I was recently asked, "What do you think are two ways for principals (or any school leader) to support teachers?". There is an unlimited number of strategies to support teachers, but I was specifically asked to share two.
I immediately responded:
1. Visibility in the classroom
2. Approachability
Showing posts with label Teachers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Teachers. Show all posts
Saturday, December 13, 2014
Friday, November 30, 2012
A Crucial Conversation
This is a short post, but a story I felt needed to be shared:
During 2nd Block, I was completing an Informal Observation of a Career teacher with decades (literally) of experience. After the conclusion of the observation, as students were working collaboratively, we began discussing various teachers in regards to peer observations.
He mentioned someone in his department of which he spoke very highly of. In fact, our conversation persuaded the following Tweet:
I was in total agreement, as even though she is in her third-year, she is in the top 10% of those I have ever worked with or supervised in her given content-area. If I were to create a staff from scratch, she would be one of the first teachers I would encourage to join.
Later in the day, I passed by the Beginning Teacher in the hallway and stopped her. I told her about the compliment payed by the veteran teacher and how impressed I was for the veteran teacher to go out of their way to let me know.
She paused, looked at me, clearly emotional, and said, "Mr. Smith, I have been strongly considering if I really want to continue teaching."
This is coming from a fantastic teacher; she's one of my "go to" teachers (previous post: Who Are Your Go To Teachers?).
More importantly, she followed this up with:
"I really needed to hear that. Thank you."
Now that's a crucial conversation.
Thanks for reading and follow me @CSmithGoBlue.
CS
The opinions shared in this blog belong to Craig Smith and do not represent the school or district in which he works.
During 2nd Block, I was completing an Informal Observation of a Career teacher with decades (literally) of experience. After the conclusion of the observation, as students were working collaboratively, we began discussing various teachers in regards to peer observations.
He mentioned someone in his department of which he spoke very highly of. In fact, our conversation persuaded the following Tweet:
It's quite a compliment when a veteran teacher describes a beginning teacher as "someone who was born to teach". #edchat
I was in total agreement, as even though she is in her third-year, she is in the top 10% of those I have ever worked with or supervised in her given content-area. If I were to create a staff from scratch, she would be one of the first teachers I would encourage to join.
Later in the day, I passed by the Beginning Teacher in the hallway and stopped her. I told her about the compliment payed by the veteran teacher and how impressed I was for the veteran teacher to go out of their way to let me know.
She paused, looked at me, clearly emotional, and said, "Mr. Smith, I have been strongly considering if I really want to continue teaching."
This is coming from a fantastic teacher; she's one of my "go to" teachers (previous post: Who Are Your Go To Teachers?).
More importantly, she followed this up with:
"I really needed to hear that. Thank you."
Now that's a crucial conversation.
Thanks for reading and follow me @CSmithGoBlue.
CS
The opinions shared in this blog belong to Craig Smith and do not represent the school or district in which he works.
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Energy in the Room
I recently formally observed a Beginning Teacher in my school that demonstrated how important and beneficial it is for the teacher to be the energy in the classroom.
You can find hundreds of articles and resources discussing how important it is for the teacher to be the energy in the classroom. Why is it so important?
Two primary effects:
1. Instructional time is maximized.
2. The students are engaged.
You ever notice how fast an observation goes when you're in an energetic classroom? Forty-five minutes fees like 15. The best compliment a student can give a teacher is, at the end of the class, you hear, "It's time to go already?!?". This only occurs when the instructional time is maximized, keeping students engaged for the entire class period.
Last week, I retweeted a tweet by @Jaymelinton (who will be moderating Wednesday's #ncadmin chat, "New Teacher Support", at 8 pm [shameless plug]), which was originally posted by @coolcatteacher:
"Students will rarely exceed the energy you put into the equation."
The importance of energy and enthusiasm was best demonstrated near the end of Thursday's observation:
Since this occurred in a world language class, I'm not sure what exactly the teacher said (it was not a Spanish class-I can normally hold my own in a Spanish class). All of the sudden, 24 high school students had their feet off of the ground and were sitting on top of their desks, working furiously on the activity and participating with the dialogue led by the teacher. It was some sort of quick-paced, relatively silly, "the floor has turned into hot lava that is rising towards the desk" activity. These students could not care less about "looking cool" in front of others. Remember, these are high school students.
Every single student participated; Every single student was engaged; This was the result of the energy in the room.
Thanks for reading!
CS
The opinions shared in this blog belong to Craig Smith and do not represent the school or district in which he works.
You can find hundreds of articles and resources discussing how important it is for the teacher to be the energy in the classroom. Why is it so important?
Two primary effects:
1. Instructional time is maximized.
2. The students are engaged.
You ever notice how fast an observation goes when you're in an energetic classroom? Forty-five minutes fees like 15. The best compliment a student can give a teacher is, at the end of the class, you hear, "It's time to go already?!?". This only occurs when the instructional time is maximized, keeping students engaged for the entire class period.
Last week, I retweeted a tweet by @Jaymelinton (who will be moderating Wednesday's #ncadmin chat, "New Teacher Support", at 8 pm [shameless plug]), which was originally posted by @coolcatteacher:
"Students will rarely exceed the energy you put into the equation."
The importance of energy and enthusiasm was best demonstrated near the end of Thursday's observation:
Since this occurred in a world language class, I'm not sure what exactly the teacher said (it was not a Spanish class-I can normally hold my own in a Spanish class). All of the sudden, 24 high school students had their feet off of the ground and were sitting on top of their desks, working furiously on the activity and participating with the dialogue led by the teacher. It was some sort of quick-paced, relatively silly, "the floor has turned into hot lava that is rising towards the desk" activity. These students could not care less about "looking cool" in front of others. Remember, these are high school students.
Every single student participated; Every single student was engaged; This was the result of the energy in the room.
Thanks for reading!
CS
The opinions shared in this blog belong to Craig Smith and do not represent the school or district in which he works.
Thursday, June 14, 2012
The Blueberry Story: The teacher gives the businessman a lesson, by Jamie Vollmer
During the first day of the 2012 Gaston County Administrators Conference, we were privileged to have Jamie Vollner to serve as our Keynote Speaker. He gave us permission to reprint this story and I wanted to share it:
"If I ran my business the way you people operate your schools, I wouldn't be in business very long!"
I stood before an auditorium filled with outraged teacher who were becoming angrier by the minute. My speech had entirely consumed their precious 90 minutes of inservice. Their initial icy glares had turned to restless agitation. You could cut the hostility with a knife.
I represented a group of business people dedicated to improving public schools. I was an executive at an ice cream company that became famous in the middle 1980's when People Magazine chose our blueberry as the "Best Ice Cream in America."
