Pay It Forward.....Kindness

A smile, a kind word, a helping hand; all acts of kindness. How impactful can one positive act be? You may or may not be surprised to find out that kindness can be LIFE CHANGING!  A happiness researcher, Sean Anchor, found that if you perform random acts of kindness for two minutes a day for twenty-one days, you can actually retrain your brain to be more positive. The Power of Kindness Article

Sean Anchor also argues that happiness inspires us to be more productive.  The more kindness you sow, your mindset will shift to live and lead a happier life. See his Ted Talk here:

Jamil Zaki, Assistant Professor of Psychology at Stanford writes about the Kindness Contagion.  He explains that when someone carries out a single act of kindness, three people benefit.  The person doing the act, the person receiving and anyone who witnesses the act.  He goes on to state that a single act of kindness can spread faster than a virus.  Kindness Contagion Article

Here are a few inspirational videos to help spread the message of Paying it Forward!!

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

Remaining True to Your Purpose.....

It is usually about this time in the school year that I start to question if I am doing enough. Have I spread the message of change and positive intentions to as many people as I can? Have I supported all of my colleagues enough? Have I made things better for our students? 

Today's blog post is a compilation of posts from throughout the school year. These are the messages that I want to ensure people are hearing with the hope that ACTION will ensue. 

As always the students and their success MUST be at the core of what guides and influences all of our decisions and actions.  The Justin Bieber song "Children" has been my theme song for the school year. Please take a moment to watch this video and listen to the lyrics.

Are you willing to do be that visionary making the changes needed for our students? Whether we want to see a physical, mental or systemic change... it takes time. Most of us, myself included, can be impatient waiting for the transformation to take place. However, if we want the transformation to be lasting and with positive results we must be patient, persevere, and continue to make strides towards that goal.

If we see something about ourselves, our classroom, or our school that we don't like we need to face it. We need to take a good look at what it is we are challenged with. We must determine what we could do differently to potentially bring about the change we want. Keeping in mind that the genesis of the change we desire must be rooted in positivity. Once you are committed to the transformation you must begin to adjust your habits you have become accustomed to. We all know Albert Einstein's famous quote, "Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."

Who's got the HEART? 

YOU can make a DIFFERENCE! 

Think about how your are working to create systems at your school that will develop a Culture of Universal Achievement. Your PBIS site team should be at the core in working to establish and maintain these efforts.  As a unified district we must use RTI to establish and maintain district and site systems that align and support assessment, data management and interventions. Our district wide focus on T4S and specifically Academic Discourse aligns and support all of our efforts in the areas of collaboration and standards alignment. 

Don't forget the WHY of what drives our work. We are doing this for EVERY one of our students in our district. We are doing this to engage our students so that they are empowered to be the change agents of the future. We are doing this so that students are excited to go to school. We CANNOT allow mediocrity. We must not make EXCUSES! Don't let your budget constraints get in your way. Think of ways to maximize the dollars that you have. Don't let negative staff get in your way. Think of ways to tap into everyone's strengths and have them be a part of the process and ensure they understand the WHY. We CANNOT be complacent. If you see something going well then share it and encourage others to see the benefits. If something is going wrong then address it and determine an action plan to make corrections, don't allow it to fester. 

We can use our challenges and struggles to develop our passions and to push us to improve. 

Take a moment to think about a positive chain reaction. Engaging in one positive action for another can cause a ripple effect. What if all of our #FSUSD students were greeted on Tuesday to cheers of appreciation that they were on campus? What if we showered them with HOPE and LOVE?  What if we focused on the HEART before the HEAD every day with ALL of our students? People want and need to be loved. Dr. Jeff Andrade, keynote speaker of "Growing Roses in Concrete" and now the Growing Roses in Concrete Community School http://rosesinconcrete.org/ has said that having just one caring adult in a child's life can be the difference between a child finding success or not. If you have never heard Dr. Andrade speak, you must. Dr. Jeff Andrade "Growing Roses in Concrete"

We MUST commit to spreading the message of self worth and importance. As every child walks across the threshold of our classrooms each and every day we MUST tell our students they are valued, they are important, they are needed. We must use our positive words to overcome any existing self doubt. WE must help them handle negative thoughts and in turn it will help them gain more confidence in who they are.

Take a moment to watch and LISTEN to the words in this video. If you are moved, then take that energy and share with others. 

We MUST not give up on any of our students!! We must empower! We must BELIEVE that anything is possible. We MUST NOT make any excuses. Provide HOPE!

