Building a School Community
Today was quietly a very important day for Saline Area Schools. At the High School we hosted our orientation program called Link Crew for incoming 9th grade students. At the Middle School 6th grade students were welcomed through a WEB (Where Everyone Belongs) training for incoming 6th grade students.
Link Crew
WEB
The surface goal was simple. We wanted to provide the students with a chance to learn about the new buildings and grade levels that they were entering. Each program used fellow students (upperclassman & 8th Graders) to help educate and inform the new students about what to expect.
However, the deeper goal was to begin to establish a “school community” where our students are collectively invested in the success of each other. Thank you to the students and staff for their efforts today to make sure the 2011-2012 school year is off to a great start.
Countdown is on….
August is always an exciting and busy month as we prepare for students to arrive. I am looking forward to the new year and watching our students, staff and community working together to achieve great things.
21 days until school begins…
Being the Messenger
As a Superintendent, I am often (daily if not hourly) in the position to communicate bad news. For example, early last week we shared information about a troubling incident involving some of our middle school students. Over the last few weeks I have been able to have lunch with the staff at five of our buildings. Part of having lunch was to talk with staff about how the year was going and part was to share the bad news about what the spring will be like as we establish the budget for 2011-2012. Bad news is not only part of life, it is part of leadership.
The situation last week and looking ahead to what the spring holds caused me to reflect on the ways I want to help share news with the community and staff.
Be honest. Always tell the truth. It seems simple, but when faced with delivering bad news there is often a feeling that avoiding it will help. It doesn’t. Even though it may be difficult at the time, honesty is always the best option.
Be direct. It always helps to just lay it out. Get to the critical information without too much delay. Trying explain away things, people get the sense something is up.
Be kind. Imagine what it would be like for you to receive the same news you are about to give. This will make it easier for you to say things in a compassionate, considerate way. The saying goes, “they may forget what you said, but they will always remember how you made them feel.”
Be patient. I have learned that people react to bad news in a variety of ways. Expecting an immediate response from someone may be just as hard on them as hearing the bad news.
We must develop the ability to deliver bad news with grace and honesty – as an individual and as an organization.
It’s Time to Reform the 12th Grade
Over the last two years there has been a lot of conversation about the need for “reforms” in public education. According to political leaders from President Obama, to Education Secretary Duncan, to Governors Granholm & Snyder to State Superintendent Flanagan we need to “reimagine” how we educate our children. This call for reform is typically backed up with stories about how the America education system is losing ground to other countries and not producing students capable of competing in the 21st century global economy. Seldom is the conversation followed by clear policy directives…. add in a healthy dose of reduced funding and we have the recipe for conflict, but also an environment that is ready for change.
In thinking of the issues, I see one area where it is clearly time to change the system we currently use…. the 12th grade. Many of us look back on our senior year in high school and have fond memories of social experiences as we transitioned to college or the workforce. Typically, the majority of the academic rigor occurs in the junior year along with key assessments like the ACT & SAT which can have a significant impact on college admission options. This leaves the 12th grade experience ripe for reform.
I feel the 12th grade should change to be a true year of transition. It should emphasize exploring – and starting – the next phase of a child’s education. This needs to go beyond college visits and meeting with counselors. A college like schedule with syllabi’s and required accountability should be experienced. By the end of a student’s senior year they should have been enrolled in at least one college course. We are fortunate to have quality colleges and universities in our region – it’s time we leveraged that resource to the fullest potential for the benefit of our students.
In Saline, our students do benefit from dual enrollment options, college credit earning Career & Tech Ed courses, and numerous Advanced Placement opportunities – but we can and should do more. With the blurring of the lines regarding how we as a state fund K-12 and higher ed – now is the time to blur the lines for our students and effectively transition them to their next learning environment.
