From Survival to Celebration: Energizing Your Staff in December ❄️

WEBVTT
1
00:00:03.439 --> 00:00:05.759
Are you a school leader striving for excellence?
2
00:00:07.519 --> 00:00:11.480
Do you crave actionable strategies and fresh perspectives to navigate
3
00:00:11.519 --> 00:00:13.919
the challenges of education today?
4
00:00:15.119 --> 00:00:16.600
Get ready to take charge.
5
00:00:16.800 --> 00:00:20.359
This is Control Shift Lead, giving you something to control,
6
00:00:20.600 --> 00:00:24.399
something to shift your thinking, and something concrete to help
7
00:00:24.440 --> 00:00:25.399
you lead your school.
8
00:00:25.719 --> 00:00:28.039
With Jim Witchman of Inspired.
9
00:00:27.600 --> 00:00:34.399
Edification and Adam Bush of AWB Education, your journey to
10
00:00:34.479 --> 00:00:36.679
empowered leadership starts now.
11
00:00:37.719 --> 00:00:40.359
Welcome back to Control Shift Lead podcast, where we give
12
00:00:40.479 --> 00:00:44.759
educators like you real, actionable information you can use as
13
00:00:44.799 --> 00:00:48.640
early as tomorrow. I'm Jim Witchman from Inspired Edification. I'm
14
00:00:48.719 --> 00:00:53.399
joined as always with my co host, the mister Adam
15
00:00:53.439 --> 00:00:56.840
Bush from ADWB Education. Hey Adam, how are you doing?
16
00:00:57.240 --> 00:00:57.359
Uh?
17
00:00:57.640 --> 00:00:58.000
Great?
18
00:00:58.159 --> 00:00:58.359
Now?
19
00:00:58.399 --> 00:00:59.759
I don't know if my head will get back out
20
00:00:59.799 --> 00:01:01.880
of the door after you just gave me that sucker,
21
00:01:01.880 --> 00:01:05.560
But that's impressive. You've been playing out and for the
22
00:01:05.599 --> 00:01:06.719
price since last month.
23
00:01:07.200 --> 00:01:10.359
I actually, you know, as you know, thinking about doing
24
00:01:10.400 --> 00:01:13.680
podcasts and everything, and everybody talks about having the time
25
00:01:13.719 --> 00:01:16.799
to do it or not, but they believe in it. Well,
26
00:01:16.799 --> 00:01:18.959
when I've got a co host like you, Adam Bush,
27
00:01:19.280 --> 00:01:21.640
it just makes things, just life a lot easier.
28
00:01:21.719 --> 00:01:22.079
Today.
29
00:01:22.400 --> 00:01:23.239
I appreciate it.
30
00:01:23.640 --> 00:01:23.799
Man.
31
00:01:24.879 --> 00:01:26.400
What have you been up to this last month?
32
00:01:26.799 --> 00:01:29.640
I'll tell you what. Just you know, we're already just
33
00:01:29.680 --> 00:01:32.239
winding the year down. It's crazy. It seems like you
34
00:01:32.400 --> 00:01:36.200
blink and another day has passed, and just trying to
35
00:01:36.359 --> 00:01:38.959
kind of get to that that hump that we all feel,
36
00:01:39.159 --> 00:01:41.840
you know, sometimes it's the low hump of the year,
37
00:01:41.959 --> 00:01:44.040
but it's it's coming, And just trying to get our
38
00:01:44.079 --> 00:01:47.079
staff through that and get everybody rocking and rolling so
39
00:01:47.120 --> 00:01:50.040
we can lead right into the holidays. But how about you,
40
00:01:50.400 --> 00:01:51.079
I tell you what.
41
00:01:51.120 --> 00:01:53.680
I've been to a lot of places that have been blessed,
42
00:01:53.719 --> 00:01:59.799
from Virginia, West Virginia, California, Illinois, Minnesota, and just got
43
00:01:59.799 --> 00:02:03.200
back from the Arkansas, which I gotta tell you, no
44
00:02:03.239 --> 00:02:06.000
offense to our guest here today, but that's one of
45
00:02:06.000 --> 00:02:08.599
the coolest middle schools I've been to. But we're gonna
46
00:02:08.599 --> 00:02:11.240
get to We're gonna talk about Lakery's middle School here too,
47
00:02:11.639 --> 00:02:12.599
and a little bit here.
48
00:02:12.800 --> 00:02:15.560
Yeah, speaking of our guests before you introduce him, though,
49
00:02:15.560 --> 00:02:17.360
I got to mention something. I know you'll do the
50
00:02:17.400 --> 00:02:20.000
formal introduction here, but as we were planning for this show,
51
00:02:20.240 --> 00:02:22.599
it's something just dawned on me. This is the first
52
00:02:22.639 --> 00:02:26.240
time that we're gonna have a guest that shares a
53
00:02:26.319 --> 00:02:27.919
name with one of us. So this is a problem
54
00:02:27.919 --> 00:02:30.039
for me. I'm trying to figure this out, Like do
55
00:02:30.120 --> 00:02:31.879
I have to give you a nickname? Are you like
56
00:02:31.919 --> 00:02:34.759
you know J Dubbs or like I don't know, or
57
00:02:34.840 --> 00:02:37.120
just witch men or what this is? But this is
58
00:02:37.159 --> 00:02:40.159
gonna cause some work tonight. I mean to get through this.
59
00:02:40.319 --> 00:02:42.080
I can help you out with this. One of the
60
00:02:42.120 --> 00:02:45.280
activities I do to force people to get to know
61
00:02:45.319 --> 00:02:48.719
each other a little better and nothing like an ice breakaway,
62
00:02:48.759 --> 00:02:51.599
but just kind of like who are we? So I say,
63
00:02:51.639 --> 00:02:55.280
introduce yourself as a nickname you had in elementary school,
64
00:02:55.680 --> 00:02:58.039
high school, college, or whatever the case is, but don't
65
00:02:58.039 --> 00:03:00.400
tell the story, so the stories come out after words.
66
00:03:00.400 --> 00:03:01.960
I can launch it so forth. So I'll give you
67
00:03:02.000 --> 00:03:09.360
three nicknames I've had over the years, all appropriate. Einstein
68
00:03:09.479 --> 00:03:16.400
was my elementary one. Witchy isn't easy, it's easy to explain,
69
00:03:16.919 --> 00:03:21.439
and then Ditchman is another one. Ditchman, So you've got Einstein, Witchie,
70
00:03:21.479 --> 00:03:23.479
or Ditchman. You can come up with either one any
71
00:03:23.520 --> 00:03:23.840
of those.
72
00:03:24.159 --> 00:03:27.039
Well, I'm just hoping that Einstein wasn't like a shot
73
00:03:27.080 --> 00:03:29.680
from friends, you know, like you know, if I'm a
74
00:03:29.680 --> 00:03:31.960
bigger guy, if somebody calls me tiny, you know, it's
75
00:03:32.000 --> 00:03:33.919
not one of those type of things. But I hope.
76
00:03:36.120 --> 00:03:38.960
Actually it goes down to when my hair grows, it
77
00:03:39.039 --> 00:03:41.400
grows out. And so a sixth grader when I was
78
00:03:41.439 --> 00:03:43.479
in third grade is sixth grader. So my wild hair
79
00:03:43.479 --> 00:03:46.560
blowing around, he called me Einstein. Yeah, that's a better reason.
80
00:03:46.680 --> 00:03:48.319
That's better than what I was coming up with. So
81
00:03:48.400 --> 00:03:50.560
you got you go ahead, you call whatever. We got
82
00:03:50.599 --> 00:03:53.360
a guess that's gonna roll with it. Heck, he's laughing already,
83
00:03:53.840 --> 00:03:56.879
and I gotta tell you before I introduce him, we
84
00:03:56.960 --> 00:03:59.439
got something big because this guy can bring the energy
85
00:03:59.759 --> 00:04:02.080
and he definitely brings the laughter. So when you're talking
86
00:04:02.120 --> 00:04:05.520
about going into December, he's the guy. He's the guy
87
00:04:05.560 --> 00:04:09.960
that we need for this right now. So yeah, so hey,
88
00:04:09.960 --> 00:04:13.800
speaking of joining us in this episode is mister Jim Dutrow.
89
00:04:13.960 --> 00:04:17.720
Jim is a middle school principal in Prince William County
90
00:04:17.759 --> 00:04:22.079
Schools at Lake Ridge Middle School, where nobody, I mean
91
00:04:22.279 --> 00:04:27.079
nobody has a building with the most beautiful artwork, the paintings,
92
00:04:27.240 --> 00:04:31.639
the murals, everything is flat out amazing. Hey, welcome Jim
93
00:04:31.680 --> 00:04:33.360
to control shift lead.
94
00:04:33.759 --> 00:04:35.279
All right, welcome down.
95
00:04:36.079 --> 00:04:38.560
And we've added to the murals since the last time
96
00:04:38.600 --> 00:04:40.839
you've been. So we're gonna have to get to back out.
