Out of My League

I have a handful of blogs that I read religiously routinely. I was checking out http://principalspage.com/theblog/index.php?/archives/163-THE-PERFECT-SCHOOL..html the other day and the title hit me. The Perfect School. We, the royal we of all of us who think we know something about nothing, think we could create the perfect school if just given the permission.

Go read what he has to say… and come back here… I’ll wait… no really… I’ll still be here… go on…

Wow… you are a slow reader… what took so long?

Having worked in the real world before getting into education… I am an expert on what we have and don’t have in education. My belief about school is very simple…

School should be free for all those who attend… you need something… you get it… we pay.

Let that eat at you… soak it in… level the playing field… open the doors… fan yourself… ready? okay…

Usually when I roll that out I’m talking about the kids. You want to play baseball… here is a hat, jersey, glove, bat, pants, spikes, and a ball. Everything you need we will provide. This time I’m not just talking about the kids. I’m talking about the workers… the teachers… the administrators… the custodians…

Let’s chat about Google… you know who (what) I’m talking about… you know you googled yourself… admit it… it’s the first step. When I google me I find that I write this blog… and I am a pretty famous minor league baseball player… I think the two fit nicely…

Back to Google. If you were to work at Google you could get…

Health and wellness*

• Medical Insurance: 3 Carriers
• Dental Insurance
• Vision Insurance
• Flex Spending Account Plan
• EAP – Employee Assistance Program – Services for employees and their dependents include free short-term counseling, legal consultations, financial counseling, child care referrals and pet care referrals.
• Life and AD&D Insurance – Automatic coverage at 2 times annual salary.
• Voluntary Life Insurance – Option to purchase additional life insurance.
• Short Term & Long Term Disability – Short Term Disability Insurance coverage provided at 75% of salary.Long Term Disability coverage provided at 66 2/3% of salary once Short Term disability is exhausted.
• Business Travel Accident Insurance – Automatic coverage at 2 times annual salary.

That enough… that’s not it…

Retirement and savings*

• Google 401(k) Plan
  Employees may contribute up to 60% and receive a Google match of up to the greater of (a) 100% of your contribution up to $2,500 or (b) 50% of your contribution per year with no vesting schedule! We offer a variety of investment options to choose from, through Vanguard, our 401(k) Plan Administrator. To help you with those tough investment decisions, employees can access Financial Engines to receive personalized investment advice.
• 529 College Savings Plan
  This plan provides employees with a way to save money for post-secondary education.

Time away*

• Vacation
  

  1st year 15 days

  4th year 20 days

  6th year 25 days

• Holidays
  12 paid holidays (sick days taken as necessary) 
• Maternity Benefits
  up to 18 weeks off at approximately 100% pay
• Parental Leave (for non-primary caregivers)
  up to 7 weeks off at approximately 100% pay
• Take-Out Benefit
  To help make things easier, new moms and dads are able to expense up to $500 for take-out meals during the first 3 months that they are home with their new baby.

Benefits … beyond the basics*

• Tuition Reimbursement
  We’ll help you pursue further education that’s relevant to what you do. You must receive grades of “B” or better. Why a “B” or better? Because we said so. Tuition reimbursement is $8000 per calendar year.
• Employee Referral Program
  Good people know other good people. Our best employees have been hired through referrals. Google encourages you to recommend candidates for opportunities here and will award you a bonus if your referral accepts our offer and remains employed for at least 60 days.
• Back-Up Child Care
  As a California employee, when your regularly scheduled child care falls through Google will provide you with 5 free days of child care per year through Children’s Creative Learning Center (CCLC). 13 Bay Area locations serving ages 6 weeks – 12 years.
• Gift Matching Program
  Google matches contributions of up to $3000 per year from eligible employees to non-profit organizations. Bolstering employee contributions to worthy causes with matching gifts doesn’t just mean helping hundreds of organizations, both locally and globally; it’s also a tangible expression. We want Googlers to get involved – and the company is right behind you.
• Adoption Assistance
  Google assists our employees by offering financial assistance in the adoption of a child. We’ll reimburse you up to $5000 to use towards legal expenses, adoption agencies or other adoption professional fees. Parental leave and take-out benefit also apply. See Time Away.

Benefits … way beyond the basics*

• Food
  Hungry? Check out our free lunch and dinner – our gourmet chefs create a wide variety of healthy and delicious meals every day. Got the munchies? Google also offers snacks to help satisfy you in between meals. 
• On-site Doctor
  At Google headquarters in Mountain View, California you have the convenience of seeing a doctor on-site. 
• Shuttle Service
  Google is pleased to provide its Mountain View employees with free shuttles to several San Francisco, East Bay and South Bay locations.
• Financial Planning Classes
  Google provides objective and conflict-free financial education classes. The courses are comprehensive and cover a variety of financial topics.
• Other On-Site Services
  At Google headquarters in Mountain View, there’s on-site oil change, car wash, dry cleaning, massage therapy, gym, hair stylist, fitness classes and bike repair.
• Other Great Benefits
  Ski trip, company movie day, summer picnic, Halloween & holiday party, health fair, quarterly group offsites, credit union, sauna, roller hockey, outdoor volleyball court, discounts for products and local attractions. 

