Speed Bump Vs. Roadblock

Get ready! I am excited and my school transformation geek button has been pushed and I am going IN on this post! Get ready...Get ready...GET READY!!!

Friday, November 4 I attended the NCStar Training.  This software will be used to create our School Improvement Plan and communicate our progress with parents, the community and NCDPI.  If you want to learn more please click here.

This is one of the good things happening in our state that actually makes sense and ties everything (MTSS, SIP, Low Performing School Plans, etc) into one system.  I will also let you know that although we have to participate in this program because of our Low performing school status, all of Cumberland County School will be using it because it makes sense.

Anyway, during our training a slide was shared that I thought EVERYONE of us needs to see.  The information shared the Roadblocks to School Improvement.

Roadblocks to School Improvement
  A Desire to Please
  Personal Comfort
  Fear of the Unknown
  Passive Culture – No Sense of Urgency
 Waiting for the Right Moment
  School is Too Close to Home 

These roadblocks came from a book by Jennifer Abrams’  entitled Having Hard Conversations

And Guess What?? All of these roadblocks are because of the adults in our buildings.  The what? THE ADULTS!!!!

Desire to Please:

We don't make the right decisions for kids and their growth because we want please their parents/ school board/etc.

Personal Comfort:

We don't do the activities or plan effectively because we aren't comfortable of doing something different or exchanging our FB Time for planning.

Fear of the Unknown:

We do not want to try something new because we are afraid that it won't work or that we will not have control or our students will struggle...

Passive Culture- No Sense of Urgency

Excuses...Excuses...Excuses... I will just show a movie because the kids deserve it and I will get to that lesson when I get a chance.  I can begin the interactive notebooks after Thanksgiving.  I can show up late, leave early, take off a day because I can make it up later.   All kids at TCEA MUST show a year's growth OR our work has been in vain.  End of story.

Waiting For The Right Moment

 There is never a right moment.  This hits me hard.  I usually like to wait and have difficult conversations when the time is right but there is not time to wait for that moment.  I have to have these conversation ASAP.  If not, how can I expect positive change at TCEA to happen.

School Is Too Close To Home

 This one is not applicable to most of us BUT I believe because we are friends with some parents we avoid doing and saying things that need to be done/said because we are afraid of what will be said/done when we see these people out in the community.

Ouch! I hope you could see one of these roadblocks at TCEA because they are here!  I admit that I am guilty of a few.  The first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem.  

So, where do we go from here?  We move forward with the understanding that these roadblocks need to be destroyed and although we will struggle these roadblocks can not be the norm at TCEA.  They might still exists in pockets, at our school, but we will have to drive over these speed bumps and continue to progress.  Our kids deserve no less.  We work too hard to deserve less than this.

Which of these roadblocks do you see (or are a part of) and what are you going to do to move forward for our students' success?

Hope you are having a wonderful weekend and see everyone back at school tomorrow!

Angela

Week of November 7-11, 2016

Monday, November 7

• Author Visit 10:30 and 11:30 in Music Room (classes going will have an email from Hill confirming everything)
• IS Planning in Cafe at 3:30

Tuesday, November 8

• PLCs
• 5th, 6th, 7th: 8:30-9:30
• K: 10-11
• 1st/2nd: 12-1
• 3rd/4th: 1-2
• EC/ Support Staff: 2-2:45
• Drama/CSP/SEL IS Presentation - Block 2 at 2:00 PM

Wednesday, November 9

• Progress Monitor Red TRC/DIBELS Students
• Music/Visual Arts IS Presentation - Block 2 at 2:00 PM

Thursday, November 10

• Progress Monitor Red TRC/DIBELS Students
• ILC Mtg in Hamlet (Hill out 7:30-2:00)
• 3rd Grade Field Trip To Fascinate You 9:30-11
• Dance/Media Arts IS Presentation - Block 2 at 2 PM
• Integration Studio & Curriculum Night K-2nd 6-7 PM (All K-2 Staff Must Attend) *
• Integration Studio Night 3rd-7th 7:15-8:15 (All 3rd-7th Staff Must Attend) *

*All staff members need to attend a session.  If you are not a grade level teacher or Arts Staff, please email me and let me know which session you plan on attending.

Friday, November 11

• No School! Veteran's Day
• IS Lesson Plan Due