97
00:04:41.839 --> 00:04:43.800
My good I'll be I'll be back out. I'm not
98
00:04:43.839 --> 00:04:49.759
sure where there. Yeah, you talk about My favorite one
99
00:04:49.920 --> 00:04:51.839
is the one, not the one in the gym, but
100
00:04:51.879 --> 00:04:53.959
the one above the threshold.
101
00:04:54.399 --> 00:04:58.120
Tell Adam to tell us this details here. This is good.
102
00:04:58.399 --> 00:05:02.240
It's just wolf eyes looking at you, making sure that
103
00:05:02.279 --> 00:05:06.759
you're going to class on time, ready to learn. Yeah,
104
00:05:06.800 --> 00:05:10.879
they're just just hurry at you. They're scary. Yeah, they're
105
00:05:10.920 --> 00:05:11.319
meant to be.
106
00:05:12.600 --> 00:05:13.120
That's good.
107
00:05:14.399 --> 00:05:15.720
That's kids.
108
00:05:16.439 --> 00:05:20.279
I've got to I've been working. I started coaching out
109
00:05:20.279 --> 00:05:22.560
of Prince William I think it was twenty eighteen nineteen
110
00:05:22.600 --> 00:05:24.759
somewhere right. It was before COVID, right before COVID, I
111
00:05:24.800 --> 00:05:28.519
know that. And so I got the opportunity to see
112
00:05:28.600 --> 00:05:32.000
Jim and his leadership skills and how he's he navigates
113
00:05:32.160 --> 00:05:35.959
not only just like through the trickiness of COVID, but
114
00:05:36.680 --> 00:05:39.319
really just how he builds his staff. And he's one
115
00:05:39.319 --> 00:05:45.399
of those leaders that slow and steady and subtle but
116
00:05:45.480 --> 00:05:48.800
yet there's clear lines all the way through for student
117
00:05:48.839 --> 00:05:53.360
behavior and the adult behavior as well. Awesome, it's not utopia,
118
00:05:53.399 --> 00:05:55.439
but that school has really got it going on. And
119
00:05:55.480 --> 00:05:59.199
I got to say he's got one of the best
120
00:06:00.079 --> 00:06:04.360
assistant principles ever, multiple assistant principles. But Michelle knows who
121
00:06:04.360 --> 00:06:07.800
I'm talking about. That's good. I got a great staff.
122
00:06:07.879 --> 00:06:08.480
Not gonna lie.
123
00:06:08.600 --> 00:06:11.120
I uh yeah, we have a We have an amazing
124
00:06:11.120 --> 00:06:12.800
staff which makes me live good sometimes.
125
00:06:13.319 --> 00:06:15.319
Turn right, turn right. That's good.
126
00:06:17.920 --> 00:06:21.600
Well, welcome to the control shift, Lead Jimmy, and we're
127
00:06:21.600 --> 00:06:24.319
gonna get going and talking about your things that we
128
00:06:24.319 --> 00:06:26.199
can control. That you got to offer us things that
129
00:06:26.240 --> 00:06:29.360
maybe can shift our thinking a little bit, and then
130
00:06:29.839 --> 00:06:32.120
how we can with some leadership tips we could have.
131
00:06:32.279 --> 00:06:35.000
So right, if we take a break, we're gonna jump
132
00:06:35.079 --> 00:06:36.839
right into what you can help us with what we
133
00:06:36.879 --> 00:06:37.519
can control.
134
00:06:50.600 --> 00:06:54.879
All right, welcome back. So, whichmand that opening segment really
135
00:06:55.040 --> 00:06:58.560
just hit home? I mean December right here, we feel
136
00:06:58.560 --> 00:07:00.639
like we're just sometimes running a Maria. I kind of
137
00:07:00.639 --> 00:07:03.199
felt like I was following you through that marathon right
138
00:07:03.199 --> 00:07:05.120
there as we're getting into the break. But it's also
139
00:07:05.240 --> 00:07:07.319
a great time for us to have some opportunities to
140
00:07:07.360 --> 00:07:10.399
connect with people, and Jim, that's the part that brings
141
00:07:10.439 --> 00:07:12.920
us right into our first segment, and that is control.
142
00:07:13.079 --> 00:07:16.639
So this month we want to talk about being like
143
00:07:16.800 --> 00:07:20.680
mentally present, and you're talking about like celebrating the arts
144
00:07:20.720 --> 00:07:24.160
programming in the school and all of that wonderful stuff. So, Jim,
145
00:07:24.199 --> 00:07:28.279
at Lakeridge Middle School, you've clearly made visibility at these
146
00:07:28.319 --> 00:07:31.360
events a priority, as we've talked about getting ready for
147
00:07:31.399 --> 00:07:34.040
the show today. So how do you do that? How
148
00:07:34.040 --> 00:07:36.800
do you ensure that you're truly present? Your leadership team
149
00:07:36.839 --> 00:07:39.279
isn't just there checking a box during these moments.
150
00:07:39.839 --> 00:07:44.040
Sure, I think I think you said it perfectly, be present,
151
00:07:44.199 --> 00:07:47.639
And I think we always have administrators at our performances,
152
00:07:47.800 --> 00:07:52.319
holiday programs, holiday music and even at times where if
153
00:07:52.360 --> 00:07:54.560
I can't be there, And this is one of the
154
00:07:54.560 --> 00:07:57.120
things I love about my admin team. We are getting
155
00:07:57.240 --> 00:08:02.439
videos from the performances, but we partner with our local
156
00:08:02.519 --> 00:08:04.920
high school, Woodbridge High School, home of the Vikings went
157
00:08:04.959 --> 00:08:05.600
to Woodbridge.
158
00:08:07.319 --> 00:08:09.560
Nice shout out there all the schools I work at,
159
00:08:09.680 --> 00:08:12.600
and so like partnering with them for some of those
160
00:08:12.639 --> 00:08:14.360
performances where.
161
00:08:14.680 --> 00:08:17.360
You know, it's a great way for our kids to
162
00:08:17.600 --> 00:08:20.240
see kind of that next level of work that they'll
163
00:08:20.279 --> 00:08:23.839
see in high school. And for us as administrators, I
164
00:08:23.959 --> 00:08:29.000
get to see our former students performing like awesome. I mean,
165
00:08:29.040 --> 00:08:31.959
it is such a joy to be able to see
166
00:08:32.000 --> 00:08:36.759
how far our kids have gone from sixth grade through
167
00:08:36.840 --> 00:08:39.320
eighth grade and then to get to see them again
168
00:08:39.399 --> 00:08:43.200
perform ninth, tenth, eleventh, and even twelfth grade. And so
169
00:08:43.320 --> 00:08:46.360
I think that is a great way for you to
170
00:08:46.720 --> 00:08:51.120
build community within your school, build community within the arts
171
00:08:51.159 --> 00:08:54.559
programs for your school. And so that is something that
172
00:08:54.600 --> 00:08:57.840
I've definitely we've tried to control. We set those schedules
173
00:08:57.960 --> 00:09:00.559
up pretty much like a year in advance to make
174
00:09:00.559 --> 00:09:02.960
sure that we can get space in the high school
175
00:09:03.039 --> 00:09:06.879
on certain days, and so I think being present for
176
00:09:07.000 --> 00:09:11.279
those performances is definitely something that we can control as
177
00:09:11.399 --> 00:09:14.440
leaders and making sure our admin team is there that
178
00:09:14.559 --> 00:09:19.000
sixth grade AP is in that sixth grade performance, seventh
179
00:09:19.000 --> 00:09:21.879
grade AP is up grade performance, and just building those
180
00:09:21.919 --> 00:09:25.039
relationships with our kids, with our families, they see us there,
181
00:09:25.440 --> 00:09:27.159
and so I think that's very important.
182
00:09:27.879 --> 00:09:31.919
Yeah, you hear you talking about really taking the emotions
183
00:09:31.960 --> 00:09:34.799
of I'm running out of energy, but then building it
184
00:09:34.840 --> 00:09:37.399
back up because we know that if you would have
185
00:09:37.480 --> 00:09:40.840
any of your elementary feeder system teachers come into this school,
186
00:09:41.320 --> 00:09:43.399
they walk down the hallways and the kids at the
187
00:09:43.399 --> 00:09:46.320
middle school are going to swamp them. Same concept when
188
00:09:46.320 --> 00:09:49.000
the high school kids come in. And so now you're
189
00:09:49.039 --> 00:09:51.559
taking this energy that's draining and now we're like getting
190
00:09:51.559 --> 00:09:54.399
it back up to we have a community that's bigger
191
00:09:54.399 --> 00:09:56.639
than Lake Ridge Middle School. We're bringing in the vikings,
192
00:09:56.720 --> 00:09:59.559
the Woodbridge High School vikings, and then just kind of
193
00:09:59.600 --> 00:10:02.519
partnering within that. And I love that how you said that.
194
00:10:02.879 --> 00:10:05.159
And then along with that is it's not just about
195
00:10:05.159 --> 00:10:08.679
being physically present, it's about being mentally present with the
196
00:10:08.759 --> 00:10:11.120
kids and the families. And now we really do have
197
00:10:11.159 --> 00:10:11.759
a community.