I was convinced of two things. First, public schools needed to change; they were archaic selecting and sorting mechanisms designed for the industrial age and out of step with the needs of our emerging "knowledge society." Second, educators were a major part of the problem; they resisted change, hunkered down in their feathered nests, protected by tenure, and shielded by bureaucratic monopoly. They needed to look to business. We knew how to produce quality. Zero defects! TQM! Continuous improvement!
In retrospect, the speech was perfectly balanced - equal parts ignorance and arrogance.
As soon as I finished, a woman's hand shot up. She appeared polite, pleasant--she was, in face, a razor-edged, veteran, high school English teacher who had been waiting to unload.
She began quietly, "We are told, sir, that you manage a company that makes good ice cream."
I smugly replied, "Best ice cream in American, Ma'am."
"How nice," she said. "Is it rich and smooth."
"Sixteen percent butterfat," I crowed.
"Premium ingredients?" she inquired.
"Super-premium! Nothing but triple A." I was on a roll. I never saw the next line coming.
"Mr. Vollmer," she said, leaning forward with a wicked eyebrow raised to the sky, "when you are standing on your receiving dock and you see an inferior shipment of blueberries arrive, what do you do?"
In the silence of that room, I could hear the trap snap...I was dead meat, but I wasn't going to lie.
"I send them back."
She jumped to her feet. "That's right!" she barked, "and we can never send back our blueberries. We take them big, small, rich, poor, gifted, exceptional, abused, frightened, confident, homeless, rude, and brilliant. We take them with ADHD, junior rheumatoid arthritis, and English as their second language. We take them all! Every one! And that, Mr. Vollmer, is why it's not a business. It's a school!"
In an explosion, all 290 teachers, principals, bus drivers, aides, custodians, and secretaries jumped to their feet and yelled, "Yeah! Blueberries! Blueberries!"
And so began my long transformation.
Since then, I have visited hundred of schools. I have learned that a school is not a business. Schools are unable to control the quality of their raw material, they are dependent upon the vagaries of politics for a reliable revenue stream, and they are constantly mauled by a howling horde of disparate, competing customer groups that would send the best CEO screaming into the night.
None of this negates the need for change. We must change what, when, and how we teach to give all children maximum opportunity to thrive in a post-industrial society. But educators cannot do this along; these changes can occur only with the understanding, trust, permission, and active support from the surrounding community. For the most important thing I have learned is that schools reflect the attitudes, beliefs and health of the communities they serve, and therefore, to improve public education means more than changing our schools, it means changing America.
"If I ran my business the way you people operate your schools, I wouldn't be in business very long!"
I stood before an auditorium filled with outraged teacher who were becoming angrier by the minute. My speech had entirely consumed their precious 90 minutes of inservice. Their initial icy glares had turned to restless agitation. You could cut the hostility with a knife.
I represented a group of business people dedicated to improving public schools. I was an executive at an ice cream company that became famous in the middle 1980's when People Magazine chose our blueberry as the "Best Ice Cream in America."
I was convinced of two things. First, public schools needed to change; they were archaic selecting and sorting mechanisms designed for the industrial age and out of step with the needs of our emerging "knowledge society." Second, educators were a major part of the problem; they resisted change, hunkered down in their feathered nests, protected by tenure, and shielded by bureaucratic monopoly. They needed to look to business. We knew how to produce quality. Zero defects! TQM! Continuous improvement!
In retrospect, the speech was perfectly balanced - equal parts ignorance and arrogance.
As soon as I finished, a woman's hand shot up. She appeared polite, pleasant--she was, in face, a razor-edged, veteran, high school English teacher who had been waiting to unload.
She began quietly, "We are told, sir, that you manage a company that makes good ice cream."
I smugly replied, "Best ice cream in American, Ma'am."
"How nice," she said. "Is it rich and smooth."
"Sixteen percent butterfat," I crowed.
"Premium ingredients?" she inquired.
"Super-premium! Nothing but triple A." I was on a roll. I never saw the next line coming.
"Mr. Vollmer," she said, leaning forward with a wicked eyebrow raised to the sky, "when you are standing on your receiving dock and you see an inferior shipment of blueberries arrive, what do you do?"
In the silence of that room, I could hear the trap snap...I was dead meat, but I wasn't going to lie.
"I send them back."
She jumped to her feet. "That's right!" she barked, "and we can never send back our blueberries. We take them big, small, rich, poor, gifted, exceptional, abused, frightened, confident, homeless, rude, and brilliant. We take them with ADHD, junior rheumatoid arthritis, and English as their second language. We take them all! Every one! And that, Mr. Vollmer, is why it's not a business. It's a school!"
In an explosion, all 290 teachers, principals, bus drivers, aides, custodians, and secretaries jumped to their feet and yelled, "Yeah! Blueberries! Blueberries!"
And so began my long transformation.
Since then, I have visited hundred of schools. I have learned that a school is not a business. Schools are unable to control the quality of their raw material, they are dependent upon the vagaries of politics for a reliable revenue stream, and they are constantly mauled by a howling horde of disparate, competing customer groups that would send the best CEO screaming into the night.
None of this negates the need for change. We must change what, when, and how we teach to give all children maximum opportunity to thrive in a post-industrial society. But educators cannot do this along; these changes can occur only with the understanding, trust, permission, and active support from the surrounding community. For the most important thing I have learned is that schools reflect the attitudes, beliefs and health of the communities they serve, and therefore, to improve public education means more than changing our schools, it means changing America.
Jamie Robert Vollmer ©2011
Jamie Vollmer is a former business executive and attorney who now works to increase public support for America's public schools. His new book, Schools Cannot Do It Alone is available at http://www.jamievollmer.com/.
Friday, June 8, 2012
The Value of Self-Reflection
In the final summary meeting with my teachers yesterday, I focused on self-reflection and planning, planning for next year, and professional growth. I made sure to clearly communicate how much I appreciate their hard work, celebrated their success, yet stressed the importance of reflection on how we can (and need to) improve.
To begin the meeting, I provided a note card to every teacher, along with a list of good self-reflection questions, which I owe credit to The Value of Self-Reflection. I asked everyone to select one question, take a few moments to reflect, and subsequently write their response on the card. I did not ask them to share their responses, nor did I ask for the teachers to turn the note cards in to me. The purpose was to provide every teacher to take an opportunity to reflect on their teaching and hopefully encourage every teacher to self-reflect on their own.
In the spirit of serving as an instructional leader, I wanted to share some of my own reflections from this school-year, using some of the same questions provided to my teachers.
My aspirations are to encourage all of our teachers, administrators, and staff to take some time for quality self-reflection as the school-year winds down. We owe it to ourselves as educators to recognize our strengths and identify needed areas of improvement.
Thanks for reading and follow me via Twitter @CSmithGoBlue.
