The IMPORTANCE of Language!

I believe I was in my early twenties before I flew in an airplane.  Growing up, the traveling we did was in a blue Chevy station wagon.  We drove to Minnesota from South Dakota and stayed with relatives for family events.  I recall as a child being so impressed that we crossed the Wyoming border on a visit to the Black Hills.  I believe that the lack of traveling I did as a child, combined with the large quantity of books I read about exciting foreign places, contributed to my passion for travel.

My most recent trip was visiting Panama.  My mom, who also had the travel bug in her later years, was planning a tour of Panama when she died unexpectedly at the age of 82.  This trip had special significance because of my mom.  Everyone should see the amazing Panama Canal.  I marveled at this engineering feat that was opened over 100 years ago.

So, why is the title of this blog about language?  I have visited many countries throughout the world.  No matter where I landed, I was able to find English speakers and quickly connect.  The places I stayed in Panama were not necessarily staffed with English speakers.  The restaurants I visited were places where English wasn't spoken or understood.  First, I cursed myself many, many times for not learning Spanish.  Then, I would try and communicate using the few words I knew or point and use hand gestures.  One day, I booked an all day tour.  The small boat accommodated fifteen people, After the tour started, I realized none of my boat mates spoke English.  As we toured the Caribbean waters of Bocas del Torro, I listened and was able to understand much of what people were saying.  My expressive language, however, is so poor I didn't even try to say anything. I was so self-conscious that I spent the day silent and alone.  Now, anyone who knows me understands that this must have been torture.  It was!  I kept thinking how I must have been perceived by the others.  I am sure I came across having poor social skills, pretty dull, and unintelligent.  I am certain these folks who were laughing and talking with each other saw me as a bore with no sense of humor.  How I wished that someone would have tried to speak with me even if their English wasn't that great so I could maybe speak to them with my poor Spanish!

I reflected greatly that day on the 3174 English learners that we have in Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District.  I empathize with them as they enter our schools trying to figure out what is going on and how to fit in.  I am inspired by the fact that they come to school every day and not only learn the language, but also work hard to learn the content.  I realized the importance of the many instructional strategies that are needed to assist our students in making connections.  I was so grateful for the pictures and gestures that people used to assist me in communicating.  Kudos to our students and families who readily navigate our system on a daily basis!  I recognize now, more than ever, the need for our district to lessen the language obstacles and barriers.

On a final note, my mom would have loved the story that the small urn carrying some of her ashes was almost confiscated at the Panama City airport.  I was unable to say, "Estas son las cenizas de mi madre."  Smiles and laughter are the universal language of all!

Am I complaining too much about complainers?

I had to laugh at myself the other evening when I was talking to a friend from back home.  I went on and on complaining about the various complaints I receive.  These complaints range anywhere from lost soccer balls on the roof of a building and a site's communication regarding a student council meeting to serious personnel complaints and safety concerns.  When my email inbox tends to be filled with complaints and concerns, it is sometimes difficult to focus on all of the positive things happening in our school district.  For that reason, I am listing ten positive things that I experienced this week:

1. Our community leaders have joined together to revitalize Faith PAC (Faith Partners and Community) with a focus on making lives better for the youth in our community.
2. An 8th grade student was working on creating a new video game at one of our middle schools.
3. Two of our students will be dancing with Justin Bieber this weekend.
4. One of our juniors in high school nearly broke a four minute mile by crossing the finish line at 4:14!
5. Students at one of our schools inquired as to when salads will return on the school lunch menu.  This prompted a future visit to to their class with our Director of Child Nutrition.
6. The parent advisory members provided input to our Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP).
7. Hokki stools arrived and made many teachers and students very happy!
8. Students at our middle schools are using their chromebooks to enhance their learning.
9. I received emails from two teachers who have participated in recruitment trips.  This feedback was super positive--"I loved that experience!!! It was so exciting to meet potential teachers and hear about what they're learning in their teaching program.  I would love to do it again if the opportunity arises.  We really do have a strong and very contemporary school district so I was proud to represent it."
10. Everyone in Administrative Council actively participated in an LCAP exercise which deepened understanding and helped with strengthening a shared vision.

According to Elizabeth Scott, a stress management expert, there are many effective techniques that focus on the benefits of a positive outlook.  "Positive thinking brings great benefits, and a cheerful attitude can be contagious in a most enjoyable way.  A constant focus on the negative can obscure many of the joys of life, can dampen an attitude of gratitude, and can be experienced as an 'energy drain' to others."

