Principal Epstein - SAM Project

The Litmus Test = Sleepy Hollow Magic!

2009-06-24T07:58:00.000-07:00

The final entry for the school year comes from a fifth grade student. It is a reflection on what Sleepy Hollow School Spirit means to her.

Sleepy Hollow Elementary School Spirit

School spirit is a way of showing your love for our school. It proves that you believe that your school is the best it can be. That is why I am writing this essay. I believe my school tries its best to be its best. The experiences I have had at this school are incredible. This school has given me the strength to grow as a person and a student. I feel I am ready for college and I am only in fifth grade. The work I have done over these years are going to help me my whole life and I feel I have been impacted in a very good way. This is a school that you feel happy to go to and sad to leave, and I know every student at Sleepy Hollow Elementary feels that way. The bond between me and this school has really increased over the two years I’ve been here. Every paper I have written and every grade I have got has given me more confidence. I feel safe and welcome at this school and it is a very good feeling. Every teacher and every staff member makes up the wonderful atmosphere of this school. The teachers bond with you and the staff members give you a welcome and at home feeling. There is a reason every student walks into those doors smiling. I call it Sleepy Hollow magic!

Leading and Learning!

2009-05-27T21:26:00.000-07:00

If you want to feel secure, do what you already know how to do.
If you want to be a true professional and continue to grow…go to the cutting-edge of your competence,which means a temporary loss of security. So whenever you don’t quite know what you’re doing, know that you are growing.
~Madeline Hunter

Greetings,

It seems that the school year should be winding down, but it feels as if our year is in full swing! The SAM Project continues to challenge me in ways I never imagined. I chose the “Hunter” quote above because it succinctly captures my sentiments these days. Security = Zero. . .I guess one could say I am growing! If I were only a plant, I would be reaching the sky by now!

Using the TimeTracker data has proven to be an excellent resource to better manage my time as an instructional leader. The SAMs, Kerry and Jill, have developed an intuitive sense for using the data to help guide me in the right direction – the classrooms. This is not an easy task! Often, I am still pulled in a 1,001 directions – unbelievably, but sometimes, by my own perfectionist qualities! – and they use the data to kindly point that out- ha! Together, monitoring the data daily, we are getting more adept at managing my time so that I can directly impact student and teacher learning. This isn’t to say the principalship has become any easier, in many ways it has become more challenging. However, I can’t imagine life without the SAM Project!

During the past few weeks I have collaborated with teachers on literacy lessons, SmartBoard lessons, and teaching strategies in general. The kindergarten teacher, music teacher, and I worked out a plan for differentiating instruction for our high-level readers in kindergarten. This is a goal I have had for three years, and I can hardly believe it has come to fruition! The music teacher and I are providing guiding reading instruction for the groups of kindergarten students for a couple of times a week. I have been awestruck working with the children. There is something magical about reading with young children who are developing fluency, word recognition, and comprehension. Imagine listening to them as they talk about making connections and adding to their schema…they know these words, what they mean, and how to use them – powerful!

One of the most memorable parts of the past two weeks is the teaching and learning conversations that have transpired between me and the staff, and the staff with the staff! Not an hour goes by when I am not involved with, or listening to, a conversation about student or teacher learning! These conversations are a favorite part of my day and they are what give me get-up-and-go when my get-up-and-go has got-up-and-went! For as long as I can remember, I have always found myself energized working with students, now I find the same rejuvenation also taking place collaborating with teachers, paraprofessionals, and support staff. Charlotte Danielson, in her new book Talk About Teaching – Leading Professional Learning Communities notes, “Of all the approaches available to educators to promote teacher learning, the most powerful (and embedded in all others) is that of professional conversation” (2009, p. 5). The reflective conversations occurring daily at Sleepy Hollow School assist us in understanding and analyzing student learning, thus directly impacting our instruction. Over and over, during the past months, I have found myself using the statement – “I’m thinking out loud, what do you think about…have you…how are you…can we?” Now, these are the same questions that are being posed to me!

I will close with a favorite quote by Margaret Wheatley, “Power in organization is the capacity generated by relationships.” We are actively building relationships in the form of professional learning communities at Sleepy Hollow School. The power of these relationships are generated in the collegial conversations and actions of our staff, and the smiles and achievement of our students.

With a passion for excellence and contagious optimism,
Anastasia

Synergy – Combined Efforts Being Greater Than Parts

2009-05-14T21:33:00.000-07:00

“Excellence can be obtained if you care more than others think is wise, risk more than others think is safe, dream more that others think is practical, and expect more than others think is possible.”

Have you ever experienced true synergy? Well, tonight I did! A year’s preparation came to full fruition at our annual Open House and Art Expo. Right this moment, I pause and smile as I reflect on the event. How do you explain something in words that was so powerful to experience? Let me try to capture the occurrence…
Tonight was the culmination of a year’s work of teaching and learning on behalf of the students, staff, parents, and community. The evening officially began at six, but parents and staff had been putting final touches on their masterpieces for the past few days. As families began arriving a feeling of joy permeated the air. Perchance it was the beautiful spring night that was sandwiched between two rainy days? Regardless, I keyed up the audio system with Jack Johnson’s Curious George CD and went to greet everyone. Faces beamed with radiant smiles as students entered the building and guided parents, grandparents, families, and friends through the school and individual classrooms. One thing that surprised me the most was the unusual number of alumnae that had come back to visit. Some didn’t have siblings, but tagged along with a neighbor to visit their “old” school. I had to laugh out loud as one former student wore their Sleepy Hollow Field Day T-Shirt since all student were encouraged to wear his/her spirit wear. When I complimented her on her choice of attire, she exclaimed, “This shirt is from the best school ‘ever’.”
At that point, I retrieved my video camera and began capturing the night on video. This is where I discovered that something unique was taking place. As I went from classroom to classroom, it was as if I were at a family reunion. Parents, seemingly old friends, greeted each other with warm, hearty hellos, and hugs as they visited classrooms, the art expo, raffle, and waited in line for the book fair. The staff glowed as they welcomed families into their classrooms to enjoy the fruits of the classes’ hard work. Yes, it was packed - yes, it was warm, but that really didn’t seem to matter. Everyone, including me, was “in the moment.” Perhaps we all became transported to that wonderful world of our childhood days – the elementary school. Thinking about it now, the night seems surreal. For me, it was magical and I hope that one day the students remember this night with fondness. I know I will never forget this night.
Prior to families arriving, a dad and his daughter, whom I have known for five years, purposefully sought me out and presented me with an envelope for “our library.” Before families began arriving, I opened the envelope and inside was a check and a letter. The funds enclosed were a gift to our library and six books were to be purchased and donated on behalf of the Brownie troop. It was such a generous gift that I found myself thinking about how lucky we were to have such caring families that would think about donating funds to support our library.
During the evening, as families were lingering enjoying one another’s company, a mom who had been volunteering at the book fair stated that she would like to talk to me before she left. I have known this “graduating” mom for five years and have had many memorable experiences with her and her family, i.e. field days, silent auctions, classroom parties, field trips, etc. Well, this mom ended up bringing tears to my eyes. When she left, she hand-delivered an envelope, looked at me with a bit of melancholy in her eyes, and gave me an envelope. She said she wanted to say thank you. With that, she turned and left.
Later, in my office, I opened the envelope:
Anastasia, PTC Board, and Staff,
Sadly, this is our family’s last hurrah at Sleepy Hollow School. I can’t believe it! And have we seen changes over the years! All for the good, no doubt.
Be proud of all that you have accomplished. You have a wonderful school, an awesome reputation and a strong parental support system. I’m sorry that for the last few years I haven’t been able to be as involved. I really enjoyed being a part of it all.
Please use this donation towards the purchase of your next “Smart Board.” We were very impressed by the versatility of this new teaching/learning tool. What a great addition to the classroom!
Thank you for taking such wonderful care of our children over the years. Here’s hoping that the remainder of their D300 experience is as awesome as their elementary years.
Fondly,...
Enclosed was a check to cover the costs of a SmartBoard.
It was at this moment that I realized that somehow, and in someway, this night was not like any other. This feeling caught me off-guard and I felt tears well up in my eyes. Not tears of joy, not tears of sadness, but tears at the awesomeness of the night. I thought about this family, and of all of our fifth graders that would soon be departing for the middle school. I reflected on the students as first graders and growing through the years- picturing their faces, their successes, their challenges. I considered my relationships with their parents and how sad I was to see all of them leave. Then, I was reminded of an adage along the line that states, “The true goal of parenting is to give children strong roots in which to grow and wings to soar.” It is my belief that the partnership that forms between the school and home has made us all parents of “our” children. I personally know that due to one community’s combined effort, our children will grow, thrive, and blossom as they transition beyond the walls of the elementary setting.
As the principal, I have the ultimate honor of watching these young persons come back to visit – year after year – and share their accomplishments of academic success (this evening, one former student informed me that she received “straight A’s”), competing in the arts, and finding success in sports. For a very long time, I have professed that the best job in the world is teaching. Tonight, I find my perspective changing, perhaps the best job in the world is teaching, leading, and learning.

