LEADING THROUGH LISTENING

It's hard to believe that we are already 4 months through the 2016-2017 school year!! It seems like just yesterday that we were sitting in a full auditorium at RFA and welcoming the staff back to school for the year. I can remember all of our munchkins coming to school on opening day as well, as if it were yesterday. During these 4 months, we have had many ups and downs, but through it all we have continued to remain focused on our goal. Thanks to the support of our community, we have begun the work of developing collaborative relationships to move the ship in a new direction. At times, patience has worn thin and stress has overcome the process... but we move forward. I hope that everyone in our community has an opportunity over the coming 2 weeks to enjoy some family time, reflect on the past in hopes to create a better future, relax and recharge, and most importantly have some fun and create memories that will last a lifetime!! I am very thankful for the large family that I h...

My blog this week is not a philosophical thought, rather an attempt to inform our community about a reality and a concern for our youth. What has increased by 900% recently you ask? E-cigarette use among high schoolers has increased 900% in the past 4 years. This past week, the Wall Street Journal and many other major media outlets of reputation have released articles in relation to the surgeon general's most recent comments. One of the most alarming things about these devices is that people still do not realize that they contain nicotine. Our children are become more and more addicted to nicotine through the electronic cigarette than our older generations ever were to the traditional cigarette. I strongly urge our parents to do some more homework on the e-cigarette prior to thinking that it is a safe alternative for anything. The e-cig has become the gateway drug to more serious things, has shown to stunt brain growth in teenagers, and falsely advertises their product on most o...

One of the most challenging elements of any organization is getting everyone involved to understand their role, understand how their role relates to the organizational structure/mission, and how to work within their role to affect positive change. The other week, I had the privilege to visit the BNY Mellon facility in Oriskany and was immediately impressed by the organization and their employees. It was an environment where all parties were working together and people were able to work within their comfort zone, making the entire organization much more effective. Schools historically have struggled with this concept because quite frankly, every individual in our society has spent time in a school in some way shape or form. We all think that we are the experts because we've been there. Think about other walks of life for a moment. We may get a second opinion from a doctor or an attorney, but generally we don't challenge their opinions and professional diagnosis. When we are a...