Don't Overthink It...

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This week I have decided to dedicate my blog to the game that I love and hate the most, golf!! Whenever folks are playing golf, there is generally one constant about the game: regardless of a good shot or bad shot, the mumbling usually says, "Don't overthink it!" Almost everyone knows that sports, especially golf, are mentally grueling and the more you think while playing usually the worse the outcome. So why do we continue to overthink things? Most of our lives can be represented by this small phrase and often in our schools, we have a tendency to overthink everything especially when it comes to listening to our students or allowing for change that students are asking for.  Famous golfer Ben Hogan once said, "Golf is the hardest game in the world. There's no way you can ever get it. Just when you think you do, the game jumps up and puts you in your place." I find this to be a perfect analogy for our profession. The second we as educators think we have everything figured out and become stagnant is the second we have failed ourselves and our students. One thing we have all learned about life is that change is a given and currently in education change is becoming more and more the norm. So why do we resist change so much in our profession. After all, if our duty is to promote learning to our youth, why are so many educators turned off to the idea of learning new strategies and trying new lessons? While degrees and certifications may prove our intelligence, they certainly do not make us omnipotent wizards of the classroom. Our craft is always changing and the only way to ensure success for all is to recognize this, accept it, and grow with it. If we don't overthink the change, then it won't be anything to fear. I leave you today with this quote from Bruce Crampton, "Golf is a compromise between what your ego wants you to do, what experience tells you to do, and what your nerves will let you do." I'm not certain that there could be a better correlation for the difficult task of being an educator. We must continue to want to grow and acknowledge our biases and understand that our beliefs are simply that, our beliefs. No one's beliefs are absolute and prescribing of everyone in our communities. It's time to compromise with our egos and experience and take the risk that our nerves and students are telling us to take!!

Annual Budget Vote

The school district 2019-2020 budget and Board of Education member elections will be held next week on Tuesday, May 21 from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. More information regarding the proposed budget can be found here: SCHOOL BUDGET DETAILS

Voting locations are as follows:

First Ward: Staley Upper Elementary School – 620 E. Bloomfield St.
Second Ward: Staley Upper Elementary School – 620 E. Bloomfield St.
Third Ward: Lobby at City Hall – 198 N. Washington St.
Fourth Ward: Gansevoort School–  758 W. Liberty St.
Fifth Ward: Strough Middle School - 801 Laurel St.
Sixth Ward: St. Paul’s Catholic Church - 1807 Bedford St.
Seventh Ward: Life Church, 1110 Black River Blvd.
Eighth Ward: Stokes School – 9095 Turin Rd.
Ninth Ward: Stokes School – 9095 Turin Rd.
Tenth Ward: Westernville Library – 9172 Main St., Westernville


Meet the Candidates Event

On Monday, May 20, the Rome branch of the NAACP will be hosting a 'Meet the Candidates' event for all individuals who are running for public office this year. This will include candidates running for public offices in the fall election season. The event will begin at 7:00 p.m. and will be held at the Zion Episcopal Church located at 140 W. Liberty St. in Rome. 

Salvation Army Summer Camps

On Thursday, May 23, the Salvation Army of Rome will be hosting a summer camp sign-up event at 5:00 p.m. The event is for elementary aged students and their families interested in learning more about the summer camp opportunities for students. Registration for the week-long camps is $25 and space is limited. For more information, please attend the event or visit www.longpointcamp.org.


Contingency Day Give Back

We currently have one (1) unused contingency day for the 2018-2019 school year. After a careful review of the school calendar and activities for the months of May and June, the only day remaining this school year where there are no major activities occurring that cannot be rescheduled is Monday, June 10. Baring any unforeseen event happening between now and June 10, the Rome City School District will be closed on Monday, June 10 to finish the use of our contingency days. By utilizing this day, none of the student activities, field trips, or building events will be effected. Please mark your calendars for this date.

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