It’s hard to believe that it will be a year since last year’s High Schools New Face conference. The JMT is planning yet another exciting and memorable event. Once again, there will be a strand for school leaders. “Leading the Way” will be facilitated by Neil Rochelle and Bonnie Smith. As the conference approaches, please feel free to e-mail or blog topics/conversations you want to make sure we have over the course of the 3 days we will have together. As plans are finalized, we will make sure they are posted to the blog.

    Another great day.  The leaders cohort was a dedicated group that came to a 7 am session.  Today’s focus was to work in groups and identify what schools will look like in 10 years?  Who will be there?  What will it look like?  What will school look like.  The group continued to work on their visions for their school district.

Sheryl’s second day was as powerful as the first.  Not only could she show everyone a myriad of tools that can be used, she is  able to disuss  the application to classroom use.  I know there are people overwhelmed.  People need to remember that they can’t possibly becone an expert in Web 2.0 tool in 2 1/2 days.  They need to contiue their work in the days and weeks to come.  Participants learned about on-line communication tools, the virtual we, blogs and wikis.  Everyone had the opportunity to began botha blog and a wik.

As part of the conference and to keep the focus on the students, several student groups came to entertain.  At yesterday’s lunch the Iroquois Concert Choir performed.  sounded beautiful and as always  made me proud.  Last evening the group “Flame” performed.  Flame is a group of individuals with developmental disabilities that are extremely talented and certainly got the group rockin’ and rollin’.

     Having a wonderful time as I expected.  The energy and knowledge at the conference is infectious.  We have National Presenters.  Yes, they are credible and have an expertise.  One thing I want to make sure that is said.  There are 250 “experts” attending this conference. Each participant has an expertise.  If you time the time to make connections with people and network, there is a resource here for you.  Whether it is how we connect, engage, personalize or design in schools, there is someone here that is doing it to some extent.  The knowledge is here.  I do liken it to a spark lighting a fire.  One idea from one person can blossom into a movement for change in your district.

For the leaders group, Bonnie and I understand that our time together as a cohort.  From your  feedback this  morning, many of you hope to network and have many concerns regarding the obstacles we face.  We will focus on just that tomorrow.  I would also present another option for us.  Tomorrow there is a three-hour break in the afternoon.  That is the time iPod University will be available.  If there is any interest, we can meet for an hour at that time.  Give it some thought.

I know that some of you feel like this flying squirrel.  You have a cheek full of ideas, ready or already wanting to take that leap but not sure where you need to land.  You can have that plan before you leave.  Remember that if you take one idea to implement as you begin the journey to change our schools, that is HUGE.  Change, particularly in high schools is not an easy task.  Any change should be celebrated!

If those of you that would like to “post” as opposed to only commenting, I can add you as an author on the site.

You will need an account with WordPress.   Once you establish an account, I will need the e-mail address you use to set up the account.  Here’s how.

Go to wordpress.com and get an account.  You will be asked to provide your e-mail address.  You will then be asked if you want “just a user name” or to start your own blog.  This will be a great opportunity to start a blog if you haven’t had one.  Remember a few things.  Whatever you title your blog can never be changed.  Once you complete the prompts to obtain your user name you will be sent an e-mail that will have a link and password to activate your account.  Once logged in, you can always click on “my account” and change your password to something you can remember.

For those of you that this is completely foreign, you will learn how to begin a blog at the conference.  If you are not attending that strand, I will be glad to help you.

If you successfully get an account, e-mail me at nrochelle@iroquoiscsd.org and give me the e-mail address you used to create the account.  I will add you as an author to this blog.  Then in the future when you log in you will be able to “post”.  You can also continue to “comment” on any post you see.

Look forward to seeing and meeting new people Tuesday!

Neil

     I have commented on the blogs of others but this is my first posting.  I have been reflecting and integrating the comments left by Mr. Kenney and Mr. Rochelle and have tried to conceptualize my vision for the 2007/2008 school year at Gowanda. It has taken a bit of processing but I think I see 2 distinct goals I am pursuing:

1.  Upon our district’s purchase of a vastly improved web manager, I intend to maxoimize the potential for the guidance department to provide current and relevent information to students and parents. This will include college prep info, a calendar of guidance activities, job opportunities in the community, web links to common college search sites, scholarshiip search sites, and resume writing sites, direct link to each counselor, and online access to our in-house scholarship databse of nearly 2000 scholarships.  (Sidebar to Mr. Rocelle: as an ‘87 Iroquois grad and parent of an Iroquois student, the new district website is greatly improved. Thanks).

2.  To develop an innovative and cost-effective alternative learning environment for credit-recovery. I want to target 3 populations: current students deficient credits and at risk of dropping out, previous drop-outs that may be able to complete diploma requirements before aging out, and eventually, potential credit advancement for accelerated students. I am currently looking at online and correspondance courses through Indiana University, NovaNET, and National High School in Pennsylvania.  I am also looking at non-traditional times for participation and completion. Input and feedback would be greatly appreciated as I am deeply passionate about this issue.

You are about to embark upon an a journey that has the potential to reinvent high schools and how students learn.  No longer does learning have to be limited to a “class period” or even within the confines of a room.  No longer do students have to act like sponges soaking up all the information teachers provide.  No longer are students limited to exchanging ideas with students in their class, their school or even their country.  There is another way.  The possibilities are limitless.  There is a need, if not an imperative to do it a different way.  While you will see, hear and learn about ways educators are transforming what we have conceptualized as “school” at High Schools New Face, there is one essential element necessary to reinvent our schools……LEADERSHIP!

You are the leaders.  You are the facilitators of change.  You and the teachers in your school have the potential to make connections with students that will motivate them to engage in their learning, collaborate with their peers and acquire the skills and knowledge necessary to be successful in the 21st Century.

Transforming your school is possible.  It is a process.  It can be unsettling for some.  Hey, not only are we talking about ‘moving the cheese’, we’re moving it, reshaping it and changing how it tastes!  But you don’t have to do it alone.  In fact, we need each other.  Thus, this blog.  This is a place where leaders can share their ideas, seek new and innovative approaches to learning, document their change process and share their successes.

Since we will all be sharing the blog, all we ask is that you sign your posts so everyone knows who the author is.  When you comment, also provide your name so people know who wrote the comment.  Most of all, do post and do share.  There are no bad ideas.  There is also no magic formula.  What works in one school may not work in all schools.  As educators there is a well known phenomenon we call the culture.  Each school has their own and it cannot be ignored as we look to reinvent our schools.

This year’s conference is sure to be an experience you will long remember.  Your facilitators during the conference will be Bonnie Smith from West Valley and Neil Rochelle from Iroquois Central School.  We’re thrilled to be a part of something so exciting.  If we can be of assistance, please let us know.