CS
The opinions shared in this blog belong to Craig Smith and do not represent the school or district in which he works.
To begin the meeting, I provided a note card to every teacher, along with a list of good self-reflection questions, which I owe credit to The Value of Self-Reflection. I asked everyone to select one question, take a few moments to reflect, and subsequently write their response on the card. I did not ask them to share their responses, nor did I ask for the teachers to turn the note cards in to me. The purpose was to provide every teacher to take an opportunity to reflect on their teaching and hopefully encourage every teacher to self-reflect on their own.
In the spirit of serving as an instructional leader, I wanted to share some of my own reflections from this school-year, using some of the same questions provided to my teachers.
What is my top teaching goal for the coming year?
My top teaching goal is for our teachers to capitalize on instructional "Best Practices" from within the school through digital collaboration. Our teachers do a great job of working within Professional Learning Communities and would even go as far to say we are a "PLC Model" school. Yet, I do not believe our teachers take advantage of collaborating with instructional strategies within the school. My top goal is to provide opportunities for this to occur.
What types of students do I tend to ignore or do I need to spend more time serving?
We need to spend more time serving our LEP/ESL population. Our ESL teacher, who is incredible, has discussed various ideas to be implemented next year involving, but certainly not limited to, strategic scheduling of LEP students to coincide with our tested courses and a school website in Spanish to coincide with our primary school website, increasing awareness for our ESL community.
What can I do to be more proactive in my professional development?
I discussed the importance of this summer's preparation for instructional design to align with the Common Core curriculum with teachers yesterday. It would be hypocritical for me to not spend the necessary time becoming acclimated with the core content changes, as well.
How can I increase valuable parental involvement?
In a casual conversation a few weeks ago, my principal and I talked about how to get more Dad's, or generally speaking, more men, involved in the school. The timing was perfect, because I had just read some great ideas via Twitter that other principal's had done at their schools to engage "Dad's" and encourage the men that serve as parents to be involved in the school.
What minor and/or major changes can I make to my academic program in order to directly increase my students' learning?
The administrative team was heavily involved with the PLC's of our tested areas this second semester. Personally, I worked closely with the Biology PLC with data analysis of Common Assessments and Probability Prediction data. The Biology PLC used a number of interventions during the school-day, such as objective-based remediation grouping. All three of our tested area's proficiency improved approximately 16-17% (no joke, all three had same improvement) from first semester. This proves that our strategies and focus this past semester worked. More importantly, it showed that it needs to continue.
My aspirations are to encourage all of our teachers, administrators, and staff to take some time for quality self-reflection as the school-year winds down. We owe it to ourselves as educators to recognize our strengths and identify needed areas of improvement.
Thanks for reading and follow me via Twitter @CSmithGoBlue.
CS
The opinions shared in this blog belong to Craig Smith and do not represent the school or district in which he works.
Friday, June 1, 2012
Senate Bill 795 Continued...
The calendar has turned to June and Senate Bill 795, the "Excellent Public Schools Act", is not officially approved, but it is "tentatively approved". My original post about Bill 795 discusses many, but not all, of the main components of the bill.
The Senate passed the 2nd reading of Bill 795 yesterday (May 31st), which has been mostly supported by Republicans, yet opposed by Democrats.
Financial details were discussed in the controversial Pay-for-Performance component with an expected cost of $45.6 million for the first year of implementation. The cost may rise to an astounding $82.3 million by 2016-2017. The Pay-for-Performance component would require each individual LEA to create and implement their own teacher-payment plan, resulting in hundreds of various formats state-wide. Many have doubts on where this funding will come from, given our current financial struggles in education.
In the Teacher Tenure component, Republicans are pushing for new teachers to be initially placed on one-year contracts, allowing principals and superintendents to approve if the teacher remains on staff for the following year. After passing the initial licensure/Beginning Teacher status, teachers would be given four-year contracts. This is similar to the current contract systems of assistant principals and principals, but Democrats are requesting for this to be removed from Bill 795.
Tenure would be eliminated, but teachers who currently "have" tenure in North Carolina would not lose it.
I feel that it is extremely important for all educators in North Carolina to stay abreast on the components and amendments of Bill 795. These components will drastically change public education in North Carolina. The final vote is set for Monday, June 4th.
You can check out the history and information of the bill here.
Thanks for reading and follow me via Twitter @CSmithGoBlue.
CS
The opinions shared in this blog belong to Craig Smith and do not represent the school or district in which he works.
The Senate passed the 2nd reading of Bill 795 yesterday (May 31st), which has been mostly supported by Republicans, yet opposed by Democrats.
Financial details were discussed in the controversial Pay-for-Performance component with an expected cost of $45.6 million for the first year of implementation. The cost may rise to an astounding $82.3 million by 2016-2017. The Pay-for-Performance component would require each individual LEA to create and implement their own teacher-payment plan, resulting in hundreds of various formats state-wide. Many have doubts on where this funding will come from, given our current financial struggles in education.
In the Teacher Tenure component, Republicans are pushing for new teachers to be initially placed on one-year contracts, allowing principals and superintendents to approve if the teacher remains on staff for the following year. After passing the initial licensure/Beginning Teacher status, teachers would be given four-year contracts. This is similar to the current contract systems of assistant principals and principals, but Democrats are requesting for this to be removed from Bill 795.
Tenure would be eliminated, but teachers who currently "have" tenure in North Carolina would not lose it.
I feel that it is extremely important for all educators in North Carolina to stay abreast on the components and amendments of Bill 795. These components will drastically change public education in North Carolina. The final vote is set for Monday, June 4th.
You can check out the history and information of the bill here.
Thanks for reading and follow me via Twitter @CSmithGoBlue.
CS
The opinions shared in this blog belong to Craig Smith and do not represent the school or district in which he works.
Thursday, May 10, 2012
#thankateacher = awesome
National Teacher Appreciation Week is concluding Friday. Elementary, Middle, and High Schools across the country have been recognizing and praising their teachers in various ways. School leaders, students, and PTSA's have provided meals and gifts as tokens of appreciation. Most have simply sent personal messages to the teachers that have made a difference in their lives.
I have utilized Twitter throughout the week to provide simple thank you's to our teachers in various instances, sometimes with specific teachers in mind. These have all taken the form of "________ = awesome. #thankateacher".
My online PLN has shared my acknowledgement through numerous Retweet's and Favorite's. The best part is the diversity of WHO has been responding, ranging from principals and teachers to former students of mine now in college. This has motivated me to do the following:
I am asking my Twitter folks to reply to my post with their own "When a teacher _______ = awesome. #thankateacher", filling in the blanks with their own characteristics of great teachers. I will be doing my best to retweet every response that I receive tomorrow (Friday, May 11).