Elated, exhausted, and content,
Anastasia

To learn is to change. Education is a process that changes the learner. ~George Leonard

2009-04-16T10:15:00.000-07:00

Greetings,

As part of the SAM program, one of my new goals is to schedule participation time in classrooms and provide quality feedback to staff members. The block for the participation time is 30 minutes, and the feedback is in the form of a scheduled 10-15 minute conversation. As compared to walkthroughs, these intentional, yet informal and active visits provide deeper insight into the classroom to support student learning.

This past week found me in kindergarten working with a group of five students in the writing center. As I entered the classroom, our kindergarten teacher-the fabulous Dianne Herrmann, motioned me over to the center and quickly provided direction. This was an interesting reversal of roles and I quickly sought clarification – boy she talked fast! After describing my job and tasks, she moved to other centers within the classroom checking in with individual students. Working with the kindergarten students provided knowledge as they wrote (copied) and colored their pages. When the finished, they brought their sheets over to me to staple into a book and then each student read their book to me. While working with them, I had to change some of my vocabulary in order to make what I said meaningful to the students. The best part of participating in kindergarten that day was watching how seamlessly everything took place. The students knew what their jobs were and how to go about getting them done. This was quite impressive considering the age of the students. The next day, I had the privilege of talking with the kindergarten teacher and debriefing about my visit. A meaningful conversation ensued about individual students and his or her academic and social needs. It was quite rewarding! The funniest thing was as the kindergarten teacher was leaving my office she commented that she enjoyed giving me direction and liked the role reversal – ha!

I also had an opportunity to team teach with our multi-talented music teacher, Jennifer Troy. I joined her for lesson on identifying different types of symphony instruments utilizing the SmartBoard. She had selected several excellent sites and it was great teaming with her to lead the kids through several different games. The students were highly engaged in the lesson. The learning will definitely support their upcoming field trip to the symphony. One student commented on Mrs. Troy’s blog how much he enjoyed the lesson.

Before spring break, I wrapped up the second 4th grade lunch bunch with a Diary of a Wimpy Kid 3 bingo game that I created on the SmartBoard. We had over 70 of our fourth grade students participate! I am working with my SAMs to look at future book clubs at different grade levels for the 2009-10 school year.

Last week my second grade guided reading group began reading The Chocolate Touch by touring the Hershey Chocolate Factory in Pennsylvania. The students enjoyed this field trip and we never left the building! Yesterday, I introduced the second grade guided reading groups to literature circles. We will be practicing the roles as we explore the text. The vocabulary describing the roles for lit circles has presented a slight hurdle for me. Since the students haven’t been exposed to the process for literature circles and roles for Discussion Director, Vocabulary Enricher, Checker and Literary Luminary, I have spent some extra time creating activities to build the students background knowledge for these roles.

For the past few weeks I have been entrenched in observations for tenured staff members and I have one scheduled at least every other day. Needless to say, these have been busy days, but I am fortunate enough to have two amazing SAMs who support me in so many ways. Speaking of support, two teachers filled my bucket today. It definitely needed some filling since I was addressing a turbulent discipline issue all day. A first grade teacher asked me if I had some time next Tuesday and I said sure. His class is practicing interviewing skills for a book and they would like to interview me. Then, when I went to check my mailbox, I found a gift-wrapped package with a literature unit guide for The Chocolate Touch. Enclosed was a note, “I saw this while I was out and thought of you! I use these books a lot for guided reading/literature circle ideas. Thought maybe you could get some ideas for your guided reading group. Hope it helps! Happy Wednesday!”
The actions of these staff members provided sunshine on a cloudy day. Sometimes, it is important for us to slow down and remember our blessings.

Always grateful,
Anastasia

People are just as happy as they make up their minds to be. ~Abraham Lincoln

2009-04-12T16:29:00.000-07:00

Greetings,

100% unadulterated joy! Those are the words I would choose to describe the feeling that captured our fifth grade students today as we journeyed to visit our state capitol in Springfield, IL. As our coach buses departed Sleepy Hollow School at 6:00 a.m., one student commented, “This is so exciting, I’ve been waiting for this day since we found out about the trip.” Emotions were high as we traveled to Springfield. I had the privilege of riding in the last seat of the bus with one of our students. This provided a “birds-eye” view into all of the happenings taking place on the bus. Students were polite, kind, and respectful to each other. Most interesting was the wealth of electronics that they were using. The two students in front of me were nestled together, sharing the ear buds to an IPod Shuffle (60 gig – I asked), while they watched a movie on it.

Aside from a variety of electronics being played, the electronic that generated the most excitement were Nintendo DS’s. Almost every other student had one and they used them to “IM” each other – over, and over, and over! It was hilarious listening to them as they conversed through the DS’s. Since I was sitting in the back seat I could see (and monitor) several of their screens. At one point, I borrowed a student’s DS, signed in and sent a few messages. This garnered quite a response! If only I had known, I would have brought one of my son’s DS’s and could have stayed at their party a little longer. 

Arriving in Springfield brought many oohs and ahs from the students. It seemed I was traveling with the paparazzi as they broke out their cameras and began shooting photographs. The students were in awe as we pulled into the capitol and began our tour. We took a group picture in front of the capitol, visited Lincoln’s home, tomb, and war memorials. After a quick lunch, we had a guided tour of the state capitol and then visited the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum. We wrapped up our visit with dinner at a pizza buffet and then began our trip home, safely arriving at Sleepy Hollow at 9:30 p.m. It was quite a day filled with learning opportunities that will last a lifetime.

If you are thinking about taking a short trip with your family this summer, I would highly suggest visiting Springfield. It will be time well spent.

Anastasia

Learning happens when your head, hands, and heart are involved. ~Anonymous

2009-03-09T19:27:00.000-07:00

My heart soared this past week as I walked through the hallways of the school. Yes, it was our annual time for state testing, but it was during this time that, surprisingly, I was filled with a sense of pride. I was proud of all of our staff for the time, dedication, and passion for excellence that they display on a daily basis. In the air last week, during state testing, there was a positive energy that was almost tangible. This was iterated by a fifth grade teacher, who was between testing sessions with her students. Her words, “I am so proud of them.” I believe we both had tears well-up in our eyes as we beamed with the emotion of happiness.
During the state testing we provide several incentives for students, but the real incentive comes from the attitude of the teachers, staff, and parents. Our children succeed because we believe in them and it shows! Every morning I send a Morning Minute to the staff as a form of communication. Following is an email that I sent to our staff on the morning of state testing, thanking them for their “can do” spirit.
Morning Minute – Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Good morning, it is going to be a terrific Tuesday!

