The White House. The National Archive. Arlington National Cemetery. Each of these is a tremendous reminder of the great (and sometimes not so great) history of our nation. But, this week, I was not in Washington, D.C. as a tourist. My first trip to our nation's capital was to attend the National Forum's Schools to Watch Conference.
2017 will go down in history as the year our school was designated as a Schools to Watch school in the state of Michigan (one of roughly twenty schools to achieve this status in our state). The Schools to Watch movement began as a national distinction awarded to schools across the country who focus on the improvement of education for students in the middle. Eventually, it was moved to the state level, where currently seventeen states participate in the process.
Our three year journey began with a self-assessment of where our school saw itself in the areas of Academic Excellence, Developmental Responsiveness, Social Equity, and Organizational Structures and Processes. This evaluation would be the basis for our improvement plan and implementation of programs and strategies that could help us further develop our craft and ensure our students could get the best possible educational experience. In the spring of 2017, visitors from several schools and organizations from around Michigan came to evaluate our schools based on the four pillars of the Schools to Watch rubric. As they walked our hallways, took in our daily teaching practices, and conversed with us about our initiatives, the entirety of our staff could feel a sense of accomplishment. Though we were nervous about our designation, we knew we were showing our review committee exactly what we do on a daily basis for our students.
After a short, yet grueling, period of waiting, we were designated a Michigan Schools to Watch school.
As a reward for our hard work and dedication to this process, our school board was gracious enough to allow most of our middle level team to attend the National Schools to Watch Conference. The conference was an amazing collection of schools at various points in their own Schools to Watch journey. It allowed attendees the opportunity to collaborate with schools from around the country to see programs and initiatives being implemented to improve middle level education. These are my top five takeaways from the National Schools to Watch Conference:
2017 will go down in history as the year our school was designated as a Schools to Watch school in the state of Michigan (one of roughly twenty schools to achieve this status in our state). The Schools to Watch movement began as a national distinction awarded to schools across the country who focus on the improvement of education for students in the middle. Eventually, it was moved to the state level, where currently seventeen states participate in the process.
Our three year journey began with a self-assessment of where our school saw itself in the areas of Academic Excellence, Developmental Responsiveness, Social Equity, and Organizational Structures and Processes. This evaluation would be the basis for our improvement plan and implementation of programs and strategies that could help us further develop our craft and ensure our students could get the best possible educational experience. In the spring of 2017, visitors from several schools and organizations from around Michigan came to evaluate our schools based on the four pillars of the Schools to Watch rubric. As they walked our hallways, took in our daily teaching practices, and conversed with us about our initiatives, the entirety of our staff could feel a sense of accomplishment. Though we were nervous about our designation, we knew we were showing our review committee exactly what we do on a daily basis for our students.
After a short, yet grueling, period of waiting, we were designated a Michigan Schools to Watch school.
As a reward for our hard work and dedication to this process, our school board was gracious enough to allow most of our middle level team to attend the National Schools to Watch Conference. The conference was an amazing collection of schools at various points in their own Schools to Watch journey. It allowed attendees the opportunity to collaborate with schools from around the country to see programs and initiatives being implemented to improve middle level education. These are my top five takeaways from the National Schools to Watch Conference:
1. David DeSanctis: Master Motivator
David DeSanctis is an advocate for ALL children. Through his work with Special Olympics and the Best Buddies program in his home state of Kentucky, DeSanctis delivers the message of, "Let the world see our abilities, not our disabilities." His presentation was uplifting and upbeat, as each segment of his speech included a motivational song and dance. Audience participation was a must, as David (jokingly) threatened to take our coffee away if we did not sing and dance with him. Not lost in all of the excitement was DeSanctis' powerful message: "Life is what you make it." We all can learn from David how to enjoy life and ensure each and every one of our students can, too.
2. Advocacy Meetings on Capital Hill
Throughout the week, attendees were afforded the opportunity to meet with their state representatives with a mission of advocating for education. With the current climate of education, it is important to take advantage of opportunities for educators to meet with their delegation and speak openly about issues being faced in our schools.
Representative Dan Kildee (D-Michigan) and his staff were very welcoming of our group's attendance on Capital Hill. We were welcomed in and provided an opportunity to discuss the Schools to Watch movement, inquire about the current cuts taking place with Title II and after school programs, and to promote the importance of teacher preparation in the advancement of middle level education with Rep. Kildee's staff. Then, we were taken to the Capitol to meet with our representative.
Rep. Kildee was very receptive to our visit. A man who comes from a family of teachers, Kildee asked many questions about our current feelings on what is taking place in our congressional district, what we would like to see happen in future education budget items, and showed a general interest in our efforts to reshape schools in America. I truly appreciated the chance to talk with Rep. Kildee about the Schools to Watch initiative and share my passion for learning with him.
Representative Dan Kildee (D-Michigan) and his staff were very welcoming of our group's attendance on Capital Hill. We were welcomed in and provided an opportunity to discuss the Schools to Watch movement, inquire about the current cuts taking place with Title II and after school programs, and to promote the importance of teacher preparation in the advancement of middle level education with Rep. Kildee's staff. Then, we were taken to the Capitol to meet with our representative.
