Priorities and Prioritizing

I have been enjoying connecting with my PLN this evening on Twitter. I am super excited about our week long Twitter Challenge; #FSUSDtweets that begins tomorrow.  I am even more proud to see how #EdcampFSUSD which began as merely an idea about only a short month ago has now blossomed into a full fledged REALITY. There is now a Twitter account, a website, a Google folder with many docs,  a multi-member planning team, hundreds of amazing donations flooding in, a date and a location!!

The reason I am so pumped and excited about #EdcampFSUSD is similar to the reasons I was so excited several years ago when I was principal at Crystal Middle School and we were planning our first Innovation Day. There is something so exhilarating to see an idea germinate, then how it grows with input and creativity from others, and it then begins to take on a momentous life of its own. I am so appreciative of the educators that are taking part in planning #EdcampFSUSD. They aren't planning because they will get paid or for kudos. They are part of the team because they are passionate, eager, creative, innovative PIONEERS. They are willing to take on something BIG because of the potential that it can have!! A HUGE shout out to the #EdcampFSUSD planning team. They are: Colleen Hutchinson, David Avery, Allison Klein, Gayle Horsma, Andy Meyers, Shareen Choy, Stephanie Budenthal, Meghan Cannon, Steve Trotter, and Jeff Kubiak.

I am currently reading "Lead Like a Pirate" and I was able to make some good connections with the text while on the drive up to see the in-laws for Easter. The one takeaway that has been at the forefront of my mind since Sunday is the idea of prioritizing our work. Thinking about our weekly tasks and determining of those tasks how many are really having a major impact on student achievement.

I have begun to wonder what are the priorities I am focusing on in my blogs and in my weekly newsletters? Are they the same? Do I send similar or conflicting messages? I have put myself to a test. I decided to copy and paste the last three blog posts into a Wordle and the last three newsletters into a Wordle to see what key words/phrases rise to the top. Here are the results.  There are some similarities, but not enough for it to be a clear, consistent message. There is work to be done.

My blog Wordle:

My newsletter Wordle: 

Now my next task is to evaluate my calendar and cross reference that with what my true priorities are that I want to see happening to have the largest impact on student achievement. I may need to shift and reprioritize. It is always good to reflect and refocus. It is so important to always keep the Goal in mind: Student Success!!! 

Continue to be innovative, creative, and a model of excellence!!

My Family: My motivation to be the BEST that I can be.