Relationship Building is the Foundation to Culture

Last week our AVID and AVID Excel students committed to individual determination in signing their AVID contracts.  They heard a former Napa High AVID senior and Harvest alumni talk about AVID as a family.  In Parker Totty’s speech, he highlights the culture of a family: challenge and support.  Also, Totty notes that he grew as a human being because relationship building was valued.  A family challenges its members to be better--to set the bar higher--and supports its members to make it over the high bar.  As we focus on building team in our classroom and schoolwide for the first 21 days, challenge and support are keys to our success and can’t be limited to the walls of an AVID classroom.  We have to know our students--their past, present, and future--in order to connect and challenge them and more importantly to know how to support them to rise to those challenges. Continue to take time to build a foundation for a healthy classroom culture.  John Hattie, a well published educational researcher, reminds us why this work is important.

Team Harvest

As the Olympic Games come to a close today, I have a sense of disappointment in knowing that we will have to wait two more years for the Winter Games to see the passion and determination in the eyes of Olympic athletes, but I know Team Harvest will continue to light the flame in the hearts and minds of our students.  This week Team Harvest did just that by welcoming our new 6th and 7th grade students on Tuesday with high fives, IB activities, cheers, and more.  Check out the video of our newest #ibhawks with our very own Liz McRae as Harvey!  Team Harvest took a risk in putting together an orientation and in doing so demonstrated that we care about our students. Our staff is holding a poster full of goals set by our newest hawks.  In this photo, I am inspired and convicted of the power and responsibility we have to cultivate the passion and determination of our students so that they are high school ready and college bound.  As I reflect on the words shared during our community circle with Eric Butler last week, I am encouraged that we value “when the light goes on” for a student because I know in those moments your why is fulfilled and our students are on their way to becoming confident learners.

It's a 6th Grade Thing

Teachers are creative and passionate.  Last week, I had the pleasure of spending a day with our 6th Grade Team and coaches (Billie Donegan, Jenny Banta and Tom Lewis).  The day focused on one question: As a 6th grade team, what climate and community-building experiences do we want to develop or revise that will permit us to create more student ownership in the demands and design of an IB classroom?  As we explored highly effective schools and their practice, our team designed learning experiences that focus on building relationships.  I was reminded that we have to go slow to go fast.  I want to give you permission to go slow to go fast.  Spend time getting to know your students: their past, present and future.  After all, “kids don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care.”