Weekly Message from Steve Warner, Head of School (October 14, 2013)

Greetings GreenMount Community,

            At today’s Monday Morning Meeting we discussed a topic under the Pillar of Civility titled “Communicate needs in a positive manner.”  I began the discussion stating that this is probably one of the indicators that is hardest for students to define.  As usual, the students made me reconsider my intuitions as the very first response to what this phrase means – from a third grader – was, “Make sure when you ask for something, you do it in a positive way.”

Okay, so this is an unusual response for an 8-year-old.  Then another hand came up:  “When we need something, we should make sure that we don’t distract the class.”  Wow.  Now I am beginning to think that I misjudged how astute these young people are.  Other similar comments indicated that our work with the Pillars over the last few years is paying off – at least with understandings.

The discussion ended with the final comment, from a fourth grader:  “No whining.”  A number of those fourth grade students smiled as their eyes turned to Ms. Laura (the things they remember from kindergarten).  As you go through the week, you may want to remind your children to communicate their needs in a positive manner.  Although I am sure they do that well at home.  Right?

            On Friday, we were jammin’ with two gentlemen from Trinidad as they shared their steel drums with us.  The students and staff had a lot of fun as we danced, sang along and even some had the opportunity to play the pans for everyone.  Mr. Fletcher rocked with “Mary Had a Little Lamb”.  This group was hired to perform as part of our theme immersion.

            Tomorrow, we will all be going to the National Aquarium along with many of you.  This is also part of our islands study as we focus on the importance of coral reefs and their importance to the ecological balance.  This trip was made possible, in part, because Mr. Fletcher and Ms. Tanza went for “training”, thus allowing our school to visit the aquarium for free.  We thank Fletcher and Tanza for enduring a long PowerPoint presentation that was read to them.  We all know that teachers must have words that are projected on a screen read to them.

            Today, we are having a security camera system installed.  The cameras will monitor the rear of the building as well as the front door.  Personnel in the office will be able to see these areas real time and a DVR will be recording up to three weeks’ worth of activity.  We are pleased to be able to add this system to our security measures that will help protect our students and the building.

            Finally, thanks as always for the opportunity to work in this amazing atmosphere of learning and collaboration.  I am still loving the “work” and enjoying you and your children.

Nothing is work unless you’d rather be doing something else. Not me! - George Halas

Cheers, 

Steve

Weekly Message from Steve Warner, Head of School (November 7, 2012)

Greetings, GreenMount Community,

            The election is finally over!  I never thought I would look forward to seeing commercials for free carpeting and deals on cars for which Jack says, “Yes!”.  Well, maybe that’s going too far. 

This has indeed been a season of information, and just maybe some misinformation, through which we all had to sift before ultimately making our decisions at the polls.  My voting experience was punctuated by comments I heard while waiting in line.  I vote at a senior center (appropriately) and the best comment I heard came from one of the residents.  A frail lady shuffling by noted the line and remarked, “This is terrible!” (referring to the long line).  “No, this is wonderful,” said one of her friends. “I haven’t seen this much enthusiasm since I was a younger woman.”  Indeed, the turnout at my polling place was exceptional and in a state where many people feel that the results are a foregone conclusion, I think we should be happy that we had the turnout that we did.  I was also impressed with the enthusiasm of voters.  People were friendly, talking about issues and expressing their points of view.  Now, if only the Congress can get together and follow their constituents’ example!

At today’s Morning Meeting, we discussed the expectation of treating others appropriately as listed under “Civility” as one of our Pillars.  I talked to the students about how all of us sometimes will gossip about someone who is not present because we might feel safe from a confrontation that would otherwise result from talking to the person directly.  I gave the example of how adults will sometimes do things while driving a car that they would not think of doing in person.  For example, adults sometimes cut in front of each other in their cars, but would be less likely to do the same while waiting in a line of people.  The car becomes our cocoon that protects us from the confrontation of person-to-person interactions.  Likewise, Facebook, tweeting and other cyber-communications protect us from that direct confrontation.  We discussed this idea and focused on how treating others appropriately include how we speak of them, even when they are not there.  The best GreenMount citizens do the right thing, even when no one is watching!

Cheers,

Steve

Weekly Message from Steve Warner, Head of School (October 15, 2012)

Greetings, GreenMount Community,

            This morning, I would like to discuss the idea of behavior reflections.  If you consult your Family Handbook, you will find some information about behavior reflections and our philosophy behind them.  But first, let me travel back in time “a bit” to when I was an elementary school student at P.S. 218, Howard Park Elementary School.