Please feel free to to post message comments at the bottom instead of taking your post to Twitter.
I will be adding all of the responses here throughout the day and weekend:
Make sure to respond to one of my tweets and include the hashtag #thankateacher
(blue indicates my own)
When a teacher advocates for respect and equality = awesome.
When a teacher comes early and stays late = awesome.
Teachers that provide remediation to students during their planning period = awesome.
Teachers writing letters of recommendation for students, even when it was requested at the last minute = awesome.
Teachers providing a safe environment to a student, when they won't have one anywhere else = awesome.
Great coaches who are also great teachers, since both involve teaching, just a different environment = awesome.
Teachers who send a quick email or place a call to inform parents of something positive = awesome.
Teachers looking out for each other and truly working as a TEAM = awesome.
Teachers who aren't afraid of failure when implementing new instructional strategies = awesome.
Teachers arriving early (really early) or staying late (sometimes really late) for tutoring or test re-takes = awesome.
Teachers taking ownership of their students' learning and growth = awesome.
The teacher/teachers alumni want to see when they visit the school = awesome.
When a college student realizes why their teacher pushed them so hard in high school = awesome.
Teachers giving their students options for projects/assessments = awesome.
Genuine enthusiasm displayed while teaching = awesome.
When staff members (non-teachers) still find ways to teach students in other capacities = awesome.
Teachers who teach every day like they will be formally observed = awesome.
Teachers that consistently maximize instructional time = awesome.
When a teacher makes accountability a way of life rather than just for a student's instructional year = awesome.
When a teacher teaches a student who later becomes a celebrity and gets on VH1 for an interview = awesome.
When a teacher allows students to learn by searching for their own answers (and they like it!) = awesome.
When a teacher takes the time to also take the role of counselor/parent = awesome.
When a teacher teaches WITH former students = awesome.
When a teacher goes the extra mile to communicate with a parent = awesome.
When a teacher buys shoes for a kid = awesome.
When a student wishes a former teacher Happy Mother's Day = awesome.
________________________________________________________________
Please at least take a moment to thank someone who dedicated their career to teaching. Thank you to every educator, everywhere.
Thanks for reading and follow me via Twitter @CSmithGoBlue. Also, a big thank you to Ann Doss Helms (@anndosshelms) of the Charlotte Observer for including this post in her blog.
CS
The opinions shared in this blog belong to Craig Smith and do not represent the school or district in which he works.
(I always put this disclaimer in my posts, but this time, I hope the opinions are shared by ALL employers!)
I have utilized Twitter throughout the week to provide simple thank you's to our teachers in various instances, sometimes with specific teachers in mind. These have all taken the form of "________ = awesome. #thankateacher".
My online PLN has shared my acknowledgement through numerous Retweet's and Favorite's. The best part is the diversity of WHO has been responding, ranging from principals and teachers to former students of mine now in college. This has motivated me to do the following:
I am asking my Twitter folks to reply to my post with their own "When a teacher _______ = awesome. #thankateacher", filling in the blanks with their own characteristics of great teachers. I will be doing my best to retweet every response that I receive tomorrow (Friday, May 11).
Please feel free to to post message comments at the bottom instead of taking your post to Twitter.
I will be adding all of the responses here throughout the day and weekend:
Make sure to respond to one of my tweets and include the hashtag #thankateacher
(blue indicates my own)
When a teacher advocates for respect and equality = awesome.
When a teacher comes early and stays late = awesome.
Teachers that provide remediation to students during their planning period = awesome.
Teachers writing letters of recommendation for students, even when it was requested at the last minute = awesome.
Teachers providing a safe environment to a student, when they won't have one anywhere else = awesome.
Great coaches who are also great teachers, since both involve teaching, just a different environment = awesome.
Teachers who send a quick email or place a call to inform parents of something positive = awesome.
Teachers looking out for each other and truly working as a TEAM = awesome.
Teachers who aren't afraid of failure when implementing new instructional strategies = awesome.
Teachers arriving early (really early) or staying late (sometimes really late) for tutoring or test re-takes = awesome.
Teachers taking ownership of their students' learning and growth = awesome.
The teacher/teachers alumni want to see when they visit the school = awesome.
When a college student realizes why their teacher pushed them so hard in high school = awesome.
Teachers giving their students options for projects/assessments = awesome.
Genuine enthusiasm displayed while teaching = awesome.
When staff members (non-teachers) still find ways to teach students in other capacities = awesome.
Teachers who teach every day like they will be formally observed = awesome.
Teachers that consistently maximize instructional time = awesome.
When a teacher makes accountability a way of life rather than just for a student's instructional year = awesome.
When a teacher teaches a student who later becomes a celebrity and gets on VH1 for an interview = awesome.
When a teacher allows students to learn by searching for their own answers (and they like it!) = awesome.
When a teacher takes the time to also take the role of counselor/parent = awesome.
When a teacher teaches WITH former students = awesome.
When a teacher goes the extra mile to communicate with a parent = awesome.
When a teacher buys shoes for a kid = awesome.
When a student wishes a former teacher Happy Mother's Day = awesome.
________________________________________________________________
Please at least take a moment to thank someone who dedicated their career to teaching. Thank you to every educator, everywhere.
Thanks for reading and follow me via Twitter @CSmithGoBlue. Also, a big thank you to Ann Doss Helms (@anndosshelms) of the Charlotte Observer for including this post in her blog.
CS
The opinions shared in this blog belong to Craig Smith and do not represent the school or district in which he works.
(I always put this disclaimer in my posts, but this time, I hope the opinions are shared by ALL employers!)
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
"What is your favorite aspect of the school?"
During a recent phone interview, I was asked the following question:
"What is your favorite aspect of the school?"
I thought this was a fantastic question and provoked some immediate "on your feet" reflection. There is so much to be proud of at my high school, but I had to respond with the very first aspect that popped into my head.
My favorite aspect of our school is the strong sense of community that is prominent throughout our staff and students. Many of our staff members have strong ties to Ashbrook High School, ranging from their own children attending the school and even attending Ashbrook themselves. We even have a few parent-sibling pairings of teachers on staff!
There exists a shared ownership of "our school" throughout Ashbrook, which is shared by students, parents, and people in the community. This is carried forth by our teachers and the pride they take in our school. Whether it's the Ashbrook Relay for Life campaign, our fantastic Air Force JROTC program, the Invisible Children's Club, the "Zoo Crew" student section, or the enthusiasm shown by our staff and students at last Thursday's Freshman Orientation and Curriculum Night (just to name a few), our students and staff demonstrate their pride in our school whenever possible.
Some of our staff may not believe it, but this sense of community and pride does not occur at every school, especially large high schools (we have a student enrollment of a little over 1300). Therefore, our sense of community and the pride our staff has in Ashbrook High School is my "favorite aspect of the school."
