Nov 01

From the Desk of the Superintendent- November 2019

Did everybody survive Halloween? As I made my way through schools yesterday, there might have been just a little bit of excitement! Today unfortunately, there will probably be a fair amount of sugar highs!!!

I want to begin this message with some reference to our October board meeting. Every October, the Board holds their organizational meeting where committees are filled and most importantly, the board chair and vice chair are chosen. I’m very pleased that both Judy Lane (Board Chair) and Bob Spitzig (Vice Chair) have been re-elected or acclaimed back into these positions. Like previous board chairs and vice chairs I’ve had the pleasure to work with, Judy and Bob make a great governance team and will provide excellent consistency for new senior leadership beginning in January. For more information on the public meeting, please review the monthly Board Meeting Briefs.

We had some great conversations around continuous improvement plans with school and system education leaders in mid-October. While accountability always tends to focus on simply “the numbers”, assurance listens to the data story. Sometimes, context is everything and learning about the stories behind the numbers is far more important than the numbers in isolation. The honesty of our administrators is so valued and appreciated.

October has been a busy month for me visiting schools and working with our school administrators on their instructional leadership practice as part of their own new standard. These new standards for teachers, school and system leaders are the bedrock for conversations and reflective questions. Getting into schools and working with our leaders is still a highlight of my work. I’ll continue that work throughout the remainder of my time in Holy Spirit.

The biggest news coming out of October, was the announcement of the provincial budget. Even with some “transitional funding”, the elimination of class size funding, classroom improvement funding and the school fee reduction grant hit all school divisions across Alberta hard. For us, when you include the operating reserves that the board was already prepared to access, to balance the spring budget, the shortfall in funding is $1.6 million dollars. To be blunt, that amount will require some staff reductions and some reorganization. However, the board has decided that making any staffing reductions or reorganizations during this school year is not prudent. I’m extremely proud that the board has gone this way as it will not cause any disruptions mid-year. They will cover the shortfall with operating reserves and have asked me to find all possible efficiencies this coming year. This is important because using that amount of surplus dollars to balance the budget, leaves less than $1 million in operating reserves. Knowing that education funding will be static for the next three years, that amount of surplus is not sustainable and tough decisions will need to be made. While I know everybody’s reality around retirement is different, I’m hopeful that the voluntary retirement option for all staff is highly considered this year and reductions next year are through attrition and not termination. Never a message that I want to deliver but most know that I’m pretty transparent in my leadership and would rather let you know than make you guess.

November is a busy month for board members and superintendent(s) as the annual general meetings of the Alberta Catholic School Trustees Association (ACSTA) and the Alberta School Boards’ Association (ASBA) are held. When you add in the Catholic superintendents meeting that occurs just prior to these two events, it is a long time spent in Edmonton. Both Ken and I will also in Edmonton next week as part of Team Lethbridge. But, I will be back in time and looking forward to our division wide day with Dr. Jody Carrington. Given all the negative talk in the media, Jody will remind us about the importance of the work we do, something that seems to be often lost in the public today.

While it may be difficult, keep your head held high, be proud of what you do and always place your trust in God!

 

Oct 22

Saying goodbye at ERDI!

Last week, I attended my last Education Research Development and Innovation (ERDI) conference as a current superintendent. Since it was my last conference, I was recognized as a retiring education partner. As part of the recognition, I was given the opportunity for me to address the delegates, which began the start of my goodbye speeches in my transition to retirement. While I won’t bore you with the entire speech, I want to highlight what I believe are some essential messages for both corporate and education partners.

CORPORATE PARTNERS:

“Thanks to all of the corporate partners here tonight and those from previous conferences. I’ve had the pleasure of sitting on many of your panels. I really don’t fully understand the education partner selection process but I always felt blessed that whether I was chosen specifically for a panel or I was in the “he’s the only one left” group, to be part of your panels. But I especially want to thank the corporate partners who have recognized that there is a bigger world than just any province, that education does happen south of Calgary and that small divisions can be quick to respond, sometimes more flexible and highly innovative and creative. As you move forward with ERDI, please don’t forget the impact that a small rurban division can make to your own company. I’ve always believed that the corporate and education world could co-exist and learn from one another and ERDI is a shining example of that synergy. We learn together not for profit margin or education domination but simply because it is the right thing to do.” 

