A Graduation Message

There is a beautiful picture book by Alison McGhee and Peter H. Reynolds. The book is titled, Someday (2007). It is a parent’s story. It is a story of truth and a story of love.

One day I counted your fingers and kissed each one.

One day the first snowflakes fell, and I held you up and watched them melt on your baby skin.

One day we crossed the street and you held my hand tight.

Then, you were my baby, and now you are my child.

Sometimes, when you sleep, I watch you dream, and I dream too…

That someday you will dive into the cool, clear water of a lake.

Someday you will walk into a deep wood.

Someday your eyes will be filled with a joy so deep that they shine.

Someday you will run so fast and so far your heart will feel like fire.

Someday you will swing high - so high, higher than you ever dared to swing.

Someday you will hear something so sad that you will fold up with sorrow.

Someday you will call a song to the wind, and the wind will carry your song away.

Someday I will stand on this port and watch your arms waving to me until I no longer see you.

Someday you will look at this house and wonder how something that feels so big can look so small.

Someday you will feel a small weight against your strong back.

Someday I will watch you brushing your child’s hair.

Someday, a long time from now, your own hair will glow silver in the sun.

And when that day comes, love, you will remember me.

As we enter graduation season, we appropriately turn our attention to the graduates. We celebrate their accomplishments and look forward to their next steps. We give them a place of honor in our families, and we shine a light on them because this is their season.

But for those of you who parented these graduates, I want to take a moment to honor you. You who counted and kissed their fingers. You, who held their hands as they took first steps. You, who watched them sleep and wished for them to achieve all of their dreams. This time of year is for you as well. One of the joys and stresses of graduation for the graduates is the changes that are taking place. Leaving the safety of the school environment. The uncertainty of new challenges and new journeys. But you are changing too. When the child that you raised steps across the stage, your role changes. Your life changes. It is wonderful and scary all at the same time.

Just like your graduate, you have to make adjustments especially when the graduation is from high school, and even more so if you are celebrating your first graduate. Embrace the change. Reflect on the amazing job that you have done raising your child. Celebrate the person your child has become. And then think about you and how this pivotal moment for them is a pivotal moment of opportunity for you too. 

What will you do now that your role is changing? What new challenges or adventures will you embark upon? What song will you call out to the wind? Whatever you do, know that you have done something incredible these past 18 or so years; you have done something that your graduate probably doesn’t fully understand. But one day, someday, you and all you have done, will be remembered. 

Turn

I recently had the pleasure of traveling to Ft. Benning, an Army post in Columbus, Georgia. The purpose was to see my son complete infantry training - a training that lasted 22 weeks! There is an important ceremony involved with this training. It is called “turning blue” because the soldiers receive the blue braided cord that is worn by all who complete infantry training. While this course was just the first in a long list of trainings that he will experience, it carries an importance because the infantry is the backbone of the Army and has been around since the Revolutionary War. Hence, honoring those who complete the training with a ceremony that observes a change is significant. Those soldiers have not just turned blue, they have turned into something that they weren’t before, and the change is something to be celebrated.

A turning is an action. It involves the concept of change. Whether turning directions in your car or turning a piece of wood on a lathe, turning means that something is going to change. Something is going to be different, hopefully better, but different nonetheless.

The Byrds, performers of "Turn, Turn, Turn" (source: LittleThings.com)This time of year reminds me of all the turning that is happening or will happen soon. On May 9, we celebrated students who have chosen to turn to career technical education. At our New Student Celebration, we honored those who are willing to make a bold and significant change in their educational environment to turn to Eastland-Fairfield. On May 22, we will recognize seniors who will turn from high school students to Career Passport recipients ready to embark on their next E: Education, Employment, Enlistment, and/or Entrepreneurship. High school, college, and adult education graduates will turn their tassels from the right to the left denoting the successful completion of an educational program. Elementary students will turn into middle schoolers. Middle schoolers will turn into high schoolers. It seems there is a time for all types of turning. Just like the 1965 hit from The Byrds: Turn! Turn! Turn!

The Real Real

The RealReal. It’s a luxury consignment shopping site that promises “real” designer products - not fakes. According to the UrbanDictionary, the term “real real” implies complete seriousness. And the word real itself means “existing or occurring as fact; actual rather than imaginary: being an actual thing; having objective existence; not imaginary” (Dictionary.com).

As we approach the end of the school year and graduation for seniors, I often say, “It’s about to get real real, real fast.” Meaning that life is going to change for students in very real and tangible ways as they end a 13-year journey through compulsory education.In the world of career technical education, the real real is a way of life.

We know that our most vivid and impactful learning comes from experiences. Benjamin Franklin is credited with saying, “Tell me, I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.” Learning is accomplished primarily through doing. And that is why career technical education works, and I believe it is why we are seeing increases across our state in students applying to enroll in career technical education programs.

Over the past three years I have had the opportunity to observe the impact that true experiential learning in “real world settings” has on students, both high school and adult. When students have the opportunity to go beyond reading about a skill and observing a demonstration, to literally doing the work themselves, that is when learning takes place. Why? Because experiential learning involves multiple senses. In fact, in the field of language acquisition, there is an instructional method called TPR - Total Physical Response. This is a method of learning a new language in which physical movement is used to teach vocabulary. It is highly effective because it is based on how children learn their first language.