What if, for one whole day, people could only utter positive comments or communicate with positivity?  I enjoyed reading about the Spread Positivity Campaign at spreadpositivity.org.  I loved their idea of hosting a Compliment Party.  The idea behind the event is to bring and emphasize the value of using an honest compliment as a way to make others feel good.  The party also emphasizes the importance of consciously acknowledging and thanking people who often get taken for granted.

So, in the spirit of the compliment party...

Thank you Joe for taking the concerns about the hand towel dispensers seriously and for holding high standards of cleanliness in our schools.

Thank you Chief Allio for your compassionate leadership of the Fairfield Police Department and for maintaining a positive focus regarding the youth in our community.

Thank you Ana for advocating for those who may not have a voice and ensuring everyone is treated with dignity and respect.

Thank you Donna for your daily cheerful greeting of anyone and everyone who walks in our front door.

Thank you Todd for taking responsibility for your decisions that impact recess and lunch.

Thank you Maria for maintaining your focus on assisting a parent in need.

That felt GREAT!  It's true.  I feel healthier, less stressed, and more motivated...just three benefits of positive thinking.  Pass it on!

 

These Students ARE Included!

Often times, I think that our influence as public educators is subtle.  The influence seems gradual and expected.  It is difficult to pinpoint how important and impactful the educational team is because there are so many other influences in a child's life.

The following two stories are more than subtle as to the impact educators have on students' lives.  By including students and supporting them in their journey, lives are changed for the better.

The first is the story of a 7th grade student who was introduced to me by his principal, Martha Lacy.  Principal Lacy praised the student telling me how much he had grown academically.  She noted his fantastic attendance and how he comes to school ready to learn every day.  She proudly shared that this student would be participating in the Oregon college tour.  She acknowledged this student's hard work, growth, and effort.  After the student left, she said that up until this year, the student was many years behind in reading.  He missed over a third of his school year in the previous year.  His mother was incarcerated, and he was being raised by his great-grandfather.  She told me that what made the difference was his teacher and other staff members who believed in him, encouraged him, and supported him in building his confidence.  He was included  rather than excluded in school activities.  Rather than being punished or excluded for not completing assignments or turning in homework, he was supported academically so that he could be successful.  This student was not lost in the shuffle nor dismissed.  A life has been changed for the better.

The second story is of an inspirational young woman who has encountered many challenges.  She entered FSUSD in fourth grade not speaking English.  Despite physical challenges and not knowing the language, she was embraced at Anna Kyle Elementary School. The staff came together to ensure this child's success.  Our maintenance team went above and beyond to make certain that she had equal access to the entire facility.  When she was slated to go to a different middle school than her friends, we helped her family through the process of requesting open enrollment.  In middle school, she was embraced by the Grange Middle School staff and continued on the path of success.  While all of our Students of the Month are special, this young woman's story is extraordinary.  This recognition epitomized the impact that quality and caring educators have on students and their families.  Preparing for the recognition serves as an example of the fantastic team effort that happens in FSUSD.  Various departments worked together to ensure that this student could access the podium.  The special staircase was built by our outstanding maintenance department for this event.

Inspirational Student of the Month

Whenever I get discouraged with some of the issues we confront as public educators, I am provided with reminders like these two students. These serve as examples as to why we do what we do and how important the work is to everyone's future!

Are we including or excluding?

I was a kindergartner when I was hospitalized for pneumonia. I obviously didn’t know at the time the seriousness of my illness.  What I do remember was that I received so much attention!  My mom, who was usually very busy taking care of me and my five siblings, spent hours just with me.  She held my hand, read to me, and told stories.  My dad who worked long hours stopped by the hospital throughout the day to check in on me.  This small town hospital in the South Dakota had one room with a TV.  I was the special patient assigned to this room.  I recall my room being very busy with many people wanting to check in on me and also see what was on TV. I remember thinking that kindergarten must be closed since I was in the hospital.