EDUCATION PARTNERS:

“A long time ago, a retiring superintendent said, “It’s lonely at the top.” I didn’t quite understand that until I became a superintendent over 10 years ago. Even with the very best people who you surround yourself with, there is no one in your organization who fully understands your role as Director or Superintendent. And so twice a year, I get to glean on the expertise of some of the finest educational leaders in Canada and I would say likely the world. I get to rub shoulders with colleagues who understand the role that I live regardless of the size of the division and that is both comforting and motivating. I know we have opportunities to experience that provincially, but seldom is it just only directors and/or superintendents… We continue to lead education systems that people anywhere else outside of Canada could only wish to have systems like ours in their countries. And we don’t stop, because as professionals we all believe in continuous improvement. Our moral imperative is so strong because we know that ALL students but especially our most marginalized need to be at the core of every decision we make. How can I, from the small city of Lethbridge not be motivated when I’m surrounded by the greatness of all those in this room.”

It was truly a gift to be involved with ERDI since 2013, not simply because of my own learning but for the advantages provided to the staff and students of Holy Spirit. Education is not typically dissimilar throughout the nation, and sometimes a common issue is solved by looking through a different lens or a corporate solution.  Business and education do and should mix because the lessons of leadership and change management are far more common than not. When the people in the room are in it for the sole benefit of student learning… you can’t lose!   

 

Oct 13

Standards and professional growth

In 1997, the Ministerial Order, Teaching Quality Standard Applicable to the Provision of Basic Education in Alberta was signed. It provided a standard with descriptors of the knowledge, skills and attributes related to teachers who were new to the profession (i.e. Interim Certification) and those who held a permanent certificate. A new policy derived from that Ministerial Order was the Teacher Growth, Supervision and Evaluation Policy. The most notable shift coming from this policy, was the end of cyclical teacher evaluations and the introduction of Teacher Professional Growth Plans and a requirement for more robust supervision of instruction.

In the policy, an evaluation of a teacher could only be conducted under the following guidelines:

  1. Upon written request of the teacher;
  2. For purposes of gathering information related to a specific employment decision;
  3. For purposes of assessing the growth of the teacher in specific areas of practice;
  4. When, on the basis of information received through supervision, the principal has reason to believe that the teaching of the teacher may not meet the teaching quality standard.

The ongoing supervision of teachers was a fundamental component of the new policy in order to:

  1. Provide support and guidance to teachers;
  2. Observe and receive information from any source about the quality of teaching a teacher provides to students; and
  3. Identify the behaviours or practices of a teacher that for any reason may require an evaluation.

Finally, the Teacher Professional Growth Plan  was a plan developed by a teacher, which outlined the teacher’s proposed professional development activities to enhance his or her teaching practice. The full summary of policy requirements are:

  1. Each teacher employed under a probationary or continuing contract is responsible for completing an annual professional growth plan.
  2. The plan is submitted for review or approval to the principal or group of teachers delegated by the principal.
  3. The plan may be a component of a long-term, multi-year plan or may be fulfilled by mentoring a teacher or supervising a student teacher.
  4. Each teacher will meet annually with the principal or delegated group of teachers to review the plan and in consultation decide whether the teacher has completed an annual growth plan that reflects the following requirements:
    • the teacher’s self-assessment of learning needs
    • the Teaching Quality Standard
    • consideration of the educational plans of the school, system and government. (NOTE: This bullet was adjusted later in provincial negotiations to provide more autonomy to individual teachers)

I was a principal back in 1997, and when this new policy came in, I was quite happy with the elimination of cyclical evaluations, as I believed then and still do, that intentional instructional leadership is a superior strategy to improving pedagogy.  Unfortunately, I didn’t see growth plans as anything more than a checklist and compliant activity. And the idea that a teacher’s growth plan was to reflect the teaching standard was somehow lost in the translation for not only myself but for many teachers. Partly because of my own arrogance and my lack of maturity about the importance of professional growth, I fostered the belief that growth plans were simply compliant and checklist activities with my teaching staff. Sadly, as I continue to teach graduate level courses, I have learned that many of my teacher students, continue to share that same belief.

