Reflections from an Elementary Principal

This year, after our opening keynote message to staff, we embedded a selfie-scavenger hunt, as there were several spaces that were renovated over the summer. Not only was this a great team-building/get to know you activity where staff worked in small groups with other members outside of their grade level team, but they explored parts of the building together & had fun taking selfies in these various locations! We asked staff to post a collage of all of the photos on Instagram, using our school hashtag and #selfiescavengerhunt.

Each staff member then received a ‘swag bag’ and a staff t-shirt for the year! What’s in the bag you ask?

(Each staff member also received a keychain from Target’s dollar spot with their name personalized on it, using a Cricut)

 

*A copy of Be the One for Kids by Ryan Sheehy and a decal sticker for their laptops/rooms. This book is such a quick read and really hits home the message of doing what’s best for kids. Making connections & ensuring all decisions come back to the question, “Is this good for kids?” makes this an easy pick for a staff PD book.

*A copy of Hacking Leadership by Joe Sanfelippo & Tony Sinanis (courtesy of our superintendent, Dr. B). Joe was our district’s opening keynote speaker this year & kicked off our school year with an inspiring message to connect and tell our school’s story! Joe left us wanting to do always do whatever it takes to create those moments of awe for our families and students.

*Vistaprint Positive Postcards — our school’s goal is “5 by Friday” ….that’s 5 positive connections by Friday….every week….all year…..all staff members participating! Those positive connections help strengthen relationships with our families and students!

*Lanyard (ordered from Namify), Planner (ordered from Amsterdam), Badge Reel (ordered from IDville) — all customized with our school logo!

*A plush “googley eye” dry erase board eraser, which they can also use to wipe down their device screens (iPads or laptop).

*Custom Popsockets

Finally, all staff received a t-shirt. We wear our school shirt on the 1st day of school, to easily signify which adults are staff members, available to help families and new students looking for direction on that first morning of school!

              

On the first day of school, we surprise the staff with an easel in the lounge!

Just like  our students take photos of their first day of school, we set up a photo-op for our staff to capture their first day!
The fujifilm Instax cameras provide an instant “polaroid” photo keepsake!

    

How do you kick off the new school year?

Our journey begins in February, when we has a “Kindergarten Round Up” evening, or an information night for parents of incoming Kindergarten students. The night is made up of an informative presentation by the administration and a Kindergarten teacher for the parents, while the children experience Kindergarten classrooms with our amazing Kinder teaching staff! Once re-united after the presentation, families and children partake in a tour around the building (bringing their Kennedy passport), meeting Kenny the school mascot & taking a sweet treat & picture on the way out!

 

At the meet & greet this year (the day before school begins), we placed a copy of the book “Kindergarten Here I Come!” with a special note on each Kindergarten students’ desk! (Thanks Susan Melbye and Liz Garden for the inspiration)

           

After seeing this yard sign idea in the town I live in, I knew I wanted to bring the idea to our school community to help welcome our new class of Kindergarten students…..while the “8th grade graduation class year” is what I’ve seen frequently used on these welcome signs, I wanted to connect our district’s motto of “College Begins with Kindergarten” to these yard signs, by displaying their future college graduation year! We instill college and career goals from a young age and want our Kubbies to strive for big things!

Our school photo company, Lifetouch, has a printshop and this year, we ordered yard signs that would welcome our incoming Kindergarten class of students to Kennedy School! The night before school started, our entire administrative team split up the addresses of our Kindergarten students and delivered the signs! No appointment, no door knock, we just left the signs in the front yards of our new students! Some saw us and came out, where we snapped pictures next to their sign. It was also awesome for our parents to tag our school in their social media posts, capturing their Kindergarten children next to their signs! Again, amazingly thankful to my administrative team for helping make this idea happen!!!! Couldn’t have done it without their help! #thankful

            

                                              

 

How do you welcome your Kindergarten families? 

An important aspect of being a connected leader is telling your school’s story through social media. It’s imperative that meaningful, real connections take place first in order for your parents and/or community to want to follow your school’s story or believe in it. As Joe Sanfelippo says, “Never miss the opportunity to say something great about your school”.

Our district has a strong Facebook and Instagram presence, yet I realize that many of parents are also on Snapchat. While we have not branched out into creating a district or school snapchat account, we do capitalize on the fact that Snapchat is one of the social media spaces that are parents ‘live-in’ and use frequently. That being said, I wanted to be sure that we could add our ‘brand’ to the stories that our parents may be telling in that space, and I wanted their photos to forever remember some of the most memorable days. Solution = Custom Filters.