198
00:10:12.200 --> 00:10:14.679
Yeah. No, that's a great point there, whichmand I mean,
199
00:10:15.039 --> 00:10:17.120
if you think about that, that gives you that opportunity
200
00:10:17.120 --> 00:10:19.919
to really see the whole child. We talk about that
201
00:10:20.000 --> 00:10:22.440
all the time. But it's not just all because I
202
00:10:22.519 --> 00:10:25.600
was your third grade teacher or I was your you know,
203
00:10:25.679 --> 00:10:29.320
elementary principle that I only care about you during that time, no, no, no, no,
204
00:10:29.360 --> 00:10:31.679
I care about you from start to finish to life
205
00:10:31.720 --> 00:10:35.240
to everything else really gives you that opportunity to do that,
206
00:10:35.399 --> 00:10:37.399
and you know, Jim, is your bringing that up, it
207
00:10:37.519 --> 00:10:40.440
just brings back a memory. I remember a few years
208
00:10:40.480 --> 00:10:43.120
back when I was at a concert and happened to
209
00:10:43.159 --> 00:10:45.080
just run into the kid in the hallway, which for
210
00:10:45.159 --> 00:10:46.919
me now is a little bit more difficult from the
211
00:10:46.960 --> 00:10:49.799
district office administrator role. You know, I just don't see
212
00:10:49.879 --> 00:10:53.080
kids as often as further detached, but happen to see
213
00:10:53.080 --> 00:10:55.559
a kid, I recognize them, like, hey, a nice job
214
00:10:55.600 --> 00:10:57.360
at the concert last night, and they stopped real quickly.
215
00:10:58.000 --> 00:11:01.559
You were there, well, yeah, yeah, you know, and it
216
00:11:01.600 --> 00:11:04.519
was it was just a little moment, a little moment,
217
00:11:04.559 --> 00:11:07.919
but that that's a good moment. And just by taking
218
00:11:07.919 --> 00:11:09.559
that opportunity, I would never be able to have that
219
00:11:09.600 --> 00:11:11.679
conversation had I not been there in the first place.
220
00:11:12.799 --> 00:11:15.600
Hey, Jim, go ahead, Hey Jim, do you talk about
221
00:11:15.679 --> 00:11:18.639
an experience maybe that you had in the one of
222
00:11:18.639 --> 00:11:20.960
the concerts or one of the kids, or the moment
223
00:11:21.120 --> 00:11:24.200
of just seeing them perform. And I think, like Adam says,
224
00:11:24.240 --> 00:11:26.879
is if we see him in the whole child versus
225
00:11:26.919 --> 00:11:29.320
that kid who maybe is struggling a little bit through
226
00:11:29.360 --> 00:11:32.120
the day or pushing the buttons of teachers, just talk
227
00:11:32.159 --> 00:11:34.159
about some of those experiences you had.
228
00:11:35.240 --> 00:11:38.440
I think one of my favorite experiences is I will
229
00:11:38.519 --> 00:11:41.919
usually go out or whichever administrators there will go out
230
00:11:41.919 --> 00:11:45.960
and do a little introduction and then being behind the curtain.
231
00:11:46.120 --> 00:11:49.879
It's kind of that stage. We don't normally get backstage passes.
232
00:11:49.960 --> 00:11:52.759
I'm not I'm not at a concert getting backstage passes,
233
00:11:52.799 --> 00:11:54.679
but I'll tell you what. At Woodbridgs High School for
234
00:11:54.759 --> 00:11:58.320
the orchestra concert, I get a backstage pass. And so
235
00:11:58.600 --> 00:12:02.159
getting to see our kids perform, getting to see our
236
00:12:02.240 --> 00:12:07.080
teachers on that stage and how they command that entire
237
00:12:07.159 --> 00:12:10.679
audience at a in a high school venue is just
238
00:12:11.600 --> 00:12:16.480
it's an amazing experience and it's something that I think
239
00:12:16.519 --> 00:12:21.919
only as an administrator you really feel how great that is.
240
00:12:21.960 --> 00:12:25.440
And I think sometimes when we're performing with the high
241
00:12:25.480 --> 00:12:28.840
school students, it's even better because you get to see
242
00:12:29.600 --> 00:12:33.840
that growth and our kids love it, our teachers love it,
243
00:12:34.000 --> 00:12:36.440
and so it's been it's been for me.
244
00:12:37.159 --> 00:12:38.879
So I want to go back to something you just
245
00:12:38.919 --> 00:12:43.000
said there, Jim. So you you mentioned about saying something
246
00:12:43.120 --> 00:12:46.159
like are you starting the concert or giving an introduction
247
00:12:46.320 --> 00:12:46.799
or anything else?
248
00:12:47.480 --> 00:12:47.960
Introduction?
249
00:12:48.320 --> 00:12:51.639
Yeah, see that isn't done enough. I mean, I can
250
00:12:51.679 --> 00:12:53.600
I can think of the many years I've been doing this.
251
00:12:54.080 --> 00:12:56.879
A couple times I've been asked to do a quick introduction,
252
00:12:57.039 --> 00:12:59.519
and yeah, I've always says reading, I do podcasting. I've
253
00:12:59.519 --> 00:13:01.240
got a voice for it, probably have a face for
254
00:13:01.360 --> 00:13:03.799
radio two. But you know, I knew you guys say that. Yeah,
255
00:13:03.799 --> 00:13:05.480
because that's true. I mean, it is what it is.
256
00:13:05.480 --> 00:13:07.240
I can own that. But what it makes me think
257
00:13:07.279 --> 00:13:10.799
of is why not? Because that's a great opportunity for visibility.
258
00:13:10.919 --> 00:13:13.039
So it's a quick win for your community's like, oh,
259
00:13:13.080 --> 00:13:15.120
there's that guy up there, there's that gual up there.
260
00:13:15.159 --> 00:13:18.840
She cares about my kid that's on this stage, putting
261
00:13:18.840 --> 00:13:22.159
all of that time and effort and energy to perform
262
00:13:22.240 --> 00:13:23.440
and show their talents.
263
00:13:23.759 --> 00:13:25.120
What an easy way.
264
00:13:25.159 --> 00:13:26.519
I don't know why we don't do that more often,
265
00:13:26.600 --> 00:13:28.559
Like Jim, serious, this is like why haven't we done that?
266
00:13:29.240 --> 00:13:31.840
Yeah? I think we got to also be mindful. Sometimes
267
00:13:32.039 --> 00:13:34.840
when ministries don't know how to do that, they start
268
00:13:34.879 --> 00:13:37.720
talking about things that aren't really valid and important. So
269
00:13:37.759 --> 00:13:39.720
if you keep it tight and then you can do
270
00:13:39.759 --> 00:13:42.399
some amazing things Like you're standing up there, you're looking
271
00:13:42.440 --> 00:13:45.159
at the parents, You're like connecting with them. That ways, well,
272
00:13:45.720 --> 00:13:48.679
And here's one thing I know that and Jim kind
273
00:13:48.679 --> 00:13:53.039
of alluded to a little bit, is when you are backstage,
274
00:13:53.639 --> 00:13:56.879
you see the nerves and you see the excitement. This
275
00:13:57.039 --> 00:14:00.039
is a big the pride of all those kids and
276
00:14:00.039 --> 00:14:03.320
they're coming off backstage, Adam, I saw it in show choir,
277
00:14:03.559 --> 00:14:05.240
and I saw it when I was a principal at
278
00:14:05.279 --> 00:14:10.000
Prairidge Middle School. It is so powerful and it's like, gosh,
279
00:14:10.039 --> 00:14:11.279
there's purpose right there.
280
00:14:12.960 --> 00:14:15.000
No, you can take that a step further too. You
281
00:14:15.080 --> 00:14:17.799
get to you know, you're going to watch a baseball game.
282
00:14:17.840 --> 00:14:19.679
If the coach was okay with it, I suppose by
283
00:14:19.759 --> 00:14:21.240
going to watch a baseball game, go sit on the
284
00:14:21.279 --> 00:14:23.159
end of the bench. Let's go sit down there for
285
00:14:23.159 --> 00:14:25.639
a little bit. If you can. Why not see kids
286
00:14:25.639 --> 00:14:26.600
in action? See this?
287
00:14:27.519 --> 00:14:29.639
I love that idea. That's a great administrator. But not
288
00:14:29.759 --> 00:14:30.240
as a parent.
289
00:14:30.519 --> 00:14:32.440
Well yeah that too. Yeah, probably shouldn't do that. One
290
00:14:32.799 --> 00:14:34.799
might be a little different, but yeah, darn right. If
291
00:14:35.200 --> 00:14:36.759
you're a principal of that build, it doesn't.
292
00:14:37.080 --> 00:14:38.120
Why not? Why not?
293
00:14:38.200 --> 00:14:41.039
It shows that you care about them, not just because
294
00:14:41.320 --> 00:14:43.639
they're in the classroom at that one moment in time.
295
00:14:43.799 --> 00:14:44.639
They're the whole child.
296
00:14:45.120 --> 00:14:47.840
Now Jim, I know you guys do announcements and you're
297
00:14:47.879 --> 00:14:49.799
you're out and about in the hallways with kids, and
298
00:14:49.840 --> 00:14:52.039
so tell us a little bit about the connection of
299
00:14:52.080 --> 00:14:55.440
the day after a performance in December.