Sometime later, I had an epiphany and realized that part of the very definition of a professional was a desire for continuous improvement. This started my journey to recognize the importance of growth plans and over the last 10 years in the role of Superintendent of Schools, I’ve made this a high priority in my leadership. I meet with my senior leaders and all of my principals three times a year to review their growth plans. It is time consuming but I believe that in role modeling the practice with my own leaders, the uptake at the school level will be far greater. As important is the connection I foster with my leaders and the ability to support their own learning. While it is sometimes difficult for them to delineate their growth plans from their work plans, I push them hard to think about their own professional leadership. No matter where you are in your career, growth and improvement must always be a focus. Even as I get close to wrapping up my own nearly 35 year career in education, I realize not only my own need for continual growth but how much I still need to learn. Lifelong learning is life long!

Alberta Education has been a leader in updating a very dated teaching quality standard and also in creating both a leadership quality and superintendent leadership quality standard. In September 2019, these new professional standards, Teaching Quality Standard, Leadership Quality Standard and Superintendent Leadership Quality Standard became the law. The implementation of these new professional standards has the potential to positively impact educational practice more than anything mandated to date, if growth and continuous improvement are seen as non-negotiable. Teachers, school and system leaders must first align their growth plans with these standards! Your growth areas, cannot go outside of the standards you are to be held to and the plans must be highly intentional and goal driven. Superintendents and principals cannot afford to accept “laissez-faire” growth plans and teachers cannot continue to believe that these plans are only compliant and checklist activities!

We now have standards that have some teeth in them and are written with much clearer language and observable indicators. Principals as instructional leaders, can now more easily engage in supervision practices that focus on established growth areas. A pre-conference question might be, “What are the indicators within your competency growth area, that you would like me to observe?” While a post-conference question might be, “What was some evidence from your teaching that demonstrated you meeting that competency?” I cannot stress enough the importance of these conversations and the opportunity to ask reflective questions. Professional growth may be individual but it is not up for negotiations. With new standards in place and a strong focus on growth, leadership quality, teaching quality and most importantly optimum student learning will be enhanced.

Oct 02

Focusing on the competencies

The following blog post was published in the Lethbridge Herald on October 02, 2019.

Last Thursday, Holy Spirit began the first of three division wide collaboration days. While most professional learning days have keynote presentations and work in similar interest groups, these days will focus on student competencies and will be cross grade and interdisciplinary. Student competencies are not necessarily new, as they were initiated back in 2013 with a Ministerial Order on Student Learning, but the need to focus on them is becoming increasingly important. 

With a few rewrites during the last couple of years, the competencies that students need to be highly engaged in are as follows: (1) Critical Thinking, (2) Collaboration, (3) Communication, (4) Managing Information, (5) Personal Growth and Well-Being, (6) Problem Solving, (7) Cultural and Global Citizenship, and (8) Creativity and Innovation. When we look at what a student needs in order to be successful in adulthood, whether attending post secondary or not, it is the development of these competencies that sets one apart. Note, memorization and regurgitation are not competencies required! 

None of the above competencies are subject or grade specific and that is why our teachers and support staff gathered in non-homogeneous groups. In other words, there is an opportunity to teach and role model the various competencies throughout the school day, no matter what one’s professional position or the grade level with which they work.  Competencies are just common sense and given that common sense is not overly abundant in today’s world, what better place to develop them than in our schools.  

Just as we tend to parent as we were parented, we often teach like we were taught and learn as we learned. Our collaborative days in Holy Spirit are allowing our staff to wrestle with the competencies themselves in order to more fully bring them to life in their schools and classrooms. A focus on student competencies does not undermine the importance of foundational skills in literacy and numeracy, but rather enhances them. For example, in her new book, “Limitless Mind,” Stanford professor Jo Boaler writes about the benefits of collaboration. She says,

“An important change takes place when students work together and discover that everybody finds some or all of the work difficult. This is a critical moment for students, and one that helps them know that for everyone learning is a process and that obstacles are common. Another reason that students’ learning pathways change is because they receive an opportunity to connect ideas. Connecting with another person’s idea both requires and develops a higher level of understanding. When students work together (learning math, science, languages, English— anything), they get opportunities to make connections between ideas, which is inherently valuable for them.” 