Okay… so I got a little carried away. Google is doing what I think we should be doing in education. Not just doing for the staff… some of this would be great… some of this would keep the good ones from going into the private sector.

If we are going to transform education… we have to truly transform it… attract the best and the brightest… change it for the better…

Free pencils for everyone!

Why does it happen? You are sitting at a great place, enjoying a great meal, and always enjoying great company, and then it happens. One of your kids spills something.

If records are kept in the spill department, the raining world champion is my oldest son, Drew. Not once… not twice… but three times.

My oldest brother Gary and his “girlfriend” (I put that in quotations just in case Big Daddy is reading this… and believe me… that is a blog in itself) had gone to Colorado for vacation. The problem was his car became unusable during the trip. My Dad called me and asked if I would mind going to get him. I could take his conversion van and take the kids… and my wife… and his credit card.

Being the devoted son and brother that I am I said yes. Picked up the van (and the credit card) and headed northwest. It took us two days to get there… and what an adventure.

At our first stop, a pleasant restaurant in Wichita Falls, Drew ordered a soft drink and a hamburger. Within minutes of the meal being ordered and the drinks being served, it happened. Drew knocked over his drink.

The waitress was so happy to replace it. After being embarrassed at his clumsiness, he proceeded to take great care in nursing his drink… for about two minutes… then it happened again. Drew knocked this one over as well. The next drink came with a lid.

We traveled on, stopping in a town just inside the border of Colorado from New Mexico. It was late and we were all road weary… and hungry.

We checked into a motel and then tried out one of the local establishments. After placing our orders (Drew ordered a hamburger) and getting our drinks… it happened for the third time that day. Drew knocked over his drink. The next one… and all subsequent drinks on the trip had mandatory lids.

Fast forward about eight years. Last night we were eating dinner and my middle son, Tyler (12), knocked over his drink. We chuckled… because every time someone in our party knocks over a drink… we are reminded of the trifecta that Drew completed.

What made it so special last night was that the waiter cleaned up the mess… brought a replacement for Tyler… a regular sized glass… with a lid and a straw.

I know you had to be there… but it was funny… very funny… and the waiters tip was increased appropriately.

It’s the truth. I have to confess. I never thought I would be able to say it. My very first hourly job I made $3.00 per hour. It could never happen to me.

But today, today it did. I found out the truth. I am a millionaire.

I made my money in real estate. Commercial property.

Today… a kindergartner told his mother the truth about my life. “Look Mom, the guy in the hat, he is our principal… and he owns our school.”

Let that soak in… keep soaking… I can see the for sale sign now.

This little man gave me ownership of my own 62,000 square foot building. Nestled on five acres in the heart of Smithfield, America.

The appraised value of “my building” is 2.1 million dollars. $2,100,000.  A two with a whole bunch of zeros after it.

We spend our days looking for ways to make the dreams of our students come true. Today, that student made mine… I own a 50 year old school building.

I know… the taxes are almost due…

I am amazed about the things that occur in school. Amazed by what happens in the progression of the school year. Amazed at the changes that occur over that time. The changes in the students. Not the changes of maturety and age, those are a given, I am amazed at the changes in them as they learn.

They learn how to act in community. They learn how to work with others. They learn the proper way to do things. One of the most magical things that they learn… is how to read!

The ability to read takes kids places they could never go. They can find the magic in books. The year I was born produced the following books:

1964 Medal Winner: Where the Wild Things Areby Maurice Sendak (Harper)
Honor Books:

• Swimmyby Leo Lionni (Pantheon)
• All in the Morning Early, illustrated by Evaline Ness; text: Sorche Nic Leodhas, pseud. [Leclaire Alger] (Holt)
• Mother Goose and Nursery Rhymes, illustrated by Philip Reed (Atheneum)

I know… I’m old… but one of my most favorite children’s books was produced that year. I love reading “Where the Wild Things Are ” to my kids. The older two aren’t into having Dad read to them. However, Riley is right in the sweet spot for that.

As I go through classrooms I get to see adults teach students about the magic of reading. I am not an expert on reading instruction, but I know good instruction when I see it. I love watching a good teacher teach a good reading lesson. I am drawn in.

I have three sometimes four kindergarten teachers. They are the first line against illiteracy in our world. They teach kids how to read. I have the luck of having three sometimes four very very good teachers. They are extraordinary in many ways.

They take kids at the beginning of hte year and make readers out of them. I would venture to say that students never grow academically in a year as much as they do during the kindergarten year. I could be wrong, but not too wrong.

I’m looking forward to tomorrow. The routine of school starts… as does the magic of reading.