300
00:14:55.960 --> 00:14:58.840
Sure, I think it's it's talking to the kids and saying, hey,
301
00:14:58.879 --> 00:15:01.799
great job last night, making sure that they know that
302
00:15:01.840 --> 00:15:04.679
you appreciate what they do. Another thing that we do
303
00:15:04.960 --> 00:15:07.879
in our hallways again, another thing that we can control
304
00:15:08.200 --> 00:15:11.039
as we get closer to the end of December and
305
00:15:11.080 --> 00:15:15.279
getting closer to winter break. Our kids perform in the building,
306
00:15:15.559 --> 00:15:18.360
whether it is in our mixing bowl which is kind
307
00:15:18.399 --> 00:15:23.679
of our open area, our cafeteria. We will have different
308
00:15:23.720 --> 00:15:28.480
groups perform nice for the student body in the morning
309
00:15:28.559 --> 00:15:32.120
as they're getting ready to go to first period. And
310
00:15:32.159 --> 00:15:36.279
we've even had faculty come in and perform with them,
311
00:15:36.440 --> 00:15:39.200
and not just the music teachers. And so what a
312
00:15:39.240 --> 00:15:43.279
great way to find out that, hey, that that English
313
00:15:43.360 --> 00:15:46.559
teacher that you have that's down the hallway. Yeah, they
314
00:15:46.600 --> 00:15:49.879
also play guitar, the wow Dure and that's played that
315
00:15:49.960 --> 00:15:52.240
played trumpet all their life and now they get an
316
00:15:52.279 --> 00:15:55.000
opportunity to perform with kids. They make connection with the
317
00:15:55.080 --> 00:15:57.320
kids that they may not even have or ever have,
318
00:15:58.120 --> 00:16:01.559
and you're now again building some worknnections within your building
319
00:16:02.000 --> 00:16:05.600
between students and adults. Well at the same time having
320
00:16:05.639 --> 00:16:11.399
a great time. And yeah, for that end of December timeframe,
321
00:16:11.799 --> 00:16:13.159
what instrument do you play with him?
322
00:16:13.200 --> 00:16:13.480
Jim?
323
00:16:14.159 --> 00:16:16.480
I play the stand there and clip.
324
00:16:18.200 --> 00:16:22.639
An instrument that works. Yeah, Adam, Adam, what do you play?
325
00:16:22.679 --> 00:16:26.799
Adam? I hate to say this because I have not
326
00:16:26.919 --> 00:16:28.759
touched in a long time, but you know I was.
327
00:16:29.399 --> 00:16:32.240
I was blessed enough to be an all state trombonist
328
00:16:32.279 --> 00:16:32.919
back in the day.
329
00:16:33.000 --> 00:16:35.279
I thought you had something to be your sleeve.
330
00:16:35.840 --> 00:16:39.159
Yeah, yeah, I do. I do. It's been a long time,
331
00:16:39.200 --> 00:16:42.120
but tell you what, Jim, this was a great start
332
00:16:42.240 --> 00:16:45.279
for control. I mean, I'm getting all excited, and usually
333
00:16:45.279 --> 00:16:48.080
that's Witchman's job during this podcast is to get all
334
00:16:48.080 --> 00:16:50.200
that energy coming out. So you've got me going already.
335
00:16:50.480 --> 00:16:52.480
This is awesome. I can I just can't wait and
336
00:16:52.519 --> 00:16:54.919
see what we still got coming. So yeah, stay with
337
00:16:54.960 --> 00:16:56.360
us for a little bit. We're gonna take a quick
338
00:16:56.399 --> 00:16:58.120
break so we can pay some bills, and when we
339
00:16:58.200 --> 00:17:02.159
get back, we will shift our focus to shift as
340
00:17:02.200 --> 00:17:04.079
we talk about some things. I can really shift your
341
00:17:04.119 --> 00:17:08.480
thinking about some staff and students recharge things that we
342
00:17:08.559 --> 00:17:10.720
can do in the month of December. So hang on,
343
00:17:10.759 --> 00:17:12.079
everybody will be right back here.
344
00:17:11.920 --> 00:17:12.599
In just a second.
345
00:17:23.359 --> 00:17:26.359
Welcome back to control Shift lead everyone. Before the break,
346
00:17:26.519 --> 00:17:29.200
Jim talked about what we can control right now in
347
00:17:29.279 --> 00:17:33.000
our celebrations and actually the emotional ties that come with
348
00:17:33.039 --> 00:17:35.559
it for not just the students but also the adults.
349
00:17:35.920 --> 00:17:37.920
The shift we're going to discuss this month is moving
350
00:17:37.960 --> 00:17:41.759
from simply surviving until break to actively ensuring our staff
351
00:17:41.799 --> 00:17:44.920
have energy going into break so that when they are
352
00:17:45.000 --> 00:17:48.279
at break, they have the energy to really enjoy their families.
353
00:17:49.240 --> 00:17:52.400
The concept concept, but we love it.
354
00:17:53.279 --> 00:17:55.839
Screw that up somehow, and I don't understand it. It's
355
00:17:55.880 --> 00:18:00.720
it's like, this is our time to celebrate, right Well,
356
00:18:00.759 --> 00:18:03.799
here's the good news is Adam, our main man, Jimmy
357
00:18:03.839 --> 00:18:05.039
here is going to take us through.
358
00:18:05.839 --> 00:18:09.200
Jim help us shift our thinking a little bit here. Sure,
359
00:18:09.799 --> 00:18:12.680
I think that's a huge thing. I think too many
360
00:18:12.720 --> 00:18:15.599
times end of the year, coming up on breaks, it's
361
00:18:15.640 --> 00:18:19.559
always how many how many Dayst'll break? How what do
362
00:18:19.559 --> 00:18:20.240
I gotta get through?
363
00:18:20.400 --> 00:18:22.400
It's like, yeah, thirteen to fifteen, Yeah, we're.
364
00:18:22.279 --> 00:18:25.799
Going to count him down right absolutely, And so really
365
00:18:26.240 --> 00:18:30.720
we try to as much as we can build the
366
00:18:30.799 --> 00:18:35.839
momentum to break, give our staff our students things to
367
00:18:35.880 --> 00:18:40.039
look forward to leading into break, so that one truancy
368
00:18:40.160 --> 00:18:43.440
is an issue across our chronic apps and teeism is
369
00:18:43.480 --> 00:18:48.359
a nationwide issue post COVID, and so we are always
370
00:18:48.440 --> 00:18:50.319
trying to find ways to make sure our kids want
371
00:18:50.319 --> 00:18:53.440
to be in school. Same thing with our staff. Yeah,
372
00:18:53.519 --> 00:19:01.559
we found our staff sometimes struggle with chronic absenteeism. And
373
00:19:01.640 --> 00:19:04.000
so one of the things that we have done the
374
00:19:04.079 --> 00:19:07.400
last couple of years is and I'm wearing my sweatshirt today.
375
00:19:07.759 --> 00:19:11.480
We have some swag giveaways every week, usually on days
376
00:19:11.519 --> 00:19:14.839
where we've got a lot of teachers out and the
377
00:19:15.160 --> 00:19:20.480
one caveat to that is must be present to win,
378
00:19:23.440 --> 00:19:28.039
to win, And so this sweatshirt and Jim has one,
379
00:19:28.480 --> 00:19:29.519
which man has one?
380
00:19:30.000 --> 00:19:30.920
I should have wore it today?
381
00:19:31.000 --> 00:19:34.640
Yes, yeah, to get one out to you. So we'll
382
00:19:34.640 --> 00:19:36.559
make sure we get one out to you. It is
383
00:19:36.599 --> 00:19:40.039
the most shirt you've ever worn in your entire life.
384
00:19:40.079 --> 00:19:42.880
I don't know what you need. It's great and our
385
00:19:42.920 --> 00:19:46.599
staff loves it. Like we call it the Wheel of Names.
386
00:19:46.680 --> 00:19:50.519
So every usually it's on Fridays, but not always on Fridays,
387
00:19:51.039 --> 00:19:54.119
we spend the wheel set number of names come up,
388
00:19:54.160 --> 00:19:55.920
but you have to be present to win, and our
389
00:19:56.240 --> 00:19:59.680
absenteeism for staff has gone down since we've since we've
390
00:19:59.680 --> 00:20:03.920
started this, and so you know, perfect example, I was
391
00:20:03.960 --> 00:20:07.440
in Indianapolis a little bit ago for a conference, presenting
392
00:20:07.440 --> 00:20:10.759
at a conference and I couldn't do the Wheel of
393
00:20:10.839 --> 00:20:13.559
Names on that Friday, and the amount of text that
394
00:20:13.680 --> 00:20:17.200
I got on age, I was like, We're going to
395
00:20:17.279 --> 00:20:20.200
do it on Monday, which everything's going to be fine.
