Dr. Pollio shared in his weekly email to principals that we all need to 'sprint to the finish.' This is all part of finishing strong -- meaning we are coming in ready for students, prepared with engaging lessons and a positive mindset. I'm so proud of our team and we are growing and getting better each day. It takes every single one of us doing our best work each day to make it happen. Our moral imperative is to guarantee each student in our building at least a year's worth of academic growth, a safe environment, a response when they are not able to meet benchmarks, and enrichment activities to enhance their learning and create authentic experiences.
Demanding A Culture of Excellence
Every year we discuss achievement, but mostly behavior and our kids and their parents and...and...and...
It's time to take inventory within ourselves and examine our beliefs, practices, and influence.
Administrators across the district have recently participated in a book study of Tyrone Howard's Black Male(d): Peril and Promise in the Education of African American Males. The book discusses the quantitative statistics of Black Males in the United States education system in reference to high drop out rates, low graduation rates, and low enrollment in post secondary education. It also provided qualitative accounts of how Black males experience school and institutional racism that is often a large part of their experience. With institutional racism, it may not always be overt --it is often veiled in low expectations and undertones that remind students of what they are not supposed to be able to do.
Below are a few quotes from the book that I would like us all to ponder throughout this week and measure these against our practices.
"One in eight Black men in their 20s and 30s were behind bars in 2010 and Department of Justice statisticians project that based on current demographics one in every three Black men can expect to spend time in prison, on probation, or on parole during his lifetime" (p. 11).
"Rosenthal and Jacobson's (1968) work was among the first extensive studies to suggest that teacher expectations may influence the academic performance of school-age children. This practice, known as the Pygmalion effect, is cited as one of the reasons that many Black students in general, and Black males in particular, are disengaged from schools" (p. 25).
"The Justice Policy Institute estimates that over this 24 year period [1980-2004], for every one African American male who entered a college or university, three entered jail or prison" (p. 50).
"Even today, such staggering numbers paint a sobering reality that suggests that a young AA male who started kindergarten in the fall of 2013 has a better chance 12 years later of finding himself under the supervision of the penal system or being incarcerated than enrolling in a college or university" (p. 50).
The point is, we are professionals and it is up to all of us to demand a culture of excellence that begins with the expectations we set and hold ourselves and others accountable to reach.
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Our organization number is FH385
This week:
Monday PLCs -- MTSSTuesday FM -- Quality Work Protocol (writing pieces)
Running Records due December 19th
Learning Checks - Wednesday/Thursday
End of grading period 12/21
Blog readers -- Tell me who's room this is and I will buy your first beverage at the party Friday -- first 5 people to respond are winners! Notice the posted learning targets in a dedicated space.
