Mr. Lee's Online Journal
Those who know me would tell you that I am energetic and passionate about learning. I believe it is crucial that the school meets the expectations that come with the description, “Best School in America.” In order to meet this objective, I have established four guiding principals for my daily objectives:
• To facilitate exemplary student achievement by creating an environment that is data-driven, student-centered, and research-based.
• To facilitate the continued development of a shared vision at Pinnacle Peak that is based upon the belief that all students can, and will, achieve.
• To sustain a professional climate that is built upon learning communities, care and compassion for the whole child, and a persistent drive to evaluate and improve instruction.
• To foster a sense of ownership of Pinnacle Peak by the community through creative and invigorating partnerships that positively support student achievement.
Entries:
12/1/2008 - The Fun Continues
I hope that each of you had a wonderful holiday with your families and now it is time to go back to work. We have so much happening at PPES in these three weeks before the winter break! In the coming days, we have our PTO sponsored dance, the annual Pinnacle Peak/Grayhawk Golf Tournament, and several performing arts concerts. I hope that you will be able to attend.
Don't forget, December 19th is the last day for you to donate your tax credit dollars to Pinnacle Peak Elementary. As you likely know, this is a tax-credit, rather than a deduction
11/16/2008 - Busy! Busy! Busy!
It's that time of the year again and with so much going on at PPES, time is certainly flying by. I wanted to take a moment to thank all of you for supporting our Core Knowledge Wax Museum Night this past Thursday. What a wonderful evening, even though the air conditioning was not quite up to speed. But, it worked wonderfully and we see it even getting better in the future. Consider it our "First Annual Wax Museum," and a work in progress that will become part of our tradition. I want to also publicly thank our teachers for supporting the night, and of course, our PTO for all of their continued hard work.
This Friday is our Thanksgiving Feast in the cafeteria, and in the coming weeks there are a great deal of other school and district events. So, keep an eye out for further information, and we hope to see you here!
Lastly, I know there are many questions about what the failure of the M&O override in the election means for the district and our school. Please stay tuned; no decisions are even close to being made at this point. Further, Dr. Kriekard has guaranteed an open line of communication to both provide and collect information about the impact. The loss will certainly be felt next year, but we are all committed to protecting the quality of the education that PVUSD has always provided. As usual, we will get through! I would encourage you to be involved with the United Parent Council (see the link on both our web page, as well as the district's) and/or PTO to stay abreast of the situation.
Have a wonderful week!
-Mike
11/7/2008 - A Message for Sixth Grade Parents and "The Stranger Danger"
As you know, the informational meeting about the spring Catalina Field Trip is coming up at 5:30 p.m. on November 13th. However, taking advantage of technology may provide you with some needed flexibility! Simply visit the PPES website and scroll down to “Newsflashes.” There, you will find a newly produced video that will provide you the identical information that will be shared at that meeting, in the event that attending will be inconvenient. Materials that are provided at the meeting can be sent home and we will be happy to answer any questions you might still have.
I wanted to also take a minute to brief you on the issue that as been circulating via email about a predator in the area. We have met with Scottsdale Police. Without divulging sensitive information, the pictured individual that was circulated in the email chain was not the man that has been seen here, and police have that situation under complete control.
The man many are citing as being seen around campus is a retired community member who walks his dog every morning. As a precaution, an officer did approach this man this morning, confirmed his identity as a non-threat, and reminded him that dogs are not allowed on the PPES campus. He agreed to comply and we will continue to monitor the situation. Thankfully, we continue to have a fabulous relationship with the Scottsdale Police Department and they have been extremely supportive.
As always, we take the safety of our students at PPES very seriously. Although I was at a conference in Denver for the first portion of this week, Mrs. Humpal and our office staff was on top of the situation and in contact with me, the district, and police as needed. We sincerely appreciate our "network" of families looking out for each other and encourage the continued communication whenever there is a concern. I hope this makes your day a bit more peaceful and that you have a wonderful weekend!
-Mike
10/28/2008 - A Core Knowledge Wax Museum at Pinnacle Peak!
In this month's newsletter, you will find an article on our First Annual Core Knowledge Wax Museum, which will be held November 13th. As you may recall, for last year's 4th-6th Grade Curriculum Night, we focused on science, with each teacher demonstrating some grade level pertinent, hands-on instruction. Although the turnout was acceptable, we are pursuing a different avenue to truly make it an extra special evening. This year, all of our 4th-6th grade students will be choosing a figure from the Core Knowledge Curriculum to portray at the "Wax Museum." This character will be selected by the student and either represent someone from history or a fictional
character from classic Core Knowledge literature. When the evening begins, all of those students will line the halls of the entire school, "in pose." As you pass, you may "activate" that character to hear a brief presentation about the person the student is portraying. Keep in mind, ALL PPES students are invited to attend and enjoy the festivities, even if you do not have a child participating in the museum. Regardless, it will be a fun night for the entire family!