Since this is National Teacher Appreciation Week, I wanted to take the opportunity to extend my appreciation to all of our teachers for their sense of community and school pride our staff demonstrates on a daily basis. Thank you for making Ashbrook High School a fantastic community to be a part of.
Thanks for reading and follow me via Twitter @CSmithGoBlue
CS
The opinions shared in this blog belong to Craig Smith and do not represent the school or district in which he works.
"What is your favorite aspect of the school?"
I thought this was a fantastic question and provoked some immediate "on your feet" reflection. There is so much to be proud of at my high school, but I had to respond with the very first aspect that popped into my head.
My favorite aspect of our school is the strong sense of community that is prominent throughout our staff and students. Many of our staff members have strong ties to Ashbrook High School, ranging from their own children attending the school and even attending Ashbrook themselves. We even have a few parent-sibling pairings of teachers on staff!
There exists a shared ownership of "our school" throughout Ashbrook, which is shared by students, parents, and people in the community. This is carried forth by our teachers and the pride they take in our school. Whether it's the Ashbrook Relay for Life campaign, our fantastic Air Force JROTC program, the Invisible Children's Club, the "Zoo Crew" student section, or the enthusiasm shown by our staff and students at last Thursday's Freshman Orientation and Curriculum Night (just to name a few), our students and staff demonstrate their pride in our school whenever possible.
Some of our staff may not believe it, but this sense of community and pride does not occur at every school, especially large high schools (we have a student enrollment of a little over 1300). Therefore, our sense of community and the pride our staff has in Ashbrook High School is my "favorite aspect of the school."
Since this is National Teacher Appreciation Week, I wanted to take the opportunity to extend my appreciation to all of our teachers for their sense of community and school pride our staff demonstrates on a daily basis. Thank you for making Ashbrook High School a fantastic community to be a part of.
Thanks for reading and follow me via Twitter @CSmithGoBlue
CS
The opinions shared in this blog belong to Craig Smith and do not represent the school or district in which he works.
Monday, April 30, 2012
Information Technology Essential Standards
The Instructional Facilitator's did a great job with their presentation on the Information Technology Essential Standards last month for both Principal's and Assistant Principals. The link to the presentation can be found here:
ITES
The YouTube clips are great, demonstrating some of the strategies that allow teachers to incorporate these standards into their instruction. I really like the young girl explaining how "QR Codes" work. As a matter of fact, I created a QR code the day after the meeting and it is still on my office door.
Located in the presentation are five "Fast Facts" of the ITES:
This is simply a small sampling of the technology needed to incorporate the new Information Technology Essential Standards into our classrooms. It's important for school leaders to become familiar with these standards, as well as comfortable discussing their implement them into instruction.
Thanks for reading and follow me via Twitter @CSmithGoBlue
CS
The opinions shared in this blog belong to Craig Smith and do not represent the school or district in which he works.
ITES
The YouTube clips are great, demonstrating some of the strategies that allow teachers to incorporate these standards into their instruction. I really like the young girl explaining how "QR Codes" work. As a matter of fact, I created a QR code the day after the meeting and it is still on my office door.
Located in the presentation are five "Fast Facts" of the ITES:
- The ITES are to be embedded within all areas of the curriculum.
- Classroom teachers are responsible for teaching the new ITES standards beginning this current school year.
- Media Coordinators and Technology Facilitators, as ITES experts, will collaborate with teachers to plan, create, teach, and assess effective student instruction.
- The ITES must be taught in all North Carolina schools-in places where technology is prevalent, as well as schools with limited technology access.
- Technology and information tools and resources must be taught and used in authentic ways.
This is simply a small sampling of the technology needed to incorporate the new Information Technology Essential Standards into our classrooms. It's important for school leaders to become familiar with these standards, as well as comfortable discussing their implement them into instruction.
Thanks for reading and follow me via Twitter @CSmithGoBlue
CS
The opinions shared in this blog belong to Craig Smith and do not represent the school or district in which he works.
Monday, April 23, 2012
Pre-Payment Update for NC Educators
In November, I published a post called "No More Pre-Payment for Educators in NC".
In an effort to address concerns raised by teachers and still move forward with ending pre-payment as called for under the 2011 law change, the N.C. Association of School Administrators and the N.C. School Boards Association gave the committee chairs a slightly revised proposal from the previous array of pay date options that we had endorsed. The revised proposal from NCASA and NCSBA would do the following:
Here is the revised proposal from the NCASA and NCSBA Regarding Pay Date Options for School Districts in North Carolina
To all educators in North Carolina, make sure to follow this story. It impacts all of us!
Thanks for reading and follow me via Twitter @CSmithGoBlue
CS
The opinions shared in this blog belong to Craig Smith and do not represent the school or district in which he works.
In an effort to address concerns raised by teachers and still move forward with ending pre-payment as called for under the 2011 law change, the N.C. Association of School Administrators and the N.C. School Boards Association gave the committee chairs a slightly revised proposal from the previous array of pay date options that we had endorsed. The revised proposal from NCASA and NCSBA would do the following:
- Delay the ending of pre-payment until July 1, 2013 for all districts.
- Require all school districts to provide their first paycheck by Aug. 31 each school year but include pay only for the days worked.
- Allow for district flexibility with the establishment of pay dates that would follow the initial August pay date.
- Allow for multiple payroll checks each month.
- Enable an early payroll date in December.
Here is the revised proposal from the NCASA and NCSBA Regarding Pay Date Options for School Districts in North Carolina
To all educators in North Carolina, make sure to follow this story. It impacts all of us!
Thanks for reading and follow me via Twitter @CSmithGoBlue
CS
The opinions shared in this blog belong to Craig Smith and do not represent the school or district in which he works.
Sunday, April 8, 2012
What Sean Payton's Suspension Can Remind School Leaders
The recently suspended Head Coach of the National Football League's New Orleans Saints: "As the head coach, anything that happens within the framework of your team and your program, you're responsible for."
This is an extremely important reminder to all School Leaders, especially Principals. I think anyone involved in education can simply replace "head coach" with "school leader" and "team" with "school", resulting in the following: "As the school leader, anything that happens within the framework of your school, you're responsible for."
The great Bobby Bowden said, "It was my job to be a chief executive officer and oversee the entire program.", when discussing the importance of having an idea of what was going on throughout his program. He also acknowledged that, due to the size of a Division I college football program, it was impossible to stay on top of every single individual. Therefore, he put forth a large emphasis on surrounding himself with assistant coaches that held the same beliefs about right and wrong. He relied heavily on their judgement to make him aware of anything worthy of attention.
