Florence?

Weather Changes: I hope that you had a great weekend. The weather has been absolutely amazing, and I have tried to take advantage of it before it changes! Speaking of weather changes, it was really interesting to listen to the chatter around town about Hurricane Florence. MANY of us have or do vacation in North and South Carolina, so everywhere I went people were wondering how their rental houses and condos would make it through the storm.

Unfortunately, the devastation of Florence has gone well beyond property damage. The storm has taken the lives of at least 11 people and counting, and I am sure they will need help repairing and rebuilding. It has been refreshing to see how people have banded together to help those in need and my hope is that Florence is the only hurricane we need to worry about this season.

An Interesting Week: I have a face made for radio, but last week I was asked to model some clothes as a part of the Syracuse Fashion Show to help raise money for the Food Pantry. I have spoken to crowds as large as 6,000 people without issue. For this event, however, I was out of my element. In the end I think it was good to feel uncomfortable and to accept a different challenge. I won't be quitting my day job, that's for sure, but I was able to wear some cool clothes! 

Supporting the Sports Boosters: Yesterday our Board of Education president and vice-president, our high school executive principal, and I participated in the Sports Boosters Golf Tournament. We had a blast, but that was another subtle reminder that my golf game is not going to put food on the table. We did have a great turnout though and raised money for our student-athletes! Thank you to all who donated time and resources to support our student-athletes. 

Competition Season: Congratulations to the Marching Band for getting their first top finish of the year! They have been working very hard since July and they are continuing to gear up for the "Dome" competition at the end of October.

Our athletes are also continuing to put in solid performances so if you get a chance to get out for an event, please do!

Visiting our Schools: I was asked a great question by a student during one of my visits last week. The question was what am I doing when I visit a building. Visiting buildings and classrooms is one of the most important parts of my job, and it is much more involved than posting pictures of students on Twitter. 

It is my expectation that each building principal is the "owner" of their building, and I expect that they will treat and care for it and everyone in it like they would their own home and family.

When I get out of the car, I am looking at the grounds. Is everything cleaned up, trim, and free of garbage? People eat with their eyes, as they say, so curb appeal is important.

Next, I listen to how the secretarial staff interacts with me when I buzz into the building. Are they polite, courteous, and prompt? Next, I look at the floors and walls. Are they clean, inviting, and are posters and student work up to date? Are the hallways free from clutter? 

Then I check in with food service, custodial, and support staff. How are things going? Is there anything I should know or be aware of? What do they have planned for the next few weeks?

I then visit the classrooms. Sometimes I visit with the building principal, but because I visit the buildings so frequently, I often visit classrooms by myself where I check in with the students. Are there any new students I should introduce myself to? Did any kindergarten or first-grade students lose teeth since my last visit (that is a big deal to them)? Are there any casts I should sign (I always write "Dr. Brown was here" and the kids get a kick out of it.

Next, I dig deeper. Are the students engaged? Are the teachers dialed in and having fun? How does the classroom "feel" in terms of climate (happy, tense, stressed, mellow, smooth, etc.) and what has caused those feelings? Then I take some pictures with the students because they enjoy showing off their work to you, and it provides a classroom connection to you from afar. 

If I am in the middle schools or high school, I talk to students about current events and how they feel about them. Sometimes I talk about volunteer opportunities, or we talk about the next time the Wildcat Nation will be together. I learn a lot from them about the life of a teenager, and I use what I learn to be a better superintendent for them. 

After my visit and as I am getting ready to head out, I will meet with the principal. We talk about if there was anything that I felt that just didn't seem right, or at the same time, I will congratulate the principal and teachers for an awesome visit. So the next time you read one of my tweets you will know what went into it! 

Open House/Curriculum Nights: Thank you for attending our various open houses and curriculum nights. They are almost complete, and we will then be rocking and rolling for the rest of the school year.

West Side Support Network: Be on the lookout for meeting dates for our West Side Support Network. This is our fourth year in existence and we will again be focusing on support for those with substance use disorder as well as mental health challenges. We are always looking for new members!

Have a great week and I will see you soon!

Chris