Communication in the Workplace
About this time last year, we moved administrative offices from Union School to Liberty School. Part of the move included moving offices closer together to improve efficiency as we reduced staff. The idea was that moving closer together would improve communication. In a recent Harvard Business Review article titled “Who Moved My Cube?”, professors Anne-Laure Fayard and John Weeks talk about how casual interactions among workers promote trust, cooperation, and innovation, which is partially why we took the “common-sense approach” of creating close offices and common areas. However, the article notes that common sense “is a poor guide when it comes to designing for interaction,” say Fayard and Weeks. Just bringing people closer to one another doesn’t necessarily promote collaboration. In fact, it may inhibit productive communication if certain conditions aren’t met, thus resulting in shorter and more-superficial interaction. Recent studies in a variety of work settings indicate that the quality of work-space and virtual communication depends on how three variables are orchestrated: proximity, privacy, and permission. All three are necessary, they say, and overemphasizing or underemphasizing any of them can cause unforeseen consequences.
Here are the details:
Proximity – When people’s workspaces are closer, they have “a peripheral awareness of one another, a sense that colleagues are present and available.” But even more important than proximity is the traffic pattern – how entrances, restrooms, stairwells, photocopiers, coffee, and vending machines bring people together. “The social geography of a space is a crucial component of its physical layout,” say the authors.
Privacy – “People must feel confident that they can converse without being interrupted or overheard,” In addition, they state that, “They must also be able to avoid interacting when they want to.” Workspace designers have found that alcoves in common areas are ideal for informal, confidential conversations, as well as clear sight lines, so people can see who’s coming and going and control with whom they interact.
Permission – In the past, “Chitchat at the watercooler was just a noisy distraction from work,” say Fayard and Weeks. But some organizations’ coffee lounges, designed specifically to promote informal collaboration, are deserted; people come in, grab a cup of coffee, and leave. Once permission is given, comfortable furniture and work-related machines like photocopiers help promote even more informal interaction in common spaces.
The authors note, “Had the photocopier been designed specifically to inspire social interaction, it could hardly have succeeded better…. Although photocopiers are ostensibly made for easy use by anyone, their complicated features and interfaces can make them frustrating and baffling. They need periodic maintenance – tasks that require specialized knowledge (such as how to install a toner cartridge or extract jammed paper) that tends to be unevenly distributed among users. These characteristics are wonderful stimuli for informal interactions, because they give people natural reasons to launch into conversation. We’ve observed employees turning to one another for help, watching one another to learn more about the machine, and commenting (usually disparagingly) on its operation. These casual conversations can naturally lead to other subjects, some of them work related.” People can also catch a glimpse of the material a coworker is copying and start a conversation regarding that.
The article notes that the same three variables are at work with informal communication on computers and other electronic devices. Organizations can promote virtual proximity by encouraging the use of Skype, instant messaging, Twitter, and other social networking tools and having people keep them open at all times. “Frictionless accessibility is key,” say the authors. “Our studies show that if connecting with a team member online requires more than one click, informal encounters won’t happen. It’s not unlike how people behave in the real world: You’re not going to casually drop in on a colleague who’s on another floor.” Of course it’s also important that the virtual communication platform has useful information and is frequented by knowledgeable, interesting people. To get the ball rolling, some organizations mandate participation to start with, and then the channels take on a life of their own.
As for privacy, people won’t communicate informally if they believe that every communication is being monitored. “Organizations can’t promise complete privacy,” state Fayard and Weeks. “But clearly communicated policies governing who has access to electronic communications and under what circumstances can convey important reassurance.”
Permission is also important in virtual communication – the leader should model the use of electronic tools for social and personal communication (with specified limits). “When virtual-team members come to know one another beyond the confines of their job, the team is strengthened.”
As an administrative team, we often discuss ways to improve communication – moving forward we need to consider both the physical environment and the virtual environment.
Sharing Successes during Difficult Times
Kelsey Wonsavage – Culinary Arts placed First in the Nation.
Nick Rutowski – Graphics placed Fourth in the Nation.
Samantha Dault – Cosmetology placed Seventh in the Nation.
Ryan Hastings – Automotive not able to find out yet where he placed.