Rep. Kildee was very receptive to our visit. A man who comes from a family of teachers, Kildee asked many questions about our current feelings on what is taking place in our congressional district, what we would like to see happen in future education budget items, and showed a general interest in our efforts to reshape schools in America. I truly appreciated the chance to talk with Rep. Kildee about the Schools to Watch initiative and share my passion for learning with him.
3. Breakout Sessions
In order to build a culture of learning within our nation's schools, we need to allow for teachers to learn from one another. We need to be able to visit one another and see each other's successes. Only through collaboration can we truly change ourselves. The National Schools to Watch Conference is all about learning from each other.
Throughout Friday and Saturday I was able to attend several amazing sessions with wonderful and motivated teachers and administrators who have an outstanding vision of what means to be a School to Watch. With Andrew Pickerill and the team from Garrard Middle School in Lancaster, KY I learned some incredible ways to increase and promote student voice throughout our school. Allyson Harder, Heidi Newenhouse, and Heather Stauffer brought to me several different ways to develop a more inclusive school where every student feels they have purpose and meaning. I learned how to be more innovative and creative and provide greater critical thinking skills with the great staff from Rocky Heights Middle School in Highlands Ranch, CO. Jay Padula and the crew from Rowan County Middle School in Morehead, KY showed the importance of teaching students the skills to be considered employable. And, what might have been my favorite presentation of the weekend, Carol Brooks and Susan McAbee from Palmetto Middle School in Williamston, SC filled my tool box with their passion filled All-You-Can Implement Buffet session. This collection of resources will be extremely valuable as I continue to mold and change my classroom to best fit the students who join my classroom each year. I am truly honored to have been in company with such extraordinary educators and their wisdom is greatly appreciated.
Throughout Friday and Saturday I was able to attend several amazing sessions with wonderful and motivated teachers and administrators who have an outstanding vision of what means to be a School to Watch. With Andrew Pickerill and the team from Garrard Middle School in Lancaster, KY I learned some incredible ways to increase and promote student voice throughout our school. Allyson Harder, Heidi Newenhouse, and Heather Stauffer brought to me several different ways to develop a more inclusive school where every student feels they have purpose and meaning. I learned how to be more innovative and creative and provide greater critical thinking skills with the great staff from Rocky Heights Middle School in Highlands Ranch, CO. Jay Padula and the crew from Rowan County Middle School in Morehead, KY showed the importance of teaching students the skills to be considered employable. And, what might have been my favorite presentation of the weekend, Carol Brooks and Susan McAbee from Palmetto Middle School in Williamston, SC filled my tool box with their passion filled All-You-Can Implement Buffet session. This collection of resources will be extremely valuable as I continue to mold and change my classroom to best fit the students who join my classroom each year. I am truly honored to have been in company with such extraordinary educators and their wisdom is greatly appreciated.
4. The Gala
One quote I often see as I scroll across Twitter states, "Love yourself and be proud of everything that you do." I do not know who this quote comes from, but it is very fitting of the atmosphere during the designation gala dinner and awards ceremony. During the gala, new designees were on the forefront as all 52 schools were ushered onto stage, presented with their beautifully crafted award, and stood for pictures. My favorite part of the evening was the video compilation that gave everyone in the room a brief glimpse into the world of each school's journey to earning their designation. It was truly an emotional experience for me to see all of the practices these schools were putting in place and know I was part of a truly special group of educators. It was a night I will hold with me for a long time.
5. Redesignation and Our Future as a Schools to Watch School
This event allowed me the opportunity to reflect on the progress we have made as a middle school. Our principal said it best when she described our school as a "fractured community" when we started this process. Our school was a collection of different strategies and practices with very little communication and group inclusion. But, honestly, after this weekend I realize we are on the path to success. Hearing the positive stories and the beginnings of other schools made me realize we are on the right path. Even when it feels like we are veering off, we have a group of teachers and administrators whose focus is truly on making this the best middle level experience we possibly can. Can we sustain this reform and be redesignated a second, third, or fourth time? Only time will tell. My hope is that we can continue this growth as a school. We have been recognized as a School to Watch, but remaining stagnant is not an option. We must keep a growth mindset and recognize the fact that we are only on the path to success. We are nowhere close to our ultimate goal. We have the tools, now we need to use them.
Education is in need of a change. To every teacher, administrator, board member, state level advocate, and anyone associated with Schools to Watch, I thank you for making this change a priority. Without a guiding light at the end of the tunnel, we would have no clear direction to make the vital shift. I appreciate and welcome the responsibility that comes with the Schools to Watch distinction. It is an honor to be associated with this effort. I look forward to the next, of many, steps in our school's journey and I cannot wait to see where our students go from here. To all on their path to designation, keep your head up and remember why you got into this process. It may be difficult and frustrating at times, but I assure you the pay off is most definitely worth it.