396
00:20:20.319 --> 00:20:23.200
Sweatshirts are going out. But you know, our staff has
397
00:20:23.200 --> 00:20:25.799
really gotten into it and it's it's something that they
398
00:20:25.839 --> 00:20:29.359
look forward to, and so you know, that's something My
399
00:20:29.480 --> 00:20:33.519
goal was to have all of them out by winter break,
400
00:20:34.400 --> 00:20:36.119
and we started this at the beginning of the year.
401
00:20:36.240 --> 00:20:40.000
So that's something that we love to do. Just fun activities,
402
00:20:40.000 --> 00:20:40.920
giveaways for stuff.
403
00:20:41.440 --> 00:20:43.519
What a great way because I know that, you know,
404
00:20:43.680 --> 00:20:45.240
Gene Day used to be that kind of like a
405
00:20:45.319 --> 00:20:47.039
cupon for Gen Day or things like that, and we
406
00:20:47.160 --> 00:20:49.920
kind of had to evolve a little bit and I
407
00:20:49.960 --> 00:20:53.759
did something similar. I didn't have the coolest white shirts
408
00:20:53.839 --> 00:20:56.720
or anything like that, but I remember giving away like
409
00:20:56.799 --> 00:20:59.720
a dinner for two and that got a lot of cheers,
410
00:21:00.880 --> 00:21:04.559
so did everything else, like a pencil. I mean, I
411
00:21:04.599 --> 00:21:06.599
was giving away all these things and they all get
412
00:21:06.599 --> 00:21:09.079
equal cheers. I think it's just shaking it up a
413
00:21:09.079 --> 00:21:11.440
little bit throughout the mundane part of it.
414
00:21:11.799 --> 00:21:14.519
Well, and I think to which when you're talking about, yeah,
415
00:21:14.559 --> 00:21:17.920
it's giving away, that's good. You know, people like swag,
416
00:21:17.960 --> 00:21:20.440
they like all that stuff. That's great, But it's also
417
00:21:20.519 --> 00:21:22.960
just think about the camaraderie that happens during the moment.
418
00:21:23.119 --> 00:21:26.240
That's really what people are getting to, right, It's that. Yeah,
419
00:21:26.279 --> 00:21:28.440
it's kind of like when we you know, I was
420
00:21:28.720 --> 00:21:32.839
always talking about with coaching, where you'd hide conditioning, right,
421
00:21:32.920 --> 00:21:35.119
I need people to condition. They don't like to condition
422
00:21:35.480 --> 00:21:37.359
by hide it in other things and people they just
423
00:21:37.400 --> 00:21:39.279
get into it, they have fun. Well, it's the same thing.
424
00:21:39.720 --> 00:21:39.960
Really.
425
00:21:39.960 --> 00:21:42.720
The goal you're trying to do is get that ownership
426
00:21:42.759 --> 00:21:45.200
piece with the school and wanting to be there and
427
00:21:45.200 --> 00:21:47.440
that desire to be there. You just got to hide
428
00:21:47.480 --> 00:21:49.839
it within some giveaways or which I think that's an
429
00:21:49.839 --> 00:21:52.720
awesome idea by the way, but again it's you know,
430
00:21:52.759 --> 00:21:55.680
it's kind of might have a different purpose and if
431
00:21:55.680 --> 00:21:57.559
we just say it, does that really you know the
432
00:21:58.240 --> 00:22:00.839
we need you here at school. E. I don't know
433
00:22:00.880 --> 00:22:04.519
I was gonna do a whole lot, but having something
434
00:22:04.519 --> 00:22:06.400
we do as a team like that is gonna that's
435
00:22:06.440 --> 00:22:08.680
just gonna have a bigger impact on I think that's
436
00:22:08.680 --> 00:22:09.319
a great idea.
437
00:22:10.640 --> 00:22:12.559
What's the feedback you've been getting from that, Jimmy?
438
00:22:13.720 --> 00:22:16.640
I love it. And I think you see more and
439
00:22:16.759 --> 00:22:20.759
more sweatshirts throughout the year as more and more people
440
00:22:20.839 --> 00:22:24.240
win them. And so again there's that you talk about,
441
00:22:24.240 --> 00:22:27.519
that camaraderie of yep, we've got them, and they all
442
00:22:27.599 --> 00:22:29.759
know they're eventually gonna get them. That's the other piece
443
00:22:29.839 --> 00:22:31.839
I think is important. They know that they're going to
444
00:22:31.839 --> 00:22:35.039
get it at some point, and it's just kind of
445
00:22:35.039 --> 00:22:38.200
the bracking rates before if you get it early versus
446
00:22:38.319 --> 00:22:39.920
later on in the year.
447
00:22:40.720 --> 00:22:42.599
So I know some of the staff members, now are
448
00:22:42.599 --> 00:22:44.680
they when they win, are they like strutting around a
449
00:22:44.680 --> 00:22:47.319
little bit, or are they just yeah.
450
00:22:47.160 --> 00:22:51.720
Oh yeah, that would be there higher staff got it?
451
00:22:52.319 --> 00:22:53.480
Yeah, yeah, yep.
452
00:22:53.599 --> 00:22:55.200
I like that. So, Adam, I think I might have
453
00:22:55.279 --> 00:22:57.599
picked up on one of your each each week or
454
00:22:57.599 --> 00:23:00.920
each month, I try to grab an atomism along the way.
455
00:23:01.079 --> 00:23:03.599
I've never heard of hide conditioning or hide pride or
456
00:23:04.119 --> 00:23:06.839
you're kind of like you're being savvy with it, but
457
00:23:06.559 --> 00:23:08.119
it but it just kind of makes it more of
458
00:23:08.119 --> 00:23:11.960
a natural. So often we do things like an icebreaker.
459
00:23:12.119 --> 00:23:15.839
Nobody likes icebreakers, but we do them. However, you could
460
00:23:15.880 --> 00:23:18.039
do the same thing, and if there's intention into it,
461
00:23:18.119 --> 00:23:20.160
no longer it is to become an icebreaker. It becomes
462
00:23:20.200 --> 00:23:22.880
like something with purpose. And what I what I think
463
00:23:22.920 --> 00:23:24.920
about it is when we do things to check it
464
00:23:24.960 --> 00:23:27.519
off and think it's going to change the world, we
465
00:23:27.720 --> 00:23:32.039
really miss everything. So if if the email you talked about,
466
00:23:32.039 --> 00:23:33.680
if Jim would have sent out an email to Lake
467
00:23:33.720 --> 00:23:36.519
Ride staff, that not only would it drowned out the
468
00:23:36.880 --> 00:23:39.680
we're not going to really okay whatever, but all emails
469
00:23:39.720 --> 00:23:42.599
from him Yep, outside of this time of the year,
470
00:23:42.680 --> 00:23:45.000
it would drown it out too and have that. So
471
00:23:45.119 --> 00:23:47.680
now we're like making it a like purposeful. So it's
472
00:23:47.720 --> 00:23:51.359
not just about winning a sweatshirt, or's just about being present.
473
00:23:51.920 --> 00:23:54.720
It's like we're a wolf pack. I mean, man, I
474
00:23:54.960 --> 00:23:57.400
gotta tell you what's your what's your? What's the phrase
475
00:23:57.400 --> 00:23:59.799
at the end you guys have with the wolf pack
476
00:24:00.119 --> 00:24:03.960
hashtag pack mentality, pac mentality, that's it. That's it is.
477
00:24:04.279 --> 00:24:07.119
I love that you're getting people out of the classrooms.
478
00:24:07.160 --> 00:24:10.960
You're getting everybody out there together to celebrate the fact
479
00:24:11.000 --> 00:24:13.559
that we're together. I mean, that's really what it boils
480
00:24:13.599 --> 00:24:16.640
down to. That's that's awesome pack mentality.
481
00:24:16.680 --> 00:24:18.240
I love that. I love that.
482
00:24:18.880 --> 00:24:22.079
And speaking of getting staff out, another thing that we
483
00:24:22.279 --> 00:24:26.000
do usually that last week before break, we call it
484
00:24:26.039 --> 00:24:32.799
snowflake in your pocket, and so we high not eight
485
00:24:32.880 --> 00:24:36.880
snowflakes throughout to us to eight staff members each morning,
486
00:24:37.759 --> 00:24:40.519
and so they put it in their pocket. Every staff
487
00:24:40.559 --> 00:24:43.039
member can then say, do you have a snowflake in
488
00:24:43.079 --> 00:24:45.640
your pocket? If you do, you have to give it
489
00:24:45.680 --> 00:24:52.119
to whoever asked. This goes on all day until two fifty,
490
00:24:52.279 --> 00:24:53.839
and at two point fifty, which is the end of
491
00:24:53.880 --> 00:24:57.480
our day, whoever has those eight snowflakes in their pocket
492
00:24:58.240 --> 00:25:02.240
again get some type of price. And so our staff
493
00:25:02.720 --> 00:25:06.079
like fun. You know, oftentimes your teachers, you know, they
494
00:25:06.119 --> 00:25:08.000
hang out with their math people, they hang out with
495
00:25:08.039 --> 00:25:12.640
their language artspeoper, they're science there. They don't necessarily com
496
00:25:12.720 --> 00:25:16.880
mingle throughout the building. You're giving them a reason to
497
00:25:16.960 --> 00:25:21.720
com mingle super into it. They want to be there
498
00:25:21.799 --> 00:25:25.440
those days again, it's getting your staff present for present
499
00:25:25.519 --> 00:25:28.799
in the building and a great story I have for
500
00:25:28.880 --> 00:25:32.039
this because and Jim will tell you, I'm probably one
501
00:25:32.039 --> 00:25:36.200
of the most competitive people you'll ever meet. Like I'm
502
00:25:36.200 --> 00:25:39.200
gonna win. I already have everything that we're gonna win.