“A child’s life is like a piece of paper on which every passerby leaves a mark.”
~Chinese Proverb

As we prepare to launch ISAT’s today, I would like to take a moment to thank all of you for leaving an imprint on our children.

A Heap of Gratitude…

To Our Kindergarten, First, and Second Grade Teachers~
For instilling a love of learning and at the same time preparing our students for “high stakes testing” in the intermediate grades.

To Our Third, Fourth, and Fifth Grade Teachers~
For the endless hours creatively embedding testing concepts into the design of your lesson plans. Often, the students didn’t realize how much they were learning since they were having so much fun!

To Our Special Education Team~
For the seamless way you accept the daily challenges of your job while smoothly infusing inventive learning into your lessons with students.

To Our Paraprofessional Staff~
For supporting our staff and students in a multitude of ways. Each of you go above and beyond, lending a positive aspect to our school.

To Our Nurse, Custodians, and Cafeteria Staff~
For the thoughtful way you interact and support our students and staff. You model kindness and teamwork through your actions.

To Our Secretaries~
For your graciousness and commitment in supporting our entire school community. Your optimism and ingenuity are quite remarkable.

To All of You~
For your collective wisdom, warm smiles, tireless efforts, and enthusiasm. You inspire me on a daily basis. Together, we continue a tradition of excellence at Sleepy Hollow School.

With an abundance of gratitude,
Anastasia

The way we learn and what we learn is changing, and that is really the majority of the issue around twenty-first century skills. ~S. Traylor

2009-03-02T10:34:00.000-08:00

This past weekend, my husband and I were invited to our good friends’ home for dinner. After the dishes were cleared and the kitchen was cleaned up, we retired by the fireplace in the family room for some adult conversation. Our two boys went downstairs to dual, as well as collaborate with each other, playing the latest video game craze – Rock Band II. The couple’s precious four-year-old daughter perched on my lap with her friends from “Littlest Pet Shop.” This lasted for about 30 seconds when she scotched down and asked her dad for his iPhone. She retrieved his iPhone, and came back over to sit once more. She navigated the iPhone, found her name, signed in and earnestly began to show me three games that she had learned to play. Following that, she declared that she wanted to watch her Tinker Bell movie. Since the boys were utilizing the television downstairs, and the adults were monopolizing the family room, her alternative was to go and find the portable DVD/Television combo. Within minutes, she was back, player in one hand and the movie in the other. She snuggled in once again, and within seconds was manipulating the player, pausing only for a brief moment through the previews to show me the castle where Cinderella lives.

I share this story to illustrate the fact that technology has become integrated into our children’s everyday life. Her autonomy with technology was seamless – she is a true example of a digital native. It left me wondering what she was capable of doing on a computer. It also found me reflecting about how we, as educators at Sleepy Hollow School, are meeting the needs of our new generation of digital learners. Thus, was the impetus to share with you some of the inspiring ways we are meeting our students’ needs through technology.

Did you know that Sleepy Hollow School is considered a leader of technology integration in District 300? With our PTC’s generous support, SmartBoards are used for instruction on a daily basis. All of our teaching staff have been trained and are eagerly implementing interactive lessons for our children. Complementing the SmartBoards, our laptop cart, that contains enough laptops for each child in a classroom, is employed on a regular basis for students to complete research and practice skills.

In addition to SmartBoard and laptop integration, all of our first graders go to the computer lab three times a week for a computer program called Lexia. Lexia is a computer based program, in the form of a game, that helps develop students’ phonemic awareness and reading skills. The program individualizes instruction and classroom teachers receive a printout of each child’s progress to assist in planning for instruction.

Further, our physical education teacher Mr. Scheurich recently put into practice a two-week Nintendo Wii sports unit aligned to Illinois Learning Standards. Students in kindergarten through grade two learned and practiced bowling. Students in grades three through five were schooled in the fundamentals of tennis. Lessons included terms, practice, and ways to improve. Everyday when the children were entering the gym, a resounding “yes!” could be heard. Additionally, last week Sleepy Hollow School received notification from SchoolTube.com that we won an award. We won the Fall 2008 Student Choice Award for pictures of our “Mock” Presidential Election. Pictures can be viewed at www.schooltube.com.

Our children today text, twitter, blog, and post to wikis. As educators, this causes us to reflect on instruction, challenge assumptions, and learn together with digital tools. At Sleepy Hollow School, we are committed to integrating technology to support our 21st century learners.

Logged in,
Anastasia

A Sense of Community

2009-02-20T19:29:00.000-08:00

Tonight, I had the distinct pleasure of attending out Boy Scout Pack 88’s Blue and Gold Banquet. This is always an event I truly look forward to and tonight was no exception. As I sat in the crowd and watched or 5th grade boys cross over the bridge in the Arrow of Light ceremony, I felt a bit melancholy. It was during this part of the ceremony that I found myself reflecting on the boys as 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grade students. It was also at that synchronous moment that I realized that in a few short months these young men would be transitioning to the middle school and I no longer would see their beautiful faces in the school. This is when my heart began to get heavy and I did my best to hold back the tears, I think (and hope) I was successful in masking my sadness.

Immediately following the bridging ceremony several former students (6th, 7th, and 8th grade boys) came over and said hello to me with gregarious hugs and smiles. They were extremely polite and well-mannered, making their parents (and their principal) proud. My heart soared once again since this reminded me that, although students will grow and mature, children will always remember their foundational roots.

It was through tonight’s Blue and Gold dinner that I was pleasantly reminded of the profound honor and privilege that I feel being part of the Sleepy Hollow community. Last week, a parent of five children (three of whom have transitioned to middle and high school) said that she and a group of neighbors were talking about the sense of community that Sleepy Hollow residents have. She went on to say that the group of parents found that the common thread between them was Sleepy Hollow School. In fact, she said that many of the friendships she has now are grounded in the relationships she formed when her eldest children were at Sleepy Hollow School. In this sense, I find Sleepy Hollow School to be the center or “hub” of a wonderful community. It is part of what makes Sleepy Hollow School unique (okay, the headless horseman also plays a role!). I am deeply committed and thankful for the students, parents, and staff. It is my second home, and it has been said that, “home is where your heart is.”

Best,
Anastasia

Satisfaction Lies in the Effort

2009-02-17T20:15:00.000-08:00

Satisfaction lies in the effort, not in the attainment. Full effort is full victory. ~Mohandas Gandhi.

One of the highlights of my day is welcoming the students into the building in the morning. I meet them, holding open the front door, to greet them and start their day off with a smile. Well, this morning was no exception! After the three day weekend, students were eager to get back to school. They were smiling coming in the doors and were happily exchanging pleasantries with one another. Many students entered the school “arms wide-open” stopping to hug me. A little guy in first grade paused to ask me how I enjoyed my President’s Day and if I had a good weekend. I assured him that indeed I had, but was glad to get back to school. Mornings like this one convince me that I truly do have the best job in the world.

Speaking of the weekend, I read an excellent article this past weekend that framed the task ahead of us to prepare our students to be 21^st century learners. In the article, Tony Wagner cited survival skills our 21^st century learners need: critical thinking, problem solving, the ability to collaborate across networks and lead by influence, agility, adaptability, initiative, entrepreneurialism, effective oral and written communication, the ability to access and analyze information, curiosity, and imagination. I plan to share the article at our next staff meeting to launch a discussion on how we are fostering these essential skills within our classrooms and school learning environment.