When are parents (and teachers) taking pictures? 1st Day of School in any grade level is a milestone. We all know parents want to take a picture on the first and last day of each grade level for their elementary-aged children….and the school courtyard is packed with families on that first day…..why not capitalize on that by creating a custom geo-filter with your school’s logo and the date?

Creating custom geo-filters is simple! You can use free web-based programs like CANVA to create the filter. Snapchat now even allows you to create one within their app (see directions here). Once you’ve created your design, you submit the filter to Snapchat to be approved. You’ll schedule your filter by choosing a start time and end time (your filter can last anywhere from an hour to weeks). You map out the area you want your filter to cover by dragging the points of your ‘geofence’ to change its shape. Based on how big your geofence is, your custom filter price will adjust.

Think about what your most memorable events are at your school? For us, the most highly attended days with parents include:

Halloween
           

Kindergarten Graduation
                 

Last Day of School
          

Have you explored geo-filters yet? What events can you capitalize on by creating a custom geo-filter to help brand the amazingness happening at your school?

In the weeks before staff return, I love spending time writing notes so that each faculty member receives ‘snail mail’! Whether it’s a notecard or a postcard, I want them to know that I hope they’ve been enjoying their time away from school and can’t wait to hear about their summer when they return in a few weeks!

This year (sshhhhh), postcards are headed to their mailboxes (Vistaprint, of course):

A welcome letter, including information/agendas for the teacher institute days hits their inbox next, but what’s most important in the week prior to school beginning it the time I spend around the building. While my list of things to do can seem never-ending, stopping into classrooms as teachers prepare for students is so important! Oftentimes, teachers will have company (whether it be their moms, spouses, friends, or even their children) and I always spend time talking with teachers and working on those relationships. I ask if there’s anything I can do to help (cutting out laminating or hanging up a bulletin board) but more importantly,  I want them to know how much I value their time and attention in creating the most welcoming, vibrant learning environment for our Kubbies.

The week before staff officially report, I ask staff to record a FlipGrid video introducing themselves, sharing their position and something that they’re excited about in the coming year. This is a great way for returning staff to meet our newest family members, and for our new staff to put faces to the names of their future colleagues!

I strive to make our opening kick-off as a school staff inspiring and energizing! It’s important that we have a common goal as a school-team and that we work collectively towards our goal for the year! I try to ensure the teachers feel excited to be back and valuable as members of our team. Who doesn’t love ‘swag‘ ? Below you’ll find some back to school gifts that we’ve provided our staff, including an “It’s Worth It Box” (poem from Ms. DeCarbo), Kids Deserve It swag, Brad Montague’s “Don’t Hide Your Magic” pins, and of course staff T-Shirts (ordered from The Graphic Edge).

Admin shouldn’t forget what it’s like on those first Institute Days….teachers’ minds are racing with what they still need to do before the 1st day of school, yet admin tend to pack those agendas with little time to work in their classrooms.

While there are certainly some ‘non-negotiables’ that need to be covered during those institute day meetings, I know how much teachers value time with their teams and time to work in their rooms. Not only do we build in a good chunk of time, we try to make that “work time” extra sweet, but delivering either SONIC drinks or McDONALDS smoothies, wishing them a “SMOOTH” start to the school year!

It’s not just students who get those First Day Jitters. I still can’t sleep the night before the first day of school! I’m filled with such excitement and anticipation for the big day! As a principal, I want to be sure that all staff members feel supported and know that the administrative team will always be there for them! My APs and I split the staff list and write out cards (take advantage of Vista Print’s 50% off sale through July 24th) to each staff member, wishing them a successful school year & assuring them we are here to support them! We all know how hectic that first day is, with teachers oftentimes skipping their lunch; so we always leave a sweet treat in their mailboxes with that hand-written note, like a cake pop or a cookie!

How do you welcome staff for the start of a new school year?

Engaging with your students and families over the summer months is incredibly important in maintaining and strengthening relationships. Many principals have shared how they connect with families over the summer. Below are some of my favorites:

Michael Courington’s school has a book mobile that travels around town! What an amazing way for students to wrap their hands around a book for the summer!

Mandy Ellis hosts events where her students can engage with their principal and listen to a wonderful story!  

Amber Teamann hosts Popsicles with the Principal & Chalk the Walk, where families and students come and leave inspiring messages on the sidewalks surrounding the elementary school for the 1st day.

I send out a S’more Summer Update to families, filled with important beginning of the year information & introductions to new faces/staff members they may see at our school! I’m also to include exciting information about staff, like engagements/weddings/new babies or “Kubbies” who’ve joined our school family….as I want our community to see the staff as family.

We also incorporate FLIPGRID into our summer communications with families!

On this Meet the Staff FLIPGRID (password is Kennedy81), our families have the opportunity to get to know our large (100 person) staff!