School leaders must also do the same. It is an unrealistic expectation for a Principal to be directly involved in every single aspect of the school, as this type of micro-managing would drain any school leader into immediate burn-out. But, as Coach Sean Payton eluded to, the school leader is responsible for everything within the framework of the school. Therefore, it is crucial for a Principal to surround themselves with an administrative team in which they trust, as well as empower teacher leaders within the school.
We live in the modern society where responsibility must always fall to someone and, fair or unfair, this usually falls to the top. Sean Payton's suspension, although unrelated to education, is a perfect reminder to all school leaders.
Thanks for reading and follow me via Twitter @CSmithGoBlue
CS
The opinions shared in this blog belong to Craig Smith and do not represent the school or district in which he works.
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
What Makes A Successful Teacher?
“WHAT MAKES A SUCCESSFUL TEACHER?”
by
James Robert White, Ed. D.
TREAT ALL STUDENTS FAIRLY!
ALLOW STUDENTS TO BE CURIOUS!
COMMUNICATE REGULARLY WITH PARENTS!
HAVE FAITH IN YOURSELF AND THE STUDENTS!
RESPECT STUDENTS’ OPINIONS!
SUCCESS SUCCESS SUCCESS
[Copyright © January 25, 2005]
(Dr.) James Robert White, Ed.D.
Assistant Principal ▬ Catawba Heights Elementary School
101 Ivey Street
Belmont, North Carolina 28012
(704) 827-3221 Fax: (704) 827-2419
Thanks for reading and please follow me via Twitter @CSmithGoBlue
CS
The opinions shared in this blog belong to Craig Smith and do not represent the school or district in which he works.
What Makes A Successful Parent?
What Makes A Successful Parent?
In an ongoing series and in preparation for Elementary and Middle School Parent-Teacher conferences, an Assistant Principal in my district has created a display for parents. You can also check out TIPS for Successful Parent/Teacher Conferences.
Thanks for reading and please follow me via Twitter @CSmithGoBlue
CS
The opinions shared in this blog belong to Craig Smith and do not represent the school or district in which he works.
“WHAT MAKES A SUCCESSFUL PARENT?”
by
James Robert White, Ed. D.
PRACTICE WHAT YOU PREACH!
ALWAYS LISTEN TO YOUR CHILD!
RESERVE QUALITY TIME DAILY TO SPEND WITH YOUR CHILD!
ENCOURAGE YOUR CHILD TO ALWAYS DO HIS/HER BEST!
NEVER GIVE UP!
TEACH RESPONSIBILITY!
[Copyright © January 25, 2005]
(Dr.) James Robert White, Ed.D.
Assistant Principal ▬ Catawba Heights Elementary School
101 Ivey Street
Belmont, North Carolina 28012
(704) 827-3221 Fax: (704) 827-2419
Thanks for reading and please follow me via Twitter @CSmithGoBlue
CS
The opinions shared in this blog belong to Craig Smith and do not represent the school or district in which he works.
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
My Vision of iPads in the Classroom
Two of my teachers and I have recently applied for a an iPads in the Classroom Pilot, so I wanted to share some of my thoughts:
My vision for the use of iPads in the classroom is with the primary objective to help facilitate instruction in the classroom and increase student achievement. The use of iPads in a 1:1 format will allow teachers to use technology-based student work products as a part of their instructional design. If given the opportunity to incorporate iPads in the classroom, a teacher would be able to engage students to address higher level thinking skills and truly parallel their instruction with the 21st century standards.
Tablets would provide opportunities for students to demonstrate responsibility through technology. Technology empowers students to explore and create (Gliksman, 2012). Most importantly, iPads encourages independent, creative, and innovative use of technology. The new Information and Technology Essential Standards require teachers to use technology as a tool and are expected to “use appropriate technology tools and other resources to access information” and “use appropriate technology tools and other resources to design products to share information with others”. The implementation of iPads will directly coincide with these expectations and requirements for our teachers.
Finally, I was recently recognized by RobertJackson, the 2010-2011 Wachovia Principal of the Year, during the Regional Principals Conferences throughout the state of North Carolina in regards to my ongoing NC Principal ePLC (CSmithGoBlue/ncadmin). The purpose of this ePLC is for North Carolina school leaders to collaborate and work as a Professional Learning Community with a centralized focus of the instructional issues for schools in North Carolina through Twitter and Tweetdeck. Needless to say, if given the opportunity to take part in the iPads in the Classroom Pilot, my strong involvement in Twitter as an instructional leader will provide unlimited professional development and collaboration.
Thanks for reading and follow me via Twitter @CSmithGoBlue
CS
The opinions shared in this blog belong to Craig Smith and do not represent the school or district in which he works.
Monday, January 23, 2012
Enthusiasm & Encouragement: Every Day
We start the second semester tomorrow, so I took advantage to meet my teachers this morning, due to the Teacher Workday. I did not want this meeting to be simply a distribution of information, but rather an opportunity for me to gather the team together and focus on the start of the semester (which, due to the 4 x 4 Block schedule, is really like the first day of school all over again).
I began by placing the teachers in random small-groups and asking them to do the following:
Discuss "what" as a school, can improve for this semester. But, for everything you list, you must also provide "how" we can improve in this area.
This led to some very good discussion, as the whole group was able to speak freely with their colleagues. I served more as a moderator to maintain the focus, initially by asking for "instructional issues" first. The best aspect was not only allowing teachers to voice "what" needs to be done and "how" we need to accomplish it, but by speaking in front of the group, we can now keep each other accountable for the areas discussed. I frequently told the group, "If it's a few weeks from now and we haven't done it, tell me. Keep me accountable." Crucial convesations!!
After sharing some pertinent information, I transitioned to a key component of the meeting: Encouragement. I showed the following two clips, asking the group to notice the drastically different environments, but consistent actions of both motivators, courtesy of http://www.wingclips.com/ :
"Run Through Me"
"Dare to Climb"
The consistent factor is constant encouragement, regardless of how many failures or how many attempts occur.
I quickly transitioned my meeting by sharing one of my all-time favorite quotes, by Ralph Waldo Emerson: "Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm." This quote has become a mentality that I find crucial to my role as a leader. It also was the "team quote" of my 2010 team, which won the conference title, maintaining an almost contagious amount of enthusiasm every day, especially during matches. Other coaches actually complained that my players were "too spirited" and there was "No place for all those 'Let's go's' and 'Come on!'s' that you would frequently hear at our matches. This only reassured how powerful enthusiasm can be for those who have created a culture of enthusiasm.
I finished by asking my teachers to bring a high-level of enthusiasm and encouragement every day this semester. I asked my teachers if they possess a genuine enthusiasm and consistently encourage their students, this semester will be a success. Every day.
Thanks for reading and please follow me via Twitter @CSmithGoBlue
CS
The opinions shared in this blog belong to Craig Smith and do not represent the school or district in which he works.
