Summer Blog Post #7 - August 11th

Good Morning!

Here is the schedule for back to school week;

• Monday, 08.17.15 (7:45-3:30)
• 8:00 - PTA welcome breakfast 
• 8:20 - Introduction of new staff
• 9:00 - Room time
• 2:00 - Staff Meeting @ Media 
• 3:30 - Social for Jenny (aka, Rhode Island Red)
• Tuesday, 08.18.15 (7:45-3:30)
• Reserved for Central Office PD
• Room time
• Wednesday, 08.19.15 (7:45-3:30)
• 8:00 - Room time
• 1:00 - Staff meeting @ Media
• Thursday, 08.20.15-OPEN HOUSE
• TA & Kindergarten schedule
• 8:30-11:30 & 4:00-8:00
• All others
• Noon-8:00
• Friday, 08.21.15 (7:45-3:30)
• 7:45 - Catch the bus at RJR
• 9:00 - WSFCS @ the Dash
• 10:30 - room time 

Questions - Call Laurie in the office and she will clarify, or see me at the collaborative conference on Wednesday.

Summer Blog Post #6 - August 4th

I just had a Jenny Niles-Orefice sighting.  She is back in town to pack up and is meeting this morning with our new guidance counselor, Jenn Currin.  We wish both Jenn and Jenny well in their new roles for 2015-16.

The WSFCS leadership retreat was  meaningful in many ways of which I am still reflecting and planning.  Let me share with you some topics discussed;

• A sense of urgency
• Strategy academy for Teachers
• Reduction of the achievement gap will require new adult behavior
• Strategy academy for Leaders
• Accountability model
• How do you "Link"
• Lesson Planning is critical
• Haiku
• Change or Die article
• Diligence
• Agency

We will certainly have the opportunity to discuss these topics during our back to school week, August 17th-21st.  The schedule of events for that week will be posted in our final summer blog on August 11th.  Keep in mind the shift in work schedule for Thursday the 20th as we have open house.

NEXT WEEK - Collaborative Learning conference - we have 22 staff members registered, yet it is not too late, see below for details.

We are one week away from the 2015 Collaborative Learning Conference. We are excited about the learning opportunities that will be provided during this event! As we make final arrangements we need to be sure all planning to attend are included in our numbers. If you have not already registered for the CLC, please go to:

http://collaborativelearningconference.weebly.com/registration.html

At this time we have 829 registered for August 12 and 495 registered for August 13. It is preferable that additional individuals planning to attend should register for August 13 as we have greater capacity on this date. Should you have further questions, let me know how I can help.

Paula B. Wilkins, Ed.D 
Director of Human Resources—Professional and Talent Development
Winston Salem Forsyth County Schools
PBWilkins@wsfcs.k12.nc.us
(336) 748-3426 (phone)

Summer Blog Post #5 - July 27th

Good Afternoon.

I will be out of the building for the next three days at our WSFCS leadership retreat.  One topic we read about before the meetings focused on "continuous mental rejuvenation."  So, what has been your area of growth this summer?  I am not asking to be kind, I really want to know.  Please zip me an e-mail or text and give me some feedback.

NEW BRUNSON FAMILY MEMBERS;

• Guidance - Jennifer Currin comes to us from Camp Cheerio! She recently completed her internship at Moore School, and has taught second grade at Summit before her graduate work at UNC-G.
• 1st Grade - Happy Bell-Wiatrek comes to us from Austin Texas.  She brings 18 years of elementary classroom experience, some of which occurred in China and Hungary.

I am still working on TBE and Media.

More next week as we approach the collaborative conference on August 11th & 12th.

Summer Blog Post #4 - July 22nd

Well, it has only been two work days since I last posted and I just do not have that many more updates

• The basketball goals are here.  Installation will be next week
• PTA board meeting tonight
• WSFCS Bond options will be presented to the board tonight, you will also get an email with links to view the information.  Please review and have conversations as they build capacity for change.
• Our Title One Prioritized plan was completed with assistance from Cheryl Johnson - thanks 
• I have two more interviews for Guidance and will complete the process Monday the 27th.

All for now, I will post again on Monday.

Summer Blog Post #3 - July 16th

Good Afternoon!  I trust you all are well and enjoying the summer!

Staff reports back on August 17th, which leaves us with 4 weeks of summer work until we begin the new school year. Though we have accomplished much, there is more to do!  Below is a bullet list of thing done in BLUE and still to be done in Red.

• New teachers hired
• Kelsey Loy - 4th grade
• Elizabeth Johnson - 5th grade
• Melanie Sayles - 5th Grade
• Tom Radulovic - TA
• 1st TBE
• 1st Residential
• Guidance
• Media - That's right, Deb has accepted a position at Flat Rock Middle school where she will fulfill her dream of developing a secondary media center with a focus on research.  She is working on an e-mail that I will forward soon
• SIT met on Wednesday and allocated funds to hire FOUR reading interventionists and expand our work with Expeditionary Learning
• Working on sharing a google documents link that will allow you to view some Expeditionary Learning documents
• Still working on the schedule
• Still working on class rosters
• Still working on the Title One Prioritized School Plan

We will finish Summer enrichment next Thursday, July 23rd.  The following week, July 27th-30th, we are closing the office/building as;

• Laurie is on vacation
• I am at the leadership retreat
• Custodians will strip and wax the common areas

Keep in touch and know that I am looking forward to an amazing school year.  I will leave you with a picture from my trip to see my family on Dad's 81st birthday.

My Brother - Mark, My Dad - Jack , and Me

AP update 7.8.15

I proudly present Sarah Huddleston as our new Assistant Principal.

• Sarah recently graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill with a Masters degree in school administration
• The last 6 years she has served the WSFCS system as an instructional coach with a focus on the collaborative process
• Back in the 80's she was a suite-mate at High Point University of Karon Kiger
• In the 90's, she taught Primary grades and Art education at Latham
• In the new millennium she worked with National Heritage Academies supporting teacher leadership

I will save the rest for her to share as she joins our team.  Her e-mail
sshuddleston@wsfcs.k12.nc.us  

Another Playground picture from a new perspective.

It is great to have the summer enrichment drone on campus.  

Summer Blog Post #2 - July 7th

Good Morning!

I am headed to the central office this morning to present two exceptional candidates for our Assistant Principal position.  Assistant Superintendent Steve Oates will spend 30 minutes with each of the candidates and ask 4-5 probing questions regarding the role of the elementary AP. This vetting process will lead to the hiring of our new AP.  BIG THANKS to Jessie Parrish who provided valuable insight and opinions during the preliminary round of interviews.  I will create a new blog post with the details on our new AP later this week after the paperwork is complete! 

Our playground has been updated, and continues to undergo improvements. (concrete pad with two basketball goals to be finished in August)

Here are some pictures from this morning! 

New mulch and a border around the playground

The old mulch waiting to be spread and seeded.

Drainage solution includes roofing gravel

Our Title One allocation has been approved.  We will have a SIT meeting for all those who can attend on Wednesday, July 15th from 8:00-10:00.  Our focus will be developing the PD calendar for an "Expeditionary Learning Planing Year."  This meeting is OPEN to all available staff  members, with an agenda that follows;

• 8:00 - Bagels and Coffee 
• 8:15 - Title One memo/allocation
• 8:30 - SIT/SDSA
• 8:45 - Title One Prioritized Plan
• 9:00 - Expeditionary Learning 
• 9:15 - Discussion 
• 9:45 - Action
• 10:00 - Adjournment