**I’ve also used FlipGrid with staff in the weeks prior to everyone returning to school! I asked everyone to record a video, introducing themselves & what position they are in, as well as something they’re looking forward to in the coming school year. It’s a great way for our new teachers to put a face to the name of their future colleagues….and for our returning staff to get to know some of our newest members!

How do you engage your students/families over the summer months?

How do you welcome students for a new school year as the lead learner of a school?

Kas Nelson, an amazing principal in Oklahoma, shared how she sends all 220 of her students a welcome back to school letter via snail mail and the impact that’s had on her learning community.

I loved this idea, and decided I would create my own letter to students, sitting on every student’s desk to take home at the Meet & Greet (the day before school begins). Knowing so many of our students wouldn’t be able to read the words in my letter, I was sure to include colorful photos and a QR code, connecting to an audio recording of my voice, reading the letter! You’ll see a comment below the letter from a family of a student, who loved hearing my voice!

On the back side of the letter, I included ways for parents to engage and connect with our school district! Our district strives to reach our parents where they are, through multiple means. Each classroom has an Instagram account & our school and district breakdown the walls and share learning through our school and district hashtags. While our district uses the traditional “School Messenger” software to send email/phone alerts to families, we have found that REMIND has connected us directly to parents’ cell phones! Again, each classroom teacher has found great success facilitating two-way communication using REMIND.

This is a quick and easy way to begin the relationship with your families!

How do you start the new year with the students and parents in your school?

After spending an hour and a half on a Google Hangout with 5 fellow female school leaders across the country from my Moms As Principals tribe, my feelings about “finding your supportive tribe” are even more solidified. As different as we may be, we empower, support and encourage one another. In our Voxer group, we challenge each others’ thinking and they inspire me (daily) to consider perspectives different from my own.

In Lead Like a PIRATE Shelley Burgess and Beth Houf share, “Being the organizational leader can be lonely and difficult. With technology, we no longer have to go it alone.”  Not only does technology connect us with endless information, but it helps connect us with each other. I love that connecting first through social media has then allowed us to connect with each other in person! Brian Fans wrote, “Social media won’t replace a handshake, but social media done well will change the first meeting from a handshake to a hug.” Meeting these ladies (and many others from the MomsAsPrincipals tribe last year at the National Principals’ Conference) in person was amazing, but connecting with them daily through Voxer has really been an amazing resource! I’ve been able to share ideas, ask for suggestions or input, and listen/grow as a leader and a mom. The ideas shared in this group on Voxer (and others such as Principals In Action), have already been implemented, thus helping the school community I serve.

Thinking about the power of one’s tribe & the how amazing it is to be part of groups that inspire and empower fellow women leaders, I’m reminded of Jen Hatmaker’s post on Instagram about female elephants:

“See, in the wild, when a mama elephant is giving birth, all the other female elephants in the herd back around her in formation. They close ranks so that the delivering mama cannot even be seen in the middle. They stomp and kick up dirt and soil to throw attackers off the scent and basically act like a pack of badasses.

They surround the mama and incoming baby in protection, sending a clear signal to predators that if they want to attack their friend while she is vulnerable, they’ll have to get through 40 tons of female aggression first.

When the baby elephant is delivered, the sister elephants do two things: they kick sand or dirt over the newborn to protect its fragile skin from the sun, and then they all start trumpeting, a female celebration of new life, of sisterhood, of something beautiful being born in a harsh, wild world despite enemies and attackers and predators and odds.

Scientists tell us this: They normally take this formation in only two cases – under attack by predators like lions, or during the birth of a new elephant.

This is what we do, girls. When our sisters are vulnerable, when they are giving birth to new life, new ideas, new ministries, new spaces, when they are under attack, when they need their people to surround them so they can create, deliver, heal, recover…we get in formation. We close ranks and literally have each others’ backs. You want to mess with our sis? Come through us first. Good luck.

And when delivery comes, when new life makes its entrance, when healing finally begins, when the night has passed and our sister is ready to rise back up, we sound our trumpets because we saw it through together. We celebrate! We cheer! We raise our glasses and give thanks.

Photo cred: David Yarrow Photography

There is no community like a community of women.

Don’t forget to spot the young ones learning from their fierce mamas, joining the protection squad. Our littles are watching us, girls. They see how we do. We are the ones to teach them about the formation. If they learn it young, they’ll never forget it. Protect your sisters and your babes will grow up and do the same.”

It’s inspiring to be part of a group that supports, encourages, connects, inspires and influences me to be better and do better. They are female leaders, who (just like me) experience “Mom Fails”, but who also support me in truly believing I am setting an amazing example of what it means to be a working female leader and amazing mom.  It’s my hope that everyone finds their “tribe” and that leaders are willing to step out of isolation to connect, collaborate and learn from others to make themselves and their schools stronger! Collectively, as educators and leaders, we need to feel comfortable sharing our best practices and connecting to lift each other up.