After a couple of weeks, I was able to go back to kindergarten.  It was obviously an emotional day if I can still recall it decades later.  To my surprise, kindergarten had gone on without me!  My assigned desk had moved.  My buddy was assigned to another buddy.  The bulletin boards had changed.  Classroom art projects had been completed and displayed with my classmates’ names attached without me.  I felt lost and like an outsider.  As an adult, I look back on this memory and think, “Wow!  Five-year old Kristin was such a baby!”  On the other hand, to five-year old Kristin, this was a painful, emotional time when she felt lost and excluded.

I can’t help think about all of the students who come into our classrooms and feel lost and excluded. How often do our students enter our classrooms and feel overwhelmed by what has passed them by?  What about those student who join our classrooms and don’t understand the language?  How about those students who miss 10% or more of their school year?

Our students miss school for many reasons.  Whether it is a day of illness, a day missed for waking up late, or a day of suspension, schools keep moving forward without them.  It is difficult for educators to adjust and support students who miss school and simultaneously keep the rest of the class moving forward...but isn’t it our job to be inclusive?

I heard of an instance this past week in which a middle school student entered her classroom only to be told by the teacher to get out.  The student was told she didn’t belong in the class.  Apparently, the student had received an additional day of class suspension.  A teacher in California has a right to suspend students from class.  This suspension serves as a time-out or exclusion from class.  I often wonder if a class suspension, or exclusion, continues even after the student is allowed to come back to class.  Is the student welcomed back?  Is there an effort to use suspension as a means of corrective action or is it a form of punishment?

Being inclusive is so important.  Being inclusive combats bullying.  Finding ways to include everyone build friendships.  Making positive, inclusive relationships builds culture.  Everyone wants attention.  All students want to feel important and as if they matter.

Back to my kindergarten memory.  My teacher must have recognized that a child who misses two weeks of school would feel lost and anxious.  She asked me to share my story of the hospital with the class.  I became the hospital expert.  Suddenly, I was included and important.

I can't resist a CHALLENGE!

I'll take your 5...Challenge!

Here is my 1,2,3,4,5 Connected Educator Challenge thanks to Jeff Kubiak, principal of Cordelia Hills Elementary School. @principalkubiak

Jeff Kubiak challenged me to the 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 Connected Educator Challenge. I am so proud of his leadership and thank him for challenging me along with others to do what is in the best interest of kids!

1. What has been your ONE biggest struggle during this school year?

Wait, what? I only get ONE? As this is only my third year as superintendent, I consider myself very new. My first year I was blissfully ignorant. My second year, I knew what I didn't know. In my third year, I know what I don't know and now am trying to do something about that! My biggest struggle has been my calendar. I hate to even glance at the upcoming week for fear that I will hyperventilate the entire weekend because of the many upcoming events. The struggle with my calendar is that I am jumping from one meeting or event to the other with very little time between. I liken this to a teacher who has ten different preps in a day with no time to prepare and plan for those preps. Because of my calendar, I wonder how proactive I am able to be and how effective I am in regards to establishing systems. When I look at my calendar, I do ask myself, "Is there anything on this calendar that isn't important?" The answer to that question is always, "NO!" The other struggle pertaining to my calendar is that every event is planning for a future event. I find myself living in the future rather than the here and now. We are forever planning for the next Board meeting, the next school year, the next election. I do believe that as I mature in this position, I will be able to delegate more, empower others more, and become a bit more proactive. Thank goodness I have two AMAZING and WONDERFUL people monitoring my calendar and literally telling me where to go!

to Linda and Martha!

2. Share TWO accomplishments that you are proud of from this school year.

Wait, what?  Only TWO?  I am proud of so many things that our district has accomplished this year.  I am extremely proud of our facilities work and completing the Facilities Master Plan.  This was a huge process that involved many, many stakeholders in the community.  We have a ten year plan that is flexible, yet it outlines our district needs in regards to the facilities.  This plan will assist us in being more proactive in our decision making in regards to facilities.

My other accomplishment of which I am very proud is working with an amazing school board that has come together as a team.  At the end of June, one of my goals from the Board was to solidify our team by organizing a retreat and board professional development.  This was a very positive accomplishment which seemed to solidify our respect for one another and discuss roles and responsibilities.  What I appreciate most about this accomplishment is that I believe strong governance is key to making lives better for students.

