LEADING THROUGH LISTENING

It has certainly been a long four months to get to this point in the year, and we all know that the next six months will be less than smooth. Each year when we reach the holidays, it is usually a time for families and folks to reflect and enjoy each other and their friends. This year, it brings with it a renewed sense of stress and concern as continued conversations and changes are occurring related to COVID. There does not seem to be anything about the upcoming holiday week that feels normal or routine. For the last year, we have continued to work together and do whatever it took to ensure that our kids can continue to grow throughout challenging physical environments and ever-changing circumstances. While we may not know exactly what to expect in a few weeks when the calendar pages turn, we do know that we have a few days coming up where we can take a breath and attempt to relax. I hope that everyone has a moment of time to spend with their families/friends and to remember the positi...

  By now, most everyone can agree that the increase in screen time that all individuals have experienced can have a negative effect on various parts of human interaction. Schools have particularly noticed a decrease in our students' ability to interact with each other appropriately, as well as a difference in the way that many adults have chosen to treat each other recently. With so much of one's life being online these days, actual face-to-face interaction and knowing how to conduct oneself when in public places is a character trait that we all have to bring back to the table. Many students have to relearn how to function in a public setting. We have to be retaught that things such as vandalism may get you increased points in an online gaming world, but in the real world can lead to serious issues for children and their families. We need to relearn that the type of language and the way one speaks/types in a text chat is not the same as an academic piece of writing or a face-to...

As you may have heard, in a much-needed change of direction, New York State is encouraging schools and Counties to consider participating in a previously announced Test to Stay program for asymptomatic students and staff who have been exposed to COVID-19 in the school setting. This would allow students and staff to continue attending work/school during an exposure period through a testing program. Also of positive news, Oneida County is planning to participate in the program which means that our students and staff can benefit. This is not a program that is immediately available as the district needs to work with the County Health Department to develop plans and procedures that will then be approved by the County. It is anticipated throughout the State that the program will be available when school resumes in January following the holiday recess. While the full details of the plan requirements are not known, there are some aspects of the Test to Stay program that we are familiar with. W...

It's hard to believe that we are entering the month of December already and that three months of school have passed. From all of the turbulence that was experienced to start the year in September to all of the unknowns as we move into winter when it comes to dealing with COVID. All members of our school community have gone above and beyond to keep things moving forward and work to get back to an environment where everyone is comfortable. Unfortunately, as we navigate this stressful world that is charged with strong opinions, we have noticed a diminishment in the way in which people treat each other. Adults speaking to adults, students speaking to students, students speaking to adults, and adults speaking to students. Any way you slice it, we have lost sight of the basic principles of manners. If the challenges that we have all faced this year were a reason for that, I could accept the way in which people treat each other at times. However, that is not the case. Despite all of the s...

As we are set to enter into the traditional American holiday season, it seems that it is a prudent time to mention the two words that when used, can have a dramatic impact on another person's day, "thank you." Unfortunately, the pandemic has brought out the worst in a lot of things in our society, but perhaps the most concerning development of the last 18 months has been the deterioration of human interaction, kindness, and respect. Throughout this time people from all walks of life have justifiably developed strong opinions, ideas, and concerns. However, in the midst of developing these feelings, some have lost the ability to acknowledge that there can be an opposing viewpoint that may be valid and that we can coexist in a world of differing thoughts and respect each other despite a difference. A part of this diminishment is the reduction of helping others and the utilization of the words "thank you", for even the most minor forms of assistance. As we enter the...

There are escalators for all walks of life. Like anything else in the modern era, the wheel of escalators continues to be reinvented. There are up escalators, down escalators, long escalators, short escalators, and even flat escalators for those that are in more of a hurry. As a side note, have you ever noticed that many young children are afraid of the down escalator? They only want to ride up. Regardless, most often, escalators are devices that help an individual get from point ‘A’ to point ‘B’ in a manner that requires less effort than normal. However, what about the other escalator? What about the escalator that relates to emotions and human management of stress? It’s funny how even in these situations, most humans choose the ‘up escalator’ as well. Given the opportunity to step back from a situation, think about the options logically, and make a conscious choice to de-escalate a situation; most human beings will choose the opposite. They will choose to escalate something and cause...

