The Principal as Protector

The role of the principal has grown exponentially. While all of the management tasks (bus routes, building repairs, schedules, discipline, text book inventories, etc.) remain, others have multiplied significantly. The premise of "Principal as an Instructional Leader" has always been given lip-service, but the actual expectation of the principal actively engaging in the work of instructional leadership has magnified greatly. Great principals have welcomed this recognition of this most important function of their work.

The challenge is and has been the conflict between the important tasks (classroom visits, Professional Learning Community meetings, meeting with students about their learning, etc.) with the pressing tasks (parents who show up unannounced in the office, health emergencies, overflowing plumbing, etc.) Balancing the time spent on the important work with the time required for pressing needs is an key requirement for any principal.

It is both important and pressing work that among the roles that principals assume is "The Principal as Protector." It is generally expected that a principal will seek to protect and provide for the safety of students and teachers. I believe, though, that this role is bigger than just physical security. It is also daring to stand up for teachers and students in tough conversations that impact the school. It is about raising a fuss to everyone outside of the building when the working conditions of the teachers are impacted without consulting the teachers. It is about ensuring curricular decisions begin with the student in mind and include teachers as important voices in every conversation.

"I  make sure that things are done with teachers not to them." Reform Support Network Guide

The Principal as Protector is an interesting thought as I consider the things that principals seek to protect. It is about protecting instructional time by minimizing interruptions. It is about protecting self-esteem by ensuring classrooms are safe places for students to try new things. It is about protecting inquiry as a means of learning by ensuring that every learner understands that there really are no dumb questions and that questioning is an important strategy in learning. It is about protecting the the future potential of students by ensuring that they are prepared for life beyond the school house through a focus on globalization,  the availability of technology, and providing an amazing teacher for every student.

The typical visual image of a principal might not be of a knight on a horse, ready to tilt with the world to protect his/her charges inside the building, but perhaps it is appropriate. Every teacher and every student deserves a principal who will stand up for them and assume the very real task of protecting them, their work, and their opportunities to be involved in decisions that impact them. 

A Little Bit More

“Four short words sum up what lifted most successful individuals above the crowd: a little bit more. They did all that was expected of them and… a little bit more.” - A. Lou Vickery

Thank you to my friend and Dominican trip colleague, Melissa Walton for sharing this quote with me.

#READY2012 - NC Statewide Meeting for Principals and Teachers

#READY2012

Our State Superintendent, Dr. June Atkinson, invited the 2,500+ public school principals in the state to bring a teacher representative with them to a Regional Meeting to learn about the state’s new Ready Accountability Model. (www.ncpublicschools.org/ready) Superintendents and Central Office Personnel were also invited. An invitation of this type had not been issued in our state since the mid-1990s when the ABCs of Public Education were first introduced.

The meetings were held in eight different locations across the state (one in each of the eight education regions). Participants were able to choose between either the morning or afternoon session. The meeting lasted just over 3 hours. I had the honor to be a part of these 16 meetings and have come away with a renewed appreciation for the incredible principals and teacher-leaders across our state. I observed them working hard and taking notes throughout the meetings.

I have tried to capture a few notes about the meeting’s components. Each agenda item is followed by a link to the presentation for that item. One of the meetings was video-ed and will be posted on the Ready website. Throughout each of the meetings, I tweeted comments and questions that came up using the hashtag #Ready2012. You may search Twitter using that hashtag to read about what came out of each of the meetings.

