A Tribute

Phil Jackson said it best when he stated, “The strength of the team is each individual member, and the strength of each member is the team.”  For an organization to run properly, each of it’s parts must work to their full potential.   This is true for the educational setting as well.

Often times in education, an outsider looks in and sees a teacher and group of students.  They may see the classroom that they have a connection to, or maybe a sports team.   This is just a fraction of the school.  A school has many important parts.  The working parts and how they are intertwined to make a school function often go unnoticed.

How about the custodial staff, foods service workers, bus drivers, administrative assistants, para-professionals, the board of education, etc.  Each and every one of these individuals plays an important role in the function of the school.  They are a key ingredient to the recipe of education.  An Oreo cookie wouldn’t be what it is without the white filling in the middle.  Monster cookies would be less monster like if the M&M’s were absent.  You get my point.

Creating a sound educational experience for students would not be possible without the men and women whom we often times take for granted.  Each plays a vital role in the education of our youth.  Each and every employee of a school district has the opportunity to impact children just as a teacher does.

Two days ago Griggs County lost a very special person.  She was an Administrative Assistant for our district, but was much more than that to all the people that knew her.  Frankly, she made everyone’s life better.  She came to work with a smile, and left work with the same smile.  She never complained, and taught all of us valuable life lessons. 

She worked tirelessly to ensure that she met the needs of every student, and every teacher, and all others.  I often times told her that it was O.K. to say no once in awhile. 

But you see, this was not her nature.  She cared for the sick.  She troubleshooted gradebook dilemas.  She counted box tops.  She fulfilled teacher requisitions.  I could go on and on, but most importantly she filled our hearts with joy.

All that came in contact with her will miss her.  Although she wasn’t in the classroom, she was one of the best teachers in our building.  She taught me so much, and forever I will be indebted to her.  I’m a better administrator because of her, and most importantly a better person.  Thank you for all that you contributed to not only Griggs County Central, but to the communities we represent.  You will forever be missed, but you will live on in all the individuals you have touched.

Do me a favor.  Thank the people in your schools that don’t always get the recognition.  They are working just as hard as those in the classrooms.  Appreciate the people that work endless hours behind the scenes to ensure teachers and students are given the tools and resources they need to be successful.  These people are the glue that makes everything else stick.  Phil Jackson’s quote is right on.  The strength of a school is the strength of each individual within it.  Thank you to all of the support staff at Griggs County Central.  Thank you for being the M&M’s in our Monster Cookies.

This blog is dedicated to Sandy Hanson.  A person that has had a significant impact on my life.  A person whom I will never forget and owe so much.  You will always be near the top of my most influential people list.  Thank you.  God needed an administrative assistant, and he knew we had one of the best.  His work just got a lot easier with you by his side.

Turning "I Cants" into "I Cans"

I was not the easiest child to raise; you can ask my parents.  I now know however, what they mean when they wished upon me that someday I would have a child that acted as I did.  Not only did I have great parents, but they were magical as well J.

I grew up with an undiagnosed condition called “Separation Anxiety.”  I believe the onset came when we moved in the middle of my Kindergarten year in school.   I don’t think anybody would have predicted it, but it had a profound affect on my early childhood.  The first few years of my life I was afraid to go to school.  It had nothing to do with the school or the teachers, but everything to do with the fact that I thought I was going to be left there.  I know it sounds crazy, but like I said I had wonderful parents.  I was completely consumed with the idea that my parents were going to leave me.  I would even check the coat racks daily to see if my brother was still in school.

As a result, I did not want to be in school.  The teachers actually let me lay in front of the door of the classroom for hours (sometimes I’d fall asleep).  This was extremely hard on my parents, and most likely a burden for my teachers.  I struggled in school.  I rushed through things and eventually I just didn’t care. 