We are all students and, just as this research suggests, the opportunity to collaborate and specifically focus on student competencies will benefit not only ourselves but the students in our schools and classrooms. This continued shift in practice will only improve the experience of our students and enhance their success in their adult lives! 

Oct 01

From the Desk of the Superintendent- October 2019

Well, that was quite the way to end September!!! We’ve closed all schools in the division three times in my days as superintendent, but this was certainly the earliest. It is not easy coordinating closures given that we cooperate with our neighbouring school divisions and the City of Lethbridge on busing but I was extremely pleased at their responsiveness to make a decision early so that we could do the same. The closures kept our Communications Coordinator, Anisha Gatner pretty busy and gave us a chance to utilize our new School Messenger software. All in all, I would say the communications going out were excellent and a big thank you to Anisha for that!

I never imagined once the beginning of this school year arrived, how many times I would be asked, “Are you counting down the days?” In the beginning, I was either a little annoyed or insulted but, I’ve come to realize, that is a logical question once an announcement of retirement is made. The simple answer is no, but I think it requires a little more context as everybody knows the excitement I have with the thoughts about being around our grandchildren more often and ultimately seeing them at the drop of a hat. Counting days until my retirement means to me that I’ve lost the passion for what I do and really don’t have anything left to contribute. While I need to be the judge of the first (passion), the division community needs to be able to weigh in on the second.  It would sadden me greatly if at the conclusion of my tenure as Superintendent of Schools, the rumbling in the community was that I should have retired earlier because my “best before date” had expired. Holy Spirit has been extremely good to me and as such, YOU deserve nothing but my very best until the day of my retirement.

September has come and gone in as usual…record time! We had some blips in our enrolment projections around the division. That can be understandable given our “rurban” configuration and also the diversity within Lethbridge. We grew a little less than 1% from last year’s numbers but unfortunately didn’t meet our enrolment projects of about 1.5%. While that doesn’t seem significant, it equates to about a quarter of a million dollars in lost revenues. This is cause for concern given that our board has consistently dipped into reserves to balance their budgets and maintain supports for students. Spending today’s dollars on today’s students has always been a priority of this board but the accumulated operating surplus that has been our saving grace in past years is close to drying up. With a new funding framework being implemented for 2020-21, I am hopeful that school divisions with a regional context and those who do not hoard money in reserves are recognized for their fiscal stewardship. The provincial budget is to be tabled on October 24th and it is out of control and so, as I communicated in my opening address, let’s just keep moving forward on things within our own sphere of influence.

One of the items within our own sphere is around professional learning. I’m so pleased with the initial outcomes of our first collaborative day. I think the opportunity for staff to gather in non-homogeneous groupings and focus on student competencies throughout K-12 rather than grade or subject specific lends itself so well to the reasons we collaborate. In my upcoming article for the Lethbridge Herald, I quote the following from author of Limitless Minds, Jo Boaler,

“An important change takes place when students work together and discover that everybody finds some or all of the work difficult. This is a critical moment for students, and one that helps them know that for everyone learning is a process and that obstacles are common.

Another reason that students’ learning pathways change is because they receive an opportunity to connect ideas. Connecting with another person’s idea both requires and develops a higher level of understanding. When students work together (learning math, science, languages, English— anything), they get opportunities to make connections between ideas, which is inherently valuable for them.”

My contention is that we are all students and the opportunity provided in these three days can have a great impact not only ourselves but the students we have in our schools and classrooms. Our new Director of Learning, Carmen Larsen and our two Learning Coaches, Louise Knodel and Dianne Brodie were instrumental in organizing this first day and my gratitude is extended to all those who volunteered to facilitate the various sessions. During that same time a group of our staff were involved in professional development on traditional games to support the learning of Indigenous language. I was able to pop in and witness some very engaged staff participating in beneficial professional learning as we continue to keep First Nations, Metis and Inuit learning as a priority. Our Division Principal, Annette BruisedHead organized this excellent opportunity as part of the Mioohpokoiksi Indigenous Language in Education Project Grant.