2012 READY Regional Outreach Meetings for Educators

DATE	REGION	LOCATION
Tuesday, February 28	Region 5	Greensboro Marriott
Wednesday, March 7	Region 1	Elizabeth City State University, KE White Center
Thursday, March 8	Region 2	UNC Wilmington, The Burney Center
Friday, March 9	Region 4	Fayetteville State University, Shaw Auditorium
Monday, March 12	Region 3	Raleigh, NC State University, McKimmon Center
Thursday, March 15	Region 7	Hickory Crowne Plaza
Thursday, March 22	Region 6	Concord, Charlotte Motor Speedway Club
Friday, March 23	Region 8	Asheville, Crowne Plaza

Welcome & READY: Remodeling North Carolina Schools - Dr. June Atkinson, State Superintendent

www.ncpublicschools.org/docs/ready/resources/remodel.pdf

Dr. Atkinson welcomed participants to the meeting and discussed that public education is like a home in need of remodeling. You would not tear down a home with a strong foundation, you would remodel it to meet your current needs. We simply need to remodel public education. It is not broken.

The Guiding Principles of the READY Accountability Model include: High standards and good measures; Equal access for all communities; Economies of scale; Transparency; and Accountability.

READY: A Framework of Support - Adam Levinson, Director Race to the Top

http://www.ncpublicschools.org/docs/ready/resources/timeline.pdf

Mr. Levinson led the group through the development of the READY Accountability Model by going back to the release of the ABCs Accountability Model in 1996 and showing a timeline of critical steps. NC has been engaged in the remodeling process for many years. Current programs build on what we learned from previous programs. Ready builds on ACRE that built on the ABCs.

READY: A Framework of Support - Michael Martin, DPI Policy Analyst

http://www.ncpublicschools.org/docs/ready/resources/map.pdf

Mr. Martin shared the project map for the READY Accountability Model. He shared that our work has to focus on getting students ready for life and the purpose of our work has to be students. As a former Math teacher, he shared one of the areas of the new Common Core standards that resonate with him is the goal of increasing the perseverance of students in problem-solving. He pointed out the tendency of students to quit trying early in the problem-solving process and the need to help them develop the skills and confidence to keep trying. He reviewed the agenda for the meeting participants.

READY: Standards - Dr. Maria Pitre-Martin, Director, Curriculum and Instruction

http://www.ncpublicschools.org/docs/ready/resources/standards.pdf

Dr. Pitre-Martin echoed Dr. Atkinson’s remarks about the need to remodel public education. With consideration of the Graduation Rate, we have made strides, but we must continue to improve. The Graduation Rate for the state of North Carolina is at the highest level in history, yet last year 24,391 students who could have graduated, did not. She discussed the new Common Core and Essential Standards. She asked the question:

“Why Common Core?”

·      Equity – zip code should not determine access

·      College and Career Readiness – for all students

·      Sharing of Resources – to help all classrooms

·      Economies of Scale – making our resources go further

·      Student Mobility – allowing teachers receiving new students from other areas to know what they had been working on because all teachers in a subject followed the same standards.

She discussed that the new standards would be fewer, go deeper, and spiral across grade levels.

READY: Assessments and Evaluations - Angela Quick, Deputy Chief Academic Officer

http://www.ncpublicschools.org/docs/ready/resources/assessment.pdf

Mrs. Quick spent time talking about the assessments that are emerging. She made the point that Assessment is not driving the content change. The content change is driving the change in assessments. Among the changes she discussed were the sample items from the Smarter Balanced Consortium. Sample items are available here: http://go.ncsu.edu/nctdemo

The state is moving towards exclusively using online assessments. The state is also building a statewide benchmark tool, available in the IIS (Instructional Improvement System) to help with formative assessment.

A hybrid of assessments is forthcoming. They may include online research, group projects, etc. The new NC accountability model has three types of indicators; Performance Indicators; Progress Indicators; and Growth Indicators.

