Get back to what is important

I am mired in reports and tasks. So many things that are dictated to be done that I can see an end. I realized this morning that I had gotten so far afield of what I do this for that I left my office and went to classrooms. I saw teachers doing great things and kids engaged in their work. I had to smile and was re-energized for a while.

Tell her that its human nature

I probably won't go see the Michael Jackson movie. It is just sad to hear "Human Nature" and remember how great his music was and how innocent he was. It was so long ago and he was even older than me but I will remember him with his brothers in the Jackson 5. I was young, it was easier to enjoy the music without knowing what would become of him.
I probably won't see the movie.

The Test is Here

The school has fully undertaken the NECAP test today. Kids are actively engaged in the test and you could hear a pin drop. It is too quiet in the building.
Life in the modern school includes this accountability measure, ours in NH is the NECAP test. Is this a measurement for the school and the children or is it a clearer picture of our society as a whole? Are kids coming to school ready to engage in their learning? How do they know to do so? Are parents supportive of the school and its practice? This question is answered in how students engage in the test.
Take out those students with specific learning issues. They are going to struggle with standardized tests and have struggled forever. But those who do not have learning issues, their level of engagement is partially due to the messages they get in the home. It is partially due to who students are as individuals. It is partially due to the nature of tests. It is partially the school and its presentation.
Will we solve the engagement issue at school? I have no idea.

Rainy Saturday

How about Sunday with the NFL on instead of Saturday with youth soccer games and end of year barbecues? Can somebody get control of the weather please?

Frost

I am not the person who wishes for colder weather but I may welcome a little frost tonight. Other than slowing the growth of my grass, I will be glad to have the frost take care of these mosquitos. EEE has been a concern for too long and it will be great for kids to go outside in the afternoon with no fear. I usually love September but this year it has been a cautious infatuation.

Communication Breakdown

In the day and age of multiple communication methods, how do we guarantee we stay in touch? Funny question huh? You can text me, email me, tweet me, check me out on my Facebook, call me on one of my cellphones, or even call me at the office. The problem seems to be that with all the options, no one does it the same way. You have to keep an inventory of the specific methods of communication for specific people. This is my latest challenge.

Friday On My Mind

Why is it that my whole mood changes with the prospect of the weekend? I do love the kids and teachers in my school and have fun with much of what I do here at RJH. But the prospect of the weekend and not working always brightens my Friday. Would I work if I didn't have to? Probably not.

Derek Jeter

Living in NE it is tough being a Yankee fan. It has gotten harder over the last few years. But after the last couple of days, I know one thing for sure. Derek Jeter is a throwback to a day gone by. He is professional, hard worker and great player. I am glad he is on my team.

Ted Kennedy

Sitting here watching Ted Kennedy's funeral makes me realize that no matter what you accomplish it comes back to family and the lessons you can teach your kids just by doing. Teaching is through doing not saying. I have to remember that,

Around the Corner

Here we are just around the corner from the first day of school. Looking at the weather for the next few days, I take solace. Cooler weather does not have students hoping for another day at the beach. September is the toughest month to go to school as we remember the glorious days of summer and see 70 degree weather. Can we find some time to hold on?

Summer Over?

So the question right now is when are you going back to school? When I reply, the standard answer is that "summer is over!" It is almost said with glee.
I have never had a traditional 9-5 job. Since I was a 5 year old, I have had more flexibility in the summer than the 9-5ers. As an administrator, I spend a good deal of the summer in the office doing the behind the scenes work to get school ready to start. It is quiet (except our building project this summer) and very productive. I enjoy the summer because a great deal gets done. I miss the kids being here at school but it as everyone has said, they will be back soon.
For me, summer isn't over. I have much left to do here at school before everything will be ready. But I will still find time to hit the beach and the course. I just have to stop listening to the gleeful comments...

Kids at the Beach

So we went for a bike ride to the beach. After the obligatory complaining from the nine year old for the 1.8 mile ride, we arrived at the beach as the tide was coming in. Armed with no toys or sand castle equipment, we commenced riding some waves, fighting the shrimp, throwing rocks (playing fetch), and just plain having a great day. The 1.8 miles back to the car to rack the bikes was not nearly as bad as the nine year old envisioned.