The September board meeting was a lengthy package and was highlighted by presentations from Director of Religious Education, Joann Bartley, who spoke on our new 3-Year Faith Plan and Director of Learning, Carmen Larsen who presented on our Collaborative Days. This was incoming Superintendent of Schools, Ken Sampson’s first board meeting. One of my comments during the board meeting was an affirmation of this board in allowing senior administration and ultimately school leaders to be “free” to be innovative and creative in their practice. This was well illustrated in the visit with the Minister of Education and the touring of St. Francis School and would have been similar in any of the schools in our division. While this approach by our board to be supportive of creativity and innovation should be seen as routine, it is not always the case and it is a gift I have experienced throughout my tenure as Superintendent of Schools. For more information on the September Board Meeting check out Board Meeting Briefs here.

I’m hoping that we will still have some fall weather even though winter hit hard this past weekend. Many of our administrators are heading to Red Deer at the end of this week for the 2nd annual Marked by God conference and so, hoping road conditions are good. The southern Alberta Bishop’s Dinner is scheduled for October 11th, on the eve of the Thanksgiving long weekend. Principal growth plans and continuous improvement plan reviews will also occur in October. I’ll be continuing with my school instructional visits and I head to my last Education Research Development and Innovation conference this month too! It is the norm for all in the world of education; a busy September runs into an equally busy October.

Keep warm, keep healthy, and may God continue to bless you in this most important work you do!

Sep 23

Adult Relationships with Students Matter

September is quickly coming to a close, and teachers have been busy assessing students’ current knowledge to personalize instruction in order to go deep into the curriculum. But the first part of any school year or the teaching of a new course must have a focus on fostering effective relationships with students. While connecting is important for all students, it is essential to those students who have or are experiencing trauma in their life. Unfortunately, the percentage of students in schools who have adverse childhood experiences is increasing dramatically. In the recent article, “Why Schools Should Be Organized to Prioritize Relationships” author Katrina Schwartz writes about the importance of strong relationships with students and how they can mitigate some of the negatives caused by trauma.

In every school, every student needs to have a “go to” person. And while that is most often the teacher, it can be anybody in the school (or the bus) and that is why I’ve titled this blog post, Adult Relationships Matter to Students.” I was reminded of that importance through a story of a custodian in one of our buildings. She was that “go to” person for a little girl who just happened to come to school a little earlier than other children. There was no family situation or trauma, just a little girl who was dropped off at the school and who bonded with a custodian because she took the time and gave attention. Years later, that same little girl, now grown invited that custodian to her baby shower. Adult relationships with students really do matter and what may seem to be almost trivial (like crafting) can mean so much to a child.

We all have the responsibility to make a child/student feel valued and cared for and most times it just requires a little bit of time and attention. In my role as Superintendent of Schools, I don’t have the same opportunities to engage with students that I did when I was a teacher, principal or coach. But I’m fortunate through children of staff members or families that I know better to be able spend time and pay attention with them. Whether I see them in the hallways of the school, in the mall or they just come in with their parents because they know I have chocolate in my office, I recognize the importance of the adult relationship with students.

While we can never minimize the importance of academic goals in schools, they can never supersede the critical nature of relationships. For kids, whether experiencing adverse childhood experiences or not, that connection with an adult in the school is crucial. When we know that a strong adult relationship can prime learning, then we need to ensure that relationship building is always a priority!

Aug 30

From the Desk of the Superintendent- Opening Address 2019

Good morning,

Before I give my opening comments, I would like to take the opportunity to introduce the leaders of our employment groups: President of the local ATA, John Templin, President of CUPE 1825, Joanne Lavkulich and representing CUPE 290, Geoff Court. Thank you for your service to not only your respective organizations but to Holy Spirit Catholic School Division as a whole. 