Think about the ways in which you can #Sparkle on campus and keep spreading positivity. We CAN change the reality around us. We can commit with positive intention to reinforce the actions and behaviors that we want to see in our colleagues, our students, and ultimately our society. We must highlight and showcase the strengths of our peers and our students. We must mend any mistrust and replace it with open and honest communication. Don't be afraid to have those that you are leading come out from the shadows and shine bright. True leaders are able to create more leaders and empower those that they lead to be the absolute best they can be.

When I was asked what my #OneWord2017 was, my reply was UNYIELDING. Webster's Dictionary defines UNYIELDING as, "showing or having firmness or determination." It is more important to me now more than ever that I stay true to my convictions and core beliefs.  There are many forces at work that will try to make one sway or falter. But, remaining centered and grounded and joining forces with others that are like minded will provide a network of impenetrable strength.

Imagine a unified movement with the message, "Not In Our School." One student alone can have a difficult time standing up for what is right, but when you have students unite they become a much stronger force and it is then much easier to spread the message of, "Not In Our School." Join me in this effort!! Let's join forces to create this movement at our school sites. Let's work together to transform our schools to be schools FOR the community not just IN the community. We can DO THIS together with the "Not In Our School" movement.

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

UNYIELDING.......

When I was asked what my #OneWord2017 was, my reply was UNYIELDING. Webster's Dictionary defines UNYIELDING as, "showing or having firmness or determination." It is more important to me now more than ever that I stay true to my convictions and core beliefs.  There are many forces at work that will try to make one sway or falter. But, remaining centered and grounded and joining forces with others that are like minded will provide a network of impenetrable strength.

Prior to leaving on the winter break there were quite a few tragedies that struck our community. I was compelled to reach out to faith leaders from Liberty Church for guidance on how to best approach and support our youth. It was a great conversation spent with two pastors. We talked about what it would take to create a movement. A movement that would empower our youth. A movement that would work to unleash the potential in all of our students.  A movement that would give our students a voice.  A movement that would provide HOPE.

Imagine a unified movement with the message, "Not In Our School." One student alone can have a difficult time standing up for what is right, but when you have students unite they become a much stronger force and it is then much easier to spread the message of, "Not In Our School." Remember the video of the lone dancer that starts a movement? It takes a few followers and a movement begins.

Join me in this effort!! Let's join forces to create this movement at our school sites. Let's work together to transform our schools to be schools FOR the community not just IN the community. We can DO THIS together with the "Not In Our School" movement.

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

#Sparkle

The December challenge is upon us, #Sparkle.  #Sparkle stands for: Spreading Positive Actions Regarding Kind Loving Encounters.  As each person spreads some "sparkle" he/she is paying it forward which causes a chain reaction that spreads positivity.

We are already have some great examples of staff and students spreading some #Sparkle around the Fairfield-Suisun area. Here are just a few.

Crystal Middle School ASB is holding a Toys for Tots drive.  

Students and Staff from schools across the district spent Saturday ringing the bell to raise money for the Salvation Army. 

Our Risk Manager, Jennifer Taylor, has posted words of encouragement through out the district office.

A ten year old KI Jones student honored the Fairfield Police Department. The message is a simple but powerful one. Taking time to say thank you and giving a gesture of appreciation can go a long way for the person receiving the thanks. Watch the story here:  KRON 4 News Story

Think about the ways in which you can #Sparkle on campus and keep spreading positivity. We CAN change the reality around us. We can commit with positive intention to reinforce the actions and behaviors that we want to see in our colleagues, our students, and ultimately our society. We must highlight and showcase the strengths of our peers and our students. We must mend any mistrust and replace it with open and honest communication. Don't be afraid to have those that you are leading come out from the shadows and shine bright. True leaders are able to create more leaders and empower those that they lead to be the absolute best they can be.

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

We are in this for the KIDS!!

At this point in the year I feel that it is important to stop and take a moment to remind ourselves why we are in our positions. It is easy to get lost sometimes in our mounting emails and to do lists. But, we must always keep in the forefront that we are in this for the KIDS!!

Last Thursday was a great reminder for me. I was able to spend the entire morning at the 2nd Annual Special Olympics hosted by Fairfield High. I couldn't have even imagined leaving before it ended to go back to the office and check emails or process paperwork. Spending time with the students and being part of their day was so important!!