On a final note, I have scheduled the parent Catalina Meeting for sixth grade to begin 30 minutes prior to the Wax Museum. We often have parents frantically trying to juggle a great deal of extra-curricular activities during the week and felt that this would be a convenient way to have a "two for one." However, I will also be posting an informational podcast that will have ALL of the information presented at that meeting. I expect for that video to be available to you within a week. Please note that attendance at the meeting is not required for your child to attend the trip in the spring, particularly if you are able to view the podcast in advance. Of course, we are always available to answer any questions you might have about this wonderful trip.
-Mike
10/16/2008 - A Wonderful Night with Second Grade!
What a fabulous evening we had last night for our Chinese Cultural Showcase! I wanted to give special thanks to our 2nd grade teachers for truly going "above and beyond" in helping to provide such a wonderful learning experience. Also, I can't thank our Special Area team enough for ]initiating the entire project. I feel so fortunate to have such a dedicated group of professionals who consistently do whatever it takes to make learning engaging, unique, and engaging.
Well see you at the Fall Festival tomorrow night!
-Mike
10/13/2008 - Fall Festival
I hope everyone enjoyed a fantastic and restful four day "weekend" with family! It's time for us to get back to work; the next nine weeks are certainly going to go by quickly and we have so much to do. I did want to take a moment to remind everyone about our Fall Festival this Friday. We hope that you will be able to attend, whereas it is a wonderful family event that provides an opportunity for all of our Pinnacle Peak families (and even alumni!) to share a fabulous evening. Lastly, please remember that pickup from the rear of the school will be a bit slower on Friday due to restrictions caused by the setup for the event. However, it will only be for
that one day and all will return to normal on Monday. Have a wonderful week!
-Mike
10/5/2008 - Traffic News!!
The pickup loop in the rear of the school will be narrowed to one lane with no passing behind the school on October 17th, only. This is due to set up for that evening's fall festival. It will likely create a delay in pickup times and we apologize for any inconvenience. However, the restriction will be necessary to prepare for the fun night ahead!
- Mike
9/28/2008 - A New Recognition!
Pinnacle Peak is renewing its commitment to honoring student success in its many forms during the 2008-2009 school year. With an increased focus on citizenship and study skills, as well as a continued emphasis on academics, recognizing this success will look a bit different at "The Best School in America!"
Logistically, the classes that have conducted their assemblies in their rooms over the last two years have emphatically endorsed the practice as being much more intimate, meaningful, and personal. As a result, our 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade classes will be holding the celebrations within their learning communities in the classroom. However, sixth grade is a special year for students. It also involves some departmentalization with multiple teachers, so that grade level will maintain a “whole grade assembly” format.
The Pinnacle Peak staff and community feel very strongly about honoring both citizenship and study skill habits as crucial life-skills. If a child earns “+’s” in those areas, then the grades will “take care of themselves.” The child will be giving himself/herself the best possible opportunity to succeed by demonstrating the requisite effort and perseverance. Further, because of our continued effort to separate citizenship and study skills from assessments of actual student learning, we must enhance and recognize the value of those life-skills that are so critical for success. However, just because they are being removed from the formula that determines academic grades, does not mean that they are less important. It is our goal for students at Pinnacle Peak to truly understand that by giving their best effort, setting and monitoring their learning goals, and making a commitment to learning, they will truly be preparing
themselves to soar!
In support of this, we are proud to announce the addition of a new quarterly recognition: the “Soaring Eagle Award.” This award will go to students who demonstrate outstanding citizenship and study skills by earning all “+’s” on their quarterly report cards in the appropriate areas. Further, any student who receives all "+'s" for all four quarters will earn the “Silver Eagle Award” at the end of the year in a very special assembly.
We look forward to celebrating the successes of all of our students with you! It is our goal to have the “Soaring Eagle Award” recognized as something for which to strive. If a student tries his/her best in the study and life skill components, their academic performance will be significantly enhanced. That, coupled with strong teaching practices, will allow our students to reach their maximum potential!
9/27/2008 - A Real Success!
I wanted to briefly thank all of you who were able to come to the PPES Family Night at Desert Ridge. It is always a pleasure to be able to read our students; they really make me feel like a celebrity! Thanks for your ongoing support of Pinnacle Peak.
- Mike
9/15/2008 - Hat's Off! I wanted to take a quick moment to thank all of our first grade parents who have made the first month of our recess volunteer program a huge success! As you may have heard, each grade level is taking a month where parents volunteer just one day to work on the playground during a single lunch period. I have to say, our first grade volunteers have really "set the bar" high! In the name of safety, it is important to have as many adults as possible supervising on the playground and it has been nice to see so many parents taking interest to make PPES an even safer place! Thanks to all of you, and we look forward to working with our other grade levels when the time comes!
I have one more quick footnote to today's entry. Bus #113 is at capacity with riders and is no longer able to take students who are not on the roster, even with a parent note. So, if you wish to have your child go home with someone who rides #113, other arrangements will need to be made, until further notice. I will keep you posted!
