Monday, May 23

Today was devoted to gifted and talented program review focus groups. An external consultant spent the day with me.

 

Board Office:

• Responded to a parent's e-mail about a student focus group
• E-mailed two high school teachers about scheduling for next year
• Invited two high school teachers to host demo lessons
• Sent an e-mail about purchasing new textbooks.
• Responded to a teacher's e-mail about AP World History.
• Met the consultant

 

Middle School:

• Conducted two focus groups – one with 7^th graders and one with 8^th graders. They went very well with amazing students providing interesting insights into the REACH program.

 

Intermediate School:

• Conducted a focus group with 5^th and 6^th graders. Here again the students were fantastic, open, and informative.

 

Board Office:

• Debriefed a bit with the consultant and reviewed the National Association for Gifted Children's standards.
• Attended a short supervisors' meeting regarding some logistical changes in the office.
• Conducted three separate focus groups with administrators, elementary REACH teachers, and intermediate/middle REACH teachers.

 

All of the focus groups went really well and I think we made excellent progress in our program review.

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Friday, May 20

On Thursday, May 19, I was out of the district attending a meeting of the state social studies supervisors' association. We had a very productive meeting with some good work on creative performance assessment ideas for next year. I also ran to be a regional director of the organization. Results of voting should be available next week.

 

High School:

• Reviewed video from another district about the performance assessment they do.
• Responded to an e-mail from an elementary principal about the REACH trip.
• Conducted interviews with four candidates for the high school opening.

 

Board Office:

• Took care of some odds and ends.

 

Elementary School:

• Participated in a lunch for the retiring elementary REACH teacher.

 

Board Office:

• Sent final information regarding REACH student focus groups to the principals.
• Sent the weekly social studies update.
• Sent an e-mail to an elementary principal about my gifted and talented program review visit to his school.
• Sent log-in information for the Congressional Medal of Honor web site to a teacher who requested it.
• Met with the Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction in advance of a meeting with a teacher and his union representative.
• Spoke on the phone to the middle school principal about Monday's focus group.
• Met with the Director of Special Services to discuss a candidate.

Wednesday, May 18

Board Office:

• Spoke with an intermediate school vice principal about the REACH student focus groups for next week.
• Read up on some recent research.
• Called the Philadelphia Museum of Art and then sent out final reminders about the REACH trips there to all teachers and principals involved.
• Reviewed applications for the high school position.
• Spoke with a high school vice principal about a candidate.
• Responded to a parent e-mail about a summer course.
• Responded to a parent question about the REACH student focus groups.
• Sent an e-mail regarding sample AP Economics books.
• Reviewed submitted finals.
• Sent an e-mail regarding lesson plan expectations to a high school teacher.
• Prepared for Friday's interviews.
• Contacted a former student about participating in the REACH focus groups.
• Put important dates from the 2011-12 calendar into Outlook.
• Worked on department scheduling for 2011-12.
• Spoke with our gifted and talented program review consultant about the plan for next week.

Tuesday, May 17

High School:

• Conducted interviews with candidates for the high school opening
• Spoke with a teacher about a project she is trying to do for Memorial Day

 

Elementary School:

• Hosted the gifted and talented program review forum. The teachers at this particular elementary school are notorious for their lack of professionalism and general disarray. I definitely saw that today.
• Rescheduled an interview for someone who could not attend the requested time.
• Finalized the Community Partnership Network meeting.
• Responded to an e-mail from a high school teacher about scheduling
• Responding to an e-mail from a guidance counselor about AP Psychology
• E-mailed the intermediate school vice principal about gifted and talented focus group
• Sent an e-mail to a guidance counselor about a summer course question from a parent

 

High School:

• Conducted interviews with candidates for the high school opening
• Spoke with the Supervisor of Nursing about the interview process

Monday, May 16

High School:

• Conducted interviews with candidates for the high school opening
• Responded to an invitation to join the ASCD Emerging Leaders class of 2011. More information at end.