After greeting the students, morning announcements, and a walk-through of the building to check in with staff, it was time to meet with the second grade guided reading groups. I had prepared to have them reread a book that we had listened to online last week – White Socks Only – (www.storyline.com). Well, at the end of last week, I had shared the lesson with a teacher. This morning, the teacher asked me to use the books. So, I did the only thing that I could do, and I gave her the books and “punted” as teachers have to do from time to time. Instead of rereading the story in pairs, I decided to have the students listen once again to the story. However, this time they would work in pairs on a laptop. This would prepare them for our lesson on story elements with a focus on plot. This proved to be quite the adventure on the laptops since a few “bugs” have entered our system’s network over the past week. Needless to say, the site wouldn’t load (on any of the computers) and we went to plan “c” – Taking turns rereading a hard copy of the text. I explained to the children that it is always helpful to have an alternate plan, especially when technology is involved. It is not a question of if something will go wrong, it is when. Therefore, if you are prepared with a back-up plan, things will work out fine. We concluded the lesson with a review on story elements and Thursday when we meet we will be mapping out the plot on the SmartBoard. They will definitely take pleasure in that part! If you haven’t checked out Read, Write, Think, take a moment to peruse the site at (www.readwritethink.org) It is an excellent web site affiliated with NCTE (National Council of Teachers of English) and offers a wealth of engaging and interactive activities.

Tomorrow is going to be an exciting day as our fourth grade “lunch bunch” resumes. We will be reading Diary of a Wimpy Kid III. This time, we have close to 60 students who volunteered their lunch time to read, up from 40 the last time. Again, I am thrilled with the number of boys participating in the book share. It will be challenging to keep them engaged, but I have some engaging activities mapped out for the next few weeks. A few of the fourth grade teachers are going to join us this time around. I am certain they will find the time worthwhile.

The next few weeks will be CRAZY due to the fact that third and final evaluations of nontenured staff are taking place as well as annual summative evaluations. I feel stretched pretty thin right now, but the reward of teaching and learning with the staff and students is certainly worth whatever it takes.

Giving it a grand effort,

Anastasia

The More You Learn, The More You Realize You Need to Learn!

2009-02-09T10:27:00.000-08:00

Recently, as I sat in the audience at a technology workshop for administrators, I was unprepared for the tremendous sense of disappointment that I felt in the way our students are schooled. The surge of disappointment caused me to think about my own learning and how to facilitate learning using technology in the classroom. I pride myself on being a leader of technology in the elementary setting. However, I was humbled to learn just how much I have to learn. There are so many resources on the web that I am under utilizing. Keeping up the pace is challenging but necessary. I have to wonder, if I am feeling technologically inferior, how are my colleagues feeling? As administrators we have a daunting task ahead of us to stay on the same page as our digital natives.

Last Friday, I arranged for all of our teaching staff to receive SmartBoard training. Reflecting on the experience of the day, I view this as, “One small step for educators, one giant leap for kids!” The teachers were completely engaged in the learning sessions. After the workshop, I had more than one teacher thank me (!) for the training, and they really appreciated the release time to use the SmartBoards in a small setting. Throughout the course of the next week, several teachers used the SmartBoards for lessons in their classrooms. One thing that help support this initiative was that our school district provided laptops for all of our elementary teachers and the teachers received them the Monday following the SmartBoard training. Talk about serendipitous! As an aside, this morning as I completed my walk-throughs, three out of our five SmartBoards were being utilized. I commend our dedicated teaching staff for their willingness to use technology in the classroom. As I utilize technology with my guided reading groups, I do realize the amount of time and effort that is put into designing the lessons. However, the reward for the students is priceless.

Working together,
Anastasia

The Audacity of Hope

2009-01-20T20:01:00.000-08:00

Today was an inspiring day as we ushered in our 44^th president. Our students and staff gathered together as a community in our gymnasium to watch the historical and profound event. I was particularly pleased when the students, without prompting, began clapping and cheering at the right moments during President Obama’s inaugural address. Seeing the awe and wonder, and witnessing first hand the promise of a new tomorrow in a new generation, is a memory I will cherish for years to come. With an enduring spirit ~ Yes, We Can!

Following the inauguration, Sleepy Hollow School hosted its fifth annual spelling bee. I am always awed at the abilities of our young people. We went 11 rounds and, in the end, after exhausting four previous lists, had to use the high school list of words to determine a champion. The evening rounded out with a trip to Buffalo Wild Wings, one of our PTC family fund raising efforts. It was wonderful to see so many of our families during this event.

Friday, I had the opportunity to join our kindergarten teacher at a workshop. What an exciting day full of learning experiences. Since this was technically a “snow day” for the staff and students, due to the frigid weather we are experiencing in the Midwest, I was truly impressed that she gave a day up with her children to put herself in the learning seat! I can’t say enough about the high quality of educators we have on staff at Sleepy Hollow School, we are genuinely blessed.

The highlight of last week (all three days thanks to the cold temperatures) was while I was completing a state of the campus walk through, a first grader came up to me, gave me a hug, and said that I was “fuzzy” and “warm.” When I said, “Well then, I must me a mammal,” she cracked up laughing and then went about her business of completing a classroom task. Talk about a much needed boost in the middle of the day, she definitely “filled my bucket.”

Speaking of filling my bucket, the staff has really taken to the picture book that I shared with them at the last staff meeting. Several teachers have read the book, or have invited me to read the book, to their students. “Bucket” bulletin boards have sprung up, and our little cherubs are rushing around sharing how they fill others’ buckets. Yes, my friends, the world is a beautiful place, full of beautiful children. How lucky am I to spend my days with them?!

With an abundance of hope,

Anastasia

Learning happens when your head, hands, and heart are involved. ~Unknown

2009-01-08T20:05:00.000-08:00

Whew! What a day, what a day! Most of the day was captured (and me too!) by central office administrative meetings. The highpoint of the day was returning to school; unfortunately, as the students were being dismissed, for a staff meeting. The focus of the staff meeting was technology. I had prepared for the meeting earlier in the week by creating items for the agenda on the SmartBoard. This in itself was a challenge, and took more time than one wants to think about, but most rewarding. First, I shared a book with the staff that I had scanned into SmartTools. It was a children’s version of the book, “How Full is Your Bucket.” There was a tremendous amount of energy in the meeting and I was psyched to share the new “bells and whistles” on the SmartBoard that I had found. The presentation was well received by all. Half-way through the meeting the staff was invited to the gym where we all participated in Wii bowling. Several of the teachers have not used the Wii system before, so this was a hoot! A special note of thanks must be extended to our tech coordinator, Mike Bourbon, and our excellent physical education instructor, Mark Sheurich, for setting this activity up for the staff. Over the next few months, students will be participating in several different Wii sports throughout the rest of the year. Mark has aligned the Wii sports to our Illinois P.E. standards and will begin teaching next week. How cool will it be for the staff to be able to connect to the kids through this forum?

Yesterday, as I completed by “walkthroughs” of classrooms, I was a bit confused as I walked into one classroom. This classroom, that is typically hustle and bustle, was silent. I looked for the teacher, and her back was turned to me. Historically, this classroom is one where the kids will acknowledge me and continue to go about their business of learning. Hmmm, not yesterday – so, I went to individual student pods to see what they were so intently working on – a writing project. Imagine my surprise when the teacher finally turned around and she was covered with candy items, Scotch-taped to herself! It took everything for me not to laugh out loud at the sight of her. As I circulated around the room, she did the same. She was looking for students who were intently working on their writing. If their behavior and writing met her expectation, she would tap them on the shoulder and they selected a candy off of her. Wow! Talk about a unique way to motivate kids. I still find myself in awe at her ingenuity.

As always, there is never enough time in the day. It is now 10:04 p.m. and I still need to check my E-mail because I was away from the building all day, had a staff meeting after school, and then had to leave for another meeting. Yikes! Have to run so I can check the E-mail, respond, and still get to bed before midnight. Oh! Due to the success of the staff meeting this afternoon, I am meeting with two different grade levels tomorrow to share a few SmartBoard activities for them to implement with their students next week – can’t wait!