-Mike
9/8/2008 - A Big Premiere! - As I referenced in Saturday's blog update, I have some new information for you. This morning, I am proud to announce that a Pinnacle Peak Elementary produced video is available for download from our website by simply visiting the "Downloadable Multimedia and Podcasts" page found on our school website: http://cmweb.pvschools.net/ppesweb/. Quicktime is required for viewing and it is a large file, so patience will be required. I would encourage you to save it to your desktop and then view it, rather than watching it through your browser. For some, this will provide you more control over the size of the display. The video addresses two steps that the district is taking to improve grading and assessment to keep parents, teachers, and students
better informed of student progress towards learning goals. For those of you in third through sixth grade, this will not be a surprise, whereas your teachers discussed it to some degree during parent orientation. However, the video (starring our very own staff!) will explain the rationale in greater detail. Further, I am posting a written commentary below that is designed to accompany the video. I would not encourage reading the letter without watching the video, or vice versa! They truly play off of each other in many ways. Enjoy, and there is still more to come!
Moving Forward with Assessment and Grading at Pinnacle Peak and PVUSD
Both Pinnacle Peak Elementary and the Paradise Valley Unified School District are actively involved in seeking to improve student achievement. Perhaps the most powerful tool in strengthening instruction is through the use of research-based assessment and reporting systems. In essence, it is critical that we assess what we teach, and we teach what we assess. Most importantly, we then must use what we have learned in our assessments to decide how to progress, based on the learning needs of each child. Gone are the days of: teach, assess and move on. As Dr. Lee Jenkins likes to say, “Our system has given students ‘permission to forget’ what we have taught them.” Instead, assessment, in its many forms, must guide teachers’ practice and improve the quality of instruction. Further, we must decide upon what we wish to report to parents when we “grade.” I believe that we all can agree that grades
should tell families how the learner has progressed towards specific learning goals. To help parents understand this progress, a uniform reporting system must be in place that eliminates the variables that are contingent upon which teacher is doing the reporting.
Obviously, reaching these goals will be an enormous undertaking. For the past two years, the leadership cadre at Pinnacle Peak has been examining best practices in the field and the related. Further, they have been outlining the path towards those goals, which includes a great deal of staff, community, and student development. Most importantly, PVUSD has moved its focus to strengthening the area of assessment, grading, and grade reporting. As we had hoped, our work as a school has produced the same recommendations for growth and we have found ourselves in alignment with the district movement.
Although the details, research, rationales and discussions around assessment and grading are far too complicated and extensive to share in a single article, there will be a great deal more information coming to you in the coming months about how we are going to improve in this area. Through podcasts, FAQ’s, bulletins, and a variety of other forums, we are excited to bring our community into the world of “Best Practice” research!
Until then, however, I would like to let you know about the first two changes in our practice that you will undoubtedly notice in the fall of 2008. These changes will be consistent in all of our classrooms.
The Elimination of the Zero – Students will no longer receive a zero on a 100 point scale for failing to turn in homework. Rather, the consequence for not doing homework will be the most logical of all consequences: Doing the homework! Homework completion is not an option left to the children, and we will not allow students to chose not to participate in the practice process by accepting a zero. The manner and time in which the homework is to be completed will be determined by grade level.
Homework is Practice, Not an Assessment – Students will be expected to complete all homework. Failing to do so will result in a lower score in the “Homework Completion/Study Skills” section of the report card. Homework is practice, and scoring it “point for point” and entering that score as a letter grade essentially turns homework into an assessment of learning. Considering that there are far too many variables when students complete work outside of school, the teachers cannot know how valid the results can be considered. However, research is very clear that students need feedback on completed homework. Providing students with specific information about the performance of their “practice” can help them
refine their skills and continue to grow. In short, homework needs to be substantive, related to learning objectives, and completed work should receive specific feedback to help the learner to improve. Homework is not an assessment and should never be “busy work.” Lastly, ceasing to grade homework “point for point” allows the teacher to work with parents to differentiate homework volume based upon the need of the learner.
These are only two steps towards a multi-year goal of strengthening the learning experience for your child. There are many more components being added, beginning next year, and more information will be forthcoming.
Part of keeping you informed will be to direct you towards resources that you might find interesting. Everything that we will be exploring is rooted in research-based best practices and strongly supported by evidence. I encourage you to learn more on the topic!
For and insightful and powerful article by Doug Reeves, a leading researcher on educational assessment strategies and uses, see the article entitled “The Case Against the Zero,” which was published in Phi Delta Kappan. It is available at:
http://www.ncpep.org/sail/Case_Against_Zero.pdf
Books on the topic by leaders in the field include:
Assessment and Grading That Work by Robert Marzano
Designing Grading and Reporting Systems by Thomas Guskey
Improving Student Learning by Lee Jenkins
The Learning Leader by Douglas Reeves
Have a great week!
- Mike
9/6/2008
Good afternoon, and a "Happy Saturday!" What a fantastic week we had, once again. I'm so excited about the year ahead, especially with the quality of teaching I am seeing everyday. Also, our PTO is in "full swing" and the plans for our Fall Festival next month are coming together very quickly. Special thanks to Toni O'Hara and her amazing crew for all of their hard work, already. The event continues to get better and better each year.