503
00:25:39.440 --> 00:25:41.599
I don't even care about getting anything new.
504
00:25:42.119 --> 00:25:42.839
I want to win.
505
00:25:43.720 --> 00:25:48.240
And so I had a meeting one day during the
506
00:25:48.480 --> 00:25:51.799
snowflake in your pocket. I had gotten a snowflake right
507
00:25:51.839 --> 00:25:53.960
before the meeting. So I'm like, this is perfect. I'm
508
00:25:53.960 --> 00:25:58.200
going in my office. I'm putting the show. Everybody's getting
509
00:25:58.200 --> 00:26:03.759
my snowflake. Staff member comes to my office slides a
510
00:26:03.839 --> 00:26:07.079
piece of paper under the door. I love it.
511
00:26:07.160 --> 00:26:11.039
Lay snowflake in your pocket.
512
00:26:14.319 --> 00:26:17.200
I have to give up my snip flake underneath the.
513
00:26:17.200 --> 00:26:20.079
Door or I opened the door handed.
514
00:26:21.480 --> 00:26:23.400
And I was very angry for the rest.
515
00:26:23.200 --> 00:26:23.720
Of the meeting.
516
00:26:24.119 --> 00:26:26.319
That is hilarious, even though what the meeting is about
517
00:26:26.400 --> 00:26:27.759
or were you just mad?
518
00:26:28.319 --> 00:26:32.079
I was just mad. I was angry. Who is it?
519
00:26:32.119 --> 00:26:34.160
I gotta tell you next time. That's a I don't
520
00:26:34.160 --> 00:26:37.960
need to know the name, but that's brilliant. Yeah, and
521
00:26:38.039 --> 00:26:40.000
I gotta tell you that story that you just said
522
00:26:40.039 --> 00:26:41.440
right there, probably got song.
523
00:26:41.559 --> 00:26:43.920
I mean, people were probably talking about that for a while.
524
00:26:44.599 --> 00:26:47.599
And so when they're talking about something like that, they're
525
00:26:47.640 --> 00:26:50.400
not talking about that kid, that parent, that principle, that's you,
526
00:26:50.599 --> 00:26:53.640
that board member, that legislator, that governor, that that that
527
00:26:53.640 --> 00:26:57.119
that that they're talking about a time when we laughed.
528
00:26:57.119 --> 00:26:59.680
We're talking about the time when I got the principal.
529
00:27:00.039 --> 00:27:02.920
They're talking about that time when we came together. And
530
00:27:02.960 --> 00:27:05.400
that's the memories we want going into break. Hey, I
531
00:27:05.440 --> 00:27:08.240
got to tell you this is a perfect, perfect shift
532
00:27:08.240 --> 00:27:10.839
in our mindset. Give them the energy, shake it up
533
00:27:10.880 --> 00:27:13.720
a little bit. We're going to take a break here,
534
00:27:14.079 --> 00:27:16.960
and when we come back, our guest Jim is going
535
00:27:17.000 --> 00:27:18.720
to talk to us a little bit about a lead
536
00:27:18.759 --> 00:27:20.200
segment of our control shift.
537
00:27:20.319 --> 00:27:20.519
Lead.
538
00:27:21.039 --> 00:27:23.519
Stick with us everyone.
539
00:27:24.359 --> 00:27:27.799
Hi, I'm doctor Lisa Hill, a longtime educator of nearly
540
00:27:27.880 --> 00:27:31.599
forty years as a teacher, counselor, professor, and vice principal.
541
00:27:31.880 --> 00:27:34.839
And I've seen just about everything public schools can throw
542
00:27:34.920 --> 00:27:37.400
at you, and now I'm sharing my tales on my
543
00:27:37.559 --> 00:27:42.160
comedy podcast, Vice Principle Unofficed. It's where school leadership meets
544
00:27:42.279 --> 00:27:46.279
laugh out loud stories from underwear required parent teacher conferences.
545
00:27:46.480 --> 00:27:50.440
Yes really, two staff launch confessions and more. You won't believe.
546
00:27:50.599 --> 00:27:53.079
I'm telling it all with humor and a whole lot
547
00:27:53.079 --> 00:27:56.240
of heart. I also tackle the serious stuff too, like
548
00:27:56.319 --> 00:27:59.200
what schools really need to change and those behind the
549
00:27:59.240 --> 00:28:02.319
scenes moments no one talks about. So if you're ready
550
00:28:02.400 --> 00:28:05.519
to laugh, learn, and maybe even prior little but mostly laugh,
551
00:28:05.920 --> 00:28:08.880
join me and my ninety year old mom my unofficial
552
00:28:08.920 --> 00:28:12.960
co host on Vice Principal unofficed. New episodes drop bi
553
00:28:13.000 --> 00:28:16.880
weekly on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your
554
00:28:16.960 --> 00:28:20.640
podcast picks. Trust me, this is one detention you'll actually
555
00:28:20.680 --> 00:28:21.400
look forward to.
556
00:28:33.039 --> 00:28:35.880
All right, welcome back everybody. The final segment, of course,
557
00:28:36.000 --> 00:28:38.200
is Lead and Jim. Just to let you know, this
558
00:28:38.279 --> 00:28:42.359
is where we typically we discuss like the system, structures,
559
00:28:42.519 --> 00:28:44.960
cultural moves, any of that other stuff that we can
560
00:28:45.039 --> 00:28:48.200
do that's going to help lead your classroom or lead
561
00:28:48.240 --> 00:28:51.119
your school, lead your building. There's a lot of people
562
00:28:51.160 --> 00:28:54.880
that are involved, obviously in educating our youth every single day.
563
00:28:55.000 --> 00:28:58.039
So I think we're planning on talking a little bit
564
00:28:58.039 --> 00:29:02.480
about here. Talked about the energy into the break, We've
565
00:29:02.519 --> 00:29:05.319
talked about being visible and all that wonderful stuff that's
566
00:29:05.359 --> 00:29:07.759
going on. But we also know that this is also
567
00:29:07.799 --> 00:29:10.240
a time of year where people struggle a little bit
568
00:29:10.319 --> 00:29:12.400
and there's there's just a lot of that that goes on.
569
00:29:12.480 --> 00:29:17.359
It's our parents, our families, staff, students. Holidays can make
570
00:29:17.440 --> 00:29:20.759
things kind of tough. And Jim, I know your school
571
00:29:20.839 --> 00:29:26.160
has prioritized some tangible support systems that can really help
572
00:29:26.200 --> 00:29:28.640
people during this time. So can you can you walk
573
00:29:28.720 --> 00:29:31.759
us through how your leadership team organizes that stuff and
574
00:29:31.799 --> 00:29:34.200
what this is and some of those ideas that we
575
00:29:34.279 --> 00:29:36.319
also can take back to our schools to help lead
576
00:29:36.359 --> 00:29:37.519
our communities.
577
00:29:37.039 --> 00:29:43.039
Through this time. Absolutely, and we are we're close to Washington, DC,
578
00:29:43.319 --> 00:29:46.559
so the government shut down like that's real for us.
579
00:29:49.240 --> 00:29:53.559
And so there's several things that we have done this year,
580
00:29:53.680 --> 00:29:57.720
several things we've done every year to really help our
581
00:29:57.759 --> 00:30:01.400
families are struggling. One of the of things we started
582
00:30:01.440 --> 00:30:05.599
this year is a food pantry for our community. There
583
00:30:05.640 --> 00:30:08.839
are ten schools in our division that are piloting these
584
00:30:08.920 --> 00:30:09.720
food pantries.
585
00:30:09.799 --> 00:30:11.799
Are apparent liaison and school social worker.
586
00:30:12.079 --> 00:30:15.119
I have done a tremendous job with making sure that
587
00:30:15.200 --> 00:30:18.880
our food pantry is stocked, getting the information out to
588
00:30:18.920 --> 00:30:22.720
our families that are in need. And so that is
589
00:30:22.799 --> 00:30:26.039
something that I'm really proud of of being able to
590
00:30:26.480 --> 00:30:29.720
help our families in need, not just during the holidays.
591
00:30:29.799 --> 00:30:32.279
This is something that's going to be open year round.
592
00:30:32.880 --> 00:30:36.960
Our National Junior Honor Society, they just had their induction
593
00:30:37.279 --> 00:30:39.640
a month or so ago, and so their first thing
594
00:30:39.720 --> 00:30:42.400
was a food drive. The students were able to They
595
00:30:42.400 --> 00:30:46.319
have to do community service hours, and so for ten
596
00:30:47.519 --> 00:30:51.240
cans of food, ten items, they get an hour of service.