The point is that we learn best by doing, and that is why career technical education is “engaging, enriching and equips” students. It’s also more fun and rewarding!

When our students step into labs, health care facilities, or restaurant kitchens, it’s real! They are caring for a real resident, someone’s beloved family member. They are creating real computer programs. They are preparing meals and serving real patrons in a real restaurant. They are fighting a real fire!

It’s real. It is real real!

To learn more about TRP and EET:
https://www.fluentu.com/blog/educator-english/total-physical-response-esl/

What Happens If ... ?

If you have ever spent much time around little children, you know that they have a never-ending flow of questions. 

Why is the sky blue?

When will we get there?

Where does the bath water go when you pull the plug?

Why aren’t there any more dinosaurs?

The list can go on and on because we are born naturally curious beings, and we want to know. As we grow, our questions become more complex and more about our everyday lives.

How will I pay for the repairs on my car?

Should I buy or rent?

Is this the right person for me to marry?

Here is another question that is worth asking right now: What happens if we don’t invest in education and training for in-demand fields such as plumbing, electrical, firefighting, education, auto technologies, construction, and nursing? And what happens if we don’t have professionals in these fields who will teach the next generation? Well, let’s think about it.

The most obvious answer is that the cost of those services will go up. The more in-demand the work, the more that employers must pay in salaries to attract and retain employees. That reality means that the cost to consumers of those services will also be higher. 

Ok, so things will cost more. But…there’s more.

The wait time for those services will also get longer. Your hot water heater goes out unexpectedly (is there any other way your hot water heater goes out?). Your wait time for repair or replacement may not be a day or a few days, it could be much longer.

Ok, so I wait a little longer for service. But …there’s more.

Imagine that you are experiencing an emergency such as a fire or medical trauma. The shortage of first responders could, quite literally, impact lives.

And, there is more.

Class sizes in elementary, middle, and high school classes will become larger if there are fewer teachers. Time for one-on-one student support will decline. Teacher burnout will increase. And ultimately, student learning will suffer, which can have a continued negative impact on employee shortages in the future. 

So what is my point? Investing in training and education for in-demand fields does not just have an economic impact. It can impact the quality of our lives and the lives of our children. It is critical that we all recognize the importance of training and education for these in-demand fields because we are all impacted by them. School personnel must educate parents/guardians and students about all career options, not just some or the ones we know personally.  Parents/guardians must be open to the reality that there are multiple pathways to successful, family-supporting careers. Businesses must partner with educational institutions to highlight the myriad of careers and advancement opportunities that exist. And we must invest financially in the facilities, staff, and equipment needed to provide the training. 

These are not just my concerns and thoughts. These concepts were expressed at Eastland-Fairfield Career & Technical Schools’ recent Continuous Improvement Planning Meeting. Representatives of our associate school partners, educators, and business partners gathered and shared their concerns about what happens if we don’t invest in training future employees for these and other important careers. 

So, what can you do? Attend our upcoming Adult Workforce Development Information Night on April 27. Ask your local school district to include career exploration in their curriculum. Contact your legislator and share your support of investing in education and training. Visit Eastland-Fairfield Career & Technical Schools to learn more about our programs and how we are working to answer the question, “What happens if…?”. 

The answer may reside in another question: What happens if we make it possible for all students to “pursue success through exceptional, educational experiences” at Eastland-Fairfield? 

Be Different

Thursday, March 30, is Major League Baseball’s much anticipated Opening Day! I grew up in Eastern Ohio watching the Pittsburgh Pirates. Willie Stargill, Dave Parker, and Kent Tekulve were the big names. Later after college I moved to Baseball Town, USA - Cincinnati, Ohio - where Opening Day is not just a day but a city-wide event. For people in these cities, baseball is serious business. Baseball is history. The Cincinnati Redstockings were the first professional baseball club. Pittsburgh boasts one of the greatest players of all time, Roberto Clemente. Baseball is tradition. Opening Day in Cincinnati always starts with the famous Findlay Market Opening Day Parade. Baseball is… well it’s “as American as apple pie.”

But while there is so much that we love about the stability of baseball in our culture, sometimes you have to change things. Why? Because the world changes and people change. Enter the Savannah Bananas.

Now I have to admit that I was not sure what to make of this unorthodox baseball team from Savannah, Georgia that one of my co-workers shared with me a few months ago. The Savannah Bananas are a fan-focused, family-friendly organization that has one goal. Make baseball fun! Owner Jesse Cole had a vision to do something different with America’s pastime. He wanted to do something “creative and new.” From the activities in the stands and on the field to updated rules that keep the game moving (a two-hour time limit, no bunts, no walks, and no visits to the mound), the Bananas want the fan experience to be something that they don’t get at any other baseball game. Jesse Cole set out to be “dramatically different.” They are, and it is hugely successful!

In a world where we are so often pressured to be like others, the Savannah Bananas show us that being different can be exactly what we, and the world around us, need. And that is what career technical education is doing. We are doing things differently. 

We don’t just talk to students about careers. We don’t just let students visit industry. We don’t just present information about the future. We let our students learn by doing. They work in the industry. They are prepared to make decisions about their futures with accurate and timely information. This approach is not what one typically experiences in a traditional educational setting. And this different approach is exactly what some of our students need. In fact, we have experienced record applications for the 23-24 school year, and we are preparing to expand facilities in the future so that more students can have a different learning environment. 