Welcome to the 2019-20 school year. It is always such an honor to be able to address our entire community especially on this day when we begin with our opening mass, a pillar for us in Catholic Education. My sincere thanks to the staff at St. Teresa of Calcutta and all those who have contributed to this day- whether custodian or maintenance, tech or food services, music ministry or any other behind the scenes support. Thank you to Bishop McGrattan, our clergy, deacons and all who served today. And I especially want to thank Joann Bartley who continues to do all the right things to ensure that faith is at the forefront of all that we do here in Holy Spirit. 

I’m excited about this new year and not because my new year is only 4 months long. It is the same excitement that I’ve felt every new school year since I began in the education world in 1985. It is the fresh start, the new beginnings, changes, challenges and possibilities that cause that excitement and anticipation. 

This year we begin our new 3-Year Faith Plan  Making our Mark: Journey of an Intentional Disciple. To me, it is the word intentional that causes me to be most reflective. I’ve come to learn that I can do a number of things in my life, check off a bunch of items on a list in the hopes of doing something better but without intentionality, there is little chance for improvement. Simply hoping or going through the motions or maintaining the status quo doesn’t result in an improvement. Being intentional, having a purpose and maintaining a focus are the only ways to truly improve. This statement is not just for our personal or social or emotional life, it is also for our spiritual life. No matter your religious affiliation, if you want to be more Christ like, you need to be more intentional about being Christ like. And in a Catholic system, that is our call…to be Christ like, to create Christ-centred learning environments, to see the face of Christ in our colleagues, in our students, in our parents, in our community and that takes intentionality. Last year we began and were far more successful at being intentional in our social justice projects. We began to ask ourselves how we were unique and different as a Catholic School System and how someone might be able to tell we were a faith organization. Now that same intentionality falls on us. Our call to action this year as we begin this journey is to, “Be Mindful of God’s Presence! Be Prayerful!”  

Our world has adopted the mentality that until you see something you won’t believe it. Being mindful of God is quite the opposite. It suggests that “When you believe in God, you will feel His presence, His touch and His love.” Be mindful of God’s presence in your own life and share the glory of that presence with your students, colleagues and community.

Our second call to action is to be prayerful. Matthew Kelly says this about prayer: “Nothing will change a person’s life like really learning how to pray. It is one of life’s most powerful lessons.” And so I ask you to be intentional about your prayer life. Practice it in private and in public, in your classrooms, your schools, your homes and your church. Be a model to all those you interact with on a daily basis. 

Now, did I mention that my school year only last 4 months and those four months will not be without challenge. We don’t have a budget and won’t have one until at the earliest mid-October and the government is making decisions on the future of education and of course on the curriculum. My message will be the same that you’ve heard for years regardless of who has been in power…stay the course. We are still committed to improving literacy and numeracy, still have a priority for equitable educational outcomes for our First Nations, Metis and Inuit students and we will always focus on effective leadership, quality teaching and optimum student learning. Don’t let things beyond our control impact what we can and should do. 

I’ve been blessed to be Superintendent of Schools since June 2009 and that has been what I’ve always seen happen. Staffs rally around, support each other and ensure high quality Catholic education is offered day in and day out. No matter your position in the division, always answer the call to do what is right and what should be done. Don’t ever lose that passion and that hunger. 

I’m extremely proud of the Board of Trustees’ choice of Ken Sampson as the incoming superintendent. He is a compassionate man and an excellent Catholic leader. He has the ability to step into this already strong division and make it even better. It is strong because of you and it will also continue to improve because of you… the people in these seats! These next four months will pass quickly but I will work diligently to make the transition smooth and seamless. The Board of Trustees deserves my very best in these next four months and so do all of you. 

As this will be my last official school opening address, I want to thank you for making my tenure as superintendent most rewarding. I won’t be counting down the days because I love this job too much. Instead, I’ll be breathing in all of the moments, reflecting on the experiences and remembering the many friendships I have made here in Holy Spirit.  

May God bless you in your work this year and thank you for everything! 