This upcoming Thursday is one of the most underappreciated days of recognition in our country, however, is quickly growing in the correct direction. Next Thursday, our nation recognizes Veteran's Day for all of our women and men who have dedicated their service to our country in one way, shape, or form. As we all know, not every individual is cut out to do everything; and there are certain things that individuals simply cannot do that others can. That is a fact of life. Having the fortitude, mental stamina, and courage to serve in our nation's military is one of life's paths that not everyone can follow. The women and men of our military forces are constantly in harm's way to provide security for the rest of us. They perform their duties courageously knowing that the ultimate sacrifice is always a possibility. One of the most inspiring features that I have grown to admire of the veterans that I know is the humbleness with which they live their lives. Walking down the st...

Halloween is a time of year where almost everyone can find some form of enjoyment. By and large, the number one way to recognize or celebrate Halloween is by dressing up in a costume. Whether is be a child or an adult, most people that enjoy Halloween will find time to costume up and enjoy some time to be something other than themselves. It can lead one to ask the question, "Why does someone choose the costume that they choose?" Obviously, there are a lot of responses to this question. It could be because of the hot movie or trend in society right now, it could be someone's favorite character or historical figure, it could be someone's favorite object, or it could be completely random. And then there are the costumes where they are so good that you can't even tell who is in them. Those costumes are the analogy I've been wanting to draw from for quite some time. Just like the costume that hides an individual's identity, when we are all not in costume, every...

As we enter the final week of October, I want to take a moment to once again recognize the amazing work that is done on a daily basis by our principals. October throughout the country has been deemed as National Principal's Month and we are fortunate to have a top-notch team of school leaders working with our students and staff every day. There is no doubt that every responsibility within a school has changed dramatically over the last two years, but the role of a principal has never been more demanding as it is today. Between changes in the State Education Department that relate to the basic operation of a school and all of the constant barrage of COVID-related issues that have been added to the requirements of operating a school, the role of a school leader has become non-stop. We all know that part of being in education has the expectation of being on-call for whatever situation or need may come our way. Currently, working in administration also feels like a secondary degree in ...

This coming week marks the week where we celebrate and recognize our Board of Education during the statewide Board of Education Recognition Week. Those of us who have committed our careers to education know that being a member of the Board of Education is oftentimes a thankless job. On top of their own busy lives, Board members put in countless hours of meetings, conversations, research, and visits to help ensure that our children are provided with the best resources, facilities, and opportunities possible. The compensation for being a Board member comes in the form of student smiles, "thank you's" from us, and a general pride in working toward a greater cause. With the constant onslaught of State and Federal mandates (absent everything related to COVID throughout the last 18 months), the concept of remaining focused on learning and children is becoming increasingly difficult for most Boards. Yet through it all, they find a way to remain focused on improving the opportuni...

  As we prepare to get students back into our schools this week, it's important to take a moment to appreciate the challenges that were overcome this last week. While remote learning may have been the easiest element of the week, families and students who made the week work need to be appreciated and thanked. While our teachers can always rise to the occasion, the frustration and disappointment of having to suddenly be remote cannot be ignored. As we move forward, we have already begun to develop several things to assist students and families throughout the remainder of the year. We have been fortunate to work directly with the Governor's office on the search and recruitment of additional bus drivers and I am hopeful that this will yield positive results in the coming month. There are still time barriers that make getting drivers on the road difficult, but you can't hire people that you don't know about. We have also engaged in conversations with our teacher's assoc...

  I'm not sure that there are words to describe the events of the last month that accurately depict the roller coaster that we have all been on. The most immediate image that comes to my mind is the tornado scene from the original Wizard of Oz movie. At this point, cows flying through the sky would probably not come as a surprise to anyone. We continue to work through the transportation driver shortage and I thank everyone who has already participated in the survey that the district sent out late last week. At this point, we have 60% of the community responding to that survey and a reduction in student riders by 5%. In an effort to reduce riders further, we are going to keep the survey open until Tuesday evening and ask that people encourage each other to complete the survey if they haven't already. Every percentage that we can decrease ridership will assist in reducing the number of buses needed, which in turn can help make sure we don't have an issue in the future and hel...