I don’t want to suggest that being different is better. It is not always, or maybe isn’t better for every individual. But a willingness to rethink how things have always been can be a benefit and can open doors to future opportunities. Career technical education is not “better, just because”, but it is different and for some of our learners who need something different, that is better.

I will always love the tradition of Reds Opening Day. I will forever be proud that Pittsburgh is the City of Champions. But I appreciate that the Savannah Bananas understand that sometimes baseball should be more fan-focused, more engaging, and more fun. Sometimes we all just need to be different.

"Stilts" is a Banana fan favorite, and the tallest player in professional baseball at over 10 feet tall!

 

Women's History Month and its Importance

March is Women’s History Month. Why is this important to me? To women? To you?

Women make up 50.5% of the US population. (World Bank, 2021)

Women were pioneers in building the early foundation of modern programming. Women unveiled the structure of DNA. Women broke the sound barrier. A woman earned the first perfect score in an Olympic competition. A woman was the first to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. (WomensHistoryMonth.gov, Smithsonian Institution)

And…

It took until 1920 for women to have the right to vote.

In 2022, women earn about 82 cents for every dollar earned by a man for the same work.

The field of education is predominantly female with 78% of educators being women in 2018 (BusinessInsider.com). However, according to the American Association of School Administrators, the national superintendents organization, women only represent 15-20% of school superintendents.

What does this data tell us? Women are making things happen AND we have work to do.

As a woman in a male-dominated role, I can say that I feel welcomed, valued, and supported by male and female leaders in my field. I would not be where I am without the support of a wonderful husband, outstanding male leaders, and staff members who said, “You can do this.” And yet, I am cognizant of the need to continue to promote girls and women into fields that are predominantly male and into leadership roles in ALL fields.

And so, Women’s History Month is important. Not because women are superior. Not because men create barriers. But because it is important to our success as a state, a nation, and a human race that we ensure each person has the opportunity and encouragement to contribute and succeed. 

Women’s History Month is important because history is important, and what we can learn from it is important in order to continue building an even better future.

Drivers, Start Your Engines!

 

Transitions

State of the Schools

One of my favorite poems is Robert Frost’s Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening. In it, the narrator is on a journey, and he stops his horse at the edge of a forest to watch the snow fall for a bit. The horse pulls him from his reflection with a shake of harness bells, and the narrator continues his journey remembering, “But I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep, and miles to go before I sleep.”I often think of this poem at the mid-points of a journey or a project. It reminds me that taking some time to reflect before moving forward is not only restful but beneficial in refocusing on the task or goals at hand.

In that same spirit, this is a good time in the school year for us to reflect on the progress that our district has made toward our strategic plan. The Board of Education adopted our strategic plan in January 2022. This past August, I presented the Board of Education with an updated plan for 22-23. The plan retains the four original pillars, overall goals, and key objectives. But we refined and updated the key strategies specific to 22-23 and either deleted or added objectives based upon our progress last year and in consideration of our current context. At the January 11, 2023, Board of Education meeting, I provided a detailed review of our progress thus far this year and would like to share the same information with all of our stakeholders.

Pillar 1: Enhancing Culture and Climate
We have three objectives within this pillar aimed at increasing inclusion in our programs and classes and creating a culture of respect and collaboration through the development of a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion action plan. We identified 14 key strategies for this work and all strategies have been undertaken or completed.

Pillar 2: Ensuring Programming and Operational Excellence
Our goal is to offer in-demand programming in state-of-the-art facilities while maximizing safety and security. This pillar truly focuses on efficiency and maintenance of our facilities and operations. There are three objectives and ten key strategies, and all but three have been completed at this point including the development of a master facilities plan, a master technology plan, and a three-year programming plan.

Pillar 3: Fostering Communications and Relationships
Those staff who work with me on a daily basis often hear me say that relationships are the foundation of everything we do in education. So it is no surprise that this pillar is our most extensive with six objectives and 28 key strategies. Our overarching goals include increasing and refining our communication efforts while focusing on maintaining and developing strong relationships with all of our stakeholders from students to business partners to our associate school staff members. We are well on our way to completing our key tasks knowing that communication and relationship-building require ongoing attention, openness, and hard work.

Pillar 4: Maximizing Instructional Effectiveness
Our mission statement sets the expectation that we will “engage, enrich, and equip students every day in every experience.” The ultimate goal of this pillar is to build a passion for learning in all of our students. Instruction is our core business; therefore, our instructional practices must be effective for the diverse group of learners that enroll in our high school and adult programs. The three objectives in this pillar are designed to expand the philosophy of career technical education through inquiry-based learning (IBL) to all of our classes including through improved instruction, assessment, and evaluation.  We are making great strides toward the sixteen key strategies through IBL cohorts, professional learning days, and leadership development.

I am very pleased with the progress of our district staff in achieving the outcomes that our strategic plan is designed to realize. This strategic plan, along with our vision, mission, and values, truly guide our daily work and keep us focused on the future and the successes we envision for our students. Taking this time to reflect on our progress and celebrate our success thus far has been valuable. But like the narrator in the poem, we need to keep moving because we have promises to keep and miles to go before we sleep.

Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening

Developing EQ

Mental Health - a term that we didn’t talk much about when I was a student in K-12 school. In fact, it wasn’t something that we talked about when I was in college or early in my career. Today, we are very aware, and thankfully so, of the importance of mental health. Unfortunately, that awareness is likely attributed to the apparent decline in mental well-being. 

So what is mental health? 

Mental health includes our “mental, social, and psychological well-being.” 

“Mental health helps us determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make healthy choices” according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). 

Mental Health and Mental Illness are different. Think about the difference between Physical Health and Physical Illness. 

Positive or good mental health is important for learning and socializing. And we are so aware of the importance of good mental health that in Ohio, like many states, we have Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Standards for K-12 schools. These standards include the following:

Self-Awareness

Self-Management

Social Awareness

Relationship Skills

Responsible Decision-Making

These are skills that educators have been teaching since the beginning of schools whether they understood it or not, and that many parents and guardians teach at home as well.

Why?

These are the skills that allow one to be successful in school, work, relationships… in life. These skills basically encompass what is often referred to as emotional intelligence, which by the way, is one of the top soft or professional skills that employers are looking for.

But even with the attention given to developing these skills, our students seem to need even more support and education to develop emotional intelligence. Perhaps this need arises from the expansion of media in general and the proliferation of social media, specifically. But whatever the cause, the real issue is how do we increase or promote positive mental well-being? 

I recently had the opportunity to hear Dr. Marc Brackett, director of the Yale Center of Emotional Intelligence. His presentation was full of important and useful information. But one of the key points that he made was this:

Emotions are data points that we can use to help us make intelligent decisions.

Often we think of emotions as things to be felt and expressed, and they are. But emotionally intelligent people can recognize their emotions and consider the causes. They can accurately name their emotions. Then they can express and regulate their emotions effectively. 

A key point. Emotionally intelligent people are not happy all the time. Mental well-being does not mean that one never feels bad or sad or embarrassed or angry. Mental well-being comes from being able to understand our emotions and use them to make decisions. 

As we work with our students and prepare them for their next step (Employment, Enlistment, Education, or Entrepreneurship), a big part of that work is helping them to develop emotional intelligence. And the great thing is that we can do this. Emotional Intelligence, or EQ, is not something we are born with; it is something that we learn just like reading, solving math problems, welding, programming, or shooting a basketball. Knowing that we have a way to positively impact the mental health of our students and actively putting those plans into place gives me reason to be optimistic about our students’ futures… and ours as well.

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, please contact the National Suicide and Crisis Hotline at 988, the Veterans Crisis Line at 1-800-273-8255, or reach out to a local provider listed below.

Nationwide Children’s Hospital

ADAMH Board of Franklin County

Buckeye Ranch

Community for New Direction

Concord Counseling Services

Comp Drug

Safe and Drug-Free Schools Consortium

Jewish Family Center

Be It Resolved

1. Work out to feel better, not to be thinner
2. Stop gossiping
3. Give one compliment a day
4. Go a whole day without checking your email
5. Do random acts of kindness
6. Read a book a month
7. Go someplace you’ve never been
8. Clean out the clutter
9. Turn off your phone one night a week
10. Reduce your waste

Are We There Yet?

What I Learned From Charles Dickens

Don't Skip The Gratitude

In 1973 Charlie Brown observed, “It seems Thanksgiving Day is upon us.” But he wasn’t happy about it. He and his sister, Sally, both lamented the downside of holidays - extra work at school and a feeling of depression.

In 2001 John Grisham published a book entitled Skipping Christmas. In 2004 the film version was released, Christmas With the Kranks, and starred Tim Allen and Jamie Lee Curtis. The premise of the story is that a couple is missing their daughter who has left home for the Peace Corps the day after Thanksgiving. Sad that Christmas just “won’t be the same” without their daughter at home, they decide to skip Christmas and do something for themselves - a cruise!

In both cases, and in countless other stories and films, the challenges and stress of the holiday season are on full display. And why are the holidays so stressful for some? I think it is the expectations - either self-imposed or put on us by friends and family. Whether the expectation is around a party, a meal, a gift, or an event, the holidays can be stressful.

So what are we to do? How do we truly celebrate and enjoy the season?

I think the key is, “Don’t skip the gratitude.”

In the weeks between Halloween and Thanksgiving, we are inundated with images of the upcoming gift giving season: this year perhaps more than ever with rising inflation and concerns that consumers won’t spend as much as last year. In fact, I think everyday is Black Friday, a day that used to come on one day: the day after Thanksgiving. But this year Black Friday deals are everywhere both in stores and online. The message is clear: buy, buy, buy!! The problem is that we are stressed that the season is “upon us” again, and we are pressured to begin buying before we’ve even had our Thanksgiving meal, let alone a leftover turkey sandwich.

The race to the next thing is robbing us of the joy of the here and now and the opportunity to appreciate what is most important…our relationships. As difficult as it can be, I hope that you can turn off the tv, computer, and phone for a few minutes to enjoy some quiet time alone or a conversation with a loved one. It’s understandable that Charlie Brown and the Kranks wanted to skip the stress and expectations of the holidays. But the season isn’t really about meals and gifts; it’s about the love of friends and family. I hope that this year you won’t skip anything. But most importantly, don’t skip the gratitude.

