We have a small cadre of parents that are movers and shakers. Any requests for resources or assistance with programs they can be depended upon to make it happen. The group is comprised of two working parent families and single working parents they represent the demographics of the school.
I shared with them my goals for the school. We also discussed fund-raising and programs for the new school year. There was quite a lot of dialog around our new school design.
The parents were lamenting the lack of parental involvement in their monthly meetings. Parents participate on several levels for example, in the morning I have a foster Dad to help maintain order in the halls. I also have fathers that help supervise the parking lot. Some parents only means of support to the schools is to send little Johnny or Janey to school clean, on time, and prepared to learn.
Parent involvement is an essential component of a quality school. The degree of parent involvement is somewhat vague to people that are not in the schools daily.
I have two goals for the parent group this year. One goal is to honor their commitment the other goal is to enlighten them on the levels of parental involvement.
The meeting started at 6:00 and ended at 7:45. Two teachers participated in the meeting. Thanks goodness they served refreshments because I had a granola bar and crackers for lunch.

We are gearing up for one of the most financially important weeks in our district. Average Daily Membership or ADM-1 week begins Monday. We must have an accurate record of the number of students that are in our schools. If students are absent unexcused, without a note, we will not receive their money from the State.
This year they are going to count the kids twice, once in October again in February. Typically, this has not been my experience, after ADM week the charter schools "kick the children out" with behavioral issues. Now that we have two ADM days that should minimize the problem.
Officially, our district has lost about 1000 students that constitutes millions of dollars. We do not have a massive P.R. campaign to get the word out that were surpassed charter schools in academic achievement. I was asked to put together a committee but everyone was too busy. It appears that the Principals in our district do not know the wolf is in our house.

It seems that once I am in the school environment I find it very difficult to stop working and leave the school. The work of a Principal is never complete; at some point we just stop. We just stop working and leave for the day. Most of the Principals I know work 10-14 hours per day. It goes without saying the fewer administrative assistance or aides you have the more work you are required to complete.
I discussed the fight in my last blog. I talked to the Principal of the neighboring school, she called all parents in for a conference and suspended the students. I hope that never happens again. Someone could have been seriously injured. I was upset for quite awhile.
The majority of my teachers are good people and good teachers. Our enrollment was really low when school started now it is increasing. I knew that we were going to loose some teachers if the enrollment continued to decrease.
My colleagues are going to loose teachers, I am not sure of the impact that will have on my school. Oftentimes, it is the new energized, enthusiastic, and invigorated teachers that are lost to the profession.
In the past I have had to deliver the bad news to a teacher. It is one of the most tragic duties of the principalship telling a person they are going to loose their income and their dream. Some of the teachers left the profession after being laid-off.

Today I read an article on the new investigation of the Reading First Program. It seems that some schools were pressured to purchase a particular reading series in addition the grant applications were not correctly reviewed.
Those two problems are just the tip of the iceberg. Reading First is the the President's primary initiative through No Child Left Behind to increase the reading skills of students living in high poverty areas.
At our school 4 teachers are out of the classroom they are called coaches. There are two Literacy Coaches they work with the teachers directly through modeling lessons and demonstrating new materials. One coach gathers data, the Data Manager. The other coach is the Resource Manager she distributes and manages a multitude of supplies and equipment.
The Reading First Program is for students in grades K-3. There is also a parent component. The coaches meet with parents and bring them up to date information on working with their children at home to improve their reading skills.
The jury is still out on whether or not the Reading First Program improved the reading skills of our students. Our state does not test students in grade K-2. Testing begins at the third grade level. There does not appear to be a high correlation between the tests administered by Reading First and our state test for third graders.

One of my four music teachers informed me that she would no longer be able to teach music eighth period on Mondays and Tuesdays; her scheduled days in my building. I promptly informed her that I really could not listen at this point, to altering the schedule AGAIN. Two days later, I received an e-mail from my supervisor informing me that she needed the music teacher at the high school. Yes, the schedule was changed again. It is about a ten page document. Moving on.
The Cafeteria Manager asked me what changes were being made I informed her that we were moving some tables to the other side of the cafeteria to make more room for the kindergarteners.T have almost 100 kindergarteners.
She informed me that it would not happen, moving the tables. It was at that point that I wondered where I was.
I am her direct supervisor and she was being insubordinate. We had a real conflict. The business manager came over to have a discussion with her about her conduct. I rarely argue with staff or children. She has had several days to consider her attitude and behavior. On Monday I am going to talk to her about my management style and my philosophy with employees.
Continuing with insubordinate employees. The custodian told one of the cleaners to use the weed whacker and clear an area. He told him "no." He also used a few expletives. The custodian has to write him up then we will have a hearing.
Yesterday, there were eleven teachers out of the building, we had six substitute teachers. Today some very key people were not in the building during dismissal. Just when I was about to breathe a sigh of relief and pat myself and the staff on the back a fight broke out.
The older students from a neighboring school had a free for all. They fought three times in three different areas.
I am a pacifist I believe in using peace first. My entire foundation was shaken by the level of violence and the mob that followed.