Thursday, November 21, 2013

Shep Brings IT!

"Keep The Change!"  were Shep's parting sentiments.  No doubt decisions were made and lives changed.  Of all of the things said, as an educator, the one prevailing notion was that students make life-changing decisions at very young ages.  He, Shep, made his life-changing decision at age 14.  How many make those decisions earlier and how many educators have an opportunity to sway that decision either positively or negatively?  This day reaffirms what I have always thought.  Education is a vocation and a ministry.  It is much more than a JOB.

Thank you to the so many that supported the cause.  Special thanks to Coach Ashley Kilcrease for suggesting the speaker and to he, the individuals and organizations, and the BHS FCA for sponsoring the night event (an estimated 300+).  Thank you to those who assisted with food service (we put a hurting on 150 pizzas and sweets) and clean-up.  Thank you Pepsi Cola for the drinks. A big thanks to Mr. Pittman and LHS for set-up and use of the facility.  Kudos to JB for his performance (Amazing Grace- Blind Boys of Alabama rendition and testimony).

Here are some of my favorite Shep quotes:  
  • We are not born winners or losers but are born choosers.
  • I'd rather travel up lonely than travel down with company.
  • Love is not what it says, it is what it does.  
  • Love is a verb. 
  • You may know MJ but does MJ know you.
  • You have a shot.  As long as you can breath, you have a shot. 
Shep Challenges Students to Make the Right Decisions

Coach Kilcrease and Others Serve Pizzas
Coach DuBose, Coach Watts, and Coach Parks Converse 


American Idol Contestant JB Roberts Brings Message in Song
A Crowd of More than 300 Return for Evening Program
Panorama of Audience and Shep

Shep's U-G-L-Y Fish

I found Shep's ugly fish and yes, they are ugly.  Remember, Shep said that even dead fish go with flow.
 Dare to be Different

What Does the Fox Say?

“Dog goes woof, cat goes meow, bird goes tweet and mouse goes squeak. But there’s one sound that no one knows… what does the fox say?”

I have a red fox that appears from time to time outside my office window.  The other day, the fox called me over to window ledge and said, "“Ring-ding-ding-ding-der-ding”, “hatee-hatee-hatee-ho” and “wa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pow”  

Now, you may interpret the sly fox as you will but my interpretation is:  
"Preparation + Execution = TWO MORE WINS!"

Get out Friday night and support your teams!!!!!!!!! 

For you adults that know not of the fox song, here's your link:  What Does the Fox Say?


AU AG Day

Students from across Crenshaw County attended the annual "Auburn Career Day" at the Tom Harbin Ag Center on Wednesday, November 6, 2013.  Students reviewed Auburn's admissions and scholarship information and  available majors. Students were transitioned to small groups where they participated in many agriscience activities.  Auburn Tiger Ag Ambassador testimonials were offered.  Many alums were introduced and lunch was provided to all.

We would like to thank Mr. Ray Hilburn, local Auburn alums and our school sponsors for making the event possible.







Vote for Our Schools

Principal Hawthorne alerted me  to this opportunity for Brantley and Luverne Schools to earn $1,000.  This is not a competition among schools, but is a competition among classifications.  Let me encourage all to vote for our schools, as well as our neighbors in other classifications.  Click the link below to vote.  Please copy and post the link to your social media websites and encourage your friends to vote for us.
  
Ford Go Further Alabama

Attention iPad Users

CCBOE ordered the Lightning to USB Cable (1 meter) replacement for iPad Minis. We will sell them to anyone interested at the system's cost for $20. It will connect to the Apple 5W USB Power Adapter that was provided with the iPad. 


The link provides a description: Mini iPad Cable

Cheesy Math Class

Last Friday, in LHS's 8th grade math class students completed an activity in which they made squares from Cheez-its in order to determine the link between squares and square roots. The students found that you could not build squares from non-perfect square numbers because the square would not be complete.  They also had to draw their squares on graph paper to have a hard copy of what they had just eaten. Students are building the foundation for Pythagorean Theorem & the College and Career Ready Geometry standard.  Good job students and keep eating away at the math!

Mrs. Sport's Class Dress the Part

On Friday of this week, we will travel to Airport Road to participate in the kindergartners' Farm-Day and the fourth graders' Pioneer Day.  We appreciate the efforts of the Luverne Kiwanis (Farm Day) and the Crenshaw County Historical Society (Pioneer Day). 

In keeping with the Thanksgiving season, Ms. Kayle Sport submitted this photo of her kindergarten class dressed in native American attire.  Thanks Ms. Sport.