597
00:30:51.400 --> 00:30:54.720
And so our students buy into it, our families have
598
00:30:54.799 --> 00:30:57.839
bought into it, and so that has been something that's
599
00:30:57.920 --> 00:31:00.759
been really great for us. It's going to be something
600
00:31:00.799 --> 00:31:01.680
throughout the year.
601
00:31:03.240 --> 00:31:05.079
So I sit here and I think about this as
602
00:31:05.119 --> 00:31:06.920
just as you're kind of going through it today. We
603
00:31:06.960 --> 00:31:09.240
talked about like the students first, you know, with the
604
00:31:09.920 --> 00:31:12.680
with the what we could control the celebration. Then we
605
00:31:12.720 --> 00:31:15.960
started talking about the staff and the celebrations you're doing
606
00:31:16.000 --> 00:31:17.759
to kind of shift our thinking about how we want
607
00:31:17.799 --> 00:31:20.559
our staff going in to break. But now you're bringing
608
00:31:20.599 --> 00:31:22.640
a full circle. We're talking about how you guys are
609
00:31:22.640 --> 00:31:26.920
pouring into the community. And I got to tell you,
610
00:31:26.920 --> 00:31:30.720
you know, Christmas was a very hard time for me
611
00:31:30.799 --> 00:31:34.359
growing up because we didn't have any money. We didn't
612
00:31:34.359 --> 00:31:37.960
do We just didn't. And when we got that knock
613
00:31:38.000 --> 00:31:40.200
on the door and you open up the door and
614
00:31:40.240 --> 00:31:43.559
there was a box of food, it was like we
615
00:31:43.599 --> 00:31:45.559
had We were able to have a feast for Thanksgiving,
616
00:31:45.599 --> 00:31:47.680
we were able to have a feast for Christmas. And
617
00:31:47.720 --> 00:31:49.359
without that, I don't know if we would have been
618
00:31:49.359 --> 00:31:51.480
able to do so. At least it wouldn't have been
619
00:31:51.480 --> 00:31:55.599
to that level. And when I know that people really
620
00:31:55.599 --> 00:31:59.200
can see everybody and we're not judging it, we're not
621
00:31:59.279 --> 00:32:02.119
saying anything about it's the poor people. We're taken care
622
00:32:02.119 --> 00:32:04.680
of at all. Now, it's like humans were taken care of.
623
00:32:04.720 --> 00:32:07.359
And it's so powerful that you I really do believe,
624
00:32:07.400 --> 00:32:10.440
And I'm a middle school person at heart. I believe
625
00:32:10.559 --> 00:32:13.039
the hearts of middle school kids. When they get behind
626
00:32:13.119 --> 00:32:15.400
something and they can really see the purpose of it,
627
00:32:15.920 --> 00:32:18.559
they get crazy, They get right after it, and they
628
00:32:18.599 --> 00:32:20.839
pour right into it, very intentional.
629
00:32:21.400 --> 00:32:23.680
The other part about that, Jim, I really like is
630
00:32:23.720 --> 00:32:27.720
that you know a lot of times communities like the
631
00:32:27.759 --> 00:32:31.000
town might take up that exact thing you're talking about.
632
00:32:31.559 --> 00:32:34.720
But what you're saying is maybe it's great, maybe it's not.
633
00:32:34.880 --> 00:32:36.880
I don't know. You're not gonna you're not going to
634
00:32:36.960 --> 00:32:40.279
take that risk. The district to the school building is
635
00:32:40.319 --> 00:32:43.240
saying no, no, no, no, no. We see this as something
636
00:32:43.359 --> 00:32:45.519
very important, so we want to make sure that it's
637
00:32:45.559 --> 00:32:48.079
done the right way. We want to make sure that
638
00:32:48.119 --> 00:32:50.720
our families are taken care of. You know, I've heard
639
00:32:50.759 --> 00:32:53.079
some other schools that will do and we've done this
640
00:32:53.119 --> 00:32:54.839
actually in some of the offices that I've worked in
641
00:32:54.839 --> 00:32:57.279
in the past. You know where you trade gifts back
642
00:32:57.319 --> 00:32:59.480
and forth. I mean, I love the people I work with.
643
00:32:59.519 --> 00:33:01.519
I don't need a Christmas gift from them. I don't
644
00:33:01.559 --> 00:33:03.759
write they don't need one from me. But there's a
645
00:33:03.799 --> 00:33:05.720
lot of kids out there that could certainly under stand
646
00:33:05.759 --> 00:33:08.319
a clause this year, and so instead of doing the
647
00:33:08.359 --> 00:33:11.880
little trade things, go in on a package that you
648
00:33:11.960 --> 00:33:14.839
can do that that delivery to the door like you
649
00:33:14.960 --> 00:33:17.559
talk about there. But really the point is what I'm
650
00:33:17.559 --> 00:33:20.319
hearing you say is that you want to get it done.
651
00:33:21.079 --> 00:33:24.279
So you make sure it gets done and take care
652
00:33:24.359 --> 00:33:25.920
of that thing that's going to be able to serve
653
00:33:25.960 --> 00:33:28.160
your community. And I think that's really admirable because it'd
654
00:33:28.160 --> 00:33:30.440
be really easy just to say, well that's the town
655
00:33:30.519 --> 00:33:32.640
will do that, or here's where you can go go
656
00:33:32.680 --> 00:33:36.079
down here. No, We're going to make sure you've got it.
657
00:33:36.359 --> 00:33:38.359
That's important to us. That's that's really cool.
658
00:33:39.599 --> 00:33:43.240
And speaking of your you know, there are some families
659
00:33:43.240 --> 00:33:46.640
that would really need Santa or need gifts around this time.
660
00:33:46.680 --> 00:33:49.240
We also do an Angel Tree that our school worker
661
00:33:49.480 --> 00:33:52.880
works with local churches with our staff. And I will
662
00:33:52.920 --> 00:33:57.000
say I never owned a pair of Jordans. I never
663
00:33:57.200 --> 00:34:00.720
bought a pair of Jordans until a couple of years ago.
664
00:34:01.039 --> 00:34:04.920
There was an Angel Tree gifts and it was a
665
00:34:04.960 --> 00:34:10.800
student that I knew, and his his request was Jordan's
666
00:34:11.159 --> 00:34:14.800
and so I have purchased one pair of Jordans in
667
00:34:14.880 --> 00:34:17.880
my life. Uh. And it was for that student, and
668
00:34:17.920 --> 00:34:21.400
I know I know how much that meant to him,
669
00:34:22.159 --> 00:34:24.639
know how much all of the gifts that and our
670
00:34:24.840 --> 00:34:28.800
are our staff is so generous, uh. And so we're
671
00:34:28.840 --> 00:34:32.480
able to support multiple families and just being like you said,
672
00:34:32.519 --> 00:34:36.039
being able to know that we're providing some things that
673
00:34:36.039 --> 00:34:40.760
that may not have been provided otherwise. It is it's
674
00:34:40.760 --> 00:34:43.559
what community is about, it's what a school is about.
675
00:34:43.679 --> 00:34:47.760
And so I think that that Angel Tree and then
676
00:34:47.800 --> 00:34:51.360
also providing food support for whether it's Thanksgiving where there
677
00:34:51.400 --> 00:34:55.000
it's a holiday meal over Christmas. Just being able to
678
00:34:55.039 --> 00:34:57.400
support our families that are in that are in need
679
00:34:57.639 --> 00:34:58.159
is awesome.
680
00:34:59.079 --> 00:34:59.280
Yeah.
681
00:34:59.320 --> 00:35:02.199
I remember getting those gifts and it was very homely
682
00:35:02.239 --> 00:35:05.519
because I hated people doing those things for me. But
683
00:35:05.639 --> 00:35:09.039
as I gotten older, I see how valuable and important
684
00:35:09.079 --> 00:35:12.079
it was for me, and it just there's something about
685
00:35:12.599 --> 00:35:15.079
a nice pair of jeans, or a nice shirt or
686
00:35:15.920 --> 00:35:19.039
the Jordan's which I can't believe that with your kids,
687
00:35:19.079 --> 00:35:21.880
that that's the first pair you bought, but I could
688
00:35:21.880 --> 00:35:24.159
be I could also see you being stubborn enough that
689
00:35:24.159 --> 00:35:28.920
that could be true. Ali probably bought them. But seeing that,
690
00:35:29.599 --> 00:35:31.760
what I love about that is you knew that kid,
691
00:35:32.800 --> 00:35:36.119
that student, that middle school soul who entered your building,
692
00:35:36.159 --> 00:35:39.400
and you saw them as a human first and thought,
693
00:35:39.559 --> 00:35:41.599
this is my target. I got to help this kid out.
694
00:35:41.719 --> 00:35:44.000
You went through each of the segments today, and each
695
00:35:44.079 --> 00:35:47.679
one of them talked about the human. It wasn't necessarily
696
00:35:47.679 --> 00:35:52.039
about the test scores or anything else. That was about
697
00:35:52.039 --> 00:35:54.559
the human seeing them first. And I think that really
698
00:35:54.599 --> 00:35:57.199
says a testament to your leadership. And I think it
699
00:35:57.239 --> 00:36:00.320
also says a testament to the folks at lake Bridge
700
00:36:00.320 --> 00:36:03.440
Middle School. For sure, that's true pac mentality right there.