 

Elementary School:

• Conducted the annual performance review with a REACH teacher
• Conducted the gifted and talented program review visit
• Asked my secretary to follow up on the backordered video camera
• Worked on summer assignments for posting on the district web site
• Did some research on interactive whiteboards

 

High School:

• Spoke to the Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum & Instruction about scheduling a Community Partnership Network meeting for gifted and talented
• Conducted interviews with candidates for the high school opening

 

Board Office:

• Met with the Assistant Superintendent about a few things

 

Congratulations! ASCD is pleased to inform you of your selection as an ASCD Emerging Leader. You have been selected from a large and extremely qualified pool of applicants because of your commitment to learning, teaching, and leading.

ASCD is committed to engaging a diverse community and to building capacity to improve learning, teaching, and leadership. In the Association's quest to build capacity, we have designed the Emerging Leaders Program to prepare younger diverse educators for potential influence and ASCD leadership. This leadership program will equip you to advance in ASCD positions; to strengthen ASCD's voice for influencing policy and practice; to become involved in ASCD governance; and to explore multiple pathways toward ASCD leadership.

The Emerging Leaders program of activities begins at the 2011 ASCD Leader to Leader (L2L) Conference, July 21-23, 2011, at the Westfields Marriott in Chantilly, VA, just miles from the Washington Dulles International Airport outside Washington D.C.  The Leader to Leader Conference is a unique opportunity to connect with other ASCD leaders and ASCD through networking, skill building, and content sharing. As an incoming member of the Emerging Leader class of 2011, you are entitled to waived registration for this event.  Registration includes housing at the Westfields Marriott for the nights of Thursday, July 21 and Friday, July 22, and all conference meals, events, and materials. We are eager to know whether you will be able to join us in Chantilly. Please notify us whether you are attending by e-mailing constituentservices@ascd.org by May 30.

Friday, May 13

High School:

• Met with a teacher about the potential for teaching AP Economics
• E-mailed our gifted and talented consultant with changes to the focus group schedule
• Provided some AP World History resources to a high school teacher
• Sent the Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum & Instruction an e-mail about curriculum writing postings

 

Board Office:

• Spoke on the phone with a high school teacher about AP World History resources
• Sent an e-mail to a high school student assistance counselor about hosting graduate level Holocaust classes in the district next year
• Read up on some research

 

Elementary School:

• Conducted annual performance review with a REACH teacher

 

Board Office:

• Approved summer assignment for AP Economics
• Responded to an elementary principal about chaperoning the Philadelphia Museum of Art trip for REACH
• Sent an e-mail to a high school teacher about teaching in class resource sections next year
• Spoke with the Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum & Instruction about courses
• Sent more information to student assistance counselor about courses

 

Intermediate School:

• Conducted the gifted and talented program review visit
• Sent an e-mail about next week's program review visits
• Worked on scheduling at the high school
• Coordinated room reservations for gifted and talented program review focus groups
• Sent the social studies weekly update
• Responded to an e-mail from a teacher about his annual performance review

 

High School:

• Met with the Director of Guidance about AP courses and scheduling
• Conducted an interview with a candidate for the high school opening
• Sent out scheduling invitations for gifted and talented program review

Thursday, May 12

Board Office:

• Sent e-mail to elementary school about gifted and talented program review visit
• Updated the annual for an elementary teacher at the request of a principal
• Reviewed applications
• Reviewed potential REACH resources suggested by the new teacher
• Responded to a teacher's e-mail about her schedule for next year and an order request
• Submitted the social studies awards information to guidance
• Attended a 6.5 hour supervisors' meeting. It was really productive and some very important topics were discussed: grading policies, PD for the summer and next year, new technology initiatives, etc.
• Sent an e-mail to the high school principal requesting time to meet to further discuss scheduling.
• Met with assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction to discuss the gifted and talented program review, hiring process, and AP courses.
• E-mailed two high school teachers with information related to AP courses.

