Principal’s Blog

102 Review, Issue 18: Every Feedback is a Gift

Posted on May 22, 2018May 18, 2019 by mrkobot in Principal's Blog

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.

102 Review, Issue 17: What Matters Most for Those Who Fails Initially

Posted on May 22, 2018May 18, 2019 by mrkobot in Principal's Blog

January 22nd, 2016

“It’s impossible to successfully move a large number of students at a school out of failure without giving teachers a voice in the intervention plan or model…Our schools need to stop putting so much faith in things (a process, model, or program), and start having a lot more faith in people.”

-Rebecca Adler, “Intervention for Failing Students: What Matters Most?”

Effective intervention does not begin with the purchase of a silver-bullet program: it begins with finding out the root cause of a student’s struggle and ends with the hyper-focused instruction tailored to address them. As we get close to the midway point of the school year, we should already have ample information regarding students who are struggling and the interventions they each need. And it’s time we do something about it.

You will receive in your mailbox Monday a form for you to identify students whose promotion are in doubt. The students you identify are not put on a list to be retained—in fact, it’s the opposite. Students at risk for promotion will be targeted for crucial intervention services in the next few months to ensure that they graduate in June. Please complete and return this form to your assistant principal no later than Tuesday, January 26th.

Weekly Highlight: Recognizing the urgency in supporting all students to be able to read at grade level by the end of 2nd grade, teacher teams in grades 1 and 2 are working alongside our ENL and RtI teams to implement effective reading intervention for struggling readers. Using F&P data to identify students in the lowest third of their grade, teachers are pushing ahead to do whatever it takes to help these at-risk students read. They are employing systems to monitor each student’s reading level and track progress, collectively focused with only the prize in their eyes. A child’s ability to read at grade level by the end of 2nd grade carries incredible significance on the trajectory of his or her education, and our teachers are doing nothing short of work that is potentially life-altering. Thank you as well to Ms. Jenal for your passion and knowledge in supporting teachers.

Things You Need to Know:

Morning and After-school Enrichment begins on the 1/27. Priority is given to students performing in the lowest 3rd of their respective grades for ELA and Math, and more seats will be made available once the program is up and running. Thank you to all the teachers who are stepping up to work with the teachers who need them most.

Respect for All: 2/9 to 2/13 is Respect for All week, and we are looking for teachers who are interested in working with our guidance team to brainstorm and coordinate RFA activities. Please email me or Ms. Babakitis if you’d like to learn more.

Cell Phone Numbers: Please continue to collect and remind students to bring in their parents’ cell phone numbers. We are looking for 100% compliance in all classes.

2/3 Paint Night: As one of our initiatives to increase parent engagement, 102 will be hosting a Paint Night on 2/3 from 4-6PM for 50 5th grade students and a parent. They will learn how to paint from Ms. Holden and Ms. O’Donell and they will each take home their masterpiece the same night. Flyers and permission slips will go out next week; first come first serve.

Reminder: During periods when another teacher is teaching in “your” classroom, you should not be in the same room doing prep work. It is always a distraction when a non-participating teacher is present in a classroom, and you must demonstrate the courtesy to your colleague and students by leaving classrooms engaged in learning.

See you Monday!

102 Review, Issue 16: MLK Edition

Posted on May 22, 2018May 18, 2019 by mrkobot in Principal's Blog

January 15th, 2016

“It seems to me that education has a two-fold function to perform in the life of man and in society: the one is utility and the other is culture. Education must enable a man to become more efficient, to achieve with increasing facility the ligitimate goals of his life.

Education must also train one for quick, resolute and effective thinking. To think incisively and to think for one’s self is very difficult. We are prone to let our mental life become invaded by legions of half truths, prejudices, and propaganda. At this point, I often wonder whether or not education is fulfilling its purpose. A great majority of the so-called educated people do not think logically and scientifically. Even the press, the classroom, the platform, and the pulpit in many instances do not give us objective and unbiased truths. To save man from the morass of propaganda, in my opinion, is one of the chief aims of education. Education must enable one to sift and weigh evidence, to discern the true from the false, the real from the unreal, and the facts from the fiction.

