Recognition For Our Success

Monday night our Preliminary TAKS scores were shared with the board. All of the principals were asked to share their results to the school board and share their successes and their plans for intervention. Well I was lucky in that we have some great success stories to share. Our interventions are to just enhance what we are doing. We have some new programs started this year that I think were HUGE in our success so my plan is just to tweak it to involve more people. IF IT AIN'T BROKE DON"T FIX IT.....TWEAK IT!!

Anyway, what made it a little bit sweeter is that I got to go after the other intermediate principal. They did not do as well as we did. I think they will get there. She has been in her building for two years and she is still trying to clean out some of the dead weight.

It was nice because I did mention that we will be recognized but I left it at that. When I was done my Superintendent made mention to the board that this was the first time in the schools 8 year history to achieve this rating and the first time for an intermediate campus to achieve this goal in the history of the district. He also mentioned the gains the school has made since my leadership at the building. I got a very nice round of applause from the school board and my colleagues.

I did mention in my report the importance of my counselor and my AP. In my absence this year due to health reasons these ladies were my voice. I told them what we needed to do and these ladies made it happen. I love them both dearly and will miss working with them on a daily basis. My AP is going to be a principal and my counselor is going to be an AP.

It was nice to be recognized on behalf of my leadership abilities and the level of teaching at my campus.

Swamped!

Well I had a lot of fun at my conference. A few meetings followed by a lot of down time and get togethers at night. It was nice having my wife at the conference with me. We really enjoyed having relaxing dinners and adult conversations. Having said that we both missed our kids and were ready to see them when we got home.

Now because of all of that free time last week I am paying for my sins this week. I am in the process of hiring key positions in my school. It has taken me three years but a great culture has been established in my building and I really want the "good times" to continue so the decisions I make are very important to our continued success. I have many people who are qualified to consider but not everyone is the perfect fit. The good news is I have lead candidates in all of the positions. By the end of this week I will know what direction I am going to take.

Heading Out Of Town

Well I am working a half day tomorrow and then it is off to a hard work week at a Principal's conference. Meetings during the day and parties to attend put on by vendor's. Man that is going to stink.

Jack and his Tummy

Wednesday night about 2 o'clock in the morning Jack came into our bedroom complaining of tummy problems. We tried to get him to go to the bathroom but he would have no part of it. I figured this was a ploy to sleep in our room but at 2 o'clock in the morning I did not care. I set up his blanket on the floor with a pillow and off to lala land I went. Then about 30 minutes later I am awaken by Jack running into our bathroom. He did not make it as he vomited twice in the bathroom before making it to the toilet for a third round. Of course he began to cry when he saw the mess and saw that it was all over him. I got him cleaned up while the wife cleaned up the bathroom.....I think I got the easier job. When all was said and done and we were going back to sleep Jack said, "Ya know dad. I feel a whole lot better now."

Fast Forward To Last Night- Jack bust out of his room and I hear him running to his bathroom. Then you hear the sound.......Tracey and I came down the hall and when you turned the corner.....OH MY! It was everywhere.......on the floor....the walls....somehow in the bathtub....and in the toilet. Oddly, nothing was on Jack. He saw me and Tracey and just said....Hey! Again I got him cleaned up while Tracey tackled the bathroom.

Not sure what is going on but there is a bug somewhere.

Let's Try This Again

Well today is the big day. The oven is supposed to be delivered......again. We won't have time to dig into it today but at least it will be HERE! Everyone pray that the GE people are CAREFUL!!!

Are We Done Here Dad?

Sunday morning I got up a little early and started working on breakfast. Everyone was beat because Jack had a golf tournament Saturday afternoon and we did not get home till after 10:00. The smell of thickly sliced peppered bacon with vanilla pancakes was making its way through the house. The first to stir about 8:00 was Jack. As he was making his way to the kitchen he was observing our work in the kitchen from the day before. He loooked over the new dishwasher and admired it and then moved over to the new microwave and the shelf that we built for it so that it will sit over our new (yet to be delivered) oven. Then he saw the huge hole where the oven will be along with the electrical wires that we have capped off and the hole in the sheet rock for the electrical. Here is how our conversation went from there...

Jack- Dad that sure is a nice new dishwasher.
Me- Yeah Jack it is. It's very quite too.
Jack- I really like our new microwave oven dad.
Me- Yeah Jack it is nice isn't it.
Jack- (Observing the huge whole that was described above)- Um...Dad....ARE WE DONE HERE?

No....No Jack we are not done!

Jack- I was wonderin'

Delivery Fiasco

Well Saturday was supposed to be the day that we got our new kitchen appliances. The only problem is the MAIN thing we were excited about was delivered to us in parts. That's right. The oven was broken in shipping.

All is not lost though. We did get the new dishwasher installed and the microwave is installed. The new oven has been ordered and should be delivered sometime this week. We shall see. I will be glad when we can get everything put into place.

Now where is that phone call telling me when they will be here.