Why we didn’t paint the middle school purple and black?…and more from Rick

Just got this note from Rick Thompson, our schools superintendent, and I really like the way he draws the picture of what’s good & going right in our school district with clear, easy-to-visualize examples. Here’s his note:

Rick Thompson

In the last few weeks I have had the pleasure of visiting district schools and classrooms.  How great to leave the office and see the work of public education up close and personal.

I began in one school, checking on a grounds project while making sure the heating system was working well.

I watched first graders perform partner reading, a technique in which beginning readers learn word recognition and practice fluency skills.

I saw another teacher welcome each student personally as they began their school day.

One school celebrated a staff member’s birthday by starting the day off with special treats.

I heard the students do the daily announcements on the intercom in a very warm and responsible manner.

I saw primary students reciting their Thanksgiving poems together.

I had a nice conversation with a student teacher who was completing part of her pre-service curriculum.

One teacher used engaging group participation techniques to help students learn vowel pronunciations.

I also saw primary students learning the rules of writing such as indentation, capitalizations, and punctuation.

I sat in a small group at an imaginary bank, filled with plastic money, where students honed their mathematical skills as they purchased items of interest to them.

The recess was indoors due to the weather and creative games were provided for small groups.

A walkers club was formed as a means to promote physical activity.

I also had a wonderful discussion with one class about what students were reading.  I shared with them some of my favorite books (Moby Dick, Don Quixote, and The Life of Samuel Johnson, by James Boswell).  I was heartened by their love of reading, and was thankful they had a teacher whose passion for reading was contagious.

In a music class I saw students provide brief backgrounds on musical numbers before they perform them, teaching the class about the people who make music.

I saw an Art Instructor share real time examples of the intricacies of the AP exam.

I spent an hour with an AP English class, with students who were also in the throes of college admissions.

In a Middle School PE class I watched an exciting game filled with teammate cooperation, rules, and physical prowess.  What I noticed the most was the appropriate and intense socialization between peers that took place.  I also observed students reading for context and vocabulary.

I finished my visits with Journalists-in-training who wanted to interview me for the student paper.

Overall I found our students to be actively engaged in their own learning, pleased to be at school, and with teachers who cared.  My favorite question was “Why we didn’t paint the middle school purple and black?”

I plan to go again soon.

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