Ciao!

Anastasia

Today was a "sunshiny" day!

2009-01-05T15:12:00.000-08:00

The sky is blue, I feel good, and today is a sunshiny day! These words were squealed with delight by a second grade boy, who was talking to a friend, on their way to lunch. He was just so happy to be back at school and so was I! This morning I woke up with a spring in my step and a “can do” attitude. I was so elated that the students were coming back to school, I couldn’t stop smiling. I get so much energy from them! It was a pleasure greeting them and the staff as we ushered in the new school year after the winter break. Our winter break was preempted by a snowstorm that caused us to have a snow day prior to break. This was disheartening to staff and students alike as we adore the last day before break. On this cherished day we gather for our annual school sing-a-long with many community members joining us. It was certainly missed by all. That being at the end of 2008 we are excited to launch into the school year in 2009.
Over the break I was able to arrange for a comic artist to come and meet with the 4th grade “lunch bunch” – so, we are meeting this Wednesday and will submit our entries for the contest. Since I am over 18, I am unable to participate – chucks! I will try my hand at creating a comic strip though…you know that phrase – lead by example – should be interesting! This afternoon I worked with a fourth grade class and there was a lot of “buzz” about our guest artist since he is a former Sleepy Hollow student.

Planning for guided reading continues to be tricky as the time is so short and working technology into each lesson a key component of mine. We continue to focus on vocabulary as we know that a student’s vocabulary has a direct correlation to how well they read and how well they perform on standardized tests. Tomorrow we will be building on meteorological vocabularies. I have to run and check out a web site that has links to many interesting sites about snow. http://nsidc.org/snow/blizards.html if you are interested.

As an aside, our school psychologist informed me today that she drives by a school on the way to her “second” job and on the marquee each week they post a Word of the Week. Well guess what, yes – that is correct, Sleepy Hollow is going to have a WOW word each week beginning next week on the marquee. The word will correlate with ISAT vocabulary and I will announce it Monday Morning (maybe Tuesday – we’ll decide as a staff). I’ll chat with the staff about it at our staff meeting Thursday, and they will help to structure it. How cool is that!

With joy,
Anastasia

Grin and Share It!

2008-12-08T18:45:00.000-08:00

Writing comes more easily if you have something to say.

~Sholem Asch

Once again I found myself in the learner’s seat. Guess what kids? Today, I learned how to create a podcast! Bridget, a patient soul from our district technology department, walked me through the steps to set up the podcast. What an excellent communication tool. With her expert help, I was able to transfer the written principal’s message in our school monthly newsletter to an audio format with a couple of bells and whistles. I can’t wait to see where it takes us from here!

This is shaping up to be a busy week with the second grade musical concert tomorrow and the chorus and chimes concert on Wednesday. Thursday ushers in our annual Read 2009, whereas members from the community join us to read with each grade level. The mayor, postman, librarian, fireman, policeman, and our superintendent come in to share their favorite picture book. This is always an exciting day for the students and staff as we enjoy hosting local community members at our school.

Tomorrow I am meeting with both of the second grade guided reading groups and wrapping up Diary of a Wimpy Kid with our fourth grade students. Although it is bittersweet that our time together has ended, I am happy to report that all kids are on board for the third book in the series to be released in January.

Today, I found myself buried in a plethora of discipline issues. If only I was able to control those unstructured times a.k.a. bussing and recess. J

Overheard today… “A positive attitude is the new black.”

Grin and share it,

Anastasia

First Grade Follies

2008-12-04T16:24:00.000-08:00

If students do not see their teachers work successfully together,

they may never see two adults work successfully together.

~Todd Whitaker

The excitement in the building today was almost tangible. Student after student was stating – Cool, xxx is my teacher today! Can you believe my luck – I get xxxx for a teacher today! The students were surprisingly thrilled with the prospect of having a different teacher for the day. Needless to say, today was quite the day! After spending an entire day in first grade I have a renewed appreciation for all that our teachers do for our students! To say I am exhausted is an understatement. Typically, after a day of school, I am emotionally spent - well now you can add physically too! Those first graders sure keep you on your toes. Hitting the pause button is not an option.

There were so many “best” parts of my day I don’t know where to begin. Welcoming the students to class this morning was a pleasure. They were so joyful entering the room, some of them were even singing. Their sense of responsibility and maturity was impressive. They knew what they had to do and immediately got to work. They took off their snow gear, moved their lunch magnet to the right choice, and started on their morning work. This was without one word of prompting from me. Throughout the day they were polite and engaging. The morning was spent on literacy and by the mid-morning recess I found myself lagging behind in the lesson plans and had to kick it up a notch to get in the second group of guided reading before we went on to writing. After lunch we tackled math and the students were quite engaged in a SmartBoard lesson on fact families. This was followed by a special (physical education). While the students were in PE, I stopped in the office to check the mailbox and was amazed at the sense of calmness that was present. Now, since I know what has transpired in the office all day – this genuinely surprised me and enlightened my thinking on how others perceive the office. No wonder it is such a popular perching spot. J

One highpoint of the day was definitely watching the teachers in their new found roles. The new “first” grade teacher across the hallway from where I was teaching was actually a fifth grade teacher who was a bit apprehensive about teaching first grade. By morning recess she was hooked on the little guys and by the time the day ended I would swear that she floated out of the classroom glowing with compliments of her “new” students. However, truth be told, this was not the case throughout the building. I have to chuckle at another “new” teacher who, when the day began was bounding with energy, but by the end, the day proved to be more of a challenge than she had anticipated. I am quite sure it had something to do with one of our little boys eating the contents of a marker. J

At the end of the day we had our “Not a Box” staff meeting and it was absolutely wonderful. Listening to the staff share their days – the good, the bad, and the ugly proved to be heartwarming and hilarious. Most of all, one of the benefits is that it gave us a glimpse, although just for a day, of what happens in other parts of the building. I think all would agree that the day was challenging, but rewarding and proved to be an excellent learning experience. After all, that is what it is all about – being willing to reach out of your comfort zone, continuing to be lifelong learners. There is no doubt that we all added to our schema today and our sense of community is much stronger because of it.

With a sense of commitment and renewal,

Anastasia

ELATION!

2008-12-03T19:16:00.000-08:00

Teaching is helping young people believe the impossible is possible.

~Todd Whitaker

One word – ELATION! I am so very excited to teach first grade tomorrow that I can barely contain myself! A full day teaching and learning with first graders is such a delicious treat! The first grade teacher for whom I will be “swapping” with for the Teacher Swap-O-Ramma E-mailed me a copy of the lesson plans after school and I have been refining them ever since that time. I just arrived home from a BOE Discipline Committee meeting, and although it is after 9:00 p.m., my mind is still whirling with the possibilities looming on the horizon. During the day today the students were chatting up who their teacher was going to be tomorrow – I can’t decide who is more excited – the teachers or the students. A fifth grade teacher got the lucky draw and will be the “principal” tomorrow. I need to run now so I can put the finishing touches on the lesson plans she will need for the second grade guided reading group plans.

Stay tuned…

Anastasia

It's All About Relationships!

2008-12-02T20:33:00.000-08:00

Power in organization is the capacity generated by relationships.

~Margaret Wheatley

Relationships – pure and simple, that is what makes an organization a success. I am convinced on a daily basis that relationships are what truly matter and make an organization successful. Not just pedestrian relationships built on pleasantries, but enduring relationships built on trust.

Today was an exceptional day as the staff took our annual “Pink Photo.” The first Tuesday of the month is our official “Pink and Jeans” day for the staff of Sleepy Hollow. Staff may choose to wear jeans (accompanied with a pink top of their choice). They contribute $1.00 or more to our “pink” fund and all proceeds go to the Susan B. Komen breast cancer fund. The sense of community that this instills is extremely powerful and reminds us that we are all part of something greater and that, together, we can make a difference.

