AP of the Year, representing Newport Nation…

Carteret County Employees of the Year

Symphony

Daniel Pink (2005) writes:  ”In any symphony, the composer and the conductor have a variety of responsibilities.  They must make sure that the brass horns work in synch with the woodwinds, that the percussion instruments don’t drown out the violas. But perfecting those relationships–important though it is–is not the ultimate goal of their efforts.  What conductors and composers desire–what separates the long remembered from the  quickly forgotten–is the ability to marshal these relationships into a whole whose magnificence exceeds the sum of its parts.”

Our EOG testing process has an ongoing symphonic quality; without a doubt, Su-Lin and Elizabeth are masters of orchestration.  They have marshalled up test administrators, proctors, environments, accommodations, materials, schedules, retests, and results in an efficient, effective and organized manner.

It is artistry to make music of the madness that is EOG testing. Within the last seven school days, we have done Extend2’s in reading for 21 students, extend 2’s in Math for 17 students, EOG’s in reading for 363 students, and EOG’s in math for 364 students.  And we just received a spontaneous arrangement sent at 10:19 last night that sets up for today the first series of Extend2 retests and EOG make-ups for 30 students.

The players tune up their instruments again today for another round of high stakes testing.  We are all the music-makers, following the conductor batons of Su-lin and Elizabeth.

And if our first listen to the testing results that were delivered yesterday afternoon is any indication, this year’s EOG symphony at NES may be some long remembered music to our ears.

Poletti’s 12 Points Of Effective Leadership

Long time, no write?  Definitely.  Trying to bring a large elementary school out of “School in Improvement” status is a time and energy zapper. Now testing begins.  We can do little but watch to see the fruits of our labors.

Actually, I’ve been doing a lot of writing by capturing some of the humorous lighter sides of elementary school life.  Currently, I’ve got sixty-three pages of manuscript on that project.

And on the family side, my oldest daughter will be going to UNC next year, my middle one is heading to the North Carolina School of Science and Math, and my youngest completed a five-sport year as she exits middle school.

As I reflect on this year…and on my various leadership roles over time…I am able to rarify my position of educational leadership.  The work-in-progress goes like this.

1. Forge a vision from your worldview.
2. Ignite it with passion.
3. Without losing aim–use interpersonal skills to share, adapt and evolve that vision.
4. Build consensus to the  point of common cause.
5. Trust and empower others in a participatory and distributed network of ownership.  Recognize and allow them to share their gifts,
6. Become extremely accountable to one another and monitor with vigilance.
7. Connect the dots.
8. Care for those in the organization.
9. Maintain a rigorous and holistic personal fitness regimen.
10. Utilize 21st century tools and systems to communicate and get the work done.
11. Value every minute of organizational time.
12. Value even more every minute of non-organizational time.

The Job, Popular Media, and USAir 1549

My latest at LeaderTalk:

While watching the NFL playoffs, I noticed a new commercial for the Blackberry Curve. The premise is that a high school is run by a shipping company (like FedEx or UPS). A student is absent. The Blackberry call goes out among staff until “the ditcher”, a plump lad stuffing his face with junk food, is quickly discovered ambling along a neighborhood sidewalk. He is effectively corralled into a panel truck and assigned detention.

Would that the school personnel in the commercial were using their smartphones to progress-monitor the student’s up-to-the-minute formative assessments rather than his whereabouts.

While flipping channels, I happened upon “The Principal’s Office” on schlocky TruTV. This show chronicles administrators in high schools as they dole out consequences for discipline.

At first I was intrigued. I evaluated the styles of the featured administrators. Then I recognized the students and parents, not in the physical sense but in the story sense. It seems I have heard every one of their “stories” before.

As the show went on, I grew weary of it. The stories, doling out discipline, trying to correct the paths of those adrift. Confiscating cellphones. The endless stream of excuses and lies. Suspension, detention, even paddling. Interesting at first, but it gets old fast.