The function of education, therefore, is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. But education which stops with efficiency may prove the greatest menace to society. The most dangerous criminal may be the man gifted with reason, but with no morals.”

-Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., The Purpose of Education

Every Friday afternoon I spend a few minutes writing the 102 Review, and then many many more minutes editing out the superfluous. However, our quote this week is 3 paragraphs long because 1) I have no business editing the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and 2) I figure we, like our students, could use the opportunity to experience worthwhile text by reading it.

The “legions of half truths” Dr. King describes is particularly pronounced in the world of education. Asked to adopt one conflicting philosophy after another, it’s easy for schools to lose the focus and confidence to find and do what’s most effective. Our only defense against unsound initiatives and policies is to continually learn and think about what we do. Our work in book study is doing just that and thank you everyone for stepping up in learning as a team.

Things You Need to Know:

School Messenger: 102 is transitioning to a new alert system that allows us to send text messages to families. We will be sending out a form to homeroom teachers to send home for parents to provide us with their cell phone numbers. Thank you for your assistance and we will have more information for you once the system is fully operational.

Promotion in Doubt: Please review student progress to determine the students in your class(es) that is in jeopardy of not meeting the criteria to promote to the next grade in June. All teachers must submit the names of students who they determine to be PID by Tuesday, 1/26. A memo will be in your mailbox next week with more information.

Reminder to Turn Off Smartboards: You must turn off your smart board when it is not being used. I do not want to see the blue “Smartboard” screen in empty classrooms.

Special Education Referral Process: Do not ask parents to write letters to request special education evaluations. Parents are informing me that teachers are asking them to request evaluations and this must stop immediately. If you suspect a student who may have a learning disability, you should request a meeting with your AP to discuss your findings with support staff. We have limited resources to conduct evaluations, meetings, and paperwork for students with special needs and we must do our due diligence in this work. Additionally, it is ethically problematic to suggest to parents that their child may have a learning disability based on an assessment made by one person who lacks the qualification to do so. IEPs are legal documents that can significantly alter the trajectory of a child’s education, for better or for worst, and you should respect it as such. Please ask to speak with me or any of the APs if you have any questions.

Enjoy the long weekend and see you Tuesday!

102 Review, Issue 15: 21st Century Instruction Isn’t About Making Powerpoints

Posted on May 22, 2018May 18, 2019 by mrkobot in Principal's Blog

January 8th, 2016

“The advocates of 21st century education cited in this chapter are not urging us to rashly reinvent curriculum around technology or group projects…They are not proposing that students need to spend less time learning content and more time making movie previews, video skits, wikis, silent movies, to clay animation figures…”

-Mike Schmoker, chapter 2 of Focus: Elevating the Essentials to Radically Improve Student learning

Happy new year, 102! As much as I enjoyed a much needed break, it was great to see everyone back together Monday. Please welcome Sarah Cohen to the 102 family as she assumes the reins of leading 5-321. It’s no small feat to follow Ms. Vicario’s footsteps—midyear no less—but I’m confident we’ll see amazing things from Ms. Cohen once she settles in. Feel free to drop by her room when you have a chance; I’m sure she’ll appreciate any support you can offer or just a simple hello.

Also taking on a new challenge, Yanil Rodriguez is transitioning into her new role as 102’s new parent coordinator. The most effective parent coordinators are those who mediate and build bridges, and we are very fortunate to have someone like Yanil who can leverage her experience in the classroom, as a parent, and as a veteran “other-centered” 102 staff to see from different perspectives. Please reach out to Yanil if you need assistance in connecting with families regarding behavior, grades, needs, anything—it’s her job to support you.

Weekly Highlight:

Thank you Ms. Gaffan for your efforts in leading the student council to raise funds for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. It is a wonderful cause and a great teaching tool. See here for more information.

