Reflections

In our attempt to adopt new philosophies and practices, certain terms can see their definitions become muddled. The term restorative is one such word. Sometimes, people will reference “ restorative practices ” but not in the context in which they are intended to be used. I've seen where suspension has been called restorative and I've also seen where a one-sided conversation has been called a restorative conference. Neither of them is restorative. Exclusion is punitive. A one-sided conversation is just a chance for you to say what you want and for me to accept it -- maybe. When we repeatedly overus e the word “ restorative ” in the wrong way, it dilutes the meaning of the work which erodes any foundation that has been built . NYSED has named Restorative Practices (RP) a high priority for schools and districts to adopt. When done correctly, RP fits perfectly within a social-emotional curriculum. It can even find a home within a traditional code of conduct expanded to inc...

Since my mid-forties, I’ve done a pretty good job of keeping up with medical appointments people “my age” are supposed to have. At my annual physical this past Fall, I was handed the usual clipboard of papers. It included the checklist of statements where I had to rate how I was feeling. This screening is known as the GAF. According to Wikipedia, "The Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) is a numeric scale used by mental health clinicians and physicians to rate subjectively the social, occupational, and psychological functioning of an individual, e.g., how well one is meeting various problems in living. Scores range from 100 (extremely high functioning) to 1 (severely impaired).” The doctor knocked on the door, entered and began reviewing the paperwork I had completed. She looked up at me and back down at the paper at least two times. She remarked what a stark difference in responses I had given compared to a year ago. She was impressed and genuinely interested in what had happe...

     Graduation is about celebrating the end of something incredible and the beginning of the even more incredible next chapter of your lives. Graduation is about the Seniors and the work it took them to get here. Different paths were taken to get here today and each path was illuminated in a different way. Some of these seniors lit their torches at MJT and continued at GES. Others came from towns near and far to have the last of their journey culminate here. Some paths led to CTE certifications in heavy equipment, culinary arts, and criminal justice. Other paths will lead to institutions of higher learning. Whatever the path and destination, there were no doubt a number of twists and turns along the way. The light that has guided the way came from many of you here today and it is our hope that as soon-to-be graduates of Granville Central School you will shine bright and share your light with each other and those you encounter on your path that may need a little light of ...

I am connected to so many amazing, supportive people. One of the best is Peter DeWitt. He has always been just a message away for help, assistance, and reflection. He is the writer for EdWeek’s “Finding Common Ground” column and often features guest posts. This year, he published two of my posts. They can be found below.  https://www.edweek.org/leadership/opinion-what-can-schools-do-as-trauma-continues-to-rear-its-ugly-head/2022/03 https://www.edweek.org/leadership/opinion-principals-assessment-were-not-ok/2022/01

Earlier this morning, I watched an episode from the SOLO series on Amazon Prime. In the episode, the main character is Leah and she is working so hard to make travel to the future happen. The viewer learns that the real reason she wants to travel to the future is to find a cure for the ALS her mother is suffering from in the present so that she can avoid having to lose her. Part of the episode has her arguing between her past, present and future selves. In the end, she directs her past self in what has to be done for a do-over of sorts. In that decision, the present self and future self fade away allowing her to go back in time and hopefully, do some things better.  If there was ever a year I might like to be given a second chance, it would be this year.  I’d like to rewind some decisions, conversations, and missed opportunities to connect.  I’d like to have found better ways to communicate and to have been more organized. I’d like to have met some of the goals I had fo...

What if we could retrain our brains to assume the positive before we assumed the negative?   Boy, I could have used that advice this weekend. After receiving the second covid vaccine shot, I was dealt some serious side effects. Some I am still dealing with but none of them I won't survive. Still, the entire time I was sick, I focused on the negative.  The body aches, the fever, the shooting pains. The nurse must have messed up the dosage. The headache must have been tied to a bad batch of the vaccine.  None of that was true, but that was my irrational response in my state of uncomfortableness. Someone messed up how I was feeling even though I signed up for the vaccine all by myself and drove myself to the appointment.  Not once over a period of 48 hours do I think I even tried to find the positive. But, I could have.  The side effects are explained to be evidence that my body was building up its immunity to the vaccine. That's an amazing THING! A gift, rea...

One of the emotions I still struggle with the most is feeling like I let someone down. My head is so good at reminding me why I might have made a decision the way that I did and all the logic that stands behind it but the sometimes impractical part of my brain sends rapid, piercing signals of remorse to my heart where I realize I haven’t met the mark. The confident part of my being knows and accepts why decisions were made (by me) as being understandable. The doubtful part of my being doesn’t accept any of this foolishness and wants to know why I didn’t see the situation differently at the onset. How could you have missed this, Lisa? What is about the intersection of a personal life with a work life that impacts a leader’s sense of self-belonging? Part of it might come down to the risk it takes to be vulnerable. That’s become a bit of an overused buzzword as of late but being vulnerable, at least to me, is part of taking chances even when they might not work out.  When they work o...