Popular media upholds this image of our esteemed profession: a hard-line manager of student discipline and attendance. The high concept and high value stuff of instructional leadership is left unattended.

But let’s face it: instructional leadership is the hardest part of our job. PLCs, lesson study, distributed governance, data-driven decision-making, continuous improvement, and curriculum redesign are easier said than done.

We often come to work with the best intentions of instructional leadership that get quickly shelved by the tyranny of the urgent–which is mostly discipline, mad mama drama, and bus breakdowns.

But I’m confident our little rural school is getting a lot of things right, as evidenced in this recent thoughtful morning e-mail to staff from our principal, Beth Lanning:

A moment of pondering about the US Airways plane ditching in the Hudson River yesterday. I spent a great deal of time last night pondering the heroic efforts of the captain of that plane as he used everything he had ever learned to save 150+ lives. He kept his focus and accomplished a miracle.

BUT, he did not do it alone. His co-pilot was sitting next to him calling out altitudes, air speed, and a million other details to keep the plane leveled and under control. The ground crews worked together as a team to organize rescue in the water and to make land arrangements for those folks that may need medical attention. The flight crew stepped up to the plate to prepare the passengers for a landing in water, to keep them calm and focused, and then took charge to make sure everyone was evaculated from the plane. A massive team effort.

Everyone kept their eyes on the goal and accomplished a (seemingly) impossible task. I am in awe of this whole situation and know full well that this was not an “accident”. This team effort did not just happen. This miracle filled me, once again, with encouragement and belief in what can be accomplished when we share a common focus and believe in the direction we travel together.

Taking a look at the SRI growth scores I saw yesterday from Ms. Florence’s 3rd grade class is just one example of the results of common vision, focus, and teamwork. We are working our own miracle here at NES and I am extremely proud of everyone who has welcomed the opportunity to strive together towards a common mission. .

And so it goes. Lexile growth may be gold to us, but unfortunately it would never make a playoff commercial or a reality TV show.

Joe Poletti, co-pilot
Newport Elementary School
Newport, North Carolina

2008 Year in Review

151M “2008 Year in Review” hits on Google.  After 4 years, still only one Haulin’ Net . . .

February:  Preparing Students to Handle the News

The one common denominator you will find in the reshaping of the news industry is RSS (Really Simple Syndication) or web feeds. Mozilla Firefox, IE7, and a host of feed aggregators give flexible RSS advantages to future-ready news consumers…So, that’s the news in 2008. How well are we preparing students to handle it?

March:   Out on a Limb with CSI

It’s not really too far out on a limb to see computers eventually replacing a few teachers in bricks and mortar schools…Already we have students in labs, media centers, and home environments taking NCVPS and Learn and Earn On-line classes…NCVPS and Learn and Earn are working hard to revamp the on-line learning environment. The worthy goal is to evolve beyond Blackboard and make the learning experience richer and more compelling.

April:  Corporate or Revisionist History

This time last year, I was beginning side conversations with county government to correct the course of our school system’s technology funding. I supplied sufficient data to show how erratic local funding over nearly a decade had created an aging computer inventory in schools…The data allowed Mr. Langdon to arrive at an alternative solution—stabilize funding and buy less expensive computers…So, it was with great intrigue, but little surprise as a new budget year approaches, that I read the print editorial from Mr. D. L. Darden in today’s News-Times (4/18/08).

May:  Perspective

In this month’s School Administrator, I am honored to have published a story about three of West Carteret’s finest students:   Sign Man, Cone Man and Gate Man.

June:  NCVPS Celebrates First Year of  Service

North Carolina’s online virtual public school has just completed its first full year of operation with plenty to celebrate. After its launch in June 2007 by Lt. Gov. Bev Perdue, the State Board of Education and the NC Department of Public Instruction, the North Carolina Virtual Public School has grown from an initial student base of 4,100 to one that is serving more than 17,000 students enrolled in more than 72 courses.

