Thank You for a Tremendous Year

Last June, I was honored to be selected as your Interim Principal for J.N. Kellett Elementary School for the 2008-09 school year. During the ensuing year, the spirit of the children, families, and staff of Kellett Elementary has amazed me. No matter what the need, someone always steps up to say, “I can take care of that.” Whether the task needed students (Safety Patrol and Flag Patrol), parents (PTC, SIC, and fundraisers), or staff (re-organizing fourth grade, picking up in the absence of another teacher, going the extra mile) someone always comes forward to make a difference in the lives of these children. Together, we have had a tremendous school year. Teachers and students have really focused on teaching and learning, and the result has been a significant growth in our MAP scores, our level of independent reading in 100 Book Challenge, and attendance. I appreciate all the efforts expended to make this Kellett’s best year ever. After 54 years, we will close this building next week, honoring the past with a Kellett Celebration from 5-8 on May 29. The celebration will include displays from the various decades of operation at Kellett, a ceremony to celebrate Kellett history, and a cookout. J.N. Kellett Elementary will be long remembered by the people who worked and studied here.
This summer or early next fall the move into a Blue Ridge Elementary and, for some, Northside Elementary will be complete, and a new chapter will begin. Whether in our school work, our behavior, our attendance, let’s all commit to take that Kellett spirit wherever we may go. Make each day special at your new schools and give your best effort. There will inevitably be anxiety as we make our transitions. As with any transition, there will be adjustments to be made. For now, enjoy your summer, and come back refreshed and ready make 2009-10 your best year ever.

Quality 8 Enlarging

Guest Blogger: Barbara Cloyd, 4th Grade Teacher


Favorite Quote: "The most important measure of how good a game I played was how much better I'd made my teammates play." Bill Russell


When I embarked upon reading about Quality 8 Enlarging, I honestly had never heard the term used before. But although the term may seem somewhat creative, the essence of this quality is age-old. Enlarging is about individuals unselfishly using their gifts and talents to enrich the lives of those around them. Bill Russell speaks of this idea in terms of playing basketball, but enlarging is important on every team and in every organization. Whether you are the star center on the Boston Celtics, a teacher in a school, a student in a classroom, or a part of any type of group, one should evaluate "What do I bring to the table?" or "How can I make us better?" When group members share their own unique talents, they actually elevate the group to a new level. Group members admire and appreciate those who are willing to unselfishly make the group better, before thinking about themselves. When enlarging, one cannot think about how individual actions will help gain some sort of personal benefit. The enlarger must be a secure person that can look beyond possible opportunities for individual success, to see the larger benefit through helping the group. Henry Ward Beecher stated, "No man is more cheated than the selfish man." In other words, when you are willing to enlarge the group, you enlarge yourself!
Attributes of the enlarging team player:

• Enlargers value their teammates. Recognize and appreciate the strengths that other players bring to the game and utilize those strengths.
• Enlargers value what their teammates value. Players who enlarge others try hard to understand the values of their teammates. They get to know their teammates in an effort to make a connection.
• Enlargers add value to their teammates. Adding value to the team is the whole purpose of this idea. Enlargers want to help teammates improve upon their abilities and attitudes.
• Enlargers make themselves more valuable. If you want your team to be more successful, then it is important to make yourself better. Being your best helps the team reach its potential.

If you want to enlarge the team, follow these simple ideas . . .

• Believe in others before they believe in you! Be the initiator in situations and problems. Lead by example and others will soon respect your efforts.
• Serve others before they serve you. Help others in your family and work reach their potential. Offering time and support for the enrichment of others is powerful.
• Add value to others before they add value to you. The book states that as humans we tend to gravitate towards those who enrich us and move away from those who devalue us. We can enlarge people by helping them zone in on their specific talents and help them to reach their potential with those talents. We should not try to force people to embark into areas in which they do not have the talent or skills in which to be successful.

Ask yourself, "If I am not helping the team, am I hurting it?" All teams need all players to be enlargers so that the team can reach its highest potential.

Quality 4 Communicative

My favorite quote - Think like a wise man, but communicate in the language of the people. William Butler Yeats

What is more common than a smart person who cannot communicate with others. All of the intellect in the world is of little use without the ability to communicate knowledge and ideas to others. Recently, we celebrated the birthday of perhaps the greatest American President in history, Abraham Lincoln. When you read Lincoln's words, you readily see a man with lofty ideas and uncommon vision. The power of his words comes from his ability to communicate those lofty ideas and uncommon vision to common, ordinary citizens. Take the Gettysburg Address or the Second Inaugural Address for example. Nothing ever written exemplifies common language used to such great effect as Lincoln did on those two occasions. With his lofty ideas, uncommon vision, and common language, he wrote and spoke with a beauty and power that rallied a nation through it's darkest hour. His unusual communication skills served him, and the nation, well.

Characteristics of communicative people;

1. They do not separate themselves from others. The more we understand, the more we care.

2. They make it easy for teammates to communicate with them. Most communication issues can be solved by proximity.

3. They follow the 24 Hour Rule and address difficulty within 24 hours.

4. They pay attention to difficult relationships.

5. They follow up in writing, keeping it clear and simple.

Improve communication by;

1. Being candid. Speak truthfully and kindly.

2. Be quick to address problems.

3. Be inclusive. If you can include others - do.

Good communication is not easy, but it pays big dividends to ourselves and to our teammates.

Quality 1 - Adaptable

My favorite quote, “Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape.” Michael McGriff

As referenced in the book, Quincy Jones personifies adaptability. As a youth, he discovered his passion for music, trying several different instruments, finally settling on the trumpet. He was accomplished as a musician, so he soon got into arranging and composing. Later he became an executive in the music business, achieving fame and fortune as a producer. Quincy Jones has composed for television, movies and Broadway plays. Challenges and new ideas are no problem for Quincy Jones.

Characteristics of adaptable people
1. Teachable – Always open to new learning
2. Emotionally secure – Stable when challenged
3. Creative – Able to see new opportunities
4. Service-minded – Focused on others

Becoming more adaptable
1. Make a habit of learning – never to assume that you know all you need to know about anything.
2. Re-evaluate your role – make sure that you are bringing to the table what the team needs from you.
3. Think outside the lines – “How can this work?” not “This can’t work.” Seek “unconventional solutions” for problems you encounter.

Later this week, Quality 2 - Collaborative