READY: Technology - Mr. Phillip Price, Chief Finance Officer

http://www.ncpublicschools.org/docs/ready/resources/technology.pdf

Mr. Price joined Mrs. Quick to share with the assembled group the vision for improvements in the area of technology. He talked about three areas, cleverly linked to the “enter” button on a computer keyboard. He stated first that when a teacher hits the “enter” key, something valuable should happen. There should be a good instructional reason to hit “enter.” Secondly, when a teacher hits the “enter” key, something should happen because good structure is in place to keep the students and teachers connected to the internet and beyond. Finally, there should be a device to hit “enter” on. Each of these items led to the conversation around the development of the IIS. (referenced above)

READY: Teacher Effectiveness - Dr. Rebecca Garland, Chief Academic Officer

http://www.ncpublicschools.org/docs/ready/resources/teacher-effect.pdf

Dr. Garland began the conversation about Teacher Effectiveness. This works builds on the recent development of the new Teacher and Principal Evaluation Systems. She discussed the addition of the 6^th and 8^th Standards to the Teacher and Principal Evaluations respectively. The new standards measure effectiveness based on student growth as based on assessments. She discussed the coming inclusion of student surveys in the measure of teacher effectiveness. This work has been guided by the research of the Met Project and may be reviewed here: www.metproject.org

Dr. Lynne Johnson, Director Educator Recruitment and Development

Dr. Johnson picked up the presentation of started with discussing the difference between status and ratings. She also talked about the use of 3 years of data being used. Many decision points remain ahead of the State Board of Education to complete the creation of this measurement including the creation of MSLs (Measures of Student Learning) that will give common assessments in all courses.

Mrs. Tyronna Hooker, 2011-2012 NC Teacher of the Year

Mr. Rob Jackson, 2011-2012 NC Principal of the Year

Mrs. Hooker and I were asked to speak about how all of the changes currently underway impacted teachers and principals.  Mrs. Hooker talked about the professionalism of teaching requires a commitment to improvement and that crucial conversations with evaluators should lead to individual growth.

I spoke about the power of the conversations required by the new evaluation systems. Teachers have the opportunity to really engage in true conversations about their work with their principals. This gives principals the opportunity to understand how they may serve and support teachers in their work. The rubric for teacher evaluation is 11 pages long and as we mentioned in the meetings, teachers are worth all eleven pages.

It is hard to capture all of the information that was shared during the three-hour meetings. The 15 meetings that took place in 8 cities across the state were dense with information and hopefully helpful to principals and teachers. Our State Superintendent, Dr. Atkinson, the senior leadership of the NC Department of Public Instruction, and Mrs. Hooker and I traveled over 1500 miles to bring the information to building leaders. The commitment of our educational leaders in Raleigh certainly shows in their willingness to travel the state.

For more information, I would certainly recommend that you utilize the state’s website for the new READY accountability system for more information.

Meeting most of the state’s 2,500 principals was a blessing. To a person, they are committed to their schools and are giving deeply of themselves to the students and staff they serve. I truly appreciate having had this opportunity.

Capture Your Ideal: a Tribute to Education Majors

On February 6, 2012, I had the incredible opportunity to travel to Campbell University to speak with their Teaching Fellows and Education Majors as part of their guest lecture series. I spoke with the undergraduate students in their beautiful new Chapel. It was gorgeous with large, clear windows in every wall giving the illusion of being outside. I spoke with them about the amazing choice they made to become teachers. We talked about how important the work is and how many people are invested in their success.

As I concluded my remarks, they shared with me a piece of paper with their theme for the year. Their theme is one of those statements that live on with you as you consider the levels of meaning and slowly peel back the layers to reveal a simple, yet powerful truism.

“Teaching Fellows 2011-2012 Theme: Capture Your Ideal

Benjamin Mays, a great African-American minister, educator, scholar, social activist, and mentor to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., was an articulate spokesperson.

He stated:

“Man [or woman] is really what his [or her] dreams are. Man [or woman] is what he [or she] aspires to be… It must be borne in mind, however, that the tragedy in life does not lie in not reaching your goals. The tragedy lies in having no goal to reach. It isn’t a calamity to die with dreams unfulfilled, but it is a calamity not to dream. It is not a disaster to be unable to capture your ideal, but it is a disaster to have no ideal to capture. It is not a disgrace not to reach the stars, but it is a disgrace to have no stars to reach for. Not failure, but low aim is the sin.””  (Hand-out from the Campbell University Teaching Fellows)

When these young men and women bravely decided to dedicate their lives to others through teaching, they were clearly reaching for the stars. They aspire to become a child’s teacher. They are working hard in their studies and have committed themselves to giving their all to the children who will one day call them teacher. I admire them and each of the education students I have met this year as I have spoken at various universities around the state.