Thursday, November 14, 2013

Legislators and BHS Honor Veterans

On Friday of last week, Senator Bryan Taylor and Representative Charles Newton joined Brantley School in tribute to our service men and women who have served in our nation's armed forces.   Both legislators thanked the Veterans in the audience for their bravery and commented that we should also remember the sacrifices of their families as well.  Thank you to those who spoke, played in the ensemble, performed with the band and pinned our military persons.  Also, thank you to Mr. Nathan Lowe and the many other staff members that made the event so special.

After the program, Senator Taylor and Representative Newton joined educators and community members at the Chicken Shack for an informal roundtable discussion.  Both men commented on the upcoming session.  Individuals and groups were allowed to state their concerns and needs. Specifically, yours truly covered the following educational concerns:

CRENSHAW COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES FOR 2014

College and Career Ready Standards
The Alabama State Board of Education approved the adoption of the internationally benchmarked Common Core State Standards along with selected Alabama standards in November 2010.  By combining both Common Core and Alabama's standards, our state has adopted one of the most comprehensive sets of standards in the nation, ensuring students are prepared for a successful future in the ever-expanding global environment

Calendar Flexibility
We support the school systems’ development of school calendars that are flexible and based on the instructional needs of the students and local community needs including the option of the 1080 hour instructional school year.

Funding Needs
  • Increase Other Current Expense (OCE) by $28 million. OCE has decreased by 27% since FY 08. OCE is state financial support for non‐certified personnel (school secretaries, custodians, cafeteria workers, and teacher aides) as well as funds to pay for utilities, operations, maintenance, and substitute teachers
  • Increase Transportation Funding specifically, increase operations by $57 million (Transportation is currently funded at 80.66%) Increase Fleet Renewal by $10 million (Currently underfunded by almost $12 million)
  • Increase salaries by a minimum of 2% ~$60 million
  • Decrease Middle School Divisors from 20.45 to 19 @  $32.3 million (In lieu of loosing units, CCBOE would earn a portion of a unit)
  • Return Children First Program Funding (Via the Tobacco Settlement, funds were to be used for safety and remediation. Since 2006, funds have been taken to support the General Fund. Said funds would be used to appropriately fund in-school suspension and alternative school persons as well as school nurses.
  • Provide bond issues for infrastructure and/or 1:1 technology initiatives
Veterans, BHS Students, Principal Hawthorne, Mayor Sullivan and Yours Truly Join Senator Bryan Taylor (Center) and Representative Charles Newton (Center Right) at Brantley School's Veterans Day Observance

Reprsentative Charles Newton Thanks Those Who Have Served
BHS Choir Join Mr. Jim Head and Ms. Brittany Walker in
"America the Beautiful"
Clark Kilcrease Pins Veteran


AHSGE is Dissolved

By a unanimous vote, the ALSDE Board of Education elected to rescind the Alabama High School Graduation Exam.  Four-year seniors will not have to pass the AHSGE.  Fifth-year seniors still must meet the requirement.  Scroll to the 40 minute mark of the attached video to see the footage:  AHSGE Rescinded.  Seniors wishing to take the test  may still do so.


Cyberbullying Calls for New Weapons

Caveat: I send this not to endorse a particular view or solution but to share with you how important it is for educators to let students know that our system will consider taking action for cyberbullying if circumstances warrant doing so.

