Technology has changed the way many people receive information. That's why I'm posting here.
Blogs do an interesting thing: They allow you to communicate in a frank and honest way and allow you to reveal more than the typical website might reveal about an entire organization like a school. A wise superintendent once told me this: "You can never have enough communication."
Blogs are also more personalized. I value straight-talk and writing and hopefully you'll read my blog from time to time to see what's on my mind. Also, you'll find some of what your local teachers and support personnel are doing to improve your high school. My goal is to provide the principal's perspective on the work of your local high school and keep members of the community, students and parents better informed.
Right now, I'm preparing to serve this community. Preparing starts with building relationships and getting to know people. I'm interested in the challenges that impede learning at the high school. You have to know where to AIM your efforts first. In March, I spent two days with the building leadership team, assistant principals, superintendents, secretaries and students to learn about their work at the high school. Ms. Richter, your current interim principal, has been very helpful guiding me toward data and information I will need to serve your community well. I will be visiting with high school personnel and students again on April 19 and 20 to conduct a student focus group, spend time with counselors and visit the middle school (there are 8th graders getting ready to turn into freshmen over there!). It can be a difficult task to sort out where to AIM. There are many people to learn from when a principal takes a new position. If I'm going to provide the best service possible, it's important I spend a lot of time listening. In this profession, you have to be a great communicator, but you had better be an even better listener.
If you have a student in the high school this coming school year, please feel free to call on me if you have a concern. Please don't let things fester and go on for weeks when you believe they aren't going well for your son or daughter at Mexico high school. I promise you, I want to hear your concerns and your reasonable requests to help your son or daughter if they need additional support. Sometimes what you feel they aren't receiving from school is as important as what they are receiving from school. In the near future I plan to meet with parents in focus groups to learn more about their experiences as parents when dealing with the high school. I hope you will offer to be a part of contributing your perspectives, praises and concerns to our faculty and staff. It is very important to me that your high school reflects what the community of Mexico wishes it to be. For me, it should be the place that makes a difference in your son or daughter's life for the better. Mexico High School should make your son or daughter's critical thinking skills 1000% better because they found a caring professional learning community committed to their well-being and educational progress.
I'm committing to regular posts once a month, but plan to write more if time allows. Let me know if you find this site helpful. :)
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