Thank a Veteran

Learn more at www.military.com/veterans-day or visit The National Veterans Memorial and Museum right here in Columbus, Ohio.

There is Nothing Quiet About Quitting - Part 2

Finally, we have made instructional effectiveness (Pillar 4) a key component of our district’s strategic plan. When we develop students’ academic, career, and professional skills, we set them up for success. Not just because they can get a job. But with the right skills in multiple areas, our students are equipped to have choices in where they go to work. When students leave Eastland-Fairfield fully ready for additional learning or employment, they don’t have to settle. They can find those businesses and companies for whom they want to work- for whose culture and mission they want to help achieve. When we have skills and when we have choices, we are more committed to our work and to our employers. We don’t want to quit - either quietly or loudly. We want to achieve!

Given the recent jobs reports that show there are more jobs than job seekers, it only makes sense that more companies would want to create cultures that attract and retain the best talent. At Eastland-Fairfield, we are doing our part to “engage, enrich, and equip” our students so they develop great skills, find great companies, and make great contributions…maybe not so quietly!

There is Nothing Quiet About Quitting - Part 1

Quiet Quitting. A new term that has suddenly become common in our culture. Some see the term as a positive. Some see it as negative. And some see it as nothing new.

What exactly is “quiet quitting?” The answer to that depends on who is defining it. According to an article from Johns Hopkins University, quiet quitting can be defined in two ways. One view suggests that “quiet quitting” is removing oneself from the “climb-the-ladder” concept. In this view, employees reduce their career aspirations to focus on other, more personal aspects of life such as family, friends, and interests. This shift may be brought on by personal life changes such as the birth of a child or an illness. Additionally, many see the pandemic as having contributed to the growth of this view of quiet quitting as people reassessed what is most important in their lives.

The other view of “quiet quitting” is less positive. An employee is unhappy in their work, and so they determine that they will do the minimum. Work only within the defined hours and do only what the job requires. Employees don’t go above and beyond or put forth extra effort.

What does all of this mean for educators? Consider that no teacher ever tells a student prior to an assessment to, “Just put forth average effort.” No coach ever rewarded the student who doesn’t hustle with more playing time. In fact, one of the fundamental aspects of education is that we are teaching students about work and work ethic.

My real concern with the concept of “quiet quitting” is that people might be staying in jobs or in companies where they are unhappy. In a recent At the Table podcast, Patrick Lencioni talks about the importance of companies treating their employees right, but that doesn’t mean tolerating minimal work. None of us want our doctors, airplane pilots, or teachers, for example, to give minimal effort. We should be concerned about a movement that suggests that minimal effort is ok.

The question we have to address is, “Are these two concepts of “quiet quitting” in opposition with one another and with what we try to teach in schools?”

Actually, I don’t think so. I believe that we can teach students the value of wholeness in their lives - making time for meaningful work and achievement at work while also preserving time for family and non-work related pursuits. And we can also help them to understand they should pursue work in companies and organizations where they are valued as both contributing employees and as people.

We should help our students to pursue careers that allow them to connect skills they have learned with pursuits they care about. We should help them know that they have the right to expect fair treatment from their employers.

According to that Lencioni podcast, if you are unhappy with your work, then you should actually quit. I would add, if you don’t like what you are doing, pursue new or additional training to find a career that you do like and then find a company that will care about you, allow you to see that you are having an impact that is needed and meaningful, and will give your feedback about how you are doing.

Because here is the point: quitting is quitting, and there is nothing quiet about it.

More than Workforce Development

Over the past few weeks, I have spent quite a bit of time in meetings regarding workforce development. That is not surprising. As a superintendent of career and technical schools, a big part of my role involves connecting with businesses, chambers of commerce, and economic developers so that we can understand the in-demand careers in our region. In fact, offering in-demand programming is one of the objectives of our strategic plan.

I take seriously the role that career and technical schools play in supporting workforce needs. However, our real mission is to help young people and adults transition into work that engages them, excites them, and allows them to contribute to the greater good. There is so much more that we must do beyond developing career skills, and while it may not create workers for those in-demand careers immediately, it certainly contributes to the overall health of the businesses and organizations that eventually hire our students.

We continue to see mental well-being as a significant need for our students. At a recent meeting with our assistant principals and student support coordinators, they noted a continued increase in the number and intensity of student mental health needs. Therefore, we cannot and will not only focus on career and technical skills. As cliche as it may sound, we have to focus on the whole student - learner, future employee, and in our high school programs, child.

Therefore, we have made significant efforts to ensure that Eastland-Fairfield is more than a place to learn skills that will lead to employment, entrepreneurship, enlistment, or additional education. We do not only look to the future; we are working to meet our students' needs right now, “every day in every experience.”

First, we have increased support for students by creating a department focused on student support systems. We are scheduling monthly Town Hall meetings with guest speakers and activities that bring students together around the issues that are important to them. We have implemented SMART (Stress Management and Resilience Training) labs at each of our campuses to support students who may be having a difficult time emotionally. And we invest in our staff’s professional learning so that they are equipped to understand and support their students.