I was a pretty good student and tried hard not to get into trouble.  But I had some friends who did not share my value system and eventually they got me in a passel of trouble (yeah, it was their fault!).  This resulted in having to visit the principal’s office.

Now, you must understand that the principal’s office was located on the third floor, where the ceiling mimicked the roof line.  The trek there involved three flights of wide, creaky wooden steps, and the lighting got darker the farther one ascended.  Finally, at the top and having plenty of time to think about what was going to happen, I arrived in his office.  I recall it was a vast room with a curved dormer window at the back.  The principal’s desk was placed before the dormer and he sat behind it, silhouetted against the light from the window.  He was a large man without a face, only a shadow against that window.  I don’t remember what happened that day other than the picture I still have in my mind of the dark figure whose mere presence inspired me to never have to walk those steps again.

            In later years, as a principal myself, I recall some of my colleagues saying that a child should return from the office trembling with fear, and maybe even crying, thus hedging against further visits and also being a visual example for others.  Those principals must have graduated from the same school of mental anguish as my elementary school principal.  Frankly, I never understood any of that.  Perhaps it was because I knew what it was like to have to make the journey into that dark, foreboding place.  So, with the help of my colleagues here at GreenMount, we created Behavior Reflections.  Yes, the child still has to make the journey to my office.  But there are no creaky stairs or a principal without a face in a dark room.  In the process of my discussions with the students who visit we talk about choices and responsibility.  We discuss the Pillars and how the choices made reflect on the stated expectations under each.  It is my intention that students who leave my office come away learning something about themselves and with strategies to help them from making the same mistake in the future.  They write about their choices and we discuss their responses.  To date, ten students have visited me with behavior reflections.  And while this may seem like a lot for just October 15, they represent the typical mistakes that students make as they get used to the expectations of individual teachers.  Out of the ten who have visited, nearly all have done an excellent job of reflecting and they leave the office on that note. “I made a mistake and I took responsibility for it.  I’m not a bad person, just a normal one.  I will try to make a better choice next time.”

            As part of the educational team for your child, I ask that you take time to talk to your child about taking responsibility for their choices and for accepting the natural consequences of them.  A student who cannot refrain from hitting others in gym class may be excluded from the next one. A student who continually forgets his homework may be asked to use his recess time to complete it.  There are also natural consequences at home as in school, but none have to be implemented with malice or in a threatening way.  The consequences are just – natural.

“Acceptance of what has happened is the first step to overcoming the consequences of any misfortune.” – William James

Cheers,

Steve

Weekly Message from Steve Warner, Head of School (September 24, 2012)

Greetings, GreenMount Community,

            In case you have been wondering about our Monday Morning meetings (I’m sure you have), they have been going well so far and the students have been great.  At these meetings we discuss the ways we can demonstrate excellence specifically through our Pillars.  The first week, we began with our academic pillar and the idea of students putting forth their personal best.  Last week, we discussed being prepared to learn, and today we talked about what it means to be an active listener.  I have been very pleased with the responses of the students and also happy that the teachers, who are always on hand, often can add significantly to the conversation.

But it is the kids who impress me the most.  Over the years that we have been talking about our Pillars, it has become obvious that they (the Pillars) are becoming a part of our culture. The responses that we receive are insightful and certainly represent the ideas we have been talking about for the last four years.  Even new students appear to have an intuitive sense of what these Pillars mean.  This is especially important because it means that the positive peer influence is working to everyone’s advantage.  We all know that adults can talk until they are blue in the face about values and positive behaviors, but when something like putting forth your personal best becomes cool, it is snatched up by everyone as the right thing to do.  It’s kind of funny how these things work, isn’t it?  I am sure that as parents you have experienced the same thing.  I know I did.  When did it become cool to wear mismatched socks?  Evidently, it did because many of our students do just that.

More importantly, I have noticed that it is cool to READ here at GreenMount.  Every day, as we get ready to enter the building, several students are sitting in the gated area reading.  I have also noticed over the last few years that students who did not appear to be interested in reading can now be seen with their faces in a book.  I even see kids at recess sitting under the playground equipment reading.  Now, you can say that this is extreme and that these individuals should be playing and getting exercise.  This is probably true.  But the point is that reading is becoming more a part of the GMS culture.

As we work with students this year, our goal is to create that culture of excellence, where it is cool to be excellent.  You can help by using the language of excellence that I described in the first newsletter on September 5.  Let’s all work together to make it cool to be excellent.

           

Cheers,

Steve