Stay tuned in the coming weeks. I have so much information to share with you that is even more interesting than traffic and pickup news, as hard as that is to believe! WIthin the week, you will be learning a great deal about our improvements in grading and assessment, the implemenation of "LtoJ," and our quest to be named an "offical" Core Knowledge school by the foundation. We will even be debuting our best podcast to date, and you will not want to miss the premiere!
Once again, I am not above pandering in the name of our students. We certainly can use your tax-credit donations. Feel free to stop in anytime to ask a question or make a donation. Remember, it is a dollar-for-dollar credit, not a deduction, and that is a significant difference!
Enjoy the rest of your weekend, and we will see you on Monday!
-Mike
9/2/2008 - Pickup "Tweak!" - Please note, we are going to try and phase out passing the busses when you exit the rear of the school, whereas it is causing issues for them as they exit. If you are on of the first people out, please try and go straight. Once the busses are gone (by about 3:06), you will be able to use all three options to exit. As always, we have to modify and adjust! :)
Thanks!
-Mike
9/1/2008
Believe it or not, we have three weeks already in the books. We're off to a fantastic start and again, I would like to thank your for the ongoing support. Everyone seems to have settled into the pickup process quite comfortably and students are getting home safely and efficiently. One adjustment that I mentioned on both orientation nights seemed to really help: Writing your last name on a piece of paper that is easily viewable on your dashboard. This allows staff members to try and alert your child to be ready and speeds the entire process.
I would like to add one other request. Unfortunately, we have had several scenarios where a parent calls a student waiting in the back on his/her cell phone, asking the child to come and load in the front lot where the parent is waiting in the loop. We ask that this is not done, whereas it can cause "mass chaos" as more people begin to try it. Further, it will create additional traffic trying to get out of the parking lot where everyone else is trying to get in. In general, it decreases the safety for the students in many ways. For the sake of everyone, please wait to pick your child up in the back of the school.
On a lighter note, I was having a conversation on the playground with several younger students who were truly surprised that I ever went to school, just like them! One said he thought I "just went to college." So, I promised to offer proof. Look, laugh, and enjoy!
Sixth Grade
To this day, I still end up in that same chair in the front row! And yes, that is a Kennington shirt with OP shorts, thank you!
Enjoy the rest of your Labor Day weekend!
-Mike
8/23/2008 - A Very Big Thank You....
What a great job everyone did after school on Friday; thank you so much for your cooperation, patience, and most importantly, your smiles and waves. We cleared out by 3:17, which is still very good considering our volume. We have identified a couple of small adjustments on our end that will assist somewhat, and we will continue to monitor over the coming week.
We truly had a fantastic open to the 2008-2009 school year and I personally feel very good about what is happening at PPES. As this pickup issue moves out of our "field of vision," we can begin to refocus our communication on instruction and learning, whereas we have a great deal to share with you in the coming weeks. There is even a forthcoming podcast that is being produced at PPES that will be used across the district in regards to innovations in grading and assessment practice. This really is an exciting time to be an educator, especially at Pinnacle Peak!
As always, thanks for your ongoing support and we look forward to seeing you Monday and/or Wednesday night. Enjoy the rest of your weekend.
-Mike
8/22/2008 - One last tip! Several parents suggested I forward this idea on, which I think is pretty wise! If there is any way that cell phone calls can be avoided once the pickup procedures begin, it would certainly make life easier and allow drivers to dedicate their complete attention to the process. Certainly something to keep in mind.....
-Mike
8/21/2008 - Tommorow is the big day! Day one of our new plan begins tomorrow and I just wanted to provide several additional pointers to go with the information below. First, I want to make sure that you know that the only exit that you can not turn left out of when exiting the property is the one by the crosswalk. Both the exit by the office and the park parking lot are areas where you can make a left. Also, it is absolutely critical that you pull all of the way forward in the loading zone behind the school. Any empty space in front of you, even for 30 seconds, can mean cars having to circle the block at the end of the line. Lastly, the first few days will always be the toughest, so hang in there. By 3:30, one way or another, eveyone will be off to a wonderful weekend with their kids. Being courteous and attentive will get us
through; no matter what glitches we run into. Everyone is in the "same boat" as we try and acclimate, so being patient with each other will be our best ally!
Here's to trying new things! :)
- Mike
8/19/2008 - Ambitions! We are going to move the start date up for our new plan to Friday.
We've decided to go ahead and be a bit ambitious and start our change on Friday of this week to ease the number of people circling the block a bit sooner. Please spread the word!
8/18/2008 - Entry Number Two For Today: "The Plan!"