After the pink photo and morning announcements I had the pleasure of meeting with my additional group of guided reading for second grade. What a delightful group of young and talented readers! Working with students is always a highlight of my day. However, I did not have an opportunity to meet with the original group since we ran over the allotted time and I had a teacher evaluation scheduled. This caused some stress as I had to relay the unfortunate news to the second graders and the disappointed visage on one of the young readers made my heart sink. Therefore, I squeezed in some time to meet with the group for a brief five minutes prior to their lunch and then reworked my schedule to meet with them tomorrow. Since we have reconfigured all second graders into new groups, I will be taking two guided reading groups – this is posing all sorts of havoc to my schedule, but the kids are worth it!

The remainder of the day was captured by observation pre and post conferences, meetings, and other administrative duties. Fortunately, I was able to complete an informal walkthrough allowing me to touch base with the staff – a most enjoyable part of my day. I am definitely looking forward to Thursday, our official teacher Swap-o-ramma. This day will find all our teachers, including me, in different roles for the day. What a unique learning experience. I am thrilled to spend the entire day in first grade – what a treat!

Recently, I was informed that I, along with the two SAM’s at Sleepy Hollow School, will be attending the National SAM’s conference (gratis!) in New Orleans in February of 2009. This is an amazing opportunity and we are definitely looking forward to the trip.

With faith,

Anastasia

Hustle and Bustle - Celebrating American Education Week!

2008-11-18T21:24:00.000-08:00

What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us;

what we have done for others and the world remains and is immortal.

~Albert Pike

Eventful! That is the one word that succinctly captures the past few days. Sleepy Hollow is bustling with activities that support American Education Week. Tonight was our fifth annual Family Reading Night. The theme was Dogs, Dogs, Dogs! Author Craig Pierce joined us for an exciting tale of a day in the life of a greyhound. It makes one want to run out and adopt one of these adorable creatures! Additionally, over half of our staff was present to share a book with families – what a treat. We had close to 100 families that attended this well received event. As the author noted, Sleepy Hollow School is one big family. Hats off to our outstanding literacy teacher and the literacy team for coordinating this event to nurture a love of reading.

Tomorrow, I will be meeting with our second grade team to look at all of our second graders’ progress along the reading spectrum. Together, we will look at each of their guided reading levels to see if any students can transition into different groups for guided reading instruction during their literacy Power Hour Plus. Following that, I will be working with a first grade teacher with her class and my guided reading group on the SmartBoard. She is sharing how she scanned a book for an interactive presentation for students. Then, I will be meeting with the fourth grade “lunch bunch” to discuss Diary of a Wimpy Kid. Early in the afternoon I will be working in kindergarten working on assessments with the little kiddies. Oh, we will also be celebrating “Para-Professional Day” tomorrow. We are grateful to have such exemplary paras who truly give 100% day in and day out. They are the backbone to our success. The day will come to a close tomorrow night when I will be giving a presentation to our parents about our new report card. This will be followed by a PTC meeting.

As for the SAM project, Kerry and Jill (SAM I and II) prove to be an invaluable asset each and every day. I am thankful for their ability to “ground” me and provide guidance as needed. They assist in scheduling my time and also prompt me to be a reflective practitioner.

I am still struggling to figure out where my days go. Everyday, I hit the ground running and never feel “caught up.” Tonight, I walked out at 10:00 p.m. with the night custodian with a “to do” list when I got home. I do realize that this is the nature of the beast; however, it is my fifth year as a principal and it still feels as if it is my first. The “upside” is that when I think of Sleepy Hollow School I find myself grinning. I love my job and know that it shows! My energy comes from the students and staff and for them I will move mountains.

Be true,

Anastasia

The Story Continues...

2008-11-12T19:32:00.000-08:00

Live your life from your heart. Share from your heart.
And your story will touch and heal people’s souls.
~Melody Beattle

I am always interested in the “story” and the story is alive and well on the SAM journey at Sleepy Hollow School. Over the past few days several events have transpired that give me pause for reflection and joy. The 4^th grade “lunch bunch” is a grand success. Most impressive was last Thursday morning, the day after the 44 students received their texts that the students, especially the boys, were coming off the bus and through the front doors with their noses glued to the book (Good thing they didn’t crash into anything). Seriously, several of them immediately updated me on their reading progress – most had read the assignment of 59 pages overnight and two young men finished the text. Several students told me today that they actually reread it! I also received positive feedback from several parents and teachers. Today, during our meeting time, we perused the author’s website and we will be competing in a contest to write a comic strip. The students were thrilled to hear that the top prize was a visit to the school from the author Jeff Kinney himself! I think winning the competition is possible – we have some talented students and great stories to tell. Now, for the reality of the “lunch bunch.” There was a snag in our central office ordering department that detained the arrival of the books and this sent me traipsing across the county looking for texts – always a pleasure. Finally, between two Barnes and Noble book stores and the infamous Costco, I was able to secure enough copies – whew!

The second grade guided reading group is going well. We are on to our second junior novel. Interestingly, when I plan lessons I find myself thinking of how to incorporate technology first (of course aligning instruction to standards). Each session that I have met with the group has involved technology – whether it is a website exploring “vocab” or onomatopoeias on the SmartBoard we have definitely become digital learners. Next week, I am working with the second grade to incorporate an interactive Thanksgiving project for all of our second graders.

A favorite activity of mine continues to be journaling with new teachers. The intimate and reflective relationship has provided a forum for trust and exploration. I am continually impressed and awed by their insight and energy.

Last week our superintendent, Dr. Ken Arndt, came to visit for the day. No dog and pony show, just a day in the Hollow and what a day it was for us! The students and staff welcomed us into their teaching and learning. We explored lessons on the SmartBoard, computers, and a microscope that functions as a type of document camera. We even had the opportunity to utilize the SmartBoard clickers (interactive response system) in the classroom and at the staff meeting. Remarkably, we were able to spend time in each of the classrooms and the experience provided a birds-eye view to the learning happening within the walls of the school. We are grateful for the time the superintendent spent with us. It is quite a gift when the superintendent spends the day in the schools.

Also, last week at our staff meeting, two of our innovative teachers (upon earlier consult with me) proposed a Teacher Swap-O-Ramma during American Education Week. There was a great deal of forethought and planning that went into the proposal and the idea was well received by the staff and next week, on November 20, each of us (yes, me included) will be teaching a different class for the day. Luck of the draw and lucky for me, I landed in first grade – too cool – I don’t know who is going to have more fun and learning opportunities on this day – the teachers or the students? Remarkably, that evening I received an E-mail from a twelve-year tenured teacher stating that it was the most fun she has had at a staff meeting. I’m thinking that teachers should present more often – Ha!

Overheard this past week and lol funny... "I have a pothole in my schema."

Oh, and something else I learned this past week - The word blog is a conflation of two words: Web and log. It contains in its four letters a concise and accurate self-description: it is a log of thoughts and writing posted publicly on the World Wide Web. In the monosyllabic vernacular of the Internet, Web log soon became the word blog. (Source: Andrew Sullivan)

Thank you for journeying with me as I continue to strive to capture the SAM story with integrity. Your comments are highly valued and much appreciated.

Be well,
Anastasia

Another Fruitful Day!

2008-11-05T21:20:00.000-08:00

After teaching all day, if you didn’t learn anything, you probably didn’t teach anything either. ~ Don Taylor

Today was such a fruitful day that I looked at my watch for the first time at 12:25 p.m. and that was only because I needed to know what time it was in order to make it to a 12:30 p.m. evaluation on time. The productive day began with meeting and greeting the students at the door this morning as they came off the busses. Greeting students at the door ensures that I see each child everyday and do my best to start their school day off with a “good morning” and a smile. This may seem trivial, but in my tenure as a principal, I have found that it provides a perfect venue for creating personal connections with each of the students.

