One Headlight

The death of a Greene Central graduate, Travis Foyles, this week has impacted several students and teachers. Travis graduated last year, and while he wasn't perfect, he was incredibly likable. Travis was friendly with everyone. He was funny and always good spirited. The loss of someone like him can be tough on adults and students. His death reminded me when I lost a very good friend when I was 13. It 's a tough thing to process for a teenager. Around the same time I lost my friend, The Wallflowers released a song entitled One Headlight about the loss of the lead singer's friend. The loss of a friend is like driving home with one headlight. You're just hoping to make it through.

Travis had many friends that are still students. Among them was his girlfriend, a senior. I had the opportunity to speak with her and her family yesterday afternoon. Despite the tough time, they wanted to let me know how great the students of Greene Central had been. Many of them had visited the house and even stayed the night with her to make sure that she was ok. They were simply amazed at the show of support.

I spend a lot of time talking about instruction that leads to student success. Student learning is ultimately why we are here. Sometimes we do a good job with that and sometimes we struggle. Something that we do exceptionally well, that will never show up on any test, is growing good people. The events of this week highlight how great our school community can be. The 900 young adults that attend school here learn how to be good people from you and their families and you're doing a great job at that. While we may not ever be able to see it in scores, please keep working hard at teaching students the value of character education. We never know when they may need to help someone make it through a tough time.

"I Want to See Us Take More Risks"

Greene Central was visited this week by ECU's new head football coach, Scottie Montgomery. Coach Montgomery was well-dressed and very well-spoken. The guy certainly has charisma. Several of our staff members took the opportunity to meet the new coach, but none as important as Mrs. Eason.  

Mrs. Eason is a diehard ECU football fan. I introduced her to Coach Montgomery as his "biggest supporter and biggest critic." Just like in her classroom, Mrs. Eason wants everyone that she supports to perform at their very best and she does not settle for much less. When Coach Montgomery asked Mrs. Eason what she would like to see different from the team this upcoming season, she replied, "I want to see us take some risks on third down." Taking risks is sometimes what changes an average team into a winning team and it is a fair assessment of what was not happening for the Pirates this past season. The problem with risks is that you're either a hero or a loser for trying. 

The coach also took the opportunity to turn the question around and ask what Mrs. Eason was doing with any student that was failing her class. (He was looking to even out the pressure being placed on him) That's a fair question as well. Doing the same-old thing when a student fails to submit work for class, or study for tests or even attend regularly is comfortable and safe. When it looks like you just can't get a student to be successful, you're no different than a coach staring at 3rd down and a long way to go. You can call a conservative play and hope for the best, or you can take a risk and call something that no one sees coming. Taking the courage to step outside your comfort zone is tough to do. Your "risk" is lost time, effort, emotion and opportunity. Despite that, the gains are very tempting and probably have much more in common with why you chose to be a teacher. So this semester, when you have a student that is facing a 3rd and long situation, I want to see you take more risks. 

PS: (For Mrs. Eason): You didn't answer his question very well. Coach Montgomery chooses the best he can find in regards to talent and effort to be on his team when he makes that call at 3rd down. You, on the other hand, do not get that luxury. Despite that, I'd still bet that your record is better than his.

What We Really Assess

I have recently started reading a book that I really like. How Children Succeed by Paul Tough takes a look at what critical factors make or break students in school and in life. (I'm thinking of offering a book study in the spring!) The argument is that grit and character have more to do with success than cognitive ability. In the introduction, Tough discusses the GED program in America. It began in the 1950s as an acceleration program, not a way for dropouts to gain a diploma. The idea is not all too unfamiliar with some of the programs that are emerging now. If a student can show that they have the knowledge necessary to earn a diploma, they can bypass the traditional classes through a test and in a school and skip straight to the next stage of their life.

Studies quickly emerged to track students that took this option in the 1960s and 1970s. One in particular has followed a group for over 40 years. It compares life after school with GED graduates and traditional high school graduates.  Of the group, just 3% of the GED grads continued on to a four-year university compared to 46% of traditional graduates. The study concluded that when you examine all factors that define success (annual income, unemployment rate, divorce rate, use of illegal drugs, etc.) GED graduates look exactly like high school dropouts. How could that be? Their completion of the test proves that they are cognitively smarter than high school dropouts. The thing that they have in common is a lack of perseverance and a sense of delayed gratification. They have no grit.

The exams that students take this week will show us cognitive ability and content mastery. Some students will do well, some will not, and most will do just about what we thought they would do.  Despite how they perform, remember that they are still in the game. They still show up to work, and while they do not always perform day-to-day as we would hope, they come back and give us a shot at connecting with them tomorrow. That trait gives them a better shot at success after school than quitting ever will.

Teacher Leadership

A priest offered a nun a ride. She got in and crossed her legs, forcing her gown to revel her bare leg. The priest nearly had an accident. After controlling the car, he stealthily slid his hand up her leg. The nun said, "Father, remember Psalm 129?"

The priest removed his hand. But, changing gears, he let his hand slide up her leg once again. The nun once again said, "Father, remember Psalm 129?" The priest apologized, "Sorry sister but the flesh is weak."

Arriving at the convent, the nun sighed heavily and went on her way.

On his arrival at the church, the priest rushed to look up Psalm 129. It said, "Go forth and seek, further up, you will find glory."

The moral of the story: If you are not well informed in your job, opportunities for advancement will pass right by you.


Today is the last day for Dawn Herring at Greene Central High School and I want to take the opportunity to celebrate everything that she has done for our school and the students within it. Dawn has an opportunity for advancement, and unlike the priest in the story, she is taking her shot. She will be moving on to Wayne County Schools to serve as the Assistant EC Director and while I hate to lose her expertise as a teacher and coach, I am happy for her.

Teacher leadership is sometimes a double-edged sword. Teachers that put themselves out there to do more to impact the school and grow professionally, often do decide to take opportunities to work and lead in other capacities. As a principal, you love what they do and you hate to see them move on, but at the same time it is amazing to watch a teacher grow. Make no mistake about it, I want teachers that want to grow. No matter what you are passionate about, grow in that area and don't be afraid to excel. Teacher leadership does more than improving classrooms or programs. It also inspires students and other teachers to do more themselves. Today I want to congratulate Ms. Herring and all other teacher leaders that are not afraid to step
up and take a shot at what matters to them. No matter if your leadership keeps you in the classroom or takes you out, your service is infectious.