To Do:

• As you likely know by now, there were some synching issues with TalentEd Perform which has caused you to not have the correct people assigned to you for evaluation – or changing from correct to incorrect lists overnight.  This issue has been resolved and you should now have the correct folks.  First, please check your list in Perform to make sure this is accurate.  Second, my list was also not accurate (until a few days ag0), which resulted in you not being able to complete your SLGGs for this year.  You are now able to fill out your SLGGs.  As a reminder, this will be a topic of discussion when I come meet with you in either November or December during our scheduled visit.
• Consider passing along this art contest information to any staff or student that you think might be interested.  The Oregon Health Authority sponsors an annual calendar focused on Problem Gambling Awareness and ask for MS student art work to be highlighted each month. I have a sample of the 2018 calendar and can get many more copies for you if you’d like to share them as an example. I’ve linked some general entry details (deadline is March 30, 2018) and ideas.  Jessica McDonald ([email protected] / 541-322-7454) with Deschutes Co. Health Services is our local contact for this and can answer any additional questions you might have. There is a monetary prize for each the drawings selected from across our state for the cover and each month of the calendar!

This and That:

• Shay recently passed along an article to Cabinet members that he wanted us to read and reflect on.  The piece is titled Leadership in the Age of Complexity: From Hero to Host. In essence, the authors make a case for the common practice of people viewing leaders as hero’s (and leaders accepting this role). Hero’s have the answers, or will come up with the right one, she/he swoops in and saves the day. Usually this also involves the followers giving up autonomy or control so these hero leaders can be allowed to do their hero thing. A leader as a host, on the contrary, is not as common and usually requires months of trust development and  consistent behavior before his/her followers begin to believe in this alternative model of leading. After reading this article (or at least the characteristics of a host leader), I’d ask that you reflect on your building leadership style.  Are you viewed by your staff as the hero (the one with the answers) or a host? What, if anything, would you like to change regarding your leadership style or processes in your building? Specifically, the authors exert that host leaders must:

  • provide conditions and good group processes for people to work together.

  • provide resources of time, the scarcest commodity of all.

  • insist that people and the system learn from experience, frequently.

  • offer unequivocal support—people know the leader is there for them.

  • keep the bureaucracy at bay, creating oases (or bunkers) where people are less encumbered by senseless demands for reports and administrivia.

  • play defense with other leaders who want to take back control, who are critical that people have been given too much freedom.

  • reflect back to people on a regular basis how they’re doing, what they’re accomplishing, how far they’ve journeyed.

  • work with people to develop relevant measures of progress to make their achievements visible.

  • value conviviality and esprit de corps—not false rah‐rah activities, but the spirit that arises in any group that accomplishes difficult work together.

• A few of you are aware of the first Tech Trek week-long STEM camp for girls (between 7th and 8th grade year) that occurred at the OSU-Cascades campus last summer.  I just learned that there will be a second annual camp this summer (June 24 – 30, 2018) and girls from every BLS middle school will be sought out to participate.  (I’m guessing there will be two girls selected from every school, maybe three.)  Nothing for you to do at this time, but here is an overview of the process that will be occurring over the next number of months:

  December:  Contact central administrators about the process

  January:  Materials about Tech Trek to all schools

  January 30: Student applications due

  Mid-February: Teacher recommendations due

  Mid-February-Spring Break:  Applicants interviewed by AAUW (the sponsor of this camp)

  After Spring Break: 76 campers selected and alternates identified

  Mid-April- May 30:  Registration materials completed for every camper and alternate and $50 collected from every camper.  (Last year some staff and/or schools provided $50 scholarships.  If you would like to do this, know AAUW of Oregon is a 501(c)3 and every scholarship would be tax deductible.  I can provide the needed form if you have interest in this.)

  Mid-June:  Camper list finalized 

  June 24-30:  Tech Trek Central Oregon

Reminders:

• SVMS Makeathon is taking place next Wednesday afternoon/evening, check in with Scott if you have any questions or are interested in attending part/all of this activity.
• Next Thursday is College Day district-wide.