We are also reaching out to our communities to become involved in supporting students from elementary to high school. Recently I was invited by one of our lab instructors to attend a youth football practice at our Fairfield campus. High school football players, some of which are career center students, from one of our partner districts were there to spend time with the youth players. Connecting students from elementary to high school and across communities strengthens our connections and helps students of all ages to feel they belong.

We are holding our second annual Tech or Treat event at each of our campuses on October 26. This event is open to children (up to 8th grade) from our 16 partner districts. It is another way to create connections and demonstrate to our young people that there are networks of adults and older students who care about them and want to provide a safe and fun way for them to be together.

We are expanding our partnerships with districts to include career exploration activities for elementary and middle school students. Part of supporting students’ mental well-being is helping them to explore different types of careers and problem-solving. We promote curiosity across all grade levels because we know it helps students. In fact, a UC-Berkeley study found that curiosity is linked to six psychological, social, emotional, and health benefits.

I so value the opportunity to be at the table collaborating with businesses to support the economic health of our region. And yet, I know that we must also support the emotional and mental health of those in our region. In reality, that is the foundation for all other types of growth and well-being. It is just so much more than workforce development.

Stay the course

Perseverance. Grit. Commitment. Stick to it-ness. Staying the course.

Terms and phrases that we often hear when things begin to get difficult. When the newness or novelty of an endeavor begins to fade, we may be tempted to quit or change directions. And it is understandable. Beginnings are exciting, new, and engage us with the unknown. But beginnings are just that, beginnings. A beginning is a relatively short period of time. By definition, a beginning is “a point or space at which something begins.” Soon, it is just the way you are operating and it can become routine or mundane, or downright difficult.

Just a few short weeks ago, we celebrated the beginning of another school year. We updated lesson plans, installed new equipment, purchased new uniforms, or perhaps changed a hairstyle. We prepared to take on a new year and were especially excited about the fact that we could do it without the cloud of a pandemic mandating our actions.

But now we are a good five weeks into the year. We are just about halfway through the first quarter, and the beginning is over. We are now in the thick of academic lessons and skill development. We are setting into the routine of the school year. And if we are honest, it is not quite as exciting as the beginning.

And so it is now, and throughout the year, that we must encourage our students and our staff to persevere, to stick to it, to stay the course. For students who chose Eastland-Fairfield, this message is even more important. They have left the comfort of their home school to start anew. They have committed to a year-long or two-year long course of study that is the equivalent of post-secondary education. Some have long commutes to one of our campuses or satellite locations. When the routine of the year sets in, quitting might seem like a good idea. The aspirations and focus that brought a student to us may be fading. But don’t quit. Don’t give up.

Success goes to those who can fight through the mundane and the routine. Victory goes to those who endure difficult times and learn to value the challenge for what it will bring them at the finish.

Thomas Edison said, “I have not failed. I just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”

Theodore Roosevelt spoke of the man in the arena. The man “whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause;”

As we settle into our year, take heart and take joy in the everyday learning that comes once we are settled. The beginning is exciting…but the success upon completion is even sweeter. Stay the course!

Engagement is in the Details

On August 10, the staff of Eastland-Fairfield Career & Technical Schools gathered for our annual convocation to kick off the 2022-23 school year. The theme this year was Reframe and Engage. After two years of operating through the frame of a pandemic, it is time to change our frame or lens and engage in our work in such a way that we make all of our decisions based on what is best for our students and their learning.

Interestingly, I have seen and heard this same concept of engagement across multiple venues lately. A sermon on re-engaging with people through service. A high school football team who has committed to engaging with their community. It seems that many of us are realizing that we can’t keep operating the way we have over the past two years. While we had to make adjustments in the face of a pandemic, it’s time to fully focus on engaging with one another in meaningful and supportive ways.

So what does that mean exactly?

Merriam-Webster offers the following definitions for the verb engage:

• To pledge oneself: Promise

• To begin and carry on an enterprise or activity

• To do or take part in something

• To give attention to something

At Eastland-Fairfield, engaging means that we are pledging ourselves to fully focus on living our vision, mission, and values. In addition, we have begun the work of implementing an ambitious strategic plan, and we intend to follow through with our full attention. We are moving away from planning learning activities that students can do from a distance to designing classroom and lab experiences that require students to analyze, synthesize, problem-solve, and create.

And as I told our staff on that opening day in August. This work can be hard and will require us to think from the big picture down to the smallest pixel. Designing learning experiences that engage students takes detailed work. Implementing the high-level goals of a strategic plan requires daily decisions and actions that bring us one small step closer to the larger objectives. Ensuring that “each” student is growing from “every experience, every day” takes commitment to think about each minute in a student’s day, not just the chunks of time that constitute English class or time in a career tech lab.

It is in the very small actions, words, and planning that demonstrate our own engagement and that leads to an environment and experiences that engage, enrich, and equip our students. Because … engagement is in the details.

It Doesn't Get Easier. We Handle Hard Better.

At our recent Convocation, held annually to welcome back our staff and prepare for the upcoming school year, I shared a video speech given by Kara Lawson, head coach of the Duke University women’s basketball team. The speech was entitled, “Handle Hard Better” and in it she addresses our propensity for thinking that things are eventually going to get easier. 

Once I graduate, things will get easier.

