I am often asked, "What does a day look like for you?" While this is my fifth year in this position, I can honestly say, no two days have been the same. Rewarding and scary all at the same time!
To start the day, I generally scroll through and answer any emails that have been sent between 10 pm and 7 am. Following emails, I look through my texts and respond. From there I take a look at the calendar for the day, adding any appointments that came up through information shared in emails or texts that I looked through. This all happens before I step out the door in the morning.
Have I mentioned that I live and die by my Outlook Calendar? "Let me look at my calendar" or "Did you or could you send me a calendar invite" are common phrases often heard uttered out of my mouth. My family now responds with "Do you have us on your calendar?"
As I pull away from the house, I begin the journey each day to serve our students across the district through conversations with educators and administrators.
Today was a great example of the many great things happening in our district for students! I started my day receiving a text from a music educator indicating that she had been invited to a grade level PLC to discuss Rhythm, Rhyme, and Literacy as presented by Ariel Huseman and myself this past Friday at #WeTeach2018.
Following the text, I drove to our Education Service Center(ESC) to meet with and work with our High School Health Educators to continue work designing meaningful instruction for our students through the curriculum adoption process. Many "I wonders," deep questioning and reflection for best practice. Shortly after the work began, I took off to drive to North High to see the Sioux City Public Schools Foundation award our HS PE team a $4,999 grant for IHT watches. While working with the HS PE team at North during PLC team time last year, we discussed many ways to design instruction for students to meet the standards and work to have a healthy lifestyle. This grant is significant to the team as they continue their curriculum work and making PE rigorous and relevant for students.
After the awarding of the grant, I traveled to EHS to work with our MS/HS Band PLC. Discussions from how to reach students, to our district-wide performance, to assessments on canvas through flip grid were discussed. A quick check of texts and emails and answers sent.
Following the discussion with these educators, I was again behind the wheel and traveling to EMS to visit with leadership about content standards and building capacity for student achievement. An excellent discussion and collaboration on past practice and future practice. Following the discussion, time spent with educators learning more about resources we have available and best method for utilizing the resources across the district.
All of this, before lunch. On my way back to ESC, I take two phone calls and continue discussions on topics that have come up over the past week. Once I arrive at ESC, I am back working with our Health team and learning about the work they completed before lunch. I run and grab lunch, in the meantime running to the Foundation Office to set up a meeting to finalize our District Music Concert at the Orpheum this coming Monday evening.
Upon my return, our Health team was sharing with each other skills-based lessons that they have been piloting this fall, based on what they learned at the National Health and Physical Education Conference we attended last spring in Nashville. It was so fun to see their excitement continue into their lesson design from the professional development and conversations we had last spring. In the meantime, texting with our Digital Media Program Coordinator on digital platforms for students to demonstrate learning and sharing with our team.
Before the team was done, I took off to meet with finance to discuss items needed to be budgeted and purchased for our new elementary that will be opening in the fall. I have had face to face conversations with our instrumental music, elementary music, art, and physical education educators to discuss needs for the new building. Today, I was able to bring those items forward for discussion. Throughout the discussion, we also took the time to look at the building specs to make sure that we had everything covered.
Finally, back to my office to check "snail mail" and anything that came across my desk. Final discussions around the office area to clear up any concerns from the day and off on my journey home.
While reflecting the events of the day on the way home, another phone call made to work with an educator and coach. Continued conversation through the evening via text and email.
Now time for reflection and professional reading. A day in the life... #TrulyGrateful