July:  Balancing That Universe

Thank you, West Carteret Patriots, for allowing me to work as part of your administrative team in ‘07-’08. West is a “sequoia-sized” school with a vibrant and diverse set of stakeholders. It enjoys a rich legacy in Carteret County and North Carolina.  It has a soul!

Godspeed, mighty and good Patriots. Until we meet again.

August:  Newport Nation

The Hawk soars Monday.

September:  Monument to Self (published at LeaderTalk)

What is the dream job office? What does it look like?

Usually it is a corner office with a window or two.  Ample room.  Shelves of books that mark eras of educational trends.  Family pictures, triumphant memories.  Nice office furniture.  Perhaps a plant and some objects of art.  A focal wall adorned with degrees, recognitions and other monuments to self.

October:  Loyalty in Absence

We must rejoice that we knew–if even for a moment–
such a relentless visionary, ultra-effective leader,
and ambassador of goodwill.

May Brad Sneeden rest in peace.

December:  Not  My First Rodeo (published at LeaderTalk)

After about a decade of being an instructional technology advocate from central office/state dept/university levels, I’m a year-and-a-half into my new career twist:  school-based leadership.

One thing I bring to the new job focus is the old job skillset.  So, when it was time for our school to write our new school improvement plan…what better way then to leverage some of the tools I’ve learned  along the way?

NES Teacher Working Conditions Survey, Dec. ‘08

The North Carolina Teacher Working Conditions Survey is done every two years. Here are results from June ‘08 for Newport Elementary.

SY08-09 has been a year of significant change at Newport Elementary. Thus, here is an update on the survey from the Newport El staff. On average 52 staff members responded to each part, and we will use the results in our SIP.

School Leadership, Part I (View Results.)

School Leadership, Part II (View Results.)

School Leadership, Part III ( View Results and see two more mission statement options.)

Beliefs about Students (Pick Top 4)

Loyalty in Absence

Superintendent Brad Sneeden

A Noble Man Has Gone to his King

We must rejoice that we knew–if even for a moment–
such a relentless visionary, ultra-effective leader,
and ambassador of goodwill.

May he rest in peace.

Tributes

MOREHEAD CITY – The music of students in the Carteret Honors Band and Carteret County Vocal Ensemble filled Glad Tidings Church in Morehead City Sunday as the community celebrated the life of late school Superintendent Brad Sneeden. (More from the Jacksonville Daily News, 11/24/08)

MOREHEAD CITY – “What this has taught me is not even Superman lives forever. My father might have passed on but his vision doesn’t have to,” said Bradford.  (More from the Carteret News Times, 11/24/08)

Monument to Self

What is the dream job office? What does it look like?

Usually it is a corner office with a window or two.  Ample room.  Shelves of books that mark eras of educational trends.  Family pictures, triumphant memories.  Nice office furniture.  Perhaps a plant and some objects of art.  A focal wall adorned with degrees, recognitions and other monuments to self.

. . . the rest of this entry is at LeaderTalk

And the walls come tumbling down

I have found that it really doesn’t take much for walls to come tumbling down.  In my new job as an administrator of a large elementary school, I have recently watched two physical walls come down.  These walls served valid purposes once, but with new construction completed the walls were simply obstacles in the way of golden opportunities.

With good people on our team, we removed the walls one week prior to the start of school.  The rooms that the walls separated have been reinvented and reinvigorated.

The physical walls may have been the easiest to remove.  But the unseen walls–those that are either imposed upon us or that we impose upon ourselves–can be the most overbearing and stifling.  They are often built up over time and have shaky foundations.  Sometimes they are walls of protection, but they also can prevent growth.

As we create new opportunities for student and staff growth at Newport El this year, Principal Beth Lanning and I are in the business of dropping walls by the power of communication and shared vision.

Slowly but surely we are seeing a golden new beginning rising where the walls of time once stood.