Wednesday, May 11

High School:

• Reviewed lesson plans
• Sent an e-mail to a teacher about lesson plans who said she could not do them because of neck pain
• Reviewed applications and sent additional interview invites
• Found a resource that an elementary teacher requested
• Sent e-mail about sponsoring a candidates' night to high school teacher
• Followed up with a text book publisher about our needs for next year
• Responded to an e-mail from a teacher about scheduling of electives
• Reviewed information about free graduate courses about the Holocaust that will be offered in district next year
• Addressed some areas of the Philadelphia trip
• Spoke with a teacher about her assignment for next year
• Sat in a kitchen (which was not where I was supposed to be) for the gifted and talented forum
• Approved the ordering of some materials requested by a teacher
• Worked on the schedule for next year
• Informally spoke with a teacher about a range of issues
• Corresponded with an elementary school principal who is also a REACH parent about the Philadelphia trip
• Spoke with a candidate for the open position to schedule an interview
• Met with the last high school teacher for an annual performance review
• Reviewed materials sent to me by the AP Econ teacher for summer assignments

 

Board Office:

• Spoke with the intermediate school secretary about my visit on Friday
• Wrote the final two annuals for elementary REACH teachers
• Prepared for my first interview on Friday
• RSVPd to the invitation to attend the robotics team dinner

Tuesday, May 10

Board Office:

• Spoke with the math supervisor about an issue she was dealing with
• Followed up on an e-mail with the parent regarding a REACH placement
• Reviewed applications for the high school position
• Attended the supervisors' PLC meeting
• Sent out additional information to the high school staff about senior awards
• Spoke to the principal of an elementary school in another district to get permission for two of our teachers to go there to observe their "Colonial Day" event.

 

High School:

• Met with a teacher to discuss the planning of AP Economics
• Met with a teacher who wanted to express her concerns about not running AP World History
• Met with a teacher to discuss scheduling
• Worked on 2011-12 teacher schedules

Friday, May 6

Board Office:

• Prepared to start focus groups for the gifted and talented program review
• Prepared agendas for Monday's department meetings at the middle and high schools
• Sent an e-mail to a high school teacher about PLC assignments for 2011-12
• Spoke with the middle school principal about a teacher transfer and the g/t focus groups
• Responded to the president of the state supervisors' association who asked for people who might be interested in leadership roles within the organization
• Sent information out to the high school department about senior awards
• Responded to an e-mail from a high school student assistance counselor about a diversity conference
• Responded to an e-mail from a high school teacher regarding summer assignments
• Sent out a request for summer assignment files to all AP teachers
• Sent e-mails to next week's g/t visit schools
• Drafted a memo to supplement Monday's department meeting at the high school

 

Elementary School:

• Sat in the faculty lunch room to offer a venue for people to share thoughts about g/t. Two people shared quite a bit, mostly from their perspectives as parents of gifted students in the district.
• Updated the summer assignment for Three Cups of Tea based on feedback from a high school teacher.
• Did some research on the National Assessment of Educational Progress in civics.
• Responded to an e-mail from a high school teaching candidate.
• Conducted the annual performance review for the school's REACH teacher.

 

Board Office:

• Spoke to our g/t consultant about the focus groups
• Scheduled annuals for elementary teachers
• Sent out the weekly social studies update
• Sent some information to the middle school principal about gifted girls based on a question he asked
• Wrote annuals for two REACH teachers
• Sent out an update about the REACH trip to Philadelphia Museum of Art based on some questions raised by teachers.

Thursday, May 5

High School:

• Followed up with a high school teacher about a presentation at Monday's department meeting.
• Spoke with a high school teacher on the phone regarding AP courses.
• Spoke with the supervisor of special education about in class resource teachers.
• Conducted annuals with two teachers who received "improvement needed" evaluations. They went okay. Later in the day, unprompted, other administrators confirmed these two teachers' weaknesses, which was very validating.
• Spoke with the intermediate school principal about music openings for which I recommended two candidates.
• Met with the high school principal to discuss 2011-12 scheduling and the hiring process.

 

Board Office:

• Responded to an e-mail from an elementary school principal about a job opening.
• E-mailed information to the high school department about senior awards.