After greeting the students, and taking care of morning announcements (including the announcement of President-Elect Barack Obama) I was off to the PTC executive board meeting. Our school is very fortunate to have the quality of leadership on our PTC board. There are many days I am confident that our hard working PTC puts in as many hours as the staff does investing in the future of our children. After the PTC meeting, I again found myself learning side-by-side with one of our new teachers. During her post observation evaluation last week, we talked about her students and their needs. This particular teacher has a cohort of gifted students, so I shared with her that my background was in gifted education and I would be happy to brainstorm some ideas together to help meet their needs. From that point, I arranged a half-day substitute for this teacher. This allowed us to work together today for a couple of hours to launch a few ideas to differentiate the curriculum to meet the students’ needs. I was quite impressed with the amount of energy and enthusiasm this teacher brought to the table. It was plainly obvious that she was passionate about her own learning as well as her students. We continued to bounce ideas off of each other and utilize some resources that I had gathered for our meeting. She walked away with a wealth of new knowledge and a strong foundation to build from. I can’t wait to see how she implements the ideas.

The best part of my day followed the meeting. If you recall, I was interested in starting a “lunch bunch” book club with our fourth grade students. Well, I sent out the cleverly crafted invitations last week and received 41 confirmations – almost half of our fourth grade population! So today, I was lucky enough to dine with 41 eager reader fourth graders – 20 of which were boys – giving up their lunch and recess to read a book! What a thrill! J I am still glowing! For the record, I purposefully chose the book – Diary of a Wimpy Kid – for two reasons: to attract male readers and to have a forum for talking about bullying. As an aside, the book has also been #1 on the New York Times best sellers’ list. Since the group was so large, I asked the students if they wanted to be split into two groups and I would meet with one on Mondays and the other on Wednesdays and the overwhelming response was no – so, we are one big happy family meeting on Wednesdays during their lunch/recess time for the next four weeks. What a joy!

After the book club, I was off to an observation for the next hour. This was followed by a principal mentoring meeting for my four new teachers. I meet with new teachers monthly to review upcoming events and troubleshoot issues. Today we discussed report card comment expectations as well as technology. One of our mentor teachers also joined us for part of the meeting. The valuable part of collaborating with the new teachers is that it helps to build relationships within and amongst us – a strong foundation for current and future growth.

Following the new teacher meeting, I met with a third-year teacher for a post observation. Instead of the traditional post observation meeting, we met and utilized the SmartBoard to extend her lesson for tomorrow. We will partner in the beginning of the lesson and she will take it from there. Talk about on the job learning!

I returned to my office around 5:00 p.m. to be greeted with 121 E-mails – ugh! It seems that I clear them all out and BOOM, they multiply like rabbits. I would like to talk with other SAM participants and see how they are managing this issue.

As I continue to reflect on the SAM journey, I am convinced that the best conversations, centered around teaching and learning, come from walkthroughs in the building. Yesterday, as I was perusing the hallways checking in with staff and students, I noticed one of the grade levels was at lunch. As I walked by one of the classrooms, a poster chart piqued my curiosity and I walked into the darkened room to read the students’ predictions from a chart on “what good readers do.” I was surprised to see the teacher in a far corner of the room working. I promptly greeted the teacher and told her I was sneaking in to get a peek at the poster. An informal conversation followed and the teacher stated that her literacy block was really coming together this year. J There was so much pride in her voice and I was proud of her too. What a great thing to hear!

All right, this entry is becoming a novelette and I still haven’t told you about teacher “swap-o-ramma” that two staff members are proposing – guess I’ll save it for tomorrow – I’m beat.

Wishing you a goodnight’s sleep,
Anastasia

Keeping Parents in the Loop - Principal's Newsletter Update - November 2008

2008-11-03T17:56:00.000-08:00

Greetings,

Sleepy Hollow School is a hub of activity these days. Each school day vanishes quicker than the one before. As a staff, our Power Hour Plus is in full swing allowing us to intimately focus on literacy for the first ninety minutes of each day. Power Hour Plus consists of modeled reading, shared reading, individual reading, word work, and guided reading. These components provide an opportunity for us to individualize and differentiate reading instruction to meet the varied needs of our students. We are also entrenched in a whole faculty book study ~ Mosaic of Thought, second edition. The book study provides a forum for us to learn about new strategies, utilize them in the classroom, and discuss the lessons. Being reflective practitioners keeps us learning and growing each day.

As digital dinosaurs, we continue to challenge ourselves to become as technologically savvy as our digital natives. We are thrilled that our PTC is supporting the purchase of four additional SmartBoards ~ thank you! I, along with several staff members, have found the Boards checked out and unavailable when we would like to use them. Having additional SmartBoards will allow more learning adventures with our students. As an aside, this weekend I noticed the hosts of Discovery Channel’s MythBusters using a SmartBoard to review the results of an experiment that they were doing – very cool.

As an instructional leader, the SAM project continues to be a gift that I enjoy unwrapping daily. I am passionate about teaching and learning and visiting classrooms provides a perfect venue for both. Current classroom initiatives include: teaching a guided reading group, hosting a “lunch bunch” book club for students, facilitating instruction through Lexia (computer-based literacy instruction), and daily support of student and staff development. If you are interested in “what I do all day” feel free to checkout my daily blog (well, almost daily blog) where I attempt to capture the SAMs experience – http://principalepstein-samproject.blogspot.com – If you do peruse the blog, please let me know your thoughts/suggestions. J

Looking to view pictures of our sensational Sleepy Hollow School students and staff? Please visit www.schooltube.com – keyword Sleepy Hollow. SchoolTube is a premier website to safely showcase our school. All videos and pictures on SchoolTube are approved by registered teachers, follow local school guidelines, and educational standards before they can be viewed. If you have pictures that you would like to share – send them to me at anastasia.epstein@d300.org and, provided we have D300 media releases on file for any student in the picture, I will put them on SchoolTube for your friends and family to view.

As you well know, 2008 is a National Election year. Sleepy Hollow School will be hosting a “mock” presidential election for all of our students on Tuesday, November 4. Each student will go to the “polls” (a.k.a. media center) and cast a ballot for their choice for president. All ballots will be counted at the end of the day and a winner will be announced before the students depart from school. These days are educationally stimulating days indeed!

All in a Day's Work!

2008-11-02T19:34:00.000-08:00

The last couple of days were busy ones leaving little time to breathe let alone blog.

On Thursday, I received the following E-mail from a teacher, and as you can tell – those little things do mean a lot! “I wanted to thank you for grading my cursive papers the other day. Not only did it eliminate some grading for me but it also reminded me to comment on the positive I see. The kids were so excited when they saw you graded their papers and sometimes I just breeze through the papers and overlook the good they are doing.” This comment inspired me to return to the teacher’s classroom on Friday (yes, Halloween Friday) and help correct spelling tests. I also offered my services to another teacher at the same grade level and she readily accepted the help. What impressed me was that both of these teachers differentiate their spelling lists for their students. I was correcting four different lists of words in each of the classes that were differentiated for our low level learners as well as our high performing students. Learning is alive and thriving at Sleepy Hollow School for students of all ages.

I posted photos celebrating Halloween – Sleepy Hollow Style – after all, our logo is the headless horseman – www.schooltube.com - Enjoy!

One Fine Day!