Below you will find a map of the biggest change in our pickup procedure. More information and tips will be sent home this week, but I wanted to give you an idea of the change. Again, the goal is to get cars off the street so that they are not idling/parked on Williams, or have to go around the block. Please look at the imbedded photo and then read the bullet points below:
Important Notes About the Above Map:
The biggest change in this system is that first graders will now be picked up in the back of the school
Kindergarten pickup will remain unchanged and still occurs in the park parking lot. It is imperative that kindergarten parents be on time. The city is going to monitor if traffic backs up going into the park. If needed, they have offered to re-stripe Williams up to the park entrance to create a right hand turn lane where you could legally wait to proceed.
When the park parking lot empties, the cones will be removed allowing you to turn right, left, or go straight when you exit the rear of the school. Before that time, going straight or right will be your only options. Remember, you may not turn left if you chose to go straight from the back onto Williams. However, you may turn left exiting from the park or the entrance closest to the office. The old first grade pickup loop will now be our bus lane, so if you choose to exit near the office, you will be entering that loop. You will need to stay to the left and yield to buses, particularly when they are exiting the property.
It is imperative that when you reach the crosswalk in the back that you stop when signaled by a staff member. They will then motion for you to pull as far forward as possible. Regardless of where your child is in back of the school, please pull all of the way forward to pick him/her up. Pulling up "short" will back the line up onto the street and force others to need to circle the block.
Kindergarten parents who are waiting for siblings, as always, should park after picking up your students in the park parking lot to wait.
One adjustment we may make after seeing how this works would be to add a second lane in the back of the school that would narrow to one lane as you pass the crosswalk. We do not want to make this change unless necessary, so we will monitor it closely. However, if we still end up with significant backups on the street, we will let you know and then have a line painted.
Thank you for your patience as we begin to implement this modification to be in compliance with traffic and safety laws. As always, there will be an adjustment period. We will get there, though!
Mike
(P.S. - How did I ever get by without Google Earth?)
8/18/2008
Good morning, and welcome to week two! The focus of my communication this week will be to update you on the modified pickup plan for afterschool in preparation for a full implementation next Monday, August 25th. We just finished meeting with representatives from the Scottsdale Police department to make sure our timelines were synchronized. They did inform me that, contrary to popular belief, they have not been ticketing parents for stopping on Williams Drive. The only tickets that have been written were for speeding or turning in the crosswalk.
Later today or tomorrow, I expect to publish the information about pickup, so stay tuned. We would like to use the week to acclimate, and ask questions, etc. I can tell you in advance that there is no change to kindergarten pickup. However, stay tuned!
Mike
8/15/2008
Good morning and "Happy Friday" to you! Very briefly, I wanted to take a moment to thank everyone for such a wonderful first week. You do not get to be the "Best School in America," without the "Best Community in America," as well! Again, we're a little biased, though. :)
It is so important to smile, even in the face of challenges. Although this is certainly a serious and most important profession, spending two minutes with young students is a reminder that laughter is the heart of childhood. Unfortunately, it seems to be the first thing to "go" in the face of responsibility and stress. So, to end the week with a smile, I wanted to share a video from Youtube that may be the cutest and most entertaining clip I've ever seen on the web. If you have already seen it, trust me when I say it gets better with every viewing. Although I can attest to the video being G rated, as always, one never knows what bloggers may say in the commentary below, so proceed with caution. Enjoy, and have a wonderful weekend.
Mike
8/14/2008
This afternoon, Mrs. Humpal and I met with representatives from both the Scottsdale Police Department and the City of Scottsdale to try and resolve the drop-off procedure issue I referenced last night. I could not be more pleased with the results and feel that Pinnacle Peak will be an even safer place than before. They brought several proposals to help alleviate the problem and brainstormed some additional ideas over a rather impressive satellite map of the property (we look even better from above!). They also were very accomodating in developing a timeline to allow for adequate opportunities to relay the plan to you and offered additional support for when it begins.
Further, and most importantly, we were able to reinforce the positive relationship that we have had with Scottsdale since this school has opened. Their expertise and eye for safety, coupled with our perspective as a school, generated a very acceptable outcome.
More details will be forthcoming and it will be critical that you "keep an eye out." I would like to have the plan finalized within days and start getting that information to you. So, as promised, we'll be having our lemonade.... :)
Mike
8/13/2008
I just finished meeting with representatives from the City of Scottsdale and the Scottsdale Police Department after school today. They are not pleased with our after school system which allows you to use the turn lane to pass cars waiting in line. Further, they have informed me that they will no longer allow cars to "park" and idle on Williams Drive. I pleaded our case and referenced the fact that within ten days we will be cleared out daily by 3:12 each day. Further, I cited the overwhelmingly positive response from the community about the safety of the current system and tried to figure out a way to allow us to use that center lane to pass. It was
very clear that they are unconcerned about how long the pickup process takes and considered it a safety hazard to have cars sitting on the street or using the passing lanes. Obviously, I do not disagree that safety is the top priority. In the end, there was no ability to compromise on this topic and the law will be strictly enforced. The officer granted us a grace period of about a week, but then informed me that he will begin ticketing idling cars on Williams. Their recommendation as per the law was that drivers attempt to pull into one of the loops and if they are unable to do so, they must go to Miller, turn on Pinnacle Peak, and then try again. I would equate the suggestion to the pickup system at an airport.