Former Saline grads. at WCC or Ferris:
Brad Clink – placed first in Post Secondary Welding and will go to the World competition in London, England in October.
John Bohnett – placed third in Post Secondary Graphics
Andy Smith – placed first in Post Secondary Cabinet making
Even during these difficult times, it is important we continue to celebrate the hard work and successes of our students and staff.
Summer Reading List..?
As I think about my summer reading list – I want to be inspired. One book I am thinking about is Gifted Hands, The Ben Carson Story. The book is the story of Dr. Ben Carson. Raised in inner-city Detroit by a mother with a third grade education, Ben lacked motivation. He had terrible grades. And a pathological temper threatened to put him in jail. His mother convinced Ben that he could make something of his life, even though everything around him said otherwise.
I also plan to read Off the Couch, Back to Business by local author April Scarlett. It’s the story of how April overcame the setback of a failed business, making a conscious choice to change her future.
The other book I am interested in is The Lost Art of Reading by David Ulin.
Here is some rationale by Kat Fatland,
The Internet is to the book what the microwave is to the oven: Just because you can cook an entire meal for yourself in 90 seconds doesn’t mean it tastes better, and just because you can now read the Sparknotes version of Bleak House in under two hours and somehow end up with an A- paper doesn’t mean you’re getting the same experience. In a world full of instant gratification and hyperactive mouse-clicking, The Lost Art of Reading reminds us that we need to make time to sit back, contemplate, and soak it all in once in a while. Admit it: Your Lean Cuisine tastes despicable, and Crime and Punishment, in all of its 576 page glory, leaves a way better taste in your mouth than just about anything you’ll find on the inter-webs.
Any other “must read” books you think I should check out this summer?
Saline High School – 2011 Senior Class
On Wednesday, May 18, the members of the Class of 2011 completed a brief survey about what is next for them following their graduation from Saline High School. The results for the 423 responses are below:
| Michigan Colleges | (317) | 75% |
| Out of State Colleges | (69) | 16% |
| Michigan Public Colleges | (295) | 70% |
| Michigan Private Colleges | (22) | 5% |
| All Four Year Colleges | (293) | 69% |
| All Two Year Colleges | (95) | 22% |
| Military | (8) | 2% |
| Undecided or working full time | (14) | 3% |
| Exchange Students returning | (6) | 1% |
| to home country | ||
| Young Adult Program | (4) | < 1% |
Interesting Numbers:
Michigan Private Schools Numbers
| Adrian College | 2 |
| Albion College | 3 |
| Alma College | 1 |
| Aquinas College | 1 |
| College for Creative Studies | 2 |
| Concordia University | 2 |
| Hillsdale College | 1 |
| Hope College | 2 |
| Kalamazoo College | 2 |
| Kettering University | 1 |
| Lawrence Technological University | 1 |
| Madonna University | 1 |
| Seina Heights University | 3 |
| Spring Arbor University | 1 |
| University of Detroit Mercy | 1 |
Michigan Public Schools Numbers
| Central Michigan University | 22 |
| Eastern Michigan University | 38 |
| Ferris State University | 4 |
| Grand Valley State University | 18 |
| Michigan State University | 38 |
| Michigan Technological University | 2 |
| Oakland University | 2 |
| Saginaw Valley State University | 7 |
| University of Michigan | 44 |
| University of Michigan Dearborn | 1 |
| Wayne State University | 2 |
| Western Michigan University | 22 |
Michigan Community Colleges Numbers
| Henry Ford Community College | 3 |
| Kalamazoo Valley Community College | 1 |
| Washtenaw Community College | 91 |
Public Out of State College Numbers
| Arizona State University | 1 |
| Belmont University | 1 |
| Bowling Green State University | 3 |
| Florida State University | 1 |
| Louisiana State University | 1 |
| Miami University (Ohio) | 2 |
| Mississippi State University | 1 |