I know many of you have been waiting for my next great interview (many being the operational term for both of you who read and listen here).

I spent a little time yesterday with Dr. Robert Marzano. (click his name to listen)

I get to go back to work tomorrow! I don’t have to go back to work… I get to go back to work. Okay… I have to go back. Wells Fargo and my wife say I have to go back.

That is not why I go back… I go back because I get to. I get to do what many people on the face of this earth only dream of… I get to make a difference.

Four years ago I was standing in the hallway of Birdville High School talking to a parent of an incoming 9th grader. He didn’t know me… I didn’t know him. He wanted some special treatment for his daughter. He had spoken to her counselor and her assistant principal… and didn’t get what he wanted. I was his next stop.

He only wanted his daughter to take six classes instead of the required seven. With her selection of classes this would not allow her to have an open class at either end of the day… the opening would be smack dab in the middle. He only wanted her to take six classes because that seventh one… the one in question… she couldn’t find anything that interested her. I felt for her.

I told Dad that school board policy required all 9th graders to take seven classes… but I would look at her schedule to see what we could do. Before I got the chance… he called me a paper pushing bureaucrat… A PAPER PUSHING BEURACRAT…

Obviously Mr. Man (not his real name) had never been to my office… paper wasn’t pushed… it sat… gathering dust… until it was needed… or there was nothing else to do. I was not a bureaucrat… I see the world in shades of gray… not black and white… policy smolicy… we have to look out for the best interests of kids. He didn’t know me…

No… he didn’t know me… but he just assumed that I was just some old has been coach who got into administration… I was never a has been coach… I made a difference in the lives of kids on the athletic field… bureaucrat…

I tried to find a solution for Mr. Man… couldn’t find one that was acceptable to him… couldn’t find one that would fit for his daughter… but I looked… I looked hard.

As I start my second full year at the helm of my elementary school… I continue to have that hope… that I can make a difference in the life of a kid… or 450 of them.

I GET to work with a wonderful staff. Count them all up and there are about 70 of them… I hired 1/2 of them… not 35… half of one. In my time there I have hired only a part time position. No one ever leaves!

I GET to go to school and make a difference. I don’t push paper… (it just sits on my desk… unless you are reading this Dr. Waddell… it is filed neatly and in triplicate where applicable)… I am not a bureaucrat.

In my district we love to look at data… we add it up… we subtract it… divide it… use some weird formulas to figure stuff out with it…

One thing that data doesn’t have is a face… the kids have faces… and for that I am truly grateful…

I GET to go back to work tomorrow… and I am so excited… I can’t wait…

doubt…

despair…

rejection…

dejection…

self-doubt…

despondency…

I cleaned out the garage Tuesday afternoon…

the phone never rang…

I dug five post holes on Wednesday… by hand…

blisters…

erected five posts in concrete in those holes on Thursday…

blisters…

putting up a fence on Friday…

calm…

peace…

assurance…

self-assurance…

work begins again on Monday…

exemplary again…

… let me give you about twenty thousand words…

I was at Disney World this week. I stood in line with my family for about an hour to see Fantasmic. It was an hour wait. It was hot. It was humid. A small intimate crowd joined us. If you can say that a crowd of about 8,000 is small and intimate. The show was great… but this is about something else.

On the way in we heard many languages. French, German, English, Portuguese, and Pig-Latin. (I said a few words of it so I could say that I heard it.) Many different people from many different places… but it all started with a small group of people on the left most edge of the crowd.

Several of the people in that area stood and raised their hands over their heads and made a cheering sound. It didn’t do much. They tried it again. A little better response. The third time… the third time was the charm. They started it again and the crowd caught on. A wave had been spawned.

It rolled across the crowd from one end to the other. It rolled over (through) large and small humans. It united a crowd from the four corners of the earth.

The wave carried on for several minutes before it became tiresome and started to fade. The intensity getting less at each passing. Then… something happened.

Several people in the far right corner of the crowd stood and cheered sending the wave back to it’s originators. This wave was bigger and stronger than the last several. This was new and exciting. The reverse wave.

The reverse wave didn’t have the stamina of the original direction. It only lasted about half the time. The newness gone.

Do we all speak different languages? Yes! Do we have common things that tie us together? Yes! You can say several things separate us from other animals. Several things put us higher on the food chain (pecking order). Is the wave one of them?

I think God smiles when he looks down at us and sees us doing the wave.

The Wave

I have the best job in the world. I get to see the world through the eyes of kids. I am amazed at the wonder they see. I am amazed at the hope and passion they possess. I am truly amazed at how pure things really are for them.

We are leaving on Monday morning, at 6AM I might add, for a trip to Disney World. I (43) have been once and loved it. I went to Disney Land once but that doesn’t count. My beautiful bride (37) has been three times. Our eldest (13) has been twice. Our middle child (12) has been once. And, our sweet precious baby love child (5) has never been. He is so cited [sic].

Let me tell you why…

rj-and-disney 

(click above to see video)