Things You Need to Know:

New Discipline Referral Process: Please carefully review the memo placed in mailboxes today regarding discipline referrals to learn more about our new protocol for teachers to document and refer persistent student misconduct to the assistant principals and guidance counselors. The process is not designed to burden you with unnecessary paperwork but to bring transparency and objectivity to the school’s approach to discipline. A uniform, codified, and consistent response in addressing misbehavior is vital in supporting students to develop positive behavior skills, and we ask all teachers to be diligent in reporting persistent low-level infractions. Theresa in the main office will be able to provide you with more copies of the form or you can download and print it here.

Formal Observations: Formal observations will begin this cycle. Teachers electing to have formal observations should consider the following items to prepare for their pre-observation conference:

1. Which CCLS standard(s) is targeted and measured for this lesson?

2. How will you check for understanding throughout the lesson?

3. How did our students perform on the state exam last year for the target learning standard? What adjustments will you be making this year to improve student outcomes?

4. What are some potential hurdles for students during the lesson? How will you address them during the lesson?

5. What data are you using to group students?

Six Flag’s Read to Succeed (aka students-log-6-hours-of-reading-to-get-a-free ticket) Program: 102 is now signed up for Six Flag’s reading program for our K-6 students. Our librarian Ms. Bridges has set up teacher accounts for all grade 3-5 teachers and she will be reaching out to you shortly. A memo with more information will be in your mailbox Monday with a letter to parents to follow. Teachers in grades K-2 and 6 who are interested should reach out to Ms. Bridges and/or your assistant principal.

Releasing K-5 Students During Dismissal: If you have to be absent and have students requiring additional attention during dismissal (order of protection, student prone to wander, unique pick-up arrangements, etc.) you must leave explicit directions for your covering teacher. Please continue to dismiss children with caution as we work to simplify our dismissal protocol.

1/11 Monday Professional Learning: Information regarding book club groups and meeting locations are in your mailbox. Please report to your assigned location by 2:50PM.

102 Review, Issue 14: We’re a Happy School

Posted on May 22, 2018May 18, 2019 by mrkobot in Principal's Blog

December 18th, 2015

“This is a happy school.”

–a district 24 principal

Of the many glows and grows we received today from some of the best principals in New York City, perhaps none struck me as much as the one above. Yes, assessment matters, instruction matters, and rigor matters. We know that and we’ll discuss them soon. But teaching is far more than just a series of skills that can be learned and mastered simply through repetition. Teaching is like trying to solve a rubik’s cube with infinite squares that change color as you go—it’s as complex a task as can be. Good teachers are great because they are able to find the motivation to fall short and try again and again, day after day. And it’s almost impossible to try when unhappy.

The joy in our work shone through in our collective response today to a significant challenge. We brought it and we should all head into the holidays with our heads held high. It was a good day—more info to follow.

Weekly Highlights: Our 8th graders enjoyed a night to remember at the winter ball. My only request to Ms. Eliades and Ms. Zecca was to make it bigger and better than last year. Done and done. Also thank you to all the teachers who chipped in to help set up and chaperone. Mr. McManus: extra thanks to you for being the ultimate team player in assisting any way you can. It’s no accident our basketball players develop such great character year after year.

Even though she kept saying she was nervous, Ms. Henriquez showed our visitors some of the best qualities of 102. Her students were deeply engaged and took great pride in their efforts during a math lesson. By unpacking the thinking necessary in solving a word problem as a series of steps, Ms. Henriquez prepared her students for success during work time. Their confidence is a testament to your continual thoughtfulness, and you have much to be proud of.

Ms. Green and Mr. Gebhardt made magic in their collaboration on the posters you see hanging in our hallway. Game for any task and ready to meet deadlines at a moment’s notice, the duo elevated what achieving at 102 can and should be in one fell swoop. Incredible job.

This is the last issue of 102 Review in 2015. I wish you all a great week next week and a wonderful holiday. See you in 2016!