I began by placing the teachers in random small-groups and asking them to do the following:
Discuss "what" as a school, can improve for this semester. But, for everything you list, you must also provide "how" we can improve in this area.
This led to some very good discussion, as the whole group was able to speak freely with their colleagues. I served more as a moderator to maintain the focus, initially by asking for "instructional issues" first. The best aspect was not only allowing teachers to voice "what" needs to be done and "how" we need to accomplish it, but by speaking in front of the group, we can now keep each other accountable for the areas discussed. I frequently told the group, "If it's a few weeks from now and we haven't done it, tell me. Keep me accountable." Crucial convesations!!
After sharing some pertinent information, I transitioned to a key component of the meeting: Encouragement. I showed the following two clips, asking the group to notice the drastically different environments, but consistent actions of both motivators, courtesy of http://www.wingclips.com/ :
"Run Through Me"
"Dare to Climb"
The consistent factor is constant encouragement, regardless of how many failures or how many attempts occur.
I quickly transitioned my meeting by sharing one of my all-time favorite quotes, by Ralph Waldo Emerson: "Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm." This quote has become a mentality that I find crucial to my role as a leader. It also was the "team quote" of my 2010 team, which won the conference title, maintaining an almost contagious amount of enthusiasm every day, especially during matches. Other coaches actually complained that my players were "too spirited" and there was "No place for all those 'Let's go's' and 'Come on!'s' that you would frequently hear at our matches. This only reassured how powerful enthusiasm can be for those who have created a culture of enthusiasm.
I finished by asking my teachers to bring a high-level of enthusiasm and encouragement every day this semester. I asked my teachers if they possess a genuine enthusiasm and consistently encourage their students, this semester will be a success. Every day.
Thanks for reading and please follow me via Twitter @CSmithGoBlue
CS
The opinions shared in this blog belong to Craig Smith and do not represent the school or district in which he works.
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Who Are Your "Go To" Teachers?
Take a second and imagine this situation:
You have an unexpected visitor at your school: someone from the community, a local elected official, maybe even the Assistant Superintendent. They would like to visit a couple classrooms. Quickly decide without hesitation--where are you going to go?
The teachers which entered your mind are who I like to consider your "Go to" teachers. These are the teachers that seem to always be on their game when you perform your routine Walk-Through's. These are the teachers where the student engagement level is always very high and the classroom environment is consistently conducive to maximize instructional time.
These are the teachers that possess an enthusiastic personality and excitement about the content and day-to-day instruction that occurs in their classroom. You are confident bringing anyone into these classrooms any day of the week, and more importantly, these teachers would welcome any visitor. I remember a veteran Social Studies teacher once told me, "You know, I don't care if the Governor comes in to observe me. They just better be ready to participate!"
The best part about this is that I haven't even discussed which students you would bring the visitor to observe. What does this indicate? Any student can thrive with a "Go to" teacher, regardless of grade-level, economic status, etc. And every student deserves a "Go to" teacher.
It's our job as educational leaders to provide a school full of "Go to" teachers. Therefore, when the visitor arrives and wishes to visit some classrooms, your quick response can be, "anywhere."
Thanks for reading and please follow me via Twitter @CSmithGoBlue
CS
The opinions shared in this blog belong to Craig Smith and do not represent the school or district in which he works.
You have an unexpected visitor at your school: someone from the community, a local elected official, maybe even the Assistant Superintendent. They would like to visit a couple classrooms. Quickly decide without hesitation--where are you going to go?
The teachers which entered your mind are who I like to consider your "Go to" teachers. These are the teachers that seem to always be on their game when you perform your routine Walk-Through's. These are the teachers where the student engagement level is always very high and the classroom environment is consistently conducive to maximize instructional time.
These are the teachers that possess an enthusiastic personality and excitement about the content and day-to-day instruction that occurs in their classroom. You are confident bringing anyone into these classrooms any day of the week, and more importantly, these teachers would welcome any visitor. I remember a veteran Social Studies teacher once told me, "You know, I don't care if the Governor comes in to observe me. They just better be ready to participate!"
The best part about this is that I haven't even discussed which students you would bring the visitor to observe. What does this indicate? Any student can thrive with a "Go to" teacher, regardless of grade-level, economic status, etc. And every student deserves a "Go to" teacher.
It's our job as educational leaders to provide a school full of "Go to" teachers. Therefore, when the visitor arrives and wishes to visit some classrooms, your quick response can be, "anywhere."
Thanks for reading and please follow me via Twitter @CSmithGoBlue
CS
The opinions shared in this blog belong to Craig Smith and do not represent the school or district in which he works.
Monday, November 14, 2011
Joblessness for Servicemembers: Could this impact the Teacher Workforce?
I read a very interesting article in this weekend's USA Today in the "Nation" section dealing with the tough job market that servicemembers return to after serving in Iraq and Afghanistan (I hope all those that serve were able to feel celebrated on Friday--THANK YOU cannot be said enough). Here are some of the statistics included in the article:
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 29.1% of Veterans ranging from ages 20 to 24 are jobless. The national rate is 9%.
Special partnerships have been created in Michigan, Utah, and Minnesota, aimed at getting veterans back to work. This caused me to think if any program exists to assist servicemembers in the field of education.
"Troops to Teachers" (http://www.dantes.doded.mil/Sub%20Pages/TTT/TTT_Main.html) provides "services to military personnel in beginning a second career...as a teacher". Funding for this program comes from the Department of Education and managed by the Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Educational Support (DANTES)....which is funded by No Child Left Behind. In 2005, there was a Policy Revision that related the funding to those to taught before registering for "Troops to Teachers."
According to the USA Today article, more than 1 million servicemen and servicewomen will enter civilian life in the next five years. The number of vveteran's that have some sort of teaching experience is impossible to predict, but think about the characteristics you look for when filling a position within a school. I tend to think that many of our proud servicemembers possess those qualities, short of a teaching license. But I can't think of a better candidate for a "Lateral Entry" position, which allows an individual to teach with a degree in a related-field while completing required courses in a given timeline. In actuality, some of the best teachers I have worked with have been Lateral Entry.
It's currently a difficult time for anyone to find a job, especially in the education field. Colleges and Universities are graduating thousands of teachers with Bachelor's degrees with barely any teaching jobs available, not to mention districts across the country cutting positions due to their respective budgets.
All I hope is that some of our troops, once returning home safely, will consider entering a profession that provides the opportunity to impact so many lives in a positive way.
Thank you to all those who serve and secure the freedom for this great Nation.
CS
The opinions shared in this blog belong to Craig Smith and do not represent the school or district in which he works.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 29.1% of Veterans ranging from ages 20 to 24 are jobless. The national rate is 9%.