Aug 25

Thinking about 1st Year Teachers

Each year, I get an opportunity to meet our brand new teachers and provide them with some thoughts and hopefully helpful hints going into their first year of teaching. This year will be a little different as: (1) With my impending retirement, this will be my last official address to 1st year teachers as Superintendent of Schools and (2) My daughter who graduated from education in 2016 and has been a full-time mom since, begins her own teaching career this year. Given that, I’m hoping to provide some advice to not only my own daughter but to all those beginning this wonderful vocation we call teaching.

Priorities- I have extremely high expectations for myself and for all of my staff in terms of workload, but not at the expense of hijacking priorities. My message to new teachers and to all staff as a whole is to keep priorities in the right order as much as you can. Faith, family and then the job are the three most important priorities and the order provided, counts. As a Catholic Superintendent, faith is essential in finding the balance required especially for busy people. Faith might translate to prayer or mindfulness or some other form that acknowledges there is a higher power and forms a belief that our lives are not fully complete without it. I don’t begrudge those who don’t have that sense of faith, it is just what I believe has provided me with my grounding all these years. Regardless, family has to be your next (or first) priority. Great teachers and leaders will always spend considerable hours away from one’s family- that’s just part of the job, although many outside of the education world only see holidays and in school time. But you cannot become so consumed with your teaching assignment that you forget to spend quality time with your family. Just as they are your support, you must also be their support. They need you too and feeling guilty that you’re not there enough is not good for you, them or the “kiddos” in your classroom. It takes time to find the right flow that allows you to ensure family first and there will always be times in the school year that your priorities get mixed up, but seek to readjust when you are out of balance. I have found in my experience that those who can keep their priorities in the correct order, always give the very best to their students.
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Relationships- What are the 3 Rs? Relationships! Relationships! Relationships! Students need to know that their teachers care for them. Parents/Guardian need to know the same. You cannot establish a supportive learning environment without building strong relationships with your students and their caregivers. And it will always begin by getting to know them, what they like and their strengths before you ever delve into what they can’t do or struggle with! I grew up in the teacher preparation era that said, “Don’t smile until at least Christmas or they won’t respect you!” Really? Let’s start with “Be Kind!” Let’s continue with “Be Compassionate!” I would never ask a teacher to become a friend to a student- you are the adult and that is a line one must never cross. But be approachable and show that you care and the relationships you have with the students and parents/guardians will certainly be enhanced.

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It’s okay to make mistakes- Oh, how we always want to get it right but that is not how learning occurs. Please don’t beat yourself up when things don’t go right. Learn from those mistakes, reflect and move on. Seek support from a colleague or your administration if your errors in judgment are weighing you down. But remember to not let the fear of making a mistake paralyze you into never trying anything new. You are practicing your craft as a teacher just like a professional and it never starts at excellent! Be patient with yourself and your mistakes and be persistent in learning from them.

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Know that you are making a difference- It always saddens me when I hear disparaging remarks about teachers. Everybody seems to believe they are an expert about teaching because they went to school. The fact is, that most of the public would never be able to do what you do in your classroom and let me be even more honest, most would never survive a day! You may be the only significant adult in the life of a student in your class. You might provide the only positive interaction that a student has on a daily basis. You may not even or ever know the change you’ve made with just one simple comment or gesture. Parents send their children to you… what a great honor and what a great responsibility. Feel privileged for that honor and accept that responsibility, knowing that you will make a difference in the life of a child today!

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You will have some really difficult days ahead and you will also have days that are just about magical. Try not to get lost in the highs and lows but rather just breath in the experience of this first year. Know that you are a teacher and be proud that you have chosen this most worthy vocation!

Jul 24

Don’t forget about numeracy!

How many times have we heard a person say, “I don’t do math” or “I’m not good at math” and walk away honestly believing those are acceptable statements? Would we look differently at an individual who made similar statements that involved reading or writing? We are generally pretty quick to judge those with poor literacy skills but those with poor numeracy skills are far more accepted because you know, “I’m just not good at math!”