My mother was told that I would never be above a “C” student during an IEP meeting when I was in third grade.  I had a learning disability she was told.   My mom told me this story when I was in 8^th grade.  I was a smart child; I just had extreme “Separation Anxiety.”   I was young, and soon I started to believe that my teachers were right.  Honestly, they didn’t know any better, because I had never been diagnosed with the anxiety. 

This would become the first time in my life that I can remember somebody telling me (telling my mother in this case) that I couldn’t do something.  I wasn’t going to be above a “C” student.   I thought back to my elementary years after my mother told me this story.  I had memories of sitting in a corner during handwriting class – where I would draw figure eights with chalk on the chalkboard over and over again.  I remember leaving the room for assignments and tests.  As these memories filled my mind, I started to become angry.  I was angry at myself, more than anything.  I could do the work.  I was a smart student.  I wasn’t applying myself, and therefore I was doing myself a disservice.  So, I did what needed to be done; I set out on a mission to excel in school and prove that I was indeed better than a “C” student.

It wasn’t the first time that I would hear the phrase “you can’t.”  The love of my life was basketball when I was growing up.  I traveled with my father often when he would officiate games around the area.  I fell in love with the sport.  I set a goal for myself, that I would get an offer to play college basketball upon graduation.  As I proceeded to practice each and every day, I was met by doubters.  You see, I was not the most muscular of boys in high school.  In fact, I was actually quite skinny.  Naturally, people didn’t think I would amount to anything, but I set out to prove them wrong.

With my mind set, I embarked on my four years of high school with motivation.  The motivation came from people that told me “I couldn’t do this, or couldn’t do that.”  For the next four years – if I wasn’t studying, I was playing basketball.  I forgave any possible fun that I would have with friends (which today I regret), but I was on a mission to prove people wrong.  I can remember shooting baskets outside in my driveway with my brothers in the dead of the winter.  I always told myself that if I could shoot well with gloves on, I would be certainly be able to shoot better without them.  I said the same with wearing boots.  If I could crossover in boots and on a frosty surface, then I would definitely be able to do it on a gym floor.

Academically, I set out to do the best I could in every class that I took.  The separation anxiety that I suffered in early childhood led to other anxieties in high school.  I was somebody that suffered from test anxiety.  Because, I had this anxiety I often studied for way longer than I needed to.  I became a perfectionist, even though perfection was something (I did not know at the time) was unattainable.

Fast-forwarding to my senior year, I can remember a day in my English class like it was yesterday.  The high school principal came in and announced the class salutatorian…a fellow classmate who excelled in many areas of school.  I learned lots from her.  I never expected to get it; the thought actually didn’t even cross my mind.  Then the principal announced the valedictorian and sure enough he announced my name.  Granted I probably took a few easier classes to get there, but I was extremely humbled and proud of myself.  I had now proved somebody wrong.  I turned an I can’t into an I can.  Most importantly though, I proved to myself that hard work pays off.

Speaking of hard work, I was still quite busy with basketball.  I was a three-year starter and did the best I could.  Our team had lots of talent.  We had our ups and our downs.  We played in an extremely competitive district.  The furthest we ever made was the first round of regionals my senior year.  It was during this senior year that I turned another “I can’t” into an “I can.”

I will never forget the day after we lost out in the McLean County Tournament.  I was on the bus and waiting for it to depart for home, and my coach came on and told me that somebody wanted to talk to me back in the school.  My second dream and motivation was about to come true.  A college coach was interested in me and wanted me to come and play for them.  I walked back on the bus and was overcome with joy.  Something that I had dreamed about as a child had come to reality.

This was my story.  What is yours?  How many times as educators do we doubt that our students can or cannot do something?   How many times have you been told that you can’t do something?  What is your motivation?  My motivation has always been my dream killers.  There is nothing worse in life than somebody doubting your ability or dreams.  Let me tell you this, and I know you have heard it before.  You “can.”  It’s as simple as that.  If you put your mind to it, you can achieve it.  How many times have you been told this?   As educators we need to fuel the dreams of our students.  When a child walks through our doors with their head on the floor, we need to pick them up.  When a child cries, we need to wipe away the tears.  When a child is frustrated, we need to lend our ears.  When a child is excited, we need to be excited with them.  When a child succeeds, we need to be the first to congratulate them.  We have the power to help make dreams come true.  Are you a dream killer, or dream driver?

It’s time to shout out the doubt.

I know sleeping on the classroom floor seems quite odd, and I always wondered by the teachers let me do it.   Maybe they knew I was dreaming of the “some day.”  The some day in my life that I would be writing about the significant impact it had on my life.   Do me a favor and tell a child that they “can” today.  Tell them that they matter.  Dreams come true.  Failure is not final.  Turn “I Cants into I Cans.”  

Disclaimer:  As always my blogs are my thoughts that are quickly jotted into the document.  A wrong there, their, or they’re may have presented itself.  A comma here, there, or nowhere may have also been mistaken.  I do not have my blogs critiqued and I never write a second draft.  Please forgive me for I not no wut I rite sumtimes.

Thank You Derek Jeter

Thank You Derek Jeter

As I sat eating my “Dome Dog,” I heard over the PA system.  “Now batting for the New York Yankees, the short stop Derek Jeter."  I looked over at my brother and said Derek who?  I was just a freshman in high school at the time.  We then proceeded to have a conversation about how to pronounce his last name.  Of course I was wrong.  We had little idea that we were getting our first glimpse at whom would become one of the greatest baseball players of all time, and arguably one of the greatest role-models for our youth.

It wasn’t our first trip to the Hubert Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis.  In fact my family had made it a tradition to catch the Yankee series each year.  We are all Yankee fans.  It’s a prerequisite in our family; before you make your grand entrance you are branded a Yankee fan.  My middle child was not only branded a Yankee fan before his entrance…he was equipped with his name, Jeter James Jordan, before he blessed us with his first appearance.

Derek Jeter’s legacy and where he falls amongst baseballs greatest will forever be debated.  I have my own opinions, but I’m not writing this blog to gloat about his athletic ability.  I’m writing this blog to emphasize the importance of role models to the young children of this world.  While baseball experts around the globe debate his place in baseball history, I think I speak for an overwhelming majority when I say Derek Jeter as a person is not up for debate.

Derek played the game with passion.  He played baseball the right way.  He was a leader whom led by example.  He kept his professional life separate from his personal life.  He was not a cheater and you will not see an asterisk next to his name when you flip through the record books.   He is living proof that hard work, perseverance, and strong work ethic can lead to conquered dreams.  His actions have been mimicked by millions of young children around the world.  A pickup baseball game has many youngsters pretending to be Derek Jeter... they all want to wear #2.

Derek Jeter is not the only person our young children look up to.   Athletes are role models – no doubt, but each and everyone one of us is a role model for someone.  At any given moment somebody is watching you.  They want to be like you.  Is your attitude contagious?  Is your attitude worth catching?  As an educator and parent, I have the opportunity to influence children everyday.  I think of it as the greatest job in the world.  Yes, sometimes life does get the best of me and I fail to lead in an appropriate manner.  We as people are not perfect, but we must remember that we are leaders.  We are role models, and the people around us will repeat our actions.  I’ve got a lot to learn as an educator and parent, but I’d be doing society and my children a disservice if I didn’t strive to be the best that I can be.  Perfect may not be attainable but we must set our sights on it.

If you can’t find a role model, be one.  Whether you are a parent, business leader, educator, professional athlete, or someone with a beating heart – you have an obligation to improve the society in which we live.  We adults have a tremendous amount of power.  We can change the world for the better.  We can be the hope for kids all around the world.  I don’t know about you, but this excites me.  I’m up for the task.  Are you?

As I look back on the days my family and I traveled to Minnesota I’m greeted by hundreds of memories.  Whether it was sitting on George Steinbrenner’s lap when I was 6 years old or hearing Derek Jeter called to the plate for the first time, these moments with my family have had a profound impact on my life.  Just as my dad and grandpa told me stories of the Yankee greats, I’m honored to be able to share the story of Derek Jeter to my children.  My kids may or may not be blessed to be a Yankee great in the future, but I guarantee you they will quickly learn how good he was as a player, and more importantly how great he was as a person. 

I would like to thank all of those that were great role models for me in my life.  Of course Derek Jeter and other professional athletes were on my list, but my parents, grandparents, relatives, educators, and many more also accompanied them.  Thank you for the positive impact you all had on my life.  I strive each and every day to reciprocate that to my children and youngsters of this world.    

Four to Focus: 21st Century Education Musts

Four to Focus: 21^st Century Education Musts

Education, as we know it, continues to change at a rapid pace.  Arguments for or against the Common Core continue to flood the media scene.  I was baffled this past weekend as I visited my family in Bismarck about all of the propaganda related to the Common Core State Standards.  I’ve had a few days to process all of it, and it has lead me to believe that we as a society have completely lost our focus.  The following “Four to Focus” for 21^st Century Schools is something we need to consider:

1.      Unstandardized, Standardized Tests:  Children learn in a multitude of different capacities.  A classroom of 20 could very likely portray 20 different learning styles.  Some students may be linguistic.  Others might be mathematical.  The point is, not all children learn the same.  If the research continues to show “student-centered” classrooms are the most efficient way to educate children, then why do we continue to have “fill in the bubble” or choose “A,B,C,D” tests to measure achievement?  Why not asses students via their own individual learning styles?

If schools throughout the nation continue to miss AYP (Adequate Yearly Progress) maybe we should change how we test.  What if children could show mastery of content/standards within their own unique learning styles?  What if we gave the students the choice?  Relevant learning will yield prevalent results.  Let’s give choices to our students when it comes to achievement tests. Mastery can be measured in many ways and we cannot limit our students.  Square pegs don’t always fit into round holes.

2.     Teach Critical Competencies:  I’ve quoted this statistic before from the Department of Labor, but it’s worth another look, “65% of today’s grade school kids will end up at jobs that haven’t been invented yet.”  What does college and career ready curriculum look like?  We must allow our students to be creative.  We must allow them to work together, to communicate, and to think critically.  Today’s lessons cannot be sit and get.  We must challenge our students by asking driving questions and by guiding them through the problem solving process.  Name a job either now or invent one for the future and then tell me that students will not need to be creative, communicative, critical thinkers and collaborators.  These competencies will be needed in every field.  As we teach critical content, we must not forget these critical competencies.  Project-based curriculum in a student-centered environment must be our focus.

3.      Stop Racing:  Why do we need to “Race to the Top?”  Whatever happened to a world of interdependency?  You do what you do best, and I will do what I do best, and we will benefit from each other.  I completely understand the benefits of competition, but all too often we compare ourselves to other nations of the world.  The more we focus on others, the less we focus on ourselves.  What are our needs?  What is best for our students?  These are the questions we need to ask.  If somebody is doing it better than us, let’s learn from them.  If another nation puts somebody on Mars…let’s not try to one up them and put someone on Pluto. I’m not so sure that would be a hot idea anyways.  The point being.  Let’s learn from each other.  A little competition is healthy, but let’s be the first to congratulate someone on a success, and let’s be the first to share what we find.  Racing isn’t the answer, after all, slow and steady has won a race or two.

4.      Act:  If we fail to act, we become a part of the problem.  If the majority of society feels the above to be true, then we have no choice but to act.  Our words in blogs may mean one thing, but if we don’t put words into actions we become complacent.  What is best for our kids?  We must change our focus.  We need to do what is right.  I’m in the field of education because I have a passion for helping people.  I feel that through educating young minds, I can have an impact on this world.  What is your passion?  Will you act on it?  We owe it to our students to fight for what is right.

 

Travis Jordan

Superintendent

Griggs County Central School District #18

Cooperstown, ND 58425

@Supt_Jordan

 

 

 

I Challenge You.

I’m not sure about you, but my Facebook page has been flooded with individuals completing the “Ice-Bucket Challenge” to raise awareness/funds for ALS.  The support for this cause has been unbelievable and it truly shows the nature of the human spirit.  I’m proud to say that I too took this challenge (twice) and became drenched in ice-water.  Kudos to the individual(s) that came up with the great idea.

With that concept in mind I’d like to introduce a new challenge.  I know that there will be many new challenges that feed off of the previously mentioned, but this challenge is free and requires not a single cent to be transferred from your pockets.  It is actually quite simple.  I challenge you to have a conversation with somebody new each and every day for the next two weeks.   That’s it.  That is the challenge.

I presented this challenge to the students, parents, and educators of Griggs County Central during our first teacher in-service and our Back to School event.  I actually challenged them to do it for the entire school year.  A simple conversation with somebody that you don’t normally associate with each day is all this takes.  It can be two sentences back and forth and its over.  It can be simply greeting somebody in the hallway or on the street.  Give a smile and a simple hello.

Each and every one of us has a story.  Each of us wants and needs to feel like we belong.  Every student that walks through our doors has a battle or two or three or more that they are currently fighting.  I challenge you to lend a helping hand.  We all need to feel appreciated, and we all have an obligation to make our society a better place to live.

When you turn on the news you constantly hear the negative things happening in our world.  Whether it be crime, nasty politics, war, etc; we hear it every single day.  Our world is a much better place than what is portrayed in the media.  The Ice-Bucket Challenge is evidence of that.

One of the topics that seem to pop up in the media is the idea that our schools are failing.  Schools are not meeting Adequate Yearly Progress as defined by No Child Left Behind.  It is true; most schools are not meeting this benchmark.  Does one test truly measure a school’s effectiveness?  Has common sense become uncommon?  If you answered “no” to the first and “yes” to the second I think you are on the right track.

Here is how to ensure your school is succeeding.  Have a conversation with somebody new each day.  Make students/teachers feel appreciated.  Show an interest in them and they will show you what success is all about.  Teach real-world competencies such as creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, and communication.  Give them these four tools, and show them that they matter and they will begin to solve some of the problems that we have yet to find the answers.

I recently saw a quote that stated about sixty-five percent of our elementary students today will work at jobs that have not yet been invented when they graduate.  This is a staggering statistic.  The main job of a school district is to ensure students are college and career ready when they walk out your doors for the last time.  This can be a daunting task given the previously mentioned statistic.  Here is the answer.  Have a conversation with somebody new each and every day.  This will show them that they matter.  This will give them motivation to achieve.  Teach students real-world competencies that they will need in every single job when they graduate.  Allow children to be creative.  Ask driving questions (even if those questions yet to have a real answer). Allow students to work together as a team.  This allows them to learn cooperation, and better yet it yields face-to-face interaction (something that seems to be fading us in our society).  Finally allow them to communicate their work to the world.

It’s a simple challenge that requires you to pay nothing but receive the unlimited.  Start the conversation and show people that they matter.  I challenge students, parents, educators, business leaders, community members, and everyone else that has a beating heart.  For the next two weeks have a conversation with somebody new each and every day.   If you’re really brave do it for the rest of the year and maybe the rest of your life.

Disclaimer:  When I blog I simply write my thoughts as they come out of my head.  My blogs are not written to be precise with zero grammatical errors.  When I write for professional purposes I will have it critiqued, but not my blogs.  Sorry if I used the wrong there, or their, or they’re.  I’m notorious for that.  Also a comma here, there, everywhere, or nowhere could have been added or omitted.  My blogs are my thoughts and only that.  Enjoy : ).

Travis Jordan
Superintendent
Griggs County Central
Twitter: @Supt_Jordan

Resolution Day

Resolution Day

Disclaimer:  When I blog at home, I do not have a critiquer (is that a word?).  My grammar could and occasionally will be sub-par. When I blog I write how it appears in my head, not how it should appear in a journal :). 