3. What are THREE things you wish to accomplish before the end of the school year?

1. A HUGE CALL TO ACTION for educators in our district who really want to tackle some difficult issues and make our district vision become a reality. Our vision is this, "Fairfield-Suisun is a premier learning community that empowers each student to thrive in an ever-changing world." This is our VISION, unfortunately, this is not our reality. We have numbers of students who have no chance of graduating attending our high schools. We have numbers of students who continuously receive F grades. We have students who continue to be expelled and suspended from school. How are these behaviors empowering each student if we are excluding even one? One of the things I hope to accomplish is opening the door to a discussion surrounding equity and change in practices that are not beneficial for students.

2. Another major accomplishment would be if our district was successful in placing a General Obligation Bond on the ballot for voters to consider. The last bond passed was in 2002 and generated $100M for facilities. Thanks to some matching funds from the state, our district actually received over $200M. As a result, we were able to build a few new schools and complete some much needed modernization. However, the majority of our schools are between 25-68 years of age. Many of our schools have over twenty-fiver percent of their classrooms as portable buildings. We have some schools that do not have libraries. One of our middle schools has no indoor eating facility and no kitchen. Again, how is this meeting our vision of being premier? On February 25, our Governing Board will be considering a resolution for a General Obligation Bond on the June 2016 ballot.

3. My final accomplishment would be if I continued in my recent efforts to take care of myself. I am one of those people who has always loved to exercise. For years, I walked every single day, no matter what. I also took time to go to the gym, do yoga, or swim. Since becoming a superintendent, exercise went by the wayside. By the time I get home from work, the last thing I wanted to do was go work out. The couch and a mindless TV show became my best buddies. I have recently vowed that I need to commit to exercising once again. I don't need to feel guilty if I don't do something every day, but I need to at least exercise three times a week. I have my Fitbit charged and have taken on the 1M step challenge, 10K steps for 100 days!

Give FOUR reasons why you remain in 

education in today’s rough culture.

1. I believe with my heart and soul that public education is a right and is an extremely powerful mechanism to change this world for the better.

2. I LOVE learning myself and know that even the most challenging situations can change if an adult shows care and compassion to a student.

3. The students! The MAIN reason I ever chose education as a profession was because I so enjoyed being in the company of kids. They are so funny, smart, and insightful. I love visiting the schools and seeing how much they are learning. I especially enjoy hearing the success stories and the impact a teacher or an activity has had on the life of a student.

4. Educators are the funnel to the rest of the professions. I enjoy being around people who are excited and intense about improving the lives of our students and positively impacting our community and society. I enjoy hearing stories of compassion, challenge, excitement, imagination, collaboration, and LEARNING. Education is forever evolving. There is no ceiling so it always presents a challenge. And, as I mentioned in the beginning of this blog, I love a good challenge.

5. Which FIVE people do you hope will the take the challenge of answering these questions.

1.  Sheila McCabe. I have worked with Sheila for many years. She has a moral imperative like no other. She is essentially the ambassador of everything FSUSD!

2. Stacy Burke. She is one of the most creative, divergent thinkers on this planet. Her insight and compassion for kids has always been impressive. Plus, I would love to see her answers because I know they will make me laugh.

3. Marie Williams. Being in her second year as Director of Secondary Education comes with many challenges. I know her and know that she also loves a good challenge! I appreciate her tenacity and dedication to the cause!

4. Kristen Witt. Who says you need five years to turn a school around? Kristen's leadership is impressive and impactful. I want her to take the challenge because I know she will challenge others!

5. Kristen Cherry. She is also one who faces challenges head on and says YES to great ideas. I remember when we signed up on Twitter together. She is a spark that creates POSITIVE energy and change. Plus, she will also spread this challenge.

Remember, this parent loves her child...be gentle and kind!

While I was attending college and majoring in elementary and early childhood education, I had the fateful opportunity to take care of three wonderful children.  Little did I know how much this experience would impact my life.  When I began working for the family, the three children were under the age of six, the oldest with Down Syndrome.  According to the National Down Syndrome Society, one in every 691 babies born in the United States are born with this genetic condition which occurs when an individual has a full or partial extra copy of chromosome 21.  I learned so much while working for this amazing family.  Courtney, the six year old,  was a gift to me and showed me daily how capable, funny, and smart she was.  We spent the summers in the pool whenever possible.  She quickly learned how to dive, do flips, and swim like a little fish.  She also knew how to race out of the car and go throughout the house locking the doors with the deadbolt then negotiating with me to let me and her two brothers into the house.  Her negotiations usually involved me making the promise of going swimming or get a treat of ice cream or french fries before she would open the doors.  She would also negotiate reading stories, seeing the horses, or going to the playground.  She was a girl who knew what she wanted!