It is easy to get mesmerized into thinking only about the importance of literacy. How many children don’t love to be read to, especially at bedtime and how many parents don’t love to read stories to their children? Those are extremely important bonding moments that hopefully foster a love of reading. But working on numeracy with your child can also support those parental/child bonds. So often, numeracy can be enhanced through games or simple questions. Pull out a deck of cards and play cribbage or Crazy 8s or any other game that involves counting or patterns. I can remember with great delight the hours my grandfather and I would play cribbage growing up. Simple questions can elicit some powerful numeracy learning in the home. Here’s some simple questions that can be asked as the table is being set for dinner:

  • How many forks, knives or spoons are there on the table?
  • If we had two more or two less people eating at the table tonight, how many forks, knives or spoons would we need?
  • If we had “X” number of people eating at home tonight, how many forks and knives combined would we need?
  • Each person eating tonight requires a fork, knife and a spoon. If we have a total of 18 utensils, how many people will be eating at the table tonight?

The possibilities are endless on how we can incorporate numeracy into our daily lives. And, we must do so whether at home or at school since the evidence suggests that numeracy is a better predictor of school success than literacy. “Good numeracy is the best protection against unemployment, low wages and poor health” says Andreas Schleicher from OECD. Further research from the UK emphasizes the importance of possessing adequate numeracy skills.

  • People with poor numeracy skills are more than twice as likely to be unemployed
  • There is a strong correlation between poor numeracy and poor health and depression
  • 14 year olds who have poor math skills at 11 are more than twice as likely to be truant
  • A quarter of young people in custody have a numeracy level below that expected of a 7-year-old, and 65% of adult prisoners have numeracy skills at or below the level expected for an 11-year-old

It can no longer be acceptable to say, “I don’t do math!” Students need to possess both strong literacy and numeracy skills. While this certainly starts at home, schools must continue to carry the torch by ensuring that numeracy is as much of a focus as literacy from the early grades onward.

So, how are you going to encourage numeracy learning tomorrow or in this next school year?

Jul 02

“It’s Moments That Matter!” – Graduation Address for St. Michael’s Bow Island 2019

Good evening Ladies and Gentlemen, honoured guests and a very special greeting to our St. Michael’s Graduates of 2019. I always look forward to attending this graduation ceremony and am honored to bring greetings on behalf of the school division. This graduation ceremony, has a little extra meaning for me, as this will be the last graduation ceremony I attend as Superintendent of Schools for Holy Spirit, given my retirement at the end of December. So as your graduation theme suggests, “It’s Moments That Matter”, this moment matters.

We wake up everyday and are often lulled to sleep because of our daily routine. Maybe we wake up at the same time or eat the same thing for breakfast or have the same classes or… We get caught up in our routines and not that routines are bad, but sometimes we forget to take ourselves off of autopilot and really enjoy life. Sometimes we forget about the magic of the moments we are experiencing daily and instead, only look for those gigantic moments. We remember those incredible moments, weddings, births, graduations, victories but forget about the ordinary moments that often are far more impactful.

If we truly believe that it’s moments that matter then we must recognize those moments, not just in the extraordinary but in the ordinary. Simple things like manners, saying hello, giving someone a smile or lending a hand are moments that you might believe are ordinary but to someone else, those gestures, those moments, might be seen as extraordinary.

Each year when I meet with our new teachers I talk to them about the impact they can make on a student and often never know it, because it was one of those ordinary moments. While that is great advice for new teachers, it applies to all of us. We all have the ability to make the most of each moment and to make an impact on everyone we meet.

We live in a world that often doesn’t value those ordinary moments. Yet this small school and the community of Bow Island values these ordinary moments better than most. God’s kingdom, with His quiet whispers and His warm light lives here in the simplest of moments. Every time I walk the hallways of St. Michael’s I see how ordinary moments are made extraordinary, just because of who you are and what you do.

Graduates, you have been blessed to be part of this school community that understands, believes and acts knowing that “It’s Moments That Matter!” Now it is time for you to ensure that you carry that understanding, those beliefs and your actions forward making every moment matter!

I wish you my sincerest congratulations on behalf of the school division and may God bless you in all of your future endeavours knowing that “It’s Moments That Matter!” Thank you!