Once I finish this project, work will get easier.

Once the kids are grown, life will be easier.

Or this. It’s easier for other people. It’s too hard for me.

Lawson then goes on to tell her players, and us, what we already know. It - life, work, you name it - does not get easier. And people who are successful - people who have a meaningful pursuit in life - learn to handle hard better. 

Eastland-Fairfield is a high school of choice. We serve 16 school districts in Central Ohio. We offer career technical education at two campuses and through satellite programs housed at four of our associate school districts. The vast majority of our students who take part in one of our programs had to make a very hard decision to leave the comfort and convenience of their home school to attend one of our programs. It is not easier to attend Eastland-Fairfield. Yet,these students make that hard decision because they have a meaningful pursuit in life. 

Eastland-Fairfield is a provider of adult education in fields that are in demand in our region. It is not easy to return to school when you are an adult. It is not easy to sign up for classes when you also must manage a job,a family, or maybe both. But for the students who choose to pursue education and training in a field that will lead to a career and not just a job, they benefit well into the future.

And when our students, high school or adult, complete their programs and graduate, “it” still does not get easier. But they made a choice to pursue something worthy of their time, effort, and money. They learned that meaningful accomplishments and meaningful goals are not easier. And so, they learned to handle hard better. 

Anticipation

When I was a kid, I absolutely loved riding roller coasters. I grew up in Eastern Ohio and there were three or four amusement parks within two hours of my hometown, and a day trip to one of those parks was often my family’s summer vacation. Kennywood Park in Pittsburgh. Idora Park in Youngstown. Geauga Lake in Aurora. I looked forward to those park days excited that I would get to ride my favorite coasters.

Now getting to the coaster ride required negotiation. Neither of my parents would ride. My two younger brothers were too little at the time. So my big brother, David, was my ticket. (My parents wouldn’t let me ride alone.) And David did not like coasters. I had lots of ways to convince him to go with me, however. 

Sometimes I took the sweet little sister approach. “Pleeeeeeeeze! You’re the best big brother ever!” 

Sometimes I challenged his tough guy image. “Come on, Dave! What are you? A scaredy cat!?”

And sometimes I resorted to bribery. “I will give you all of my Halloween candy this year.” 

Once I convinced him to go on the ride with me, I was giddy with excitement. And I loved going over that first big hill, hands in the air, screaming with the rest of the riders. But I think that the best part was actually the anticipation. Waiting in line and counting to see how many more trains would run before it was our turn. Trying to determine if we could get the first or last car. And of course, slowly going up that first hill, the chain pulling us clinking and clacking all the way. And then that little pause just before we went racing down the hill. 

For me, this time of year is a little bit like that roller coaster going up the first hill. We have spent the summer planning for the new school year. From instructional planning to facilities maintenance; From hiring new staff to moving classroom spaces. The administrative team has met and prepared, new staff will arrive on August 8, and all staff will return on August 10. We are slowly climbing that big hill, and I am anxiously anticipating reaching the peak and welcoming our new high school and adult students during Back to School Night and orientation.  

I know the year is going to be another fast and exciting ride. There will be hills, twists, turns, and surprises. But at the end of it, we will be so glad we decided to ride this train! At the end, we may even look for the next coaster, the next challenge, and ride all over again.

With Opportunities and Education, For All

A colleague recently sent me a link to a podcast on the topic of special schools for advanced or gifted students. The podcast tackled some very complex social issues including class systems, race, and cultural norms. The podcast included interviews with a variety of people as well as the hosts’ input on the topics being discussed.

Toward the end of the podcast one of the interviewees, who was talking about the quality of public education in her city, made a statement that really summed up what we should be about in public education, and honestly, in our country. She submitted that if we truly want to improve our world, our communities, our schools, we have to care about all children as much as we care about our own children. That is truly powerful if you think about it.

Making a better world for our own children really requires that we care about a better world for all children. We should approach funding and supporting our schools with the belief that ALL children deserve a high-quality education - not just some students, not just those who “qualify” for something extra. All children deserve opportunities, experiences, and challenges that can propel them toward a future of meaning, success, and pride. These do not, and should not, be the same for all students, but all students should have equitable access to that which will engage, enrich, and equip them for their own unique opportunities, experiences, and challenges.

So often it feels as if we are in constant competition. With one another. With government agencies. With special interest groups. We have been conditioned to believe that if we ensure equitable opportunities for one group then we must take opportunities from another - as if success and life are like pies with a finite number of slices. I believe we can view education like love…a gift that we can give endlessly and in great supply to everyone.

As we prepare for the next school year, and as we continue to traverse this “last great experiment for promoting human happiness” (George Washington, January 9, 1790), I hope and I believe that we can move forward putting all of our students, mine and yours, at the forefront of our efforts to educate and develop them. After all, we are counting on them to lead our families, schools, our communities, and our nation one day. Let’s equip them - all of them - to do it well!

Regret vs. Opportunity

Why do we so often look back at what we cannot change and lament actions that we did or did not take? Why do we choose to regret our past rather than focus on our future? I am not suggesting that we should not look back on the past. If there were times of regret, we should own them, reflect on them, and then turn around and consider the future opportunities that we can embrace. The issue arises when, as in the image, we continually face the past with a feeling of regret rather than consider what we can learn from it and turn into future opportunities.