Education seems to under attack in our country as budgets are slashed and results are questioned. It saddens me when teachers are painted with broad strokes, the actions of a few tainting the view of the profession. Daily I see an amazing people giving deeply of themselves for their students. I am heartened by this next generation of educators who despite the circumstances are stepping forward to join the ranks of teachers. They do so because they dream of making a difference just as their predecessors made a difference in their lives.

Today I pause to thank the Campbell University students for the gift of the words of Rev. Mays. I thank them also for choosing to be teachers. To them, to the university students I have met this year, and to all education majors I say, Keep dreaming, keep reaching, keep chasing… for the dreams, ideals, and stars you reach for will one day change the world through the students you give your lives to.

What I Learned about Great Leadership From my Wife and and a Toiletry Bag

Christmas morning had arrived and I eagerly reached for a present from my wife, Rene’. The present I chose was a medium size box that made a satisfying sound when I tilted it from side to side. Knowing my wife, I opened the present expecting the unexpected. Inside I first found a traveler’s – sized tube of toothpaste, a small bottle of mouthwash, a small can of shaving cream, and other toiletry items. I smiled at my wife as she laughed at my puzzlement. This was perhaps the oddest Christmas present I had ever received.

She explained through her giggles that she was going to put the items into a small bag that was in the closest for me to use on my trips around the state. I thanked her for the gift and moved on to other, seemingly “better” gifts. In the hubbub of the kids opening their gifts and our Christmas lunch, the unique gift was forgotten. A few days later as I prepared for a trip to Raleigh for a State Board Meeting, she handed me the bag with the toiletries inside. I marveled at how much time she had just saved me. I didn’t have to stand in the bathroom and think about what I needed. There was no checking off mental lists to make sure that I would not arrive in a hotel room without some forgotten necessity.

Six weeks and several overnight trips later, I have come to realize that her gift was one of the most useful, thoughtful gifts I have ever received. On my way out of the house, I quickly grab the bag knowing that I have all I need. When I return, I toss it back onto the closest shelf with no need to unpack it.

Driving down the road between speaking engagements I have had the time to think about the gift and how it serves as a wonderful example of great leadership. In choosing a gift for me, Rene’ spent time thinking about my needs. She seized upon one that I didn’t even realize that I had.

Just like a great leader, she sought to eliminate a need, freeing me to spend time previously wasted on trying to remember to pack my razor on other, more important things, like enjoying more moments with my family. Principals do the same thing. They try to identify the needs of the teachers and provide for those needs so that the teacher may spend more time engaged in incredible instructional activities with their students.

The way she put together the bag itself is also applicable to the work of a great leader. She started by finding what I already had to work with. In this case, a little used, small piece of luggage. Using what I had, she added to my capacity/ability to meet the need by providing all of the toiletries in small sizes so that I did not have to keep packing and unpacking the items I use at home. She created a toolkit for me.

A great leader does the same thing. They investigate those they serve, finding what can be built upon and then add to it. A principal might find that a teacher is skilled in a particular area and use those transferrable skills to build capacity in a new area. The principal or leader then adds to or creates a toolkit that the teacher or employee or group member can reach into to accomplish the needed task.

Perhaps I have just had too many hours in my truck to think about this, but it does seem that Rene’s gift resonates with me as I speak with principals and teachers. Educators seek to build capacity. We help students develop toolkits with which to tackle the tasks they are presented. Each time I reach into the bag, I am reminded of the powerful metaphor it represents and just how blessed I am to be married to a very wise, very caring woman.

