Alt Ed Week October 17, 2011

Dear Colleagues – Welcome to week two, October 17^th, the second entry on my weekly blog project. Thank you for the feedback. Good ideas and thoughts for improvement on the new venue from many of you! This week brings the start of Session Two (Orange Session?) at New Start and staff meetings for all at both sites. First though, my Bravo Zulus for you this week…  

Bravo Zulu!

I have a few New Blog BZs.  Bravo Zulu to Dolly Knuth, again, for being the first to post a comment on the new blog! Dolly your technical adventurism and commitment to mass communication are model. Then, another BZ…to MY DAD(?), for being the first official follower here. Thanks Dad, but I have to give the truly intended “First Follower” BZ to Dindria Barrow. You, Dindria, are first staff (and so far only) staff to be an official follower of Alt Ed Weekly. Bravo Zulu!

Though only two followers picked up this week, I know many of you have been looking at the blog. There were over 90+ page views this week. I'm open to ideas on getting followers. Thank you if took some time to take a look last week.

The group Bravo Zulu goes to all who played many roles in another successful administration of the PSAT. Thank you. This was a big deal last week and many of us had to go above and beyond to make this happen. For example, BZ to Mica Wegener who swooped in to take control of our front office at New Start (not her normal job), or BZ to Jackie Miller, who well managed a potentially hazardous student incident that occurred during testing, causing no interruptions to our PSAT! In the classroom at CHOICE, I must share, one huge-antenna sized BZ goes to George Wheeler for constructing the most audacious satellite tracking contraption in his classroom! Kids love this stuff!  Don’t hit your head in Mr. Wheeler’s class.

Instructionally Speaking...

In reviewing annual goals with my supervisor this week I had the chance to articulate some of my beliefs about instruction. I believe the best instruction has an inspirational element to it. That can be a color, a person, a picture, some music, sailing on Puget Sound, or even a god-awkwardly sized boom satellite receiver in your classroom. What inspires you?

This year, I have intentionally been working to be visible and present during morning arrival at both sites. I must say, “Arrival” is quite inspiring to me every morning. Watching the spectrum of kids from running, to practically crawling into school, good mornings and mixed tired or excited faces are the best. Happy parents, almost gleefully dropping off their kids for the day, wave and speed out of the parking lot.  Our fashionistas push the dress code boundaries, and hairstyles still seem new every time, even when you thought it’s all been done. I am inspired that every student I see in a very few minutes at the start of each day is coming to school…coming to our house…and with definite Purpose! It is observable. They are moving (swiftly or not) in one concentrated direction…to school.

It makes me feel like there’s something in your classroom that has their attention.  I know there’s something that “has them”. Something in your classroom inspires our kids to show up every day. Please share with me this week what you think that is…what have we built, what do we do, that makes students come to school, and keep them coming every day?

Here is a few of our students in the Avanza project who completed a Totem Pole out at Waskowitz this summer. That’s cool. That’s pretty inspiring.

Most of you have seen the news coverage we received last week when New Start students took to Puget Sound with our friends at the SS Adventuress. Here is the link to view: KING 5 Video: Teens Set Sail  



PCT This week ADVISORY
The next couple of Professional Collaborative times offer good professional development.

This Friday (Oct 21) our esteemed counselor, Andrea Love, will conduct an all-staff Advisory PCT laying out our advisory planning for the year, touching on Navigation 101 and some additional focus to our Graduating Seniors. There have been changes in the “Who Walks” policy we all need to be aware of and should talk about. Unless you are at the PBIS conference in Yakima, I’ll be seeing you at New Start in the Math Room (Mr. Alexander’s classroom) on the 21^st. 12:30 start!

Also, heads up for the next week PCT. Only New Start staff need attend. Stephanie Forman, our ELL Facilitator, will be discussing our ELL work this year. That’s Friday, Oct 28. More on Stephanie’s PCT next week.   

 The Week Ahead…

New Start starts session two on Monday, and Staff Meetings for October are at the center of this week. On Tuesday, I want to acknowledge Katy Stone and Kay Greenberg will be attending District Literacy Frameworks training at HHS. And, happy trails to Jennifer Browning and Dolly Knuth, both representing Alternative Programs PBIS in Yakima at the regional PBIS Coaches Conference. Good learning for all of us is sure to come from your willingness to get out there. Thank you for keeping yourselves professionally developed!  Here is my schedule for the week…

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
New Start/CHOICE	New Start/CHOICE	New Start	CHOICE	New Start
Oct 17	Oct 18	Oct 19	Oct 20	Oct 21
Morning Meetings In Classrooms Pre-Evaluation Meetings ALE Meeting at PSSC District PBIS Meeting	Planning Time Observation Conf. Call District Principal Meeting SIP Planning w/Ms. Starkey	SharePoint Club Host visitor Lee R. to New Start AP Meeting PBIS Meeting Monitor Visit to SWYFS New Start Staff Meeting	In Classrooms CHOICE Staff Meeting SIP Planning w/Mrs. Greenberg	PBIS Team Meeting Becca Update Meeting Pre-Evaluation Meetings PCT: Advisory @ New Start Weekly w/Ms. Love

Thank you all so much for what you do in our programs for our kids. I know we get tired in all of our business sometimes, but it is our work and dedication that results in fine schools and programs for the students and families in our district. Keep it up!

See you at staff meetings this week! Make it a good week! - Mike