June 21, 2016
Perhaps author Zig Ziglar said it best, “There is no elevator to success. You have to take the stairs.” In essence, this holds true for us as educators in knowing that there is no magic wand to wave, no magical spell to create, or potion to drink that will solve all of our educational challenges. However, if we are dedicated and work hard, the future can be bright and the path can be paved.
Curriculum
Our teachers have successfully completed the district’s curriculum in all subject areas except for science at the elementary level. As the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) take hold at the middle school level this coming school year, we will slowly update the elementary standards moving forward, which are due to begin the following school year.
Curriculum was a major focus for the district during the year, and we are extremely pleased with the hard work, dedication, and teamwork the teachers exhibited throughout the process! Mr. Kornegay and I will be taking a closer look at the curriculum over the summer to identify gaps and overlaps. We now have a solid foundation with our curriculum that now becomes a fluid document whereby modifications and adjustments can be made on an ongoing basis.
Math
The teachers now have one year under their belts in delivering the new math program to their students. The feedback with the program has been very positive. Students are certainly learning how to explain their reasoning as they solve problems, and more attention is being given to teaching the concepts over rote memorization. This directly benefits students who do not naturally think mathematically. As a matter of fact, students’ Mathematics Benchmark C scores in May showed definite improvements, which is certainly great news! Moving forward, our teachers will be working closely with math coaches throughout the next school year. We are definitely excited about this opportunity!
Technology
We will be increasing our purchase of Chrome Books to include the third grade. Students in third grade will be required to keep the Chrome Books in school. As a result of this device expansion, students in kindergarten through second grades will now be able to share laptops amongst the three classes. Here, it will be very close to a 1:1 student to device ratio!
We will be investing some professional development with Google Apps for Education as our teachers integrate the Chrome Books into their instruction. The ability to collaborate on the part of the teacher and his or her students is certainly one of the major advantages to this initiative. As we progress in technology, the sky is the limit and we will continue to pursue best practices in education through technology.
STEM/Enrichment
We will continue to look for ways in which to integrate STEM and enrichment into our instructional program. We will also continue to maintain a close relationship with the PTA, as they sponsored three excellent after school programs: Model Building, Robotics, and 3D printing. We hope to continue this next school year. I will be working closely with the new middle school science teacher whose responsibilities will also include integrating STEM activities into the education of students at all of the grade levels.
Final Thoughts
After three years here as the principal, I can honestly say that things are looking awesome! Over the past three years, we have worked hard to improve upon an already great school! We will continue to work hard so that your children receive the best possible education they can receive. We will take comfort in knowing that we have made a lot of strides, yet, as always, there is still work to be done. The team here at Califon Public School will continue to pursue perfection for your children and continue to pave a positive path for their future!
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