2011 Memory Mission Trailer

During our trip to the Dominican Republic, Lifetouch was constantly filming, capturing the moments both with still photography and video. Watching the trailer has me ready to rush back to Constanza to continue the work.

Lifetouch Memory Mission 2011 - Trailer

I appear in the trailer at the 2:25 mark asking the question Jan Haeg asked of us all, "Is it more important to be interested or interesting?" This question was the subject of a past blog entry: http://www.ncpoy.blogspot.com/2011/12/is-it-more-important-to-be-interested.html

The trip was absolutely amamzing! It was life-changing and worth every moment of worry over the to-do list that was growing at home. I hope that you have an opportunity to experience a trip like this. Thanks Lifetouch!

My Class Ring Came Home

In 1986, I graduated from high school and entered the US Navy to begin my military service. In the service we were allowed very little jewelry while in uniform. The only ring a man could wear was a wedding ring. For some of my fellow recruits, there was great angst as they removed their class rings to store them in their lockers. This was not an issue for me as I no longer had my class ring despite having only graduated a month before. The story is a bit cliché. I was dating a young lady and gave her my ring to wear on her necklace. After graduation, I never saw the ring (or the young lady) again. I am confident that is due to some poor decision on my part.

26 years later, I serve as a High School Principal and have another class ring. When a new high school opens, the Founding Principal is given the school’s first class ring. It is a symbol of all of the hopes and dreams for the new school and the students who will fill it over the decades to come. For me, the ring is incredibly special. When I look at it I am reminded of the incredible teachers and staff in our building. I am reminded of the families who have sacrificed their time, talents, and financial resources in birthing our new learning community.

Zephyrhills High School Bulldogs Class of 1986 (left) Cuthbertson High School Cavaliers Opened 2009 (right)

I would not have thought that I would ever see the two rings together because I had long ago given up all hope of ever seeing my own high school class ring again. Then I received an email from my alma mater. The Principal’s Secretary had reached out to me because my ring had been found. A gentleman in the community had called the school to seek out the ring’s owner. After some research on the part of the secretary of our Alumni Association, I was located.

A wonderful gentleman had found my ring years ago and had placed it in a box in his room intent on tracing down its owner. Years past and the ring was unfortunately forgotten. Then as the Winter Holidays approached this year, he happened upon the box and found again the ring. He immediately began to make phone calls and three weeks later, I put it on again for the first time in over two decades. The bottom is cracked and there are scratches on it. It still looks beautiful to me. I can clearly remember the pride my parents showed when they sacrificed to be able to purchase the ring for me.

As I have met with our students on ring day each year, I had shared the story of losing my ring and had encouraged them to learn from my mistakes. Next year, I’ll tell the story again and I will be able to show our students my class ring for the very first time. I am very grateful to the gentleman for finding my ring and to each of those who helped him in his search.

Today the two rings are side-by-side on my dresser. I love thinking about how the experiences and memories represented by one ring formed my approach to the work of opening the new high school that is represented by the other.

Second Chances - University of Alabama vs. LSU

Last night in the BCS Championship Game, the University of Alabama triumphed 21-0 over Louisiana State University. I do not pull for either team and watched the game simply as a fan of college football. As the game progressed and it became more and more evident that Alabama would win, I began to think about the mild controversy that was stirred up when they were announced to play in the Championship Game. Some believed that two schools from the same conference should not be in the big game. Others felt that since Alabama had already lost to LSU in their regular season meeting, that they should not have a second chance to play them.


Had educators made the decision based on the way we approach our work, the decision would have been easy. We believe in second chances. We work hard to help students overcome where once they failed. Imagine if there were no second chances in school. How many students would be lost to us early on?


Alabama was given a second chance and won a National Championship. The BCS Committee was justified in their selection. They must have asked what would an educator do when debating whether to invite Alabama. Second Chances are really wins for everyone.