My son attended a military college for one year after he graduated from high school. He made it through a physically and emotionally challenging year. And he decided that school was not for him. He decided, instead, to enlist in the military. During the time that he waited to report to basic training, he often apologized for “wasting” that year away at college. And I always replied, “No experience is a waste if you learned something from it.” And it is true. Life rarely goes as we planned (take a look at my May 5 blog on preparing vs. planning). Sometimes we contribute to our own struggles, and sometimes life just happens. Either way, it is what we do with those experiences that impact our future - whether as opportunities or more regrets.

As we take time to enjoy summer, I know that many young people are planning to head off to college. And some are deciding if they are heading back in the fall. Some of us are thinking about a career change or wishing that we could learn a new skill just for our own personal growth, for a hobby, or just because we like to learn. If you are at a crossroad in life, just know that it is not too late to take advantage of opportunities that are there for you. All you have to do is look for them. Don’t think of what you did or did not do as wasted time. Look at that time as something that taught you the powerful lesson of looking ahead. 

Re-engage

Over the past two years I have heard the phrase “get back to normal” over and over again. I have even used it myself. In our culture, we seem to have a propensity for believing that the way things used to be were better. We regularly use phrases to suggest if we could just turn back the clock, life would be better or more comfortable. I’m sure you have heard or used expressions, such as: 

The good old days.

Return to a simpler time.

Once upon a time.

And I get it. Sometimes a return to the old ways of doing things or the old ways of living would be nice. To return to our childhood when summer stretched ahead of us with no end in sight. To only have three channels to choose from on the television (surely made deciding what to watch less stressful). To not have to manage so many passwords! There were things about the past that were “better.”

However, the reality is that we cannot go back. We must look forward and journey on. It is great to reflect on the past, to remember and to assess progress. But we cannot live there, and we should not waste the present or squander the future wishing for the past to return.

As I reflect on the last two years, I don’t see a need to go back to life before March 2020. However, I see a great need for us to re-engage in the work that many educators were doing before the pandemic. Prior to adjusting our educational strategies to online classes, posting of work in instructional management systems so that students didn’t miss out on content, and keeping our distance, many of us were working on developing more student-centered learning strategies. Whether you call those strategies problem- or project-based, inquiry-based, hands-on, real-world, or all of the above, we were focused on developing student-centered classrooms where students are “doing” the work. The teacher is the facilitator, and students grapple with the content in engaging and exciting ways. 

These learning strategies are designed to promote a more engaging academic experience for students - one in which they are active learners not passive recipients of information. As we look forward to the next school year, it is imperative that we engage our students in their learning, and that is going to require us educators to re-engage in the work that we were doing before we knew what COVID meant. 

In March 2020, we turned on a dime and figured out how to do school from a distance and without contact. And that was important…then. But now it is time to re-engage in our commitment to meet the needs of our students. The pandemic has not only impacted our students’ academic learning, but their mental wellness, and now is the time to commit to instruction that engages our students in exciting and meaningful ways. Now is the time to look ahead and create a new normal!

Engaging, real-world problem solving is what every career tech classroom is like every day. Students learning by doing; students learning by being presented with real-world, work-based problems and challenges. I invite educators of all grade levels to visit a career tech classroom this fall if you have never experienced one. You will be amazed and inspired.

Summertime

Frank Sinatra sang of the Summer Wind.

The Lovin Spoonful sang about Summer in the City.

The film Grease brought us Summer Nights.

Keith Urban told us about a Long Hot Summer.

And recently, Thomas Rhett sang what many of us are thinking each summer - Slow Down Summer.

Whatever your taste in music, chances are there is a song about summer that you love. I am not sure how many songs have been written about summer, but a quick Google search will yield results that list “25 songs with summer in the title; “40 great summer songs”; and “55 songs about summer to get you pumped for warm weather.” The point is…We Love Summer!

The days are longer; the temperatures are warmer; the pace is a little slower. Oh, and school is out - the official beginning of summer for many of us. Looking forward to the summer break is something most of us do…even school district superintendents. As the songs suggest, summer is a great time of fun for many.

It is also a time for us to reflect on the past school year. We identify the goals we met and the tasks or objectives that we didn’t quite reach. And then we look forward to the next year. What goals will we set for ourselves and our students? What new challenges will we encounter?

At Eastland-Fairfield, we are also taking that time to reflect and reset. On the high school side of the house, we are excited to bring new program pathways to our campuses and to our associate schools as satellite programs. We are sprucing up our buildings and making some moves to better serve our students. On the adult workforce side, we are preparing to launch at least two new programs (plumbing and facilities maintenance), and working diligently to add a Licensed Practical Nurse program in fall 2022. We are also in the planning stages for two exciting programs: robotics and mechatronics for high school and industrial automation for adults. It is busy, but the work is good, and the opportunities to serve more students is exciting for us.

I hope that your summer will be a good one. It seems we are already off to that Long Hot Summer, so I wish for the Summer Wind to keep you comfortable whether in the city, the coast, the country, or the mountains. And I know that with all the work we must accomplish before we welcome more than 1600 high school and adult students to our programs in August, I will be saying, “Slow Down Summer!”

Have a wonderful summer!