Last week, the sheriff in Polk County, Fla., filed felony charges against the girls, 14 and 12, who allegedly taunted Rebecca. On social media, one called her ugly and told her to drink bleach and die.
The sheriff took some flak for criminalizing behavior that is as old as schoolyards, but changing times call for changing tactics.
Today's cyberbullying is more extreme than the bullying anyone over 30 remembers. Before such abuse went digital, victims at least had escape routes — at home, in an activity, or when they changed schools.
Now, every Facebook post or cellphone ping can carry taunts. Rebecca's ordeal went on for months. She was home-schooled for a time, then transferred to another school. The bullies followed on her smartphone.
While bullies of previous generations had limited audiences, digital humiliation gets vast exposure. It can't be erased, and it can be harnessed in ways bullies of another era never imagined.
In 2010, Rutgers freshman Dharun Ravi used a webcam to spy on his roommate, Tyler Clementi, in a tryst with another gay man. Ravi streamed it to a room where a half-dozen students watched. Three days later, Clementi jumped off the George Washington Bridge. Last year, Ravi was convicted for invasion of privacy, bias intimidation and other charges.
Nearly one in four students say they have been victims of cyberbullying at some point. Thankfully, only a handful of cases have ended with suicide, and few rise to the level of criminality. But for those that do, prosecution is appropriate.
Parents remain the first line of defense against cyberbullying. Too many, however, ignore their children's online behavior, deny that their kids could be bullies, or are themselves models for this harmful behavior. The stepmother of the 14-year-old charged with bullying Rebecca was charged last week with child abuse over allegations that she punched two boys visiting her home.
Schools also retain a major role. Every state but Montana has an anti-bullying law or policy, but more than half fail to address cyberbullying. New Hampshire has one of the best: It covers bullying anywhere as long as it "interferes with a pupil's educational opportunities."
Students themselves can have the biggest impact with a largely untapped approach: using the bullies' digital tools to shame them and defend their victims. In Hillsborough, Calif., freshman goalie Daniel Cui was bullied on Facebook in 2011 after allowing the winning goal in a major soccer game. His teammates rallied behind him, posting a photo of Cui making a huge save in another game.
Fighting back against bullies and denying them peer approval are the best antidotes. But when the standard remedies fail someone like Rebecca Sedwick, the use of criminal laws against stalking and harassment is fully justified.

USA TODAY's editorial opinions are decided by its Editorial Board, separate from the news staff. Most editorials are coupled with an opposing view — a unique USA TODAY feature.


Stand for the Mini iPad

Teachers have asked the IT Department about stands for the iPad Minis.  Attached is a link to the Justand-  iPad Document Camera. Prices range from $89 to $139.  Email Kevin Messick at kmessick@crenshaw-schools.org if you are interested in ordering with your supply money.  He may be able to get a discount if several are ordered.   Here is a link to a video of the less expensive model- Justand.

Team Tiger for October

Congratulations to October's Team Tiger:

  • K - Lucy Knutson & Markel Barber
  • 1st Grade - Katy Mills & John Austin McMillian
  • 2nd Grade - Jahiya Oliver (not shown) & Turner Claybrook
  • 3rd Grade - Hannah Helms & Austin Cooper
  • 4th Grade - Aniyah Burnette & John Garmon
  • 5th Grade - Gabbie Smiley & Taeung Choi
  • 6th Grade - Madison McDougald & Jackson Miller

Kudos  to all!!!

Got Grit?

In our conversations with the automotive industry, we ask them what we can do in our schools to make our students more job-ready.  A resounding response was teach them "work ethic."  In keeping with that line of thought, Mr. Hawthorne sent me this devotion by Dr. Kevin Elko.  I think it is fitting both for our students and for us as adults.

Recently, on a Sunday morning, I was on my front porch talking to Coach Saban of the Alabama Crimson Tide on the phone about the intangibles of winning and what to teach his team. As we were speaking, my friend Al came jogging by. Two years ago Al, who is only about 140 lbs., had a major heart attack and had to have emergency quadruple heart by-pass surgery. A few days after his surgery, the nurses took him for a walk for a few feet, then a few days later half way down the hall, then after that, eventually up and down the hall. One day on his walk, he looked into a room and saw patients lying there, not moving at all, and said to the nurse walking him, "I have seen those guys all week; they must have had an awful heart attack." The nurse responded, "No, yours was much worse, but they are sitting in the room, feeling sorry for themselves; you are trying to get better." I wondered, as I watched Al jog by my home, where those other heart attack victims were now.

We are not teaching our children something by our words or by our actions that many of our parents taught us: Grit. The definition is having a passion and a perseverance for a goal and not surrendering a vision as soon as challenges present themselves. What my friend demonstrated was Grit as opposed to self-pity and anger. For that matter, we don’t reteach it to ourselves. When the child gets into a challenge in school or even with a friend, we think we are good parents by going in and fixing it, therefore teaching the child that he or she can’t handle it. And when we get into a fix in the marriage, we pull ourselves out of it, even though we said, "Until death do us part." Most parents do not allow their children to experience enough existential suffering to ever learn how to be a success; for that matter, we have not even allowed ourselves to experience discomfort to ever develop a mindset to overcome the problem. Let’s face it: we’ve become soft and there are many more people getting bitter than there are getting better.

Much of Paul’s ministry was about Grit. When he ask God to pull him out of a situation (which is much of what we pray for and then get mad when God doesn’t like our treating him as if he is our bell hop), God answered Paul, clarifying his role: "My Grace is sufficient." In other words, I will give you blessings, not in delivering you but with Grit – with stick-to-it-ive-ness – with character. When criticized and questioned, Paul said, "I do not look backwards but forward, always keeping my eyes in the prize." Again, Grit, the focus on the goal of knowing God!