Our students need us to be present in the moment, to appreciate them, and to make every effort to improve their overall experience in our schools. We can't connect if we are sitting in an office. We can't appreciate them if we aren't part of their experiences. And, we definitely can't improve their overall experience in our schools if we are only interacting and listening to the adults.

As you get ready to head out the door today, take a moment to prioritize your day. How much time are you planning on spending interacting with kids? If you realize that you have planned very little or no time at all with students today, see if you can rearrange your calendar to make it happen. Once today is gone, we can never get it back.  #KidsDeserveIt

We are in this for the KIDS!!! 

The Torch Run: Start of the Special Olympics

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

#ThankFall

The last two months have been filled with healthy lifestyle challenges. September brought in the #100milechallenge where the goal was to reach 100 miles through running, walking or moving. October rang in #movetober which included another 100 miles of moving, daily planks, and 100 minutes of mindful meditation. The beauty of these challenges to date is that each person involved is creating a healthier lifestyle and at the same time building stronger relationships across FSUSD with all those that are participating. A network has begun and people are reaching out not only to encourage, but to now join up for run clubs, half marathons, movie days, you name it.

November is upon us and we are now six days into #ThankFall. This month's focus is to continue the healthy lifestyle habits that were developed in September and October and add in daily moments of gratitude. Being mindful each day to be #ThankFall is having dual benefits. Those that are participating are getting a glimpse into one another's lives; again, strengthening the relationships and collaboration with colleagues. All the while taking time in your day to be mindful and appreciate all that you have in your life!!

Here are a few #ThankFall posts from your fellow colleagues throughout FSUSD. Join the movement and become a little healthier, happier, and more at peace. Your productivity will naturally increase as a result too. :)  It is NEVER TOO LATE TO START!!!

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

Equity in Our Schools.......

I was honored to be a panel member last week for the Solano County Equity Alliance Network. I was joined by three other educators from Solano County, including Lisette Estrella-Henderson, Associate Superintendent of Student Programs and Educational Services.  The aim of the network is to provide educators with a safe space to have discussion and learn the strategies that may assist in incorporating equitable practices focused on student learning.  California has formed a statewide alliance to address equity; the California Equity Alliance (CELA) focuses on equity for all students.

To begin the discussion, all panel members explained what equity means to each of us. Interestingly, none of us had the exact same definition. However, there were common themes. Equity encapsulates fairness and provides that all individuals will be given what they need in order to be successful. It was agreed that equity is not the same thing as equality. If we overlook the needs of individuals and provide the same instruction in the same manner to everyone we will continue to see some individuals succeed while others will not. 

An eye opening discussion on the origins of our school system took place. We reflected back on the focus of schools in the mid 1800's where the focus of the economy moved from agriculture to manufacturing. Schools were the source to prepare workers for manufacturing jobs. Fast forward to 2016 and the majority of our schools still resemble the schools of the 1800's. Students are seated in rows, teacher directing the learning, little to no academic discourse. The question arises, what are we preparing our students for? We need to be preparing our students for the jobs of tomorrow. The reality is many of the jobs that will exist in 5-10 years have not even been created yet. We are doing our students a disservice if we do not recognize that we need to create environments in our schools that encourage creativity, innovation, and collaboration. The video clip below is a great visual example of this, The People vs. The School System

All of us have different life experiences that make us who we are. No one path is better than the other. The reality is that we all come to the "table" with a different understanding based on our experiences. As educators we must honor each of our students' life stories/experiences by understanding them and responding accordingly. EVERY student is valuable. EVERY student CAN be successful. We must not allow our preconceived notions or misconceptions to overshadow a student's potential. Most people do have a bias and that is based on their experiences. That does not automatically equate to a bad situation. In order to move forward in a progressive manner, every educator must be able to look inward and recognize what his/her biases are. Once those are recognized, then each educator can ask himself/herself the question of why and how to respond to those biases. If we ignore the lens that we see the world through we are doing ourselves and those around us an injustice. One cannot discount his/her reality. That is what makes us unique. It is once we appreciate that our reality is NOT that same as the person standing next to us that we can then begin to be the most effective. Approaching students and everyone that we interact with from a place of understanding and inquiry allows for give and take. These are some of the equitable approaches that we need to ensure are in our classrooms and schools.

Join the conversation and come to the next Solano Equity Alliance Network meeting on January 26, 2017 at the Solano County Office of Education. Before then, check out some resources provided by ACSA http://www.acsa.org/Member-Services/Equity.

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