ve discussed this with my Lions Advisory Board, which is an advisory board of parents, students, community members and staff members. It’s a diverse group of nearly 20 members. The response was similar to the bulletin points mentioned above.
  3. I have surveyed the staff to get a clearer picture of current practices, assumptions, and needs regarding grading. There were no real surprises, but giving zeros for suspension continues to be a topic that we need to discuss.
  4. Find out what other schools in our conference are doing (for data gathering purposes). In the end, we have to do what’s best for our students because each school has its’ own DNA.
  5. Make a final decision by the spring so that we can make any necessary policy changes for Board of Education approval. That way, we start off the new school year with a clear direction.

A zero is very damaging and may not truly reflect what a student knows. However, until we, and many schools, determine what goes into a grade; learning, behavior, punctuality, effort, etc. this debate will continue. My thought is this: since a zero is so embedded in our system, why not make the lowest possible F a 50%? All other grades are based on a 10 point scale (A =100-90, B= 89-80, etc.). On a 100 point scale, an F is 59-0 points compared to the other grades mentioned above. If we look at it from a pure ratio standpoint, an F is clearly weighted much heavier than any other grade and has the greatest impact. We have given the zero value in order to force students to comply. I don’t think this makes sense and doesn’t appear to be working as it was set up to.

On the other hand, if we allow students to retake tests or quizzes, we should ask them to explain why they have to retake the test. If it’s because they just didn’t study, is that a good enough reason? I don’t know the answer to this, but it’s something to think about. There are several strategies teachers use, from not allowing a student to take a unit test until all their homework is turned in to coming in early for test retakes. We have seen an increase in student achievement and I attribute this to the efforts of the teachers and students. Some of our interventions are working.

Be Great,

Dwight

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Physical Environment Matters

Dwight Carter Focus on Students, Leadership, School Climate ,

This year we opened up a new building, thus expanding our campus to across the street. With 2400 students, we were at capacity and had the opportunity to do something creative to provide more space for our students and at the same time meet the needs of today’s learner.

With the vision of former Superintendent Gregg Morris and current Superintendent Mark White, along with a team of curriculum coordinators, business directors, and highly qualified teachers, we built Clark Hall. Clark Hall is a 51,000 square foot, three story work of art. It doesn’t resemble a typical American high school at all, but rather an innovative office building. The goal was to create an open, modern, bright space that evokes creativity, collaboration, critical thinking, and fun. It houses fourteen classrooms, each with its’ own conference room, high powered wireless, natural light, laptops for every student, and collaborative spaces in hallways so students are able to utilize the entire space for learning. Instead of taking my word for it, why not check it out for yourself?

With flexibility built into the daily schedule, teachers have more time to interact with students on an individual basis, students feel more relaxed and are more compelled to engage in the learning process, and collaboration among students just seems natural. The students have taken to the building like fish to water!

Clark Hall has inspired change on our main campus as well. One of the main hubs of most schools and universities now is the library. We wanted our library to have the same feel as Clark Hall so our Librarian, Ann Gleek, dreamt big and made some significant changes!  From removing some of the book shelves to painting the walls to changing some of the furniture, changes have made for a more inviting environment for students and have been a huge hit thus far. Take a look.

 What’s the point? It’s simple: educational reform must include reforming or transforming the physical learning environment. According to Daniel Pink, design is one of the elements of the right brain that we must tap into. We have to look differently at the space we have now and spruce things up… a lot… for the sake of learning.

Be Great,

Dwight

Pause Before You Post

Dwight Carter Focus on Students, Leadership, School Climate , ,

Have you ever read one of those emails that just got under your skin? You know that email or post that just elevated your blood pressure to the point where you felt like your head was going to explode? You then frantically type out a response and hit the send button only to think, “What did I just do?” Well, you are not alone. I, like you, have made that mistake more times than I care to admit. Unfortunately, many hide behind the tools of communication to negatively impact the lives of others and it’s happening way too much.

October is National Anti-Bullying Month. The reason a month is dedicated to anti-bullying is because of the growing number of students that feel like they have no escape from being bullied so they commit suicide. I don’t know about you, but never in all my years as an educator would I ever have thought it would get to this point. Who is responsible for bullying prevention? Educators? Students? Parents? Community members? Yes! We areall responsible. We make it matter!

I am a strong believer in the use of social media to connect with others personally and professionally. However, with the exponential growth of Facebook and Twitter, camera phones, and the ability to instantly post comments, bullying has become easier and the messages are amplified.

Last spring, our Student Council held Peace Week, which is a week long celebration of what we do to increase peace in schools. The theme was “Peace With Technology” to promote positive use of social media and we implemented the Jostens’ Pause Before You Post™ program. Pause Before You Post is a program to encourage members of the school community to be wise when publishing personal information when using social media. Each day of the week, students watched short video clips then participated in discussions about one’s digital footprint, sexting, and digital citizenship. Students were then encouraged to pledge to Pause Before You Post. It was an awesome week for our school community!  However, we have to continue our efforts to encourage “peace with technology.”

Throughout October, we will expand the Pause Before You Post campaign by conducting the following activities:

*Week 1-Make a general announcement to the student body about the Pause Before You Post Campaign and encourage them to sign the pledge. Even though it wasn’t plan for this month specifically, we held a Facebook 101 class for parents to encourage them to actively get involved in monitoring their child’s behavior on Facebook. We also wanted to increase their knowledge of privacy settings so they are more informed.

*Week 2– Continue to make announcements about the importance of one’s digital footprint and encourage students to sign the pledge.

*Week 3– Highlight all the clubs and activities we have at school to show that we want to create a school where all students feel they belong. The best way to prevent bullying is to create a positive school climate and culture.

*Week 4-We’ll be featuring information on how one’s online profile can impact college acceptance and employment. We’ll also share quotes from top companies and universities along with five tips for improving one’s digital reputation.

Each of us can do our part by simply taking a deep breath to pause before we hit the send button. I constantly share this message with my students, staff, and parents. Please join me and others from across the country and sign the pledge to Pause Before You Post. Each individual effort can make a difference!

Be Great,

Dwight