News to You

NORFOLK PUBLIC SCHOOLS

The mission of the Norfolk Public Schools is to equip all students to success in a complex changing world.

Volume XXXVIII-5

January 2007

FROM THE DESK OF THE SUPERINTENDENT. . .

LOOKING FOR THE BEST IN OTHERS

Most of you are aware that a significant part of having an effective learning environment is when your members or staff are positive and proactive.  It is no secret that negative people in any organization can destroy morale faster than anything else.  One negative person has the ability to influence scores of others.  For whatever reason, a negative person has a far greater influence on others than a positive, optimistic person does.  He or she can drain energy, destroy confidence, create conflict, hamper innovation and initiative, and reduce overall productivity.  This is why it is so important that the vast majority of the staff is positive people who will create the energy needed and figure out ways to be successful.

Positive people help create an environment that others want to be a part of – and the more you enjoy the people at work – the more you will enjoy your work.  According to many stress consultants, the secret to managing tension is to surround yourself with positive, productive people.  

 Having a workplace that is positive and inviting also encourages people to look for the best in others.  Effective leaders are aware of this and make special efforts to focus on their best employees.  By doing this, they build a more positive working environment and increase the likelihood that team members will have even greater success in the classroom. 

There are times, however, when being positive runs counter to human nature.  That’s especially true when it comes to how we view ourselves.  We can be our own worst enemies – looking far more critically at ourselves than most others ever would.  This includes the negative “self-talk” that we do such as:  “I can’t …. I won’t … I’m not smart enough … I’m not creative enough”…etc.

It is important to remember that you are not inferior to anybody.  Everyone has special abilities, talents and gifts. The faster you accept that you’re okay, the sooner you’ll be able to experience greater satisfaction in your role.  Likewise, when you feel pressure and stress, it’s imperative to maintain a positive attitude.  Remember, how you choose to react to whatever life throws your way determines your ultimate happiness. 

A great illustration of this is a short story by G.W. Target which tells about two men confined to hospital beds in the same room.  Their friendship developed over months of conversation.  They discussed a myriad of subjects from family, to jobs, to vacations – as well as their own personal histories. 

Neither man left his bed, but one was fortunate enough to be next to the window.  As part of his treatment, he could sit up in bed for just one hour a day – at which time he would share his observations of the world outside with his roommate.  Using very specific terms, he described the beautiful park he could see – with its lake and the many interesting people spending their time there.  His friend began to live for those wonderful descriptions. 

After one particularly fascinating report, the man away from the window began to think:  “It’s not fair that my roommate gets to see everything while I can see nothing.”  He was ashamed of his thoughts.  But he had quite a bit of time to think, and he just couldn’t get the concern out of his mind.  Eventually his thoughts began to take their effect on his health, and he became even more ill - with an unhealthy disposition to match.

One evening, his roommate – who sometimes had difficulty breathing – awoke in a fit of coughing and choking.   He was unable to push the call button to get help.  The frustrated, sour man lay there looking at the ceiling.  He listened to the struggle for life next to him and did nothing.

Early the next morning, the day nurse came in and found that the man by the window had passed away.  After a proper interval, the roommate who was so eager to see outside asked if he could be moved next to the window.  His wish was quickly granted.  As soon as the room was empty, the man struggled up on his elbows to look out the window and fill his spirit with the sights of the outside world.  It was then he discovered that there was no park…no lake…no people.  The window faced a blank wall.

This story illustrates that happiness and the ability to remain optimistic will never be achieved merely by obtaining what we perceive others to have.  We choose our personal perspectives and outlooks based on our ability to be thankful for our situation.

“Windows” by G. W. Target  

Randy Nelson, Superintendent

COLLABORATION – THE REAL STAFF DEVELOPMENT 

      Developing an appropriate context for adult learning is an essential component for staff development.  The right context – programs, procedures, beliefs, expectations, and habits – can be a tremendous catalyst for growth.  An understanding of this concept moves the primary responsibility for professional development from the workshops to the workplace, and collaboration is the engine that drives the appropriate context.  Rick DuFour has stated that, “Emphasis shifts from finding trainers or speakers to creating opportunities for staff to work together, engage in collective inquiry, and learn from one another.” Teacher work and teacher learning become one in the same.

      This type of “new” staff development requires collaboration, and to be effective, collaboration needs to exist in the structure and culture of the school.  Collaboration will not occur by “invitation,” nor does it come about by organizing teacher teams and hoping for the best.  A working collaborative team has focus, parameters and support.

Rick Dufour identifies 5 key elements of an effective collaborative team:

1.       Time in the school day for collaboration.

2.       Critical questions that guide the collaborative teams.

3.       Creating a product as a result of the collaboration.

4.       The teams identify and pursue specific student achievement goals.

5.       The teams are provided with relevant data and information.

      Functioning in a learning community increases the odds of developing professional competence. In a collaborative team, professional development becomes a means to an end – improved student achievement.  Collaborating to achieve student achievement becomes a higher priority in a learning community than developing individual knowledge and skills.  A collaborative team understands that individual development does not ensure organizational development.  Shared vision and collective commitments toward student achievement become the focal point of a learning team. 

      It takes a team to perform one of the most important tasks on this earth – preparing our students for the adult world, and collaboration is the key to unlocking the potential of a team.  Do not our students deserve our full potential? 

Scott Dodson

Woodland Park Elementary 

(Concepts taken from Rick DuFour’s article: “Collaboration Is Key to Unlocking Potential”)

FOUNDATION FACTS

Norfolk Public Schools Foundation

ANNUAL MEETING

The NPS Foundation Board of Directors will hold its Annual Meeting on Monday, January 22, 2007 at 4:00 PM in the Board Room at Central Office.  At this time officers for the coming year will be elected.  Mike Renken has served as the President of the Foundation Board for the last several years.  In November, Mike took a position as President of the York State Bank.  We thank him for his years of dedication and service and wish him the very best in this new chapter of his life.  Dr. David Merritt is serving as President of the Board until the January elections.

ALUMNI DIRECTORY

Collection of data for the new NPS Alumni Directory is underway.  Post cards were sent to all Norfolk High School graduates in mid-December asking for current information.  If you or one of your family members is a NHS graduate and you did not receive a post card, please contact the Foundation office (644.2504 or phandke@npsne.org).

FOUNDATION    GRANTS

BRINGING HISTORY TO LIFE WITH MULTIMEDIA

Carrie Pieper is responsible for teaching social studies to all fifth graders at Bel Air School.  The funds from her grant were used to purchase DVDs and books for Read Aloud to accompany the units of study in the fifth grade social studies curriculum.  Materials purchased include: Dear America: Life of a Slave, Slavery in America, Causes of the Revolution, Johnny Tremain and the Sons of Liberty, Settling the New World, The Mayflower Voyagers, and The U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights. 

SCHOOL TO WORK WRITING

Junior High English teacher, Sue Dendinger’s, project focuses on an effort to provide the basics of business communication/technical writing skills to ninth grade students.  Preparation for the world of work includes proficiency in the writing of business letters, memos, instructions and proposals, media releases and resumes.  Communicating with a group, ethics, work habits and work etiquette are also necessary for success.  The materials purchased were used first semester with the alternative English class and will be utilized in her other classes during the upcoming semester.

IN THE GLOBAL WORLD

Second graders at Washington School are enjoying a new manipulative world map and a new globe as a result of this grant written by their teachers, Jackie Porter and Brenda Oswald.  Each student also has their own copy of Scholastic News that helps them and their family to keep up with current events that are taking place far beyond our own city limits.