| Ohio State University | 2 |
| Purdue University | 2 |
| University of Central Florida | 1 |
| University of Colorado at Boulder | 1 |
| University of Connecticut | 1 |
| University of Iowa | 2 |
| University of Kentucky | 2 |
| University of Maryland – College Park | 1 |
| University of Montana | 1 |
| University of Toledo | 4 |
| University of Wisconsin | 3 |
| Virginia Tech. | 1 |
| West Virginia University | 1 |
Private Out of State Colleges Numbers
| American University | 1 |
| College of Wooster | 1 |
| Columbia College – Chicago | 2 |
| Brigham Young University | 3 |
| Culinary Institute of American | 1 |
| Denison University | 1 |
| DePaul University | 1 |
| Evangel University | 1 |
| Furman University | 1 |
| Grove City College | 1 |
| Indiana Wesleyan University | 1 |
| John Carroll University | 1 |
| Lipscomb University | 1 |
| Loyola University – Chicago | 1 |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology | 2 |
| Mercyhurst College | 1 |
| North Central College | 1 |
| Oberlin College | 1 |
| Princeton University | 1 |
| Queen’s University of Charlotte | 1 |
| St. Bonaventure University | 1 |
| Stanford University | 1 |
| Unity College | 1 |
| University of Charleston | 1 |
| University of Chicago | 1 |
| University of Dayton | 1 |
| University of Northwestern Ohio | 1 |
| University of Notre Dame | 1 |
| University of the Cumberlands | 1 |
| Valparaiso University | 1 |
Summer Youth Culinary Classes
Does your student have a passion for cooking? Does he or she aspire to be the next star chef? Then they will enjoy this two-week culinary arts summer program at Saline High School; featuring hands-on cooking, chef demonstrations, and recipes from our kitchen. The program started last year and was a very successful.
Supporting our Seniors
On Tuesday night, Saline High School hosted the annual Senior Awards Night. This event honors the graduating class by presenting members of the class with the departmental awards and scholarships that they have earned. The evening is a vivid reminder of many diverse talents of our student body and the support our community provides to them. Below is a list of the organizations that provided scholarships to our students on Tuesday. I would like to thank each of them for their continued support.
Alma Scots Honor Scholarship, American Legion Citizenship Awards, American Legion (Auxiliary Scholarships, Saline American Legion Scholarship, Sons of the American Legion), Booster Club Scholarship, Building Trades Scholarship, Coach Crabtree Scholarship, Debra Bouchard Memorial Scholarship, Dora Mae Mayer Memorial Scholarship, Douglas J. Mull Trade School Scholarship, Educational Support Personnel (ESP Scholarship, Orrin Corl/Sandy Rogers Scholarships), Edward Redies Foundation Scholarships, Harvest of the Arts Oktoberfest Scholarship, Jeremy Tarlea Memorial Scholarship, Lillian W. McClelland Memorial Scholarship, Paul J. Peters Memorial Scholarship, Ping Scholar/Athlete Awards, Rachael Townsend Memorial Scholarship, Saint Joseph Mercy Saline Hospital (Auxiliary Scholarship, Dorothy Bredernitz Scholarship, William Lavery Scholarship), Saline Alumni Association Scholarship Saline Area Senior Citizen Scholarship, Saline Education Association (Howard McCann/Maxine Ross Memorial Scholarships), Saline High School Horticulture Award, Saline High School Student Leadership Scholarships, Saline Kiwanis Club Scholarships, Saline Lions Club Scholarships, Saline Rotary Club Scholarships (Academic Scholarship, Alwin Gross/Howard Johnson Scholarship, Career Technical Scholarship, Interact Scholarship), Thomas L. Thomas Family Scholarship, Tim Kiraly Scholarship, United Methodist Church Scholarship (Carr Memorial Scholarship), Washtenaw Community College Scholarships (Anthony J. Procassini Honor Scholarship, President’s Honor Scholarships), Kathryn Steiner Burr Scholarships, and Unterkircher Scholarship.
Ms. Sabrina Gross presents Amanda Matthews with the Alma Scots Honor Scholarship
Scot Graden's Blog 