Angela Duckworth, a math teacher, started to wonder why some kids were successful and others were not, so she went back to school to study psychology. Presently she is a professor at The University of Pennsylvania, studying Grit. She has found the number one predictor of success is having the characteristic of Grit – not grades, SAT scores or any other characteristic. Those children, regardless of IQ or socio-economic background, who had the ability to stay focused on a goal, regardless of setbacks and obstacles, who weren’t even concerned with positive feedback but just the goal, were the ones who experienced victory. In fact, when children were praised for being smart, they eventually lost confidence and did not demonstrate Grit, as opposed to children who were recognized for the way they work focused toward a goal and persevere. I am going back and forth from child to self but the lessons are the same: teach the child Grit by your actions. Develop Grit yourself in the areas of your life that matter—work, health, marriage and faith.

But to develop Grit, we must address a myth. I hear it said all the time: "People don’t change," "You are what you are," or "That’s just the way I am; I can’t help it." I love the work of Carol Dweck, a psychology professor at Stanford, whose research states that, with people who are healthy and vibrant, they do not believe these myths to be true. She states there are two kinds of people: those who learn and those who don’t. And the successes are those who do learn, who don’t go around saying, "That’s the way I am."

We think the challenges have come uniquely to us. That belief is never true, but because we think so, we enter into self-pity, and we become offended. Those self-pitying conditions will leave you lifeless and suck all the energy out of you. With self-pity, now we are not thinking about our vision and all the good it can do to get there, but we are thinking about us and how sad it is that this thing has happened. There is a choice to make. Are you going to be pitiful or powerful or are you going to get bitter or better?

You can change and those you love can change. Start by not praising and reinforcing who they are but begin noticing the work and sticking to a process. Winners have private speech that gives them Grit. They say things to themselves that keep them focused. Those people who are told they are smart enough identify with being smart and eventually lose confidence. But those people who have developed Grit and are told they know how to work and stay focused on goals become very confident.

Start to have private conversations with yourself to develop Grit as you are moving toward your goal. Moreover, always have goals. Having something in your life that you have to work toward is one of the things that make life worth living. Having a goal is the reason we recently developed our series on goal setting: To Do The Impossible You Have To See The Invisible, where we have you write out your goals, see them happen and then develop a plan to achieve that goal.

Dr. Elko's latest work
Here is the private conversation I have been using for years. I had a lawn service look at my yard to make it less weedy and they assessed it and drove away; that is how bad the yard was. So I walked down the road to visit a farmer, told him what happened, and asked for a lawn care tip. He said, "Keep planting grass; don’t pull weeds." That is the exact private conversation I whisper when I come UP against obstacles. Go back to process, back to the steps. That yard became a nice yard. Grit – unstoppable character with a servant’s heart – what a mental muscle you are about to develop.

HHS Conducts KidCheck Plus

On Wednesday, November 6, Highland Home School conducted its annual health screenings via KidCheck Plus.  Highland Home School screened 500+ students.  Thank you to those who assisted in this process.








Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Senator Brewbaker Visits Crenshaw County

On Monday, November 4, 2013, Senator Dick Brewbaker visited Luverne School.  Per new senate district lines and approval of the Department of Justice, Senator Brewbaker would run next year for the Senate seat that is representative of all of Crenshaw County, east Montgomery, and a small portion of Elmore County.

While on campus, Senator Brewbaker met student officers of various clubs and organizations.  He observed:
  • College and Career Ready Standards in Mrs. Starla Jones' Algebraic Connections class
  • the 1:1 iLearn Initiative and the use of technology in Coach Andre Parks' Honors History class
  • College and Career Ready Standards in Mrs. Julie Albritton's 8th grade math class
  • College and Career Ready Standards in Ms. Jeneena James' 8th grade English class
Senator Brewbaker also visited with Mr. Scott Donaldson, Jobs for Alabama Graduates' instructor, Mrs. Polly DuBose, Career Coach, and toured elementary facilities.  Administrators and supervisors then met and discussed the following:  
  • College and Career Ready Standards 
  • Flexible School Calendars
  • Funding for the next fiscal year (other current expense, transportation, fleet renewal, decrease in middle school divisors, pay increase for all employees, and bond issues that support electronic devices and the infrastructure.
Senator Brewbaker next visited the Harrison Cultural Center and visited with the following:
Mrs.Robyn Snellgrove, President of the Crenshaw County Industrial Development Board, members of the Industrial Development Board and Chamber of Commerce.
  • County Commissioners, Elected Officials and Courthouse Personnel
  • City Officials (Mayors and Council Persons)  
Senator Brewbaker attended and addressed a joint Kiwanian/Rotarian Meeting. Before leaving Crenshaw County, Senator Brewbaker visited SMART Alabama, LLC, Hyundai's largest Tier 1 supplier.

