[written Thursday night]

Please excuse this Friday Edition of the Thursday Word.  I had hoped to never miss a Thursday.  Despite my efforts, today (actually this whole week) got the better of me.

In addition, I typically find inspiration for my principal message early in the week and the topic unfolds in my mind with each passing day.  This week however, I’ve experienced a bit of a writer’s block...until tonight.

Tonight was the Kindergarten and New Family Information Night.  All elementary schools in our district invite prospective families to a presentation and classroom visits showcasing what makes LASD and Almond great.

During the Q&A portion of the meeting I was asked, “What keeps you awake at night about your school?”

So here I sit, at 11:01pm, agonizing that I didn’t get the Thursday Word out on a Thursday...but THAT won’t keep me up for much longer.

What do I fall asleep thinking about?  What do I wake up thinking about?  What wakes me up at night?  What do I think about on my long runs?

Two things.

#1 - How do we as a school community make certain that each and every student in our care gets what he or she needs?

#2 - How do I support every staff member towards this effort and ensure they maintain their wellbeing?

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, “Every single student at Almond school has a uniquely crafted brain and body that we are called to serve.”  I would also add, that in addition to that brain and body, there’s a specially crafted heart and personality to go along with it.  At our school, we want to ensure that every single child is learning what they are ready to learn.  If a child is ready for a challenge beyond their specified grade level in a particular area, we want to forge that opportunity.  If a child needs support in an area they’re still working on mastering, we need to provide the guidance to conquer that hurdle.  More important than any academic learning, students need to know THEY MATTER!  We see them.  That starts from the second they step on campus.  Why do I greet students each and every morning and say goodbye every day?  I want them to know that they are important to us.  We know their names, we care about them.  The Almond staff embodies this in all they do by building strong relationships with students and families.

Number two was what I actually publicly stated when asked the question.  This was probably most pressing in my thoughts because I am constantly in awe of the dedication of the Almond Staff.  They are THE hardest working staff I have ever known.  They work well into the evening hours, come in on weekends, and consistently respond to my never ending requests with, “Yes.”  This year alone they have given their all to our Almond Personalized Learning Prototype, Standard Based Grading, Haiku, Google Edu Symposium, Parent Conferences, and more…  Several teachers (Schubert, Lamb, Nguyen, Matteroli) opened their classrooms tonight to allow families a peek.  Our office staff (Jane and Joyce) prepped materials and attended the event to walk parents through registration logistics.  Our custodian (Jose) made certain our campus looked beautiful and our multi was ready for this event.  Thank you Almond staff for being so selfless and focused on our students.  You are truly amazing!

Now, it’s time for me to go to bed so I can start a new day with renewed vigor and enthusiasm.