Needless to say, this is not something we are thrilled about and I do not want you having to circle the block over and over to pick up your kids, however, it looks to be somewhat unavoidable. Obviously, we want to be in compliance with the law and maintain a positive relationship with the city. However, I am working on a "tweak" to our current system to try and get some of you off of the street. This school has gone through a myriad of systems through the years without success, so my goal is to keep this system as in tact as possible. However, an adjustment will have to be made in order to be in compliance with traffic laws. We do not want our parents to have a negative experience, particularly with law enforcement.
Please watch this blog carefully and check your child's backpack. I anticipate getting adjustments to you within two days. I would strongly encourage everyone to follow the directive of the City of Scottsdale, whereas they have made it clear that it will be strictly enforced.
Thank you for your patience as we make this adjustment. As always we're going to make some great lemonade out of these lemons! And, lemonade always tastes better when you are in compliance with the law. :)
Mike
8/10/2008
Meet the teacher night was quite a success and it certainly was wonderful to see so many of you stop and say, "hello." Further, I was delighted to hear so many references to this blog because it indicates it is being read! I had multiple requests for more photos of my trip to Paris from both parents and students, so I have added a couple more at the bottom of this entry. Further, I think I will be putting together a slideshow as a Quicktime movie for those who would like to see more. It is interesting how this blog is taking shape (based upon feedback) as both an informal glimpse into the school's principal, as well as useful tool for important information about curriculum, instruction, management, and safety topics. I am even considering eliminating the lengthy
newsletter articles because of my ability to funnel information to you in a more timely manner using this technology. However, that decision has yet to be made. I do have some last minute information for you on this last Sunday before school starts.
Remember that traffic will be our biggest issue for the first two weeks and many of you will think our system is ineffective. However, bear with us; it gets better! Please remember to be courteous to other parents and staff members in the traffic jam. There will be bumps as people figure out the routine, but it won't be long before the lots are completely empty by about 3:12 each day. The school has tried multiple ways to deal with the flow of traffic over the years, and this has been the best, by far. I equate it to going to a concert or sporting event. There is going to be traffic and waiting. With an enrollment of 840 students, that is a great deal of cars! What counts is safety and the way we conduct ourselves in front of our children.
Last year was fabulous and an improvement over years prior which was due to consistency. We look forward to an even smoother start for 2008.
Class placements can finally be called "complete." Changes are not an option from this point on due to a variety of complex reasons. Any issues, as rare as they are, can be handled most effectively with teachers and parents working together to come to an agreement that is in the best interest of the child. Remember to communicate with your child's teacher regularly and they will do the same. Again, an old adage that I used to share with my parents when I was a teacher is quite apropos: "Please don't believe everything your child says about me without consulting with me first; in return, I won't believe everything they say about you!" :) Even the most honest of kiddo is relaying his/her experience through the filter of a child, and it is up to the
adults to collaborate and arrive at the real truth. I must say however, I feel quite fortunate to be in a community where we receive so much support and this is typically a non-issue. It's one of the components that make PPES such a successful school.
Now back to the fun. Here are a couple more of my favorite pictures from Paris:
A magic moment near Sacre Coeur, where a young child had just given a street performer a donation.
Also near Sacre Coeur, a street vendor place his wares out for viewing.
8/7/2008
Meet the Teacher Night is almost here! We look forward to seeing everyone tomorrow night. I have one brief follow-up for those of you in Mrs. Horstman's class. I referenced in an earlier blog about our vacant first and sixth grade positions. I then proceeded to address the situation around the sixth grade opening, but did not elaborate on the one in first. Originally, we had hired Mrs. Vitagliano for the position, however, she encountered a paperwork "snag" and her hire was not able to be finalized. Fortunately, we were able to select from a strong talent pool at that point in the summer and found Mrs. Hortsman who had recently completed her student teaching at Boulder Creek Elementary. Even better, Boulder Creek is also a Core Knowledge school and she had
a successful experience as a second grade student-teacher. She was involved beyond the classroom and volunteered in several capacities around the school. Although I will let her tell you the rest of her story, I know you will find her enthusiasm and dedication endearing. She sure has been working hard the past several weeks to be ready. Hopefully, you received her letter in the mail welcoming you to her class. Working closely with her team and the reading department, Mrs. Horstman is going to provide your children with a wonderful first grade experience!
We will see you tomorrow night!
Mike
8/2/2008 - Quick follow-up:
The podcast I referenced below has not yet been screened by the district for iTunes, so I'm linking it directly for download here to make sure you have time to view it before the start of school (first grade parents only). Click below to view. I hope you are having a wonderful weekend!