CCBOE was happy to arrange and facilitate the aforementioned meetings.  We are proud that Senator Brewbaker took time out of his schedule to visit with us.


Background
Senator Brewbaker is President and CEO of Brewbaker Motors, a 3rd generation family business which was founded in 1941 by W.S. Brewbaker, Sr. He has been married to the former Ruth Wible for 23 years, and they have 5 children: David, Tom, Mac, Ben and Alex. Dick is a Graduate of Montgomery Academy, and Vanderbilt University.

Senator Brewbaker was a high school history teacher at Trinity Presbyterian School and The Montgomery Academy, and a volunteer wrestling coach at Georgia Washington Junior High School prior to taking over operational control of Brewbaker Motors.

Senator Brewbaker got involved in politics as an education reformer, working as state director of SCORE 100, which advocated for education reform, and local control of schools. Through his efforts, Governor Fob James adopted many of the changes suggested by SCORE 100 as part of the education platform for his successful election as Alabama’s second Republican Governor since Reconstruction in 1994. Governor James then appointed Dick as his education liaison to the Alabama State Legislature, and also to the State Board of Education.


Senator Brewbaker was elected as a Republican to represent House District 75 in the Alabama State Legislature from 2002-2006. While in the House, he served on the County and Municipal Government, Judiciary, and Montgomery County Legislation Committees. After taking one term off to spend time with his family, he was elected to represent District 25 in the Alabama State Senate.  Dick currently serves as Chairman of the Senate Education Committee and as a member of the Finance and Taxation General Fund, Governmental Affairs, Judiciary, and Tourism and Marketing Committees.  


His wife, Ruth, is passionately active in causes related to persons with disabilities. She was appointed by Governor Bob Riley to the Alabama Council on Developmental Disabilities. She is also active in the Joni and Friends Ministry, which provides wheelchairs to disabled and disadvantaged people in developing countries, and various charities relating to Children’s Hospital in Birmingham.

Senator Brewbaker and his family are members of Young Meadows Presbyterian Church where he previously served as a Ruling Elder.

Superintendent Randy Wilkes, Senator Dick Brewbaker, Career Technical Director Chuck Alford, Principal Greg Pittman, and LHS Officers of various extracurricular clubs welcome Senator Brewbaker to LHS
Special Education Coordinator Mrs. Sherry Sport, Principal Greg Pittman, Senator Dick Brewbaker, Superintendent Randy Wilkes, Technology Coordinator Bob Williams and Career Tech Coordinator Chuck Alford discuss upcoming legislation.
Senator Brewbaker and Superintendent Wilkes discuss English Language Arts College and Career Ready Standards 

Superintendent Wilkes and Senator Brewbaker discuss Math College and Career Ready Standards in Mrs. Julie Albritton's 8th grade math class.  Students are working on solving systems of equations.
Student Marlie Alford explains to Senator Brewbaker the use of the mini iPads in completing assignments via Edmodo.

Coach Andre Parks explains to Senator Brewbaker how technology
has enhanced the history lesson.
Group stops by nurse's office.  A discussion regarding the lack of funding for nurses ensued.  
Mrs. Starla Jones teaches College and Career Ready math standards to her Algebraic Connections Class.  Technology Coordinator Bob Williams and Senator Brewbaker observe.

JAG Instructor Scott Donaldson explains the significance of the Jobs for Alabama Graduates program.
Honor student Taylor Stewart demonstrates how iPads are being used to engage students in U.S. History lessons.

Wednesday, November 6, 2013

Glow Run Held For Mrs. Dorsey

Over 50 persons participated in the Glow Run/Walk and benefit for Brantley's Mrs. Veronica Dorsey. The BHS PTA sponsored event took place on Saturday November 2, 2013 at 7 PM. Participants paid an entry fee of $10 and  ran/walked a two mile course.  Mrs. Dorsey suffered a stroke in August this year and is recovering.  Two-thirds of all of the proceeds were donated to the Dorsey family.  Mrs. Dorsey is wife to Luverne School's Head Basketball Coach and In-School Suspension supervisor,
Mr. Richard Dorsey.