Special partnerships have been created in Michigan, Utah, and Minnesota, aimed at getting veterans back to work. This caused me to think if any program exists to assist servicemembers in the field of education.
"Troops to Teachers" (http://www.dantes.doded.mil/Sub%20Pages/TTT/TTT_Main.html) provides "services to military personnel in beginning a second career...as a teacher". Funding for this program comes from the Department of Education and managed by the Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Educational Support (DANTES)....which is funded by No Child Left Behind. In 2005, there was a Policy Revision that related the funding to those to taught before registering for "Troops to Teachers."
According to the USA Today article, more than 1 million servicemen and servicewomen will enter civilian life in the next five years. The number of vveteran's that have some sort of teaching experience is impossible to predict, but think about the characteristics you look for when filling a position within a school. I tend to think that many of our proud servicemembers possess those qualities, short of a teaching license. But I can't think of a better candidate for a "Lateral Entry" position, which allows an individual to teach with a degree in a related-field while completing required courses in a given timeline. In actuality, some of the best teachers I have worked with have been Lateral Entry.
It's currently a difficult time for anyone to find a job, especially in the education field. Colleges and Universities are graduating thousands of teachers with Bachelor's degrees with barely any teaching jobs available, not to mention districts across the country cutting positions due to their respective budgets.
All I hope is that some of our troops, once returning home safely, will consider entering a profession that provides the opportunity to impact so many lives in a positive way.
Thank you to all those who serve and secure the freedom for this great Nation.
CS
The opinions shared in this blog belong to Craig Smith and do not represent the school or district in which he works.
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
No More "Prepayment" for Educators in NC
My post this week has to do with a topic that has strongly hit home in the Smith household (my wife is a high school English teacher--an outstanding one, at that!). This will also be effecting every teacher, counselor, and public school staff member that is considered a 10-month employee in the Tar Heel State.
This past summer, the North Carolina General Assembly passed a law that prohibits prepayment of salaries, effective July 1, 2012. Therefore, beginning with the 2012-2013 school year, LEAs will change the way all 10-month employees are paid. A copy of House Bill 720 is provided (page six, lines seven through nine)http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/Sessions/2011/Bills/House/PDF/H720v3.pdf.
The key component of this is that there is no reduction in pay, but simply a transition in the pay dates in accordance to State law. My district, like many of the districts in North Carolina, pay their salaried employees once per month, at the end of the month. This means that teachers receive a full paycheck at the end of August for days worked PLUS days "assumed to be worked." For employees who do not sign up for twelve-month installment pay, the August paycheck is always badly needed after summers of part-time tutoring, camps, etc.
What does this change mean for the 10-month employees of North Carolina? Basically, no paycheck until the second month of our school year in 2012-13.
Disclosing that I am incorporated into this change as well (my district reduced APs from 11-month to 10.5 month employees two years ago for budget purposes), I have to admit that I agree with House Bill 720. The fact of the matter is that whenever this bill was implemented, there was going to be a year where all employees would have big adjustments. But logically, doesn't it make sense for employees to receive payment after they have actually worked? Isn't this consistent with the majority of the work force?
My primary question/concern/interest is the communication of House Bill 720 for all of our employees throughout the state. I spoke to a teacher in another district today and asked if anyone had mentioned this change at their school. They had no idea and quickly met with the principal to inquire. Not too much later, I received an email from the teacher: "My principal would like you to send them any information you have on the change."
Could you imagine that little surprise come spring:
Great job this year staff. By the way, I hope you saved up a little extra...you won't get paid until
September 28th, instead of August 30th. Have a nice summer!
My district did a great job communicating this change with every employee through an All Employee Memo sent out on Monday, but it was too late for any employee to change their 10-month pay schedule to a 12-month.
My biggest fear is that way too many teachers, counselors, administrators, and other staff are unaware of this change. IF YOU ARE NOT SURE, INQUIRE TO THE APPROPRIATE PERSON IMMEDIATELY!
I am also curious how other areas handle their employee salaries. Is NC ahead of the times, or behind?
I appreciate any responses related to this point, as I continue my calculations/estimations of how we are going to budget for August/September. Good thing I love statistical analysis...(former math teacher)...
Thanks for reading and please follow me via Twitter @CSmithGoBlue
CS
The opinions shared in this blog belong to Craig Smith and do not represent the school or district in which he works.
This past summer, the North Carolina General Assembly passed a law that prohibits prepayment of salaries, effective July 1, 2012. Therefore, beginning with the 2012-2013 school year, LEAs will change the way all 10-month employees are paid. A copy of House Bill 720 is provided (page six, lines seven through nine)http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/Sessions/2011/Bills/House/PDF/H720v3.pdf.
The key component of this is that there is no reduction in pay, but simply a transition in the pay dates in accordance to State law. My district, like many of the districts in North Carolina, pay their salaried employees once per month, at the end of the month. This means that teachers receive a full paycheck at the end of August for days worked PLUS days "assumed to be worked." For employees who do not sign up for twelve-month installment pay, the August paycheck is always badly needed after summers of part-time tutoring, camps, etc.
What does this change mean for the 10-month employees of North Carolina? Basically, no paycheck until the second month of our school year in 2012-13.
Disclosing that I am incorporated into this change as well (my district reduced APs from 11-month to 10.5 month employees two years ago for budget purposes), I have to admit that I agree with House Bill 720. The fact of the matter is that whenever this bill was implemented, there was going to be a year where all employees would have big adjustments. But logically, doesn't it make sense for employees to receive payment after they have actually worked? Isn't this consistent with the majority of the work force?
My primary question/concern/interest is the communication of House Bill 720 for all of our employees throughout the state. I spoke to a teacher in another district today and asked if anyone had mentioned this change at their school. They had no idea and quickly met with the principal to inquire. Not too much later, I received an email from the teacher: "My principal would like you to send them any information you have on the change."
Could you imagine that little surprise come spring:
Great job this year staff. By the way, I hope you saved up a little extra...you won't get paid until
September 28th, instead of August 30th. Have a nice summer!
My district did a great job communicating this change with every employee through an All Employee Memo sent out on Monday, but it was too late for any employee to change their 10-month pay schedule to a 12-month.
My biggest fear is that way too many teachers, counselors, administrators, and other staff are unaware of this change. IF YOU ARE NOT SURE, INQUIRE TO THE APPROPRIATE PERSON IMMEDIATELY!
I am also curious how other areas handle their employee salaries. Is NC ahead of the times, or behind?
I appreciate any responses related to this point, as I continue my calculations/estimations of how we are going to budget for August/September. Good thing I love statistical analysis...(former math teacher)...
Thanks for reading and please follow me via Twitter @CSmithGoBlue
CS
The opinions shared in this blog belong to Craig Smith and do not represent the school or district in which he works.
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