2008-10-30T20:23:00.000-07:00

Whew! What a day, what a day. Working with all of our second grade students was exhilarating, but left me completely exhausted! Hats-off to our fine teachers who give it a 100% - day in and day out. Today I heard five little words that always inspire me, especially when they come from a teacher – “Will you show me how?” I cherish these words as they allow me an opportunity to “teach” and that is my one true passion. So, this afternoon found me learning side-by-side with a teacher previewing and downloading SmartBoard activities for our new science curriculum. Also rewarding was meeting with the fifth grade team to catch up on things and to plan for our all school, mock presidential election next Tuesday. Oh, and I was able to sneak in a Halloween story to our afternoon kindergarten students. I read to them earlier in the year and WOW, what a difference a couple of months and an exceptional teacher make – they were attentive and eager to learn. I will be returning to their classroom tomorrow to read to them again. These are busy days indeed!

The Gift of Time

2008-10-28T20:55:00.000-07:00

Whirlwind, that is the one word that describes today – and what a day it was!

Today was definitely an instructional day. I taught a second grade guided reading group this morning. This was followed by conversations with the second grade team and tomorrow, I will be working with the teachers to lead a similar lesson on onomatopoeias with all of second grade. I have always believed that was is good for gifted kids is good for all kids. Of course, wanting to enhance the lesson with the SmartBoard, tonight, after the spectacular third grade musical, I found an exciting, interactive extension activity about onomatopoeias that we will introduce to second grade tomorrow.

After meeting with second grade this morning, I made it a point to visit each of our four third grade classrooms. In the third grade classrooms I was put to work perusing and commenting on cursive worksheets. I also was read to by three of our students during the literacy power hour plus (Boy these kids are sharp!). From that time on, I “popped in” to several different classes and grade levels to check in and touch base with staff and students.

The highlight of my day was reading a journal entry from a new teacher in our building. One of the most rewarding activities that I have implemented this year is that I journal weekly with the four new teachers that we have at Sleepy Hollow School. In one particular journal, a teacher who is experiencing some challenges with a parent commented that she was thankful for the SAM program due to the fact that I was in her classroom through several different learning activities throughout the year – not just evaluations. Her comment gave me energy and a feeling of “helpfulness.” Continuing to re-evaluate the importance of being in classrooms is definitely at the forefront of my mind every day. What greater gift can we give than that of the gift of time to nurture and sustain our students and staff?

Thank You for Making My Day!

2008-10-27T19:30:00.000-07:00

At 3:22 p.m. this afternoon, I was halfway in and out of my office doorway when a teacher, who was checking her mailbox said, “You know Anastasia, I was going to write you a note, but since I am here, I will just tell you.” (At this point, I didn’t know what would follow). “You hold the bar really high for us and there have been a lot of changes this year. However, I want you to know that because of you I am a better teacher. Last week, as I was observing my students in class I thought about you and where my class is now and I just needed you to know that. Sometimes it is hard to see the forest through the trees, but you need to know that you do make a difference.”

The sincerity of the teacher and the impromptu conversation made my day. I wish I had a tape recorder because I am certain I missed some of her inspirational words. I thanked the teacher profusely for her sharing her thoughts with me (especially in front of another staff member) and reminded her that it was a team effort, of which it truly is. I also shared that change is difficult, but we all will be in a better place after the first reporting period is under our belt.

Later tonight, I found myself reflecting on some of the turbulence that we have experienced this school year due to a multitude of reasons, most of which are out of my circle of control: a new social studies curriculum, a new midterm report, a new standards-aligned report card, AIMs Web benchmark testing, RTI, and the implementation of a literacy power hour plus (this last one was in my circle of control). This brought to mind a quote by E.C. McKenzie ~ A good leader inspires men to have confidence in him; a great leader inspires them to have confidence in themselves. As the instructional leader of the school, I not only have the opportunity to watch students grow; I have the pleasure of watching the teachers grow too!

Out of the mouths of babes...

2008-10-26T20:31:00.000-07:00

I was out of the building on Friday due to a medical issue. However, I did receive the following E-mail from a parent. The E-mail put a smile on my heart.

Hi Anastasia,

As my son ambled into the kitchen this morning, he wished today was
Tuesday instead of Friday for he looked forward to doing Guided
Reading with you.

Mom (changed for anonymity)

The Voyage Continues

2008-10-23T20:15:00.000-07:00

Chronicling the day on paper is nearly impossible, but through this blog I am attempting to capture the essence of the journey of the SAMs project. Today found me arriving at school at 6:00 a.m. – why? you may wonder, well I had to depart by 3:15 p.m. for a doctor’s appointment and, as you well know, the paperwork and planning still has to be addressed. Getting to school early allowed for an hour of uninterrupted office time (punctuated with two cups of coffee!) and then I was off to visit a teacher who had requested to talk with me. With the SAMs project, it is rare that a teacher will schedule a meeting with me since they know they will see me during the course of the day, so I knew the meeting was important to this teacher. The basic premise of the conversation was that the teacher felt that she and I were not as “connected” this year as we had been in the past. After some thought-provoking discussion, it became clear what the issue was. This year, when the teacher had her plan time, I was in classrooms, thus reducing the opportunity to touch base. Through our intimate conversation, we addressed the issue head on and worked on some alternative times to meet or for me to spend time in her classroom. Most importantly, was my realization that if this person – a seasoned, self-confident teacher – was feeling disconnected with me was that I have to make a concerted effort to ensure that this doesn’t happen in the future. There were additional sidebar conversations about students, instruction, etc. The conversation ended with a hug and a new depth of understanding on both of our parts. I am thankful to have a staff that trusts in me, themselves, and the importance of open and honest communication. There is no doubt in my mind that the trust factor is one of the underlying tenets of the success of the SAMs project.

“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking a new landscape, but in seeing with new eyes.” ~Marcel Proust

Another Day in Paradise?!?

2008-10-22T19:25:00.001-07:00

Tonight as I walked out of school at 7:40 p.m., I had to take solace in the fact that today wasn't completely "managerial." Although, it was quite challenging to remain focused on instruction. The first hiccup was the PTC meeting running over which had me straining to "catch up" the rest of the day (Is there truly such a thing?!). Two observations later, two post conferences, a couple of classroom visits, a surprise visit from a reporter from the Chicago Tribune writing an article on Sleepy Hollow for Halloween, and a few raging fires - I found myself at my desk inundated with E-mail and paperwork for the next couple of hours. The highlight of the day was planning for the second grade guided reading group tomorrow and sharing the lesson plans with the teachers. Also rewarding was working with a new teacher, during a post conference, searching for SmartBoard lesson plans for our new social studies curriculum. So, all in all, not a bad day - and there is always tomorrow to improve the craft. I look forward to greeting the students in the morning (always adds to the energy level), visiting classrooms, and meeting with the guided reading group. One of my future goals is to host a "lunch bunch" reading group with intermediate students during their lunch hour. I hope to have the invitation ready to go my Monday. Where does the time go? Peace...

Today was a Great Day!

2008-10-21T18:27:00.000-07:00

The SAM Project is really beginning to take shape and this has encouraged me to set up a Blog to share the innovative project with others! Today I kicked off a guided reading group! I have been working closely with second grade and today met with a small group of students. I will be working with them on Tuesday and Thursday for the next two weeks and then will work my schedule to meet with them three days each week. They are a talented group of students and the time I spent with them was the most exciting part of my day. Additionally, I learned how to use the "clickers" for the SmartBoard and will present to the PTC general assembly tomorrow. Hopefully, we will be able to garner their support for four additional SmartBoards. It has been a productive week already in that it is only Tuesday and the two times that I have went to use the SmartBoard it has been checked out by teachers and is being utilized with students in the classroom. Most rewarding, is seeing that technology is being seamlessly incorporated into the curriculum - not as an "a side." All this in addition to attending Culver's Night, completing two evaluations, one post conference, two preconferences, and an impromptu meeting with teachers about report cards. I laugh when people ask me what I do all day. Day, what day? Life is good...