7/31/2008
I would like to take a moment to provide several brief updates on some areas of interest:
Our second grade numbers are precariously resting on the edge of a "pop." We had several students withdraw, however, we have also registered new Eagles. Currently, each class is at its limit of 29 students. The need for a fifth teacher will be determined by any additional enrollees. District procedure in this situation mandates that we go above the limit in one class and then "hold" that registration for ten days before we can post a new position. If we do exceed the limit, it would likely mean we would get our new teacher within three or four weeks and then the split would proceed. Our first grade teachers prepared for this possibility by creating the fifth class in advance and families will be notified if the need does arise. After
the first couple of days of school, we will have an idea of any "no-shows" that we did not know about, and the picture will become more clear. I will keep you posted!
A new podcast is available starting Friday on iTunes. Simply search for "Mike Lee" and then look for where my name is found under Arizona State University and the Paradise Valley Unified School District. This video is for those of you who will be picking up first graders after school this year. There is another coming soon for second through sixth grade pickup, as well. I will link to the video here as soon as it goes up on iTunes, in the event you do not feel like going through the search process.
Special area offerings this year are going to be slightly different for some grade levels. Due to enrollment, we were reduced .5 of a position in special areas. The decision was made by Site Council to reduce library to half of the day, but doing so was not something that we wanted to have to do. The effects of this are as follows: 2nd, 3rd, and 6th grade will schedule library time outside of their special area rotation with Mrs. Haney. It is important to note that they will have consistent access to those materials and plenty of opportunities to visit. Ms. Kapla will continue to teach library as a special area to the rest of the grade levels, so they will not notice a change. Interestingly, if we do "pop" more classrooms, this may revert back to all
five special areas for every grade level. The best news is that we were able to retain Ms. Kapla full-time, whereas she will be a 1/2 time librarian, and a 1/2 time English Language Learner teacher at PPES.
We are getting very close to the beginning of the year and are excited to see you return. Enjoy your last days of summer vacation!
Mike
7/21/2008
The beginning of the year is fast approaching and our office opened this week, as you know. If you know anyone who is planning on enrolling a child at PPES, please encourage them to do so as soon as possible. Anticipating class sizes and knowing who is coming is very helpful for everyone, particularly the teachers for planning considerations.
Our website is continuing to be a work in progress. I have rebuilt it to a functional level and have linked to all teacher sites through the "Departments and Grade Level" link on the front page. Although that welcome screen will be changing soon (due to some help from another amazing volunteer!), the structure and content will only grow. Many of the teacher sites are a work in progress, but will continue to develop over the course of the year. I have also began adding links that you might find interesting from a variety of perspectives. I would encourage you to explore the "Curriculum and Instruction Links," in particular. Education research and the resulting fine-tuning of instruction is quite interesting and you can apply many of those strategies with your child at home. Again, however, this is
only the beginning, with a dramatic increase in multimedia downloads coming in the near future.
We will see you soon!
-Mike
P.S - I could not miss another opportunity to post another Paris photograph! If everyone had one of these, we could shrink our traffic line for after school pick-up. However, there wouldn't actually be anyplace to put your children. :)
7/9/2008
I am back from a fabulous trip to Paris, France! It was truly a trip of a lifetime...
At Versailles! Good thing we don't look like tourists!
The Louvre. People must have heard I was coming, because it was packed.....
It is hard to believe, but we're gearing up for next year, already! Our office staff, including me, officially returns to work next week. However, the office will open for business the following Monday. There is a great deal to do behind the scenes, so the quiet office is very helpful for us. As I have mentioned before, we have our eyes on the primary grade levels in regards to enrollment numbers, and could "pop" in more than one. If that happens, you will be the first to know.
You may have heard that we had both a sixth and first grade position open over the summer, which is quite true. Mrs. Lewis decided to pursue a position at another school in the district, and our new hire for first grade hit a certification snag that caused concern regarding her ability to start in time. Rather than deal with the uncertainty, we both agreed it would be best to restart the search. Fortunately, we are in the process of filling both positions with people that I am very excited to make a part of PPES. However, I can't announce them just yet!
Just a quick reminder about class placement, particularly in light of the aforementioned staff changes. Requests for classroom switches can't be honored at this time for a variety of reasons. Many of our classrooms are at capacity, or are appropriately balanced, making changes unfeasible. Further, although news about teacher switches is always unsettling, I urge everyone to take the news in stride. We take great pride in bringing high quality teachers to Pinnacle Peak, and will settle for nothing less in those classrooms. Many of our most popular teachers started as "the replacement" that everyone was worried about! Ironically, even Ms. Engels, one of our most beloved teachers, started teaching at Sonoran Sky Elementary as a "last minute replacement" for me when I left that school! Little did anyone know, they
were getting someone better! :)
As always, I will keep you posted!
Mike
5/25/2008
I hope your summer is off to a great start! We are letting the placement "dust" settle. I am diligently responding to email inquiries this weekend about a variety of topics, and will continue to do so. Due to the number of items to be handled this week to "close the school," I am unable to take appointments about placement at this time, and ask you to continue to take advantage of the email option. Further, those of you who have second graders for next year, our numbers are very high. We have no more seats available in any of the classrooms at this time, and it is extremely possible that we may be talking about a split into a fifth classroom next fall, if/when our Human Resources department approves another position. As usual, I will keep you posted. And, aside from my whirlwind tour of Paris in June, will continue to update this blog throughout the summer. Have a wonderful rest of your Memorial Day Weekend with
your family!