To our newest members who have joined the #momsasprincipals group or believe whole-heartedly in #AllKidsAreOurKids, welcome and I hope you find as much value in connecting with other likeminded individuals as I have. Our tribe, like female elephants, will celebrate you, push your thinking, support you and best of all, have your back!

Instagram has quickly become one of my favorite Professional Development tools! While I still love Twitter, Instagram is awesome because I gravitate towards visuals! It’s an amazing forum to share pictures; whether to tell a story, inform, or to share a strategy/instructional practice! It’s quickly become my go-to to connect and learn from other educators who make up my PLN. If you aren’t using Instagram professionally, yet, check out some ways educators/administrators can benefit from an Instagram account:

Ways to Use Instagram:

*To post classroom notifications:
Don’t overlook instagram to share classroom news & notifications (Field Trip reminders, Picture Day, Parent/Teacher Conferences, etc). 

*Showcase students & student work:
Use Instagram to share amazing examples of student work. Oftentimes, teachers spend a lot of time taking care of the negatives: behavior, missing work, etc….don’t overlook the good things! Purposefully look for positives to highlight.

*Review content from classrooms:
Engage your students in reviewing content learned in class. Post a question and ask students to post a comment/response. Use Instagram to post a daily challenge in the form of a visual word problem, review questions or post ‘bonus’ questions.

*Share Recommendations:
Whether you’re sharing reading recommendations, or sharing activities that families can engage in with their children at home,use Instagram as a way to communicate ideas and recommendations.

*Student “Instagrammer” of the Day
Give students the leadership and responsibility of taking over your classroom instagram feed for the day and capturing their favorite parts of the day, from their perspective.

*Search Hashtags on Instagram:
Just as you can search a hashtag on Twitter, search hashtags on Instagram to see posts and connect with like-minded educators. Once you find an educator (through the hashtag) start following them!  Here are some hashtags to start following:

#teachersfollowteachers
#teachersofinstagram
#iteachtoo
#iteachk, #iteach1st, #iteach2nd, etc.
#teacherbloggers
#teachertalk
#teacherchat
#teachersofTpT
#momsasprincipals
#aprincipalsday

*Follow Other Educators on Instagram:
Use instagram as a form of FREE PD to find new ideas for your classroom! Follow other educators, even if you do not know them personally!

Thanks to Mandy Ellis for this amazing idea! Such an easy culture-builder and way for staff to TREND the POSITIVE and show appreciation for each other!

Being a member of Melinda Miller & Amber Teamann’s Staff Motivation facebook group has connected with so many amazing administrators from around the country! Just when I thought Twitter was my ‘go-to’ for building my PLN, the new Facebook groups I’ve joined have come in to expand my already amazing network of connected, amazing principals!

While I’ve been surprising my staff with Fabulous Fridays in February for the past few years (check out a previous post here), connecting with other administrators has inspired me to try some fresh new ideas!

Here was our 2018 lineup:

Lattes on Location:
We surprised our staff with a ‘coffee on location’ company, who brought all the equipment needed to brew coffees and smoothies for our staff! We put a menu in each staff members’ mailbox the day before & had some student leaders deliver the drinks to our wonderful staff on a Friday morning!

     

Kindness Challenge
February 11th-17th happened to be “Random Acts of Kindness Week” so I challenged the staff to a Kindness Challenge (another amazing idea shared on the Facebook group!) — I challenged staff to complete these simple, kind acts that would make our students’ and colleagues’ days just a bit brighter!

How does the Kindness Challenge work, you ask? 
*Complete a challenge – mark it off on the challenge sheet

*Each challenge completed earns a TICKET in the raffle

*Earn an extra ticket for each challenge that is completed & shared on social media with the challenge hashtag

WINNER of the raffle……earns a HALF DAY OFF!
*And another amazing opportunity for me to sub in the classroom for the winning teacher 🙂

Inspired by Bethany Hill, we added a school Kindness Tree to our main hallway, and inspired our STUDENTS to brainstorm ways they can be kind friends & spread kindness!

    

 

Valentine’s Day Treats!
I stole this amazing little idea from Melinda Miller, who shared the idea of adding a bitmoji to a valentine’s card! Super cute, and easy!

   

…..and Amber Teamann’s adorably cute idea for admin team!

Valentine’s Read-Aloud in Classrooms
We love every opportunity we get to spend time int he classrooms to share our love of reading and new titles with students! It’s also a sweet treat for staff to have an extra 20 minute break!

Here are some of my February read-aloud favorites: