Monday Moanin Thoughts #322, Start Working On Your Spring Message 2019

Welcome to the latest Monday Moanin Thoughts. I am just returning from a 2 week visit to Valencia, Spain where our son and his family are living. It was relaxing and wonderful and I did not think about this MMT until we were home a few days. It became clear to me that this is a perfect week to focus on leadership and begin thinking about your spring message. For many, this is a couple of weeks before a well deserved Spring Break. My mentor always encouraged me to write a welcome back message to staff as they return from their break. If you are planning to do the same, consider getting started on it now.  The goal is to validate the hard work and commitment of your staff and set the stage for the final weeks of school. Below are five prompts from leaders they sent to their staffs that set the tone as they began the home stretch to the end of the school year. Consider using these as a prompt for your message.

Staff;

I have been thinking that in light of the tremendously negative messages from our media and local government lambasting us for our profession, what would be something I could say to make everyone feel even the smallest bit better? “We’re all in this together”, “How preposterous all of this is…” , etc. doesn’t seem to cut it for me. I value the work you do tremendously, and I want you to know that. I look forward to hunkering down and striving to find productive solutions because even if our state government cuts and changes the landscape of our budget, which in turn may change some of our practices, they cannot change who we are, and that is what I believe in. We are not money, programs or budgets. Who we are, individual and collectively, is where I put my trust, and that is what makes me happy to come to work every day. Thank you for all you do.

Staff,

Welcome back. I trust that you had an enjoyable break with lots of rest. I am excited to be back and am looking forward to a positive spring term. I want to remind you that many of our students struggle to stay focused during this time of the year. It is critical that you continue to be well planned with engaging lessons and have high expectations for your classes. Be reminded that you set the tone. It is also critical as Marzano reminds us, “Show interest in your students lives, advocate for them, never give up on them, and with good relationships in place, all other instructional strategies seem to work better.” Thanks for all that you do and working together we can have a great spring and finish the year well.

Staff,

Welcome back! We hope that you had a relaxing and enjoyable Spring Break! Just a simple message to remind all of you how much you are appreciated. As we get ready to begin the last card marking, we want to again THANK ALL of you for all that you do. We truly are honored to work with such a HARD WORKING, CARING, ENERGETIC, and ALL-AROUND WONDERFUL staff.

We wish you the best of luck down the home stretch and let’s kick some M-STEP butt!

Staff,

As we begin to wind down our school year we also wanted to urge you to reflect on the incredible work and effort that has gone into your position this year. We are all looking toward that finish line, and we sincerely hope that you all cross it arms raised, cheering, and on two feet! With that image in mind, we are encouraging you to shine this last quarter. We see you shine each day, in so many ways; please capture those moments this last quarter and remember to tell your story.
Thank you again for your dedication and willingness to put students first in all that you do! Our hope is that we will finish in the same strong manner that we started the school year. 

Hi Team,

I hope this email finds you well rested and hopefully, someway, somehow, you got some Vitamin D!

My mentor asked me at my February session when I thought the most learning occurred in our building and why.  I gave him my answer and rationale but I’ve really been thinking about this lately.   

Baseball/Softball season is in full swing in our household and for us, this is a big deal.  We are trying to teach our son that the game goes innings 1-9, that one at bat does not define your game, and that when a teammate or you make a mistake (which are part of the game), at your next at bat and you nail it. 

What does this have to do with us?  As we come back to school, our entire team is entering the 9th inning.  We need to make sure as leaders in our classrooms that we have the same enthusiasm and focus in June that we did in September, that we make sure that everyone on our team, especially the learners, are fired-up, and ready to rock this.  The 9th inning is never the easiest, but it is where champions are made.  

For those of you who love videos, I highly suggest scrolling down and watching the Gibson tribute.  We have watched it no less than 30 times this week and the labradoodle which I still have not agreed to is going to be named Gibby.  https://dodgers.mlblogs.com/watch-gibson-tribute-video-and-first-pitch-164cce4ce4c4

Welcome back, it’s game day and we got this.  Go Barons! #9thinning

As leaders, we must consistently provide the hope and leadership for our school community. Returning from a break or beginning the last marking period of the year is a great time to reinforce your mission and vision. Find the themes that work for you and be intentional in communicating them. Above all, be proactive and let your staff  know that you care and respect them and their efforts.

Have a great week and keep finding the good stuff.