-Mike
5/22/2008
Last day! I wanted to take a brief moment to utilize a FAQ format to answer commonly asked questions regarding next year's placement and address some specific topics of interest:
1. My request for my child did not seem to be honored. Why? In most cases, we were able to honor requests. However, we encountered multiple issues in several grade levels where it was impossible to do so. Taking the other information that was given, we attempted to provide the next "closest" option. As I discussed in prior blogs, class placement is extremely tricky, but please know that we invested many, many hours trying to honor your input.
2. My child does not have any, or many, friends in his or her classrooms. Unfortunately, placement with friends has to be our lowest on the priority list. Luckily, many of their current friends were met in prior classes! We have yet to have a student not make a whole new batch of friendships, and it will truly be fine.
3. Who is Ms. Vitagliano? My child has been placed in her class for first grade. Ms. Vitagliano is being recommended for our first grade position, although she is not quite official! We are very excited to have her and you can expect a letter that she has written as soon as she approved by the school board. So, watch the mailbox. I can tell you that, on top of her education degree, she has a background in psychology and social work. She has moved to teaching because she found it disappointing to not be able to work with children for longer periods of time. She is energetic, professional, and loves kids! I'm sure you will be impressed.
4. I am hearing that certain grade levels may "pop," leading to the need to hire new teachers. The good news about being in the "Best School in America," is that many others want to come here. Registration patterns can be unpredictable and it is a possibility that this might happen in kindergarten, second grade, and third grade. If it does, the grade levels have identified possible candidates to be placed in the new classroom. However, it is so uncertain at this point, I do not want to cause any undue anxiety for your child, as happened last year, for something that may not occur. Know, however, that just like with this year's situation regarding Ms. Van Horn, Mrs. Humpal and I are committed to putting the BEST teacher in those classrooms. Further, we have several all-star long-term substitutes that can teach in
those classrooms until the teacher is in place. We will be in touch if/when it happens. Although nobody initially wants their child placed in a "new room," we obviously have to populate that classroom. And, as a side note, Ms. Van Horn who was that "new teacher" this year, was just recognized as the Boys and Girls Club Teacher of the Year! Congratulations, Ms. Van Horn.
5/16/2008
I would like to make on quick clarification in regards to my previous post. The teachers are still placing a vast majority of the students, as is done traditionally. It was only in a couple of grade levels where a volume issue developed, and I want to address it next year to prevent a spread to our other grades. I have capped input per class at around a maximum of 50%, with most classes well below that (4-10 is the typical average). By doing this, it allows teachers to be able to still balance the dynamics/levels of the group, as needed. The aforementioned challenges occur when one class exceeds that percentage considerably, which leaves some feeling as if their requests were ignored. Again, this method worked very well last year, and I feel that with some slight modifications and some additional clarifications for the community, we can preserve the integrity and value of the system. However, for now, we will focus on finishing out this year
successfully!
Have a wonderful rest of your weekend!
-Mike
5/15/2008
It's hard to believe this was our final Friday of the year! We are still working on class placements and may be forced to re-examine our parental input policy next year with Site Council. If we do make an adjustment, it would hopefully be minor. I would like to preserve the spirit of the policy because I think that the input is valuable. However, when we receive as many as we did this year in some grade levels, it really makes it challenging (to impossible) to balance classes. All of that said, we will cross that bridge when we come to it, if we deem it necessary to revisit the policy. Regardless, we are planning on having the name of your child's teacher for next year on the report card!
We look forward to seeing so many of you next week around campus! :)
5/12/2008
The end of the year is quickly approaching! As we move into 2008-2009, I plan on using this blog to briefly discuss topics as they arise. My goal is to post once a week, at minimum. So, check often!
Our funding source that has been used to pay our Scottsdale police officers has been reduced to a number that will no longer allow the position to exist at Pinnacle Peak. Again, this was a paid for by a district fund, not PTO. In lieu of the officer, we are in the process of hiring a Campus Assistant who will oversee many of the same responsibilities. We have recommended a wonderful candidate, and I will introduce that person as soon as she is official!
Class placements for next year are underway. We are considering each and every input form and are doing our best to balance the classes, while still honoring that input information. Unfortunately, as more and more people participate in providing placement input, we quite literally end up with teachers being "requested" to the point that their are more requests than seats available in that classroom. Obviously, this creates a situation where everyone's request can't be honored. Priority, however, goes to those of you who have had prior experience with a teacher because of a sibling. Keep in mind that quite often, requests are based on hearsay that is frequently inaccurate. However, we will do our best to balance all of the factors to create a successful year for your child and the classes as a whole. I thank you in advance for the trust that you place in our decision-making and am convinced that every child can have a successful
year with any teacher in the building, even if it means increased communication to make sure that everyone is on the "same page!"