Is it autumn yet?

I know the students and the teachers all enjoy summer. It is a chance for renewal, relaxation, and rest. As the end of July nears, and the temperatures continue to stay at triple digits, I can't help but wish that autumn would hurry up and arrive. I am tired of the heat, but more importantly I am tired of the quietness of the school. I can spend my summer planning for the return of my teachers, and all of their professional development needs....I can work on renewing the school with fresh paint and new wax on the floors....I can work on district committees preparing curriculum and instruction to prepare our students for the new STAAR test, and I can do countless other things that I am suppose to do in the summer, but....the reason I went into education was to inspire and motivate young adults into becoming more than what they currently think they are capable of being. I wanted to work with students to help them reach their full potential at the same time teaching them that they are all a part of something greater than themselves. So, I miss my students. I miss their laughter, their happy faces, and the hugs, high-fives, and "knuckles." I miss watching their faces light up when they get the right answer, hearing their thought processes, and watching them conduct a science experience. I miss watching them play football, playing in the band, or singing in the choir. I miss them, and I am eager for their return. So, I pose the question---is it autumn yet? I am ready for a school filled with children and some cooler weather! :o)

TAKS Testing----Again

Today marks the 3rd round of TAKS testing for DMS. Our 6th and 7th graders are taking the TAKS math test as I write this. I know they are prepared---my teachers have done a great job of teaching them the skills they need to be successful. High stakes testing is stressful on all involved, and I know the students want to do well. So, I am sending them positive thoughts and keeping my fingers crossed that they all get commended! :o)

Parent Support

A parent recently asked me what they could do to support their student in middle school. It is a question that I am asked on a daily basis. The middle years are difficult sometimes because as children turn into teenagers, their focus shifts from "wanting to please mom and dad" to "wanting to fit in and please their friends." Teens become more social and more aware of their peers and how they "fit in" the social network of school. As I ponder how parents can best support their child, then the best answer I can give is to use every opportunity as a teachable moment. It is so easy for us as parents to want our children to excel at everything, be the best, have a lot of friends, and always make the right decision. However, the reality is that there is always going to be someone better, smarter, or more popular. Kids are kids--they make mistakes. We have to teach them how to learn from those mistakes, and the first lesson is a lesson in personal responsibility. Students have to learn how to make good choices, and if we don't hold them accountable for the wrong choices, then how do we get them to see what the right choice is? It is so much easier to move past the teachable moments by blaming some other kid, blowing it off as "not that big of a deal," or simply ignoring it. Being a parent isn't easy, but we have to be parents. We can not simply sit by and allow society or the school to raise our children for us. So, my advice to parents on how best to support their child---hold your student accountable for all of their choices--good or bad. Celebrate when they make the right choice, and hold them accountable when they make the wrong choice and remember that a little bit of patience goes a long way! :o)

Blue Skies

I went outside a few minutes ago to go buy lunch. I stepped out of the building, and I was engulfed in the warmth of this beautiful spring day. There is nothing more beautiful than the blue skies of Texas in spring. I just wanted to stay outside the rest of the day and enjoy the sunshine, but school beckoned me back inside. It dawned on me that the kids probably have "cabin fever" as well. They are wanting to go outside as much as I am---they are wanting to bask in the sun as much as I do. As Summer quickly approaches, the kids become more and more anxious for school to be done (I think some of the adults do as well.) It is always a challenge to navigate these last 5-6 weeks because we want the kids to be focused on the learning that will prepare them for next year, but we are all looking outside at the blue skies. I will be talking with teachers over the next few weeks about having some lessons under the trees. The more we embrace this gorgeous Texas weather and the desire to be outside, the easier it will be on everyone---if only I can figure out a way to move my office outside! :o) So, as the song goes..."blue skies are shining on me--nothing but blue skies do I see!" Enjoy your weekend and if you live in Austin, Texas--enjoy the blue skies! :o)

Happy TAKS testing

Today, my 8th graders are taking the Math TAKS test. I was a little worried about them taking a test on a Monday, but this morning when I saw them, they were eager and ready. Many of them told me, "Don't worry---I've got this." I know our students are ready, and I will be excited to get back our scores in a few weeks. Tomorrow, the 8th graders take TAKS reading---and I know they will just do just as well. We have to keep the momentum going and the confidence soaring for our students as we reach for Exemplary! :o)

Spring renewal

It has been awhile since I have updated my blog. I have been under so much stress that my muse has abandoned me until I get the cortisol in my system under control. As a middle school principal, I am constantly amazed by how much stress one person can endure before he/she finally falls apart. Texas schools are being put to the test by our state when it comes to funding. I have been saying for years that public education is in trouble when it comes to public perception, and now it has come to fruition. For the past 6 months, I have been to countless meetings to discuss the school budget and the impact the budget deficit is going to have on our district. It has been a roller coaster---positive news one minute, and then not so positive news the next. If the budget reductions simply affected me, then I think I could handle the stress. But as an empathic person, I have carried the stress of my staff as they worry whether or not they will even have a job next year. I have heard their personal stories, seen their tears, and watch them as they struggle to comprehend how state leaders can put so little faith into the one institution that guarantees our students' future. Public education is not perfect, and it should constantly strive to continuously improve to meet the needs of its students; however, to cut funding to the one thing that guarantees hope for our youth is not only heartbreaking, it is unethical and immoral. I am saddened everytime I watch the news, and I hear our state leaders blame others for the budgetary problems of our state. True leadership is taking responsibility for all that goes wrong, and giving the glory to others when things go right. So, as my stomach aches, my weight increases, my joints hurt, and my head spins from the unbelieavble amount of stress from dealing with impending budget cuts, upcoming state accountability tests, and trying to schedule classes with less teachers and resources, I look for my muse to return to guide me in writing my blog as a way of stress reduction. With the weather turning beautiful as we move into Texas spring time, I will find the time for renewal. There is nothing more beautiful than springtime in Texas with skies of blue that mirror fields of blue with the bluebonets. I am hoping that the beauty of Texas reminds our state leaders that to preserve this beautiful state, we need to continue to invest in its future---we need to fully fund education with the schools that our children deserve.

What are they thinking?

I have tried to stay away from all the discussion about budget cuts in my blog, but today, I have to write about the state of Texas and their infinite wisdom to cut public education $10 billion dollars. What are they thinking?