"Life is Like a Cup of Coffee"

During the mission trip to build a school in the Dominican Republic, I had the opportunity to meet seven wonderful North Carolina School Administrators. Among them was Mr. Mark Sale (@JohnMarkSale). Mr. Sale serves as the Principal of Swain Middle School. He and I had several conversations during the trip and I found in him a kindred spirit. He is dedicated to the children in the school he serves, his family, and to making the world a better place. I recently received an email from Mr. Sale that resonated with me. I asked him to share a portion of it and the video clip he linked here in this blog. He graciously agreed. Please enjoy a few thoughts from the far western side of North Carolina:

"I traveled to China a couple of years ago to help begin a collaborative project with our school here in Bryson City. While I was there, I stopped drinking coffee because the quality wasn't what I was used to and I was becoming somewhat addicted to it. I would have a cup every seven or eight months, but that was all. And then I drank the coffee in Constanza. It was everything a cup of coffee should be and one cup was all that was needed to start the day.

Since Constanza I find myself drinking coffee more. Very rarely does the coffee of Bryson City (or even Starbucks) measure up to the coffee of the Dominican, but it is coffee and has its own value. Some cups are better than others. I also find myself thinking of each of you like the sip of coffee in the morning. There are very few things that compare to that first sip. It awakens all the senses and warms the soul. That is how I think of each of you and I think of you often. I found my thoughts sliding back to Constanza and to each of you at mile five of my bike ride yesterday. The thoughts sustained me to the end of the ride.

Now watch the video -- and thanks to each and everyone for sharing coffee with me. Coffee will never taste the same. Keep the email and pictures going too, They help keep my cup full." - Mr. Mark Sale, Principal, Swain County Middle School

Like Mr. Sale, I love a cup of coffee in the morning, particularly on those rare mornings when I get to share it with my wife. After traveling to the Dominican Republic and seeing how happy they are with seemingly so little, I have come to realize that I, too, have worried too often about the cup and not often enough about simply enjoying the coffee.

Memory Mission Evening Reflections

The following quotes and thoughts were shared individually and collectively by the members of the Lifetouch Memory Mission Team in the Dominican Republic during the evening reflections. Some are funny. Some are sad. Some will only make sense to those who were in the room when they were shared. Each represents a moment where friends, who were once strangers, shared stories, thoughts and memories in an effort to understand what they were witnessing and participating in. The people of Constanza received a school. The people on the Memory Mission Team received schooling in the essence of life.

Tuesday, 11/29/11

·  Experiential Learning involves four steps: Experience, Reflection, Insight, and Application.

·  The common themes that were heard when the group introduced themselves using magazine clippings were the importance of: making a difference, faith, family, travel, and the power of public education.

·  There is power in visuals.

·  Time is such a scarce resource!

·  We were encouraged to Show we care!

·  How can we be more intentional?

·  Take the initiative to meet/greet others.

Wednesday, 11/30/11

· We each have different gifts.

· Is it more important to be interested, or interesting?

· Why can’t we do this at home?

· Setting is so important. In some settings, we are more likely to share.

· Don’t hide behind your camera.

· Photographers look into the eyes.

· We are very concerned with doing it right.

· We kind of forget to stop and look around.

· It is hard to really live in the “present.”

· You can look into their faces and see the lives they lead.

· A story was shared of children who live just thirty minutes from the new school who were eating cardboard because that is all that they have to eat.

· It is overwhelming to think about how many people contributed to the day.

· It was great to see the community coming out to see the school.

· We appreciate how well the team worked together.

· You can ‘feel’ the pastor’s vision.

· Speak the things that aren’t as if they are!

· Seeing the walls today was so wonderful.

· Barnabus Notes – Barnabus was a good friend of Paul. He wrote notes of encouragement to Paul. Barnabus notes are written to individuals to encourage them.

Thursday, December 1, 2011

· Thank you to Pastor for bringing Ana to us today.

· Unbelief was expressed at how much work has been completed.

· They do so much with so little.

· Esta mi eschela! – “That is my school!” said the boys on the dirtpile.

· The LiveFeed has been very moving.