It’s January 1^st, and yes, I’ve made my New Years Resolutions.  I saw recently that 90% of New Years Resolutions are broken within the first month.   Unfortunately, I’m one that continues to contribute to that data.

Not this year though…right? Can you feel my energy?  I even made more than one, and that probably had something to do with the fact that I’d already broken the first two.  But this third one I tell you is going to go the distance.  If your not at the edge of your seat reading this yet please get there, because I’m about to tell you all about my untouchable, unbreakable, longest lasting resolution yet.

I have fallen in love with Twitter. It is my greatest resource.  Anyways, if you have not heard of Jon Gordon look him up.  He is a motivator, innovator, and all the rest.  His message is inspiring, and he has created the “One Word” movement.  He has also written a number of captivating books.

We all know times get hard.  We get into a slump.  We feel down, cheated, alone etc.  Lets face it, we all have bad days.  What we don’t realize is that the world is full of bad days, and we are not alone at all.  Everybody has a story, and in everybody’s story are good chapters.  We can all think of something good that we have in our lives.  Why is it so easy though to see the bad? 

It is because we allow ourselves to.   On the bright side, we can control this.

I challenge each and every one of you to find one word that can resonate good in your lives.  Find a word that can take you from the dark to the light.  One word that can turn a frown into a smile, and turn a worry into an opportunity.  Find a word that gives you purpose and jump all over it. If you haven’t already give @JonGordon11 a follow.   You will get inspired.

I suppose you are wondering what my third resolution is.  It is my one word; “blessed.”  My resolution is to always feel blessed.  Why wouldn’t I?  I have three wonderful kids, an awesome wife, and a wonderful family.  I obviously have many other blessings but if I tell you those now, I will not have anything to blog about in the future. 

As we head into a new year, I wish peace and prosperity to each and every one of you.  The world can be cloudy at times, but it is also full of numerous blessings.  Be “blessed” and have a great year.

Blessed, not Stressed

Blessed, not Stressed

As I sat and pondered on what to write about for my next article, the Nightly News was on NBC.  While watching, I noticed that just about everything that was reported on was negative in some way, shape, or form: plane crash in Russia, destruction from a storm in the Philippines, tornadoes in Illinois, etcetera.   The negative continued on and suddenly it hit me.  I have no reason whatsoever to feel stressed.  I soon realized how good I have it, and started to think about all the things that have blessed me in my life.  I couldn’t stop.

Why is it that we tend to be more stressed than blessed?  Why is it that our stressors tend to outweigh our blessors (pretty sure that is not a word, but it works).   Why is it easier to see the negative things that surround us rather than the positive things that stare us in the face?  We can change this.

This time of year is all about family and thanksgiving.  After we feast on our turkeys (or other foods) next Thursday, we will begin to focus our attention on Christmas.  Christmas is a joyous time of year because we get to spend more time with our families doing the things that we love to do. 

This holiday season, count your blessings and be thankful for all of the good in your life.  If you sit down and think about it, you can probably come up with a million and one reasons to feel blessed.   I challenge you to feel blessed and not stressed!

What does this have to do with school?  Why is a superintendent telling you this?  Well, you know the old saying… “If momma ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy.”  The same applies for students.   Stress in the home can directly lead to stress at school.   Talk with your children each and every day about the positives in their lives.  One thing that I’ve started to do is ask my kids the same question every night before they go to bed:  “what was your favorite part of the day?”   Now they go to bed thinking about something positive. 

In any event – I will end with a short poem written by yours truly:

Are you feeling crabby?

Things in your life a little shabby?

Are you walking with a frown?

Well, it’s time to turn it upside down.

                               

Now put on your smile

Even if it’s for a two-minute trial.

You will feel better

And your life will feel like it’s coming back together.

If you are still feeling stressed after reading this article, think of the this:  you could be a turkey!