During this time, I was fulfilling my college graduation requirements by taking a class on students with disabilities.  One of the assignments was to interview a parent of a child with special needs and ask a series of questions.  Little did I know, my mom saved this paper which I recently ran across while going through some boxes.  One of the questions asked how the parents of a child with disabilities felt they were treated by others. Courtney's mom shared the painful story as to how she was told her daughter had Down Syndrome.  Shortly after she had given birth to her daughter, her first child, a doctor came in and told her in a matter of fact manner the news.  She recalled little compassion and understanding.  She was confused and had so many whirling emotions. In my interview, I wrote how these parents said they were suddenly talked to in almost a patronizing and condescending manner.  Mind you, Courtney's parents are well educated professional people, and her father is an esteemed cardiologist.  Courtney's mom told me, "Here I was grieving the perfect beautiful baby I didn't have, but I fell in love with the one that I did have.  If anything, it made me even more protective of her."  The parents shared stories of the many IEPs in which things were often discussed as a matter of compliance.  The best meetings were ones in which genuine care for Courtney was expressed by her therapists and teachers.

Courtney's parents were her best advocates. They provided her with as many opportunities and options as they could.  She also had some wonderful teachers and therapists during her educational career.   Thanks to Facebook, I get to regularly catch up with this family .  Courtney is now in her thirties.  She continues to be capable, funny, and smart.  She is an avid horse rider and rides in Class A shows and has many wins under her belt.  Her mom shared that recently the family was riding with wranglers in Hawaii.  These cowboys were amazed at how capable of a rider Courtney is.  Courtney told her mom that she loves riding horses because when she rides, she no longer has Down Syndrome.

Everyone is gifted.

Sigh...The Good Ol' Days! Remembering kindergarten.

I had the pleasure today of visiting The Sheldon Academy of Innovative Learning.  The kindergarten teacher asked the class, "Do we want Ms. Corey to be mindful with us today?"  The students were so excited and dropped what they were doing to quickly gathered in a circle on the rug.  The students told me I would have to sit criss-cross apple sauce, close my eyes, be very quiet, and take some deep breaths.  After two minutes of quiet with only the sounds of the students' ocean breaths, the bell chimed and everyone opened their eyes.  The students reported what they thought about or how they felt.

I was instantly taken back 1969 and a small kindergarten building in Lake Preston, South Dakota where I attended school.  One of our school supplies included a small nap rug.  Mine was a rectangular, woven rug with fringe on both ends.  Each day, we students unrolled our rugs and spread out around the kindergarten classroom.  We would lay on our backs and close our eyes.  Our teacher would tell us to take some deep breaths and relax.  Sometimes kids would fall asleep.  I worked hard not to do that for fear I would miss out on being the wake-up fairy.  Students who were particularly quiet and still were chosen to choose a fairy wand and gently tap students who could then open their eyes.  In retrospect, I am wondering if we had a few things right back then.  Most of our time was spent playing in the various settings, such as a kitchen, post office (yest, post office!), doctor's office, grocery story, or building room.  We sang songs and danced a lot.  These were fond memories. At that tender age, I did have some trauma happening in my world.  I often wonder if those kindergarten naps and restful periods helped me in dealing with the chaos inside me.

Sheldon Academy of Innovative Learning is a K-8 school of approximately 700 students.  The majority of the students qualify for free or reduced lunch.  Many of these students come from homes where they have experienced a great deal of trauma.  The kindergarten teachers have reported that since beginning the mindful practice, students are experiencing much less stress, anxiety, and angry outbursts.

A bulletin board posted in the classroom displays what the students say about practicing mindfulness.  "I feel good in my brain."  "I feel peace and quiet."  "I can tell what I am feeling inside."  It takes away annoying stuff."  "I feel some buzzing like a honey bee, and I feel like the honey."  "I feel like I can do anything because I feel calm."  It's making me happy, happy, and more happy."

How often have we been told to calm down and take a few deep breaths?  Perhaps this isn't something that comes naturally to everyone.  People have been talking about mindfulness for thousands of years.  Perhaps we need to go back to the Good Ol' Days.