· Being a follower is powerful.

· A little girl said to a female group member, “I like your hair. It is better than mine because it is yellow.” This was a very telling statement.

· A child said to another member, “You look like me.”

· The hope is that our non-verbals show our love.

· “What can I do to help?” – we are so appreciative of everyone humbling themselves to fill-in where needed instead of trying to lead.

· Great job! The group is ahead of schedule.

· Spend time with the Dominicans.

Friday, December 2, 2011

· Great day!

· It is impossible to overstate the importance of relationship-building – take time to talk with the kids, take time to play with them.

· One member had the chance to talk with some Dominican men across the street from the school. She asked them if they had kids and they beamed when they said yes. They were so proud to say that they had children who would be attending the school.

· It was obvious when a teacher was great as the class came up.

· It is interesting to see the men on the team show emotion.

· An old man giving out candy said, “We are one people under God!”

· The pictures are a gift to them. You are a gift to them. They are a gift to you. We are just sharing gifts.

Saturday, December 3, 2011

· A small group of team members sang to the rest of the group the song, “Freely, Freely.”

· Our lives have been changed.

· We loved seeing the kids slide down the hill.

· One girl was running down the hill and asked a female member of the group to run down with her. The group member said that she was scared to run down the hill. The girl said, “It’s OK, just do this:” and then made the sign of the cross and ran down the hill.

· Lifetouch folks should volunteer in schools.

· There was camaraderie in the bucket line – everyone was so inspirational.

· Our group leader was asked by World Servants, “How is it going with all of those decision-makers?”

· Thank you for being just people.

· Thank you for being so nice.

· Lifetouch employees have gotten to know each other much better through this experience than they ever would at work.

· Bendy-buckets!

· Dominicans are rich because they do not have the same stress that we have.

· Where does the time go?

· Why can’t we do this at home?

· There is a sense of accomplishment in what we have done today.

· Be a Learner! Be a Servant! Be a Storyteller!

· World Servants tries to be culturally sustainable. They try to ensure that every project is sustained beyond the visit.

Monday, December 5, 2011 – Meeting with Dominican Republic School Administrators

· Struggles of schools here:

o    breakdown of families

o    students dealing with issues at home

o    over-age children in the classroom

o    one of the big problems – at 13, the girls get pregnant

o    children would rather go work in the fields than go to school

o    children lost interest in going to school

o    sharing problems with the families

o    how to involve parents

· At the end of the year they speak to the children about the importance of education.

· They “educate with values.”

· They “do what we have to do.”

· The families come from humble roots.

· They try to help the Haitian students fit into their schools. The Haitian parents are integrated into the community.

· Most important is the human being.

Monday, December 5, 2011 – Evening Reflection

· You exceeded the expectations.

· I am proud to be a part of this group.

· Superintendents, Elementary Principals, and Secondary Principals can work together.

· “There is a season.” – all of us were meant to be here.

· Being at the school today was a Lifetouch person’s dream come true.

· Amazing.

· Sincere appreciation and thank you to those who captured the trip through the LiveFeed, Facebook, and YouTube.

· A song called, “I Want to Leave a Legacy” was shared.

· We are leaving a legacy of opportunity.

· A member said that he had a desire to instill a sense of “Service to Others” in his own children.

· There is power in women and the ladies of our group have shown this to the people of Constanza.

· It is really cool to work for a company that has a heart.

· I loved working with everyone; it was really cool to get to know the Dominicans.

· The Pastor’s wife shared a song with us.

· I feel good about this country because of the folks we have met here.

· We exceeded our expectations.

· Principals are special people – what you do matters!

· This is not the end; it is the beginning.

· When we look at the black shirts with all of the names, we will have a special memory for each name.

· This has been one of the most outstanding trips ever!

· I have never met a greater group of people.

· In this room is incredible passion!

· Thank you to the Pastor.

· It is a blessing to be here with such folks.

· Don’t waste your pain. Don’t waste your story.