Quest for youth

So I started my day yesterday by doing a little run. Nothing crazy but a couple miles. Pruning trees in the front yard followed by a bike ride and a little tennis with my family (or should I say tennis ball retrieval). Cap it off with hitting golf balls with the kids at 7:00 pm and it was an early bedtime. I am sore today and feeling all the years I have been on this planet.

Rain

When was it that a day of clouds and light rain qualified as a Good Day? We have to tolerate bad weather or is it that we are making the best of it? The other day it was sunny and I actually thought it was too bright! I feel a bit like the groundhog in February coming out of my winter quarters.

Day at the course

Embarking on my first 18 holes since Myrtle Beach, I was not sure what to expect from my game. The morning was overcast but the sun was about to come out when I birdied the first hole. A good start. A ball in the woods and a bogey on the second hole followed by a double bogey on the third and the the feeling of rust was clearly there. Playing the next three holes in even par, I played the seventh hoping to make something happen. I took advice from President Leonard and went for the green in two on the par five. The resulting eagle made the day worthwhile. It also gave me the momentum to play the rest of the way two under par and shoot a 70. Maybe I should take 5 weeks off from 18 holes, who knows what I would shoot?

Talking with Eighth Graders

I have endeavored to meet with all the eighth graders before the end of the year. I am soliciting their opinions about everything from how to make the school better to what their hopes and dreams are for the future. They say the darndest things. It is encouraging to hear what they aspire to do and how things could be better. My hope is that I will get real information that is useful and to validate their thoughts about the world around them. They truly are big fish in a small pond and are ready to move on to the world of high school and all its trappings; independence, challenges, and new friends. I am glad I finally have a chance to do this.

Fresh Air

After two days of rain and limited time outside, I need some fresh air. I cannot imagine living my life without time outside. I need to get outside and breath in the fresh air. Can somebody stop the rain?
Just venting, thanks.

Relax

Stress. We all deal with it. I think it is really about the threshold that people have for what life throws at them. Different things lead people to get overwhelmed in their life but I would venture that it is of their own making. Kids, jobs, and relationships are challenging parts of our life and yet quite often, we put ourselves in that position as a parent, employee, and spouse in the first place. Life is of our own making and we are to make the most of it. At least that is what I think.

Working with your hands

I spent a couple of hours yesterday with my son spreading bark mulch. Actually, he managed the back of the truck while I wheeled wheelbarrow fulls of mulch around the yard and spread it in our flower beds. Cool for him and therapy for me.

When you do a job that is mostly interpersonal and somewhat sedentary, the opportunity to work with your hands and get dirty is refreshing. I can't say I do enough of it. Mind you, shoveling snow fits into this category but I had more than enough of that this year and I need therapy after this winter.

With a weekend of yard work ahead, I should be in a good mental state. My physical state may be a different situation.

Watching Your Child Perform

A wonderful 9 year old pitcher took the mound on Monday. Dressed in his "Rockies" uniform he confidently warmed up and was ready to pitch his one inning of relief in a hotly contested match up against the Cardinals. Starting with a strikeout, he quickly fell behind the next hitter and when he walked him, the nerves showed through. Another walk and some frustration brought his coach (and father) to the mound. "Remember you leg kick and slow yourself down" were the words of wisdom from Dad. The inning continued with a couple of infield hits and a couple of runs given up and the 9 year old was deflated. "No worries" said his coach, "This was your first time pitching against live hitting. You did well." Oh the pressure of being perfect! This 9 year old had to be perfect for himself and everyone watching.
It is hard and wonderful to be a parent watching your children perform whether it be on the field, stage or wherever. You want to take the difficulty out the situation and make it go well for them, but you can't. The effort put into the performance makes it worthwhile. The challenge for parents is to not live vicariously through their child's experiences and allow them to struggle through these performances.
The next time on the mound that 9 year old struck out three and walked one without the dad/coach there. No living vicariously on this occasion. There might be a lesson in that too.