 

High School:

• Met with a teacher about elective numbers.
• Met with a teacher about her presentation to the department on Monday.
• Conducted an annual evaluation.
• Reviewed applications for the high school position – we are up to 67 applicants after 24 hours since posting it on the web site.
• E-mailed my counterparts in two nearby districts about candidates.
• Replied to an e-mail from a high school teacher about the opening.
• Met with the teacher who requested the transfer to the middle school to confirm that we would be able to accommodate the request.

 

Board Office:

• Met with the assistant superintendent to discuss the gifted and talented program review.

Wednesday, May 4

Board Office:

• Spoke to the high school principal about a teacher's transfer request.
• Sent a message to another school district about sending a few of our teachers there to observe a Colonial Day event.
• Began playing with course section numbers based on the student requests for next year.
• Spoke with the high school AP Psychology teacher about numbers in that course and whether it was necessary to hire another teacher with a psychology certification.

 

Elementary School:

• Conducted annual performance review with a REACH teacher.
• Sat in the faculty cafeteria during all lunches to provide a forum for discussion of issues related to gifted and talented services in the district.

 

Board Office:

• Sent a message to the director of guidance regarding her request for senior award recipients.
• Sent e-mails related to scheduling to a couple high school teachers.
• Added professional days to online absence system.
• Sent an e-mail to a high school teacher regarding his PLC assignment for next year.
• Reviewed applicants for the high school position that was created by transferring a teacher to the middle school.
• Responded to an invitation to attend a dinner for the high school debate team.
• Sent an e-mail to a high school teacher about AP Economics summer institute options.

Tuesday, May 3

I was out on Monday due to a personal day.

 

High School:

• Got there very early (by my new standards) to set up a breakfast for the teachers in honors of Teacher Appreciation Week.
• Responded to a REACH parent e-mail.
• Followed up on a few quick e-mails.
• Revised a teacher's annual evaluation based on new information he submitted.
• Reviewed a draft form of our grant application web site.
• Drafted a PDP goal for a teacher and sent it to her.
• Responded to an e-mail about planning a lunch for our retiring elementary REACH teacher.
• Signed off on an independent study request for next year.
• Conducted annuals throughout the day for three people.
• Spoke with the science supervisor about a potential social studies applicant.
• Revised the summer reading assignment for Three Cups of Tea.
• Reviewed lesson plans with a focus on grade 10.
• Sat in on two interviews for REACH senior internships.
• Reviewed applications for the middle school social studies opening.

 

Board Office:

• Edited the high school teachers' monthly reports.
• Sent an e-mail to a high school teacher regarding a phone issue she raised in her monthly report.
• Put professional days into the computer attendance system now that they were approved by the Board. I will be taking an entire week in July to attend the premier gifted education conference in the country.
• Read a few short legal briefs about end-of-year administrative responsibilities related to observations and annual performance reviews.
• Skimmed the initial course counts for the high school. From this document, I will need to craft a schedule for high school teachers.

Friday, April 29

Board Office:

• Respond to e-mail from Rutgers confirming its approval of our local cohort of the Gifted Education Graduate Certificate program for January-December 2012
• Respond to questions from the person who will be the next REACH teacher
• Respond to a parent question about REACH
• Update a teacher's annual based on information submitted
• Sent a series of e-mail reminders regarding annuals for elementary REACH teachers
• Respond to a question about text books from a special education supervisor
• Get permission from Rutgers to personalize one of their flyers to our program. Once I received permission, I had to figure out a way to trick the computer to let me edit a PDF file. It worked!
• Sent the social studies weekly update
• Reviewed the National Association for Gifted Children programming standards
• Crafted and distributed an e-mail about my gifted and talented program review school visits
• Confirmed transportation for our three REACH trips to Philadelphia Museum of Art
• Began putting together annuals for the elementary REACH teachers
• Completed registration to participate in three school law webinars
• Sent an e-mail to our gifted and talented program review consultant
• Responded to a very upset parent about gifted and talented placements and some larger concerns about the school district
• Reviewed applications for the middle school social studies position