Good Intentions...

With the noblest intentions, I started this blog in order to improve communications. As it turns out, I actually have to write to the blog to communicate in this manner! Looking back over the two months since my last posting, I am not sure that I could explain why I have not posted anything here on a more regular basis. When I began this blog, a trusted friend told me to start small and plan on posting once a month. I thought I could post at least once a week. Well, the friend was correct, and I have learned. Without falling into the cultural trap of declaring this a "New Year's Resolution," I will try to do better. I will try to write more regularly, and I will try to write things worth reading.

In terms of work, I am most involved at this time with planning for a PLC (Professional Learning Community) on 21st Century Thinking and Schooling. Beginning in January 2009, I will be co-facilitating this endeavor with Bob Ryshke, Executive Director of The Center for Teaching at The Westminster Schools. Using Daniel Pink's A Whole New Mind as a jumping off point, we will first explore what the 21st Century will call for in terms of learning and skill development. If anyone is still reading this blog after my terrible accountability to posting, I would be interested to hear what you believe are the most critical learning tasks or skills for the 21st Century.

Faculty Goal Setting - WOW!

Lately, if anyone has been waiting on me to return a voice mail or an e-mail, allow me to justify my delay in returning your communication. This 2008-09 academic year marks my sixth year as Junior High School principal at Westminster. For the first time, though, I have set aside most of September to meet with each of the eighty Junior High teachers and support staff and to listen to these educators explain the goals that they have set for the year. WOW! I will soon complete the first week of meetings. What a blessing it is to hear our remarkable teachers review their 2007-08 student course evaluations and relay to me their strengths and challenges as teachers. Everyone thus far has detailed the reflective lessons that they are gleaning from students' feedback. Most impressively, each teacher is communicating concrete ways in which he or she plans to enhance the curriculum, to connect better with students, or to increase one's responsiveness to the specific needs of the various learners in class. Every afternoon, I have left school feeling enriched by the conversations and insights that the Junior High faculty are sharing. Clearly visible, these teachers maintain superlative hopefulness for the learners that they feel genuinely called to teach. A positive atmosphere permeates my office because of the ambitious work that the Junior High teachers commit to undertaking during this wonderful and critical time in the lives of our middle school students.

2008-09 JH Parents Night

Thank you, parents, for attending the 2008-09 Junior High Parents Night. I genuinely appreciate you taking a night away from home to meet with me and my Guidance Committee (administrative team). Your strong attendance at this event is great testimony to your commitment to your child's education, and I am thankful that PAWS hosts such an evening for all of us. Certainly, I understand the challenges with attending night meetings, and I know some of you had schedule conflicts. I look forward to seeing you at the next event. The link below should provide you access to the Power Point slides that I used as the core of my talk on Parents Night.
https://boadams.wikispaces.com/JH+Blog-Document+Links

Phillip's First Fishing Adventure

While this post doesn't conform to the objective of providing information about the Junior High, many of you occasionally indulge me about what is happening in my family. Before I returned to work on Monday, July 21, I was most fortunate to spend three weeks at Lake Oconee with my family. I thought I would provide just a taste of what we enjoyed doing there, as well as an example of what I learned to do in my class this week (see post below). Click on the post title above to see a short video of Phillip's First Fishing Adventure.

Wikis, and Podcasts, and Blogs, Oh My!

During the mornings of July 21, 22, and 23, I participated as a student in a Center for Teaching Summer Institute with the title above. In short, the class was fabulous. Taught with genuine expertise and enthusiasm by Chris Bishop and Jere Wells, the institute offering explored various Web 2.0 technologies. The content foundation for the class rests at a wiki which one can reach by clicking on the title of this post; the site is a remarkable self-learning tool. In addition to learning richly about Web 2.0 technologies and better equipping myself to be an improved technology and pedagogy resource for my exceptional faculty, I found the experience of being a student again to be invaluable. What better way to remind myself about the complexities, conditions, and conquests of learning than to put myself in the student role. As I sat beside Angela Jones, I became even more excited to imagine how she might utilize all that she seemed to learn during our three days of instruction.

JH Permanent Art Collection Installed

On Tuesday, July 22, Mary Cobb and I completed the third annual installation of over 50 pieces of student artwork into the Junior High Permanent Art Collection (JHPAC). To date, the collection contains about 180 pieces of student art. The JHPAC was inaugurated when the Junior High School moved into its new building in 2005. When the building was designed, the hallways and commons spaces were intended to be used as "mini galleries." What a blessing to see the dream of a JHPAC come to life. Better still, how wonderful to see the student art recognized and hanging for all to see. Thanks to Mary Cobb, Director of the Junior High Permanent Art Collection.

2007-08 Adams/Hansen 8th Grade Homeroom Leadership Project

Since 2006-07 the 8th Graders have engaged in a new and exciting component of the curriculum currently known as the 8th Grade Leadership Project. During the course of the year, homeroom advisement groups develop a service project to address a major global issue. In 2007-08, my homeroom created a "public service announcement" to raise awareness about child homelessness in Atlanta.