LEADING THROUGH LISTENING

 It's hard to believe that we are already 4 months through this school year!! It seems like just yesterday that we were getting schools back into the full swing of things in this post-COVID school environment. While we were all eager to welcome a world that was more "normal" than the past two years, no one was prepared to wade through the challenges that many students and families would bring to the table as a result of the last two years. During these four months, we have had many ups and downs, but through it all, we have continued to remain focused on our goal. At times, patience has worn thin and stress has overcome the process... but we move forward. The staff of the Rome City School District are second to none and will continuously go above and beyond to support students and their families. Nothing in the world of education is what the general person would assume it is, with the job of working in a school getting more and more challenging. We are fortunate to have s...

What if every day were similar to these days between Thanksgiving and New Year's? I ask this question because as I walk through public places with crowds each year during the holidays, it's ironic to me to see how many more kind and giving people you come across during this one month stretch. I find people saying please more frequently, I see people donating to causes, and I certainly hear the words "thank you" more often for simple gestures like letting someone go onto an escalator first. What would our society be like if every day were like this? I ask this question because I wonder, does everyone suddenly change into some bizarro personality because that's what they think they are supposed to be during the holidays or do all of the really polite, well-mannered people suddenly emerge from hiding and spend time in public during this month? We all know manners, how to be respectful, how to treat others... so what is so hard about being that way every day? Sure we ...

  This past Friday, December 2, is recognized as National Special Education Day in recognition of the first federal legislation that ruled it unlawful to deny exceptional children, including those with mental and learning disabilities, publicly funded learning opportunities. These initial laws came into play in the 1970s, however, it wasn't until 1990 that the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) was placed into law. The IDEA act is currently one of the standards that every person involved in the education field is aware of, as well as families of students in special education programs throughout the country. For the first time, IDEA made it a legal responsibility that all children have a right to public education, regardless of need, and that parents would no longer need to worry about their children being denied an education in their home school district. IDEA has been groundbreaking in the integration of students which has helped to break down stigma barriers, it h...