January 29th, 2016
“Every feedback is a gift.”
I am so excited to announce my appointment as 102’s principal. Like many of you, 102 is my home and I am as committed as ever to its long-term success. I’m not interested in quick-fixes and short-sighted decisions: we will continue investing in people and not just programs, and we will work to foster a culture of trust instead of one driven by compliance. Trust—a necessary ingredient in school excellence—takes time and effort, and we’ll not look for shortcuts to greatness because there are none.
As we work alongside one another, I ask all of us to take advantage of the opportunity to provide one another with feedback that can rapidly improve the outcomes of our work. When given with good intent and graciously received, the give-and-take of the feedback cycle builds trust and allows for greater collaboration. And feedback must travel in all direction, not just from the top down or side-to-side; your supervisors need your feedback too. If you disagree with me or think I could’ve done something better, talk to me. How else would I be able to learn and get better?
Weekly Highlights: It couldn’t be more tempting for all of us to not come in to work Monday. But we’re better than that. Many of you braved terrible road conditions to come in and support one another, and incredibly we were able to deliver regular instruction hours after a historic snowstorm before the streets have been proud. The selflessness on display Monday is not something I’ll forget.
Things You Need to Know:
Book study is on Monday. Please meet with your group in the same location and we’ll make up last week’s session. You do not have to each complete a form. One person should be taking notes and everyone else should focus on sharing and listening to one another. I apologize if we were unclear in communicating this expectation.
Our First Paint Night is On. Thank you so much Ms. O’Donnell and Ms. Holden for hosting 102’s first ever paint night We’re expecting a full house Wednesday and it’s going to be a blast. Special thanks to Yanil for coordinating the event and getting fancy with the online registration.
Science Fair has been rescheduled for 2/2-2/4. Thank you science team for your cooperation and we’re looking forward to seeing some great work.
Respect for All Week. A memo has been sent out with guidance on how you and your students can participate in RFA activities the week of 9th. It is much more efficient to proactively prevent behavioral issues than to deal with their aftermath, and RFA week is a great step in the right direction.
Staff Spotlight: Ms, Vega. Thank you Ms. Gaffan for quarterbacking another installment of staff spotlight. Thank you Ms. Vega for sharing.
mrkobot.com 