701
00:36:03.519 --> 00:36:04.119
Absolutely.
702
00:36:04.320 --> 00:36:06.679
So we're gonna head into our final break here and
703
00:36:06.760 --> 00:36:09.320
we come back, we're gonna kind of summarize everything along
704
00:36:09.320 --> 00:36:11.679
the way. Hopefully we're walking away with a little bit
705
00:36:11.679 --> 00:36:15.079
more energy coming into the winter break here and kind
706
00:36:15.079 --> 00:36:17.480
of wrapping things up. So thanks a lot and stick
707
00:36:17.519 --> 00:36:33.400
with us everyone.
708
00:36:28.639 --> 00:36:30.920
All right, here we go back for our last segment
709
00:36:30.920 --> 00:36:33.280
here in Jim, this has been awesome. I really think
710
00:36:33.639 --> 00:36:36.679
thank you for joining us today and giving us some
711
00:36:37.119 --> 00:36:40.159
great advice for everybody to take take from this show
712
00:36:40.199 --> 00:36:42.880
and help lead their buildings every single day. It's just awesome, great,
713
00:36:42.880 --> 00:36:45.840
great stuff. All right. So before we get to our
714
00:36:45.920 --> 00:36:48.559
final little talk here with Jim and wrap this show
715
00:36:48.679 --> 00:36:51.639
up today, Jim Witchman, how about you give us a
716
00:36:51.719 --> 00:36:54.800
quick recap of what we've talked about today. Yeah.
717
00:36:55.119 --> 00:36:57.360
I thought this is really great though when I hear
718
00:36:57.400 --> 00:36:59.519
the think of the control shift lead and how Jim
719
00:36:59.599 --> 00:37:01.400
I kind of let us through each of the segments
720
00:37:01.400 --> 00:37:04.199
and that is again he talked about the students and
721
00:37:04.280 --> 00:37:07.719
so it's about be present mentally and physically. I love
722
00:37:07.760 --> 00:37:10.119
how he brings in the alumni and how they can
723
00:37:10.159 --> 00:37:13.039
reconnect so we can see the family, right, It's greater
724
00:37:13.159 --> 00:37:15.800
than one place, Lake Ridge Middle School. It's like a
725
00:37:15.840 --> 00:37:19.199
system all the way through, and then we're seeing the
726
00:37:19.239 --> 00:37:21.320
whole child because we're not going to just celebrate him
727
00:37:21.320 --> 00:37:22.800
at the night of the concerts. We're going to have
728
00:37:22.840 --> 00:37:25.920
them perform again throughout the day. And I love the
729
00:37:25.960 --> 00:37:28.079
fact that we're getting staff involved with that. So I
730
00:37:28.119 --> 00:37:30.960
really think that that control is that we could schedule
731
00:37:30.960 --> 00:37:33.480
it out, we can really get involved with that, which
732
00:37:33.519 --> 00:37:37.000
led right into the shift part about you know, we're
733
00:37:37.039 --> 00:37:38.920
looking at the staff and we're no longer I think
734
00:37:38.960 --> 00:37:41.599
you mentioned on break there about we're no longer ripping
735
00:37:41.639 --> 00:37:45.280
off the hoops and talking about countdown. We're talking about
736
00:37:45.360 --> 00:37:48.039
how do we shake things up and really keep people
737
00:37:48.079 --> 00:37:51.679
engaged all the way through. It's like finishing strong and sure,
738
00:37:51.719 --> 00:37:53.880
we're going to have fun doing it. Why are we
739
00:37:53.960 --> 00:37:56.480
doing that throughout the year? Well, he was, he has been.
740
00:37:56.559 --> 00:37:59.039
I go, he's still here with us. They are connecting
741
00:37:59.079 --> 00:38:01.239
all the way through through the year, and it's like
742
00:38:01.239 --> 00:38:03.719
a really neat engagement. And I love how the staff
743
00:38:03.760 --> 00:38:06.280
can really get it after him just as much because,
744
00:38:06.320 --> 00:38:10.280
like he said, very competitive, So think outside the box,
745
00:38:10.400 --> 00:38:13.679
keep people engaged all the way through, and then the
746
00:38:13.760 --> 00:38:17.000
last part about how we're coming together and we're doing
747
00:38:17.000 --> 00:38:19.760
the food pantry and kind of leaning into to the
748
00:38:19.760 --> 00:38:23.519
people the Angel Tree really shoot man. The people of
749
00:38:23.559 --> 00:38:25.679
lake Ridge Middle School, they know their people, they know
750
00:38:25.719 --> 00:38:29.320
their community, and I think that sometimes can get lost
751
00:38:29.360 --> 00:38:32.480
because it's not a small town, but it kind of
752
00:38:32.519 --> 00:38:34.559
does have a small town feel when you're thinking about
753
00:38:34.639 --> 00:38:37.000
how they know each other in their community. I mean
754
00:38:37.039 --> 00:38:40.039
there's a lot of people in that community. Yet lake
755
00:38:40.119 --> 00:38:43.679
Ridge is seeing it and they're working with their partners
756
00:38:43.719 --> 00:38:46.119
in the community and really kind of leaning into what's needed.
757
00:38:46.199 --> 00:38:47.800
So it's know your people.
758
00:38:48.280 --> 00:38:50.320
Yeah, that is every kid deserves to be a kid,
759
00:38:50.400 --> 00:38:52.320
and you guys are making sure that that happens. I
760
00:38:52.320 --> 00:38:56.119
think that is beyond just admirable. All right, So before
761
00:38:56.199 --> 00:38:59.679
we close off today, I did catch Jim the other
762
00:38:59.800 --> 00:39:04.039
gym told me that you got some news or some
763
00:39:04.079 --> 00:39:07.480
things with your own kiddos at home. That's certainly worth Sharon,
764
00:39:07.519 --> 00:39:10.400
and what dad doesn't need a chance to brag about
765
00:39:10.400 --> 00:39:13.480
their kids. So here it is, right, this is your chance,
766
00:39:13.559 --> 00:39:15.760
go for it. But what is this news. I don't
767
00:39:15.760 --> 00:39:16.519
know what this is about.
768
00:39:17.159 --> 00:39:21.360
Absolutely. I have twin daughters who are amazing. They're just
769
00:39:21.440 --> 00:39:26.719
turned seventeen, and so one Samantha just committed not too
770
00:39:26.760 --> 00:39:28.840
long ago to play soccer at Seaton Hall.
771
00:39:29.519 --> 00:39:29.760
Cool.
772
00:39:29.800 --> 00:39:33.199
No, no, yeah, we're very excited to see her journey
773
00:39:33.239 --> 00:39:37.400
into college. And then my other daughter is the second
774
00:39:37.400 --> 00:39:39.599
in command of her JROTC.
775
00:39:40.639 --> 00:39:41.519
That's cool too.
776
00:39:41.599 --> 00:39:44.559
At Woodbridge and so they're right across the street, which
777
00:39:44.599 --> 00:39:48.400
I love so close. She's on the Raiders team and
778
00:39:48.480 --> 00:39:51.440
so get to see her compete as well. Is just
779
00:39:52.800 --> 00:39:55.960
they keep me busy, but they definitely keep me blessed
780
00:39:56.000 --> 00:39:58.000
to be able to watch them do their thing and
781
00:39:58.039 --> 00:39:58.719
excel at it.
782
00:39:58.800 --> 00:40:01.800
So, yeah, you know, one of the things that I
783
00:40:01.880 --> 00:40:05.559
just want to put out there as well. I know, Adam,
784
00:40:06.559 --> 00:40:08.719
you and I both are blessed to have spouses that
785
00:40:08.800 --> 00:40:12.440
are in education and and actually kind of support us
786
00:40:12.440 --> 00:40:15.519
along the way. I gotta we gotta throw a shout
787
00:40:15.559 --> 00:40:17.440
out on a second, Hold on a second. They do
788
00:40:17.519 --> 00:40:20.880
more than just support us. I mean there's there's heavy
789
00:40:20.960 --> 00:40:24.679
lifting that's done a lot, Yes there is, and they
790
00:40:24.719 --> 00:40:29.280
deserve they Yeah, absolutely, there's more than just support. So Adam,
791
00:40:29.400 --> 00:40:32.480
as we go back into the show, what do you got?
792
00:40:32.519 --> 00:40:34.760
What do you got planned? Adam coming up with in
793
00:40:35.000 --> 00:40:36.559
you know, the rest of the month of December and
794
00:40:36.639 --> 00:40:38.360
your break, what's it break? Your break look like?
795
00:40:38.840 --> 00:40:41.880
Well, you know, so I we've talked about this before.
796
00:40:41.880 --> 00:40:44.360
I like to stay busy. So I'm here a week
797
00:40:44.440 --> 00:40:47.199
from well, you know, here real soon. We're in a
798
00:40:47.280 --> 00:40:50.159
basketball season and I'm roughing and so that's a couple
799
00:40:50.199 --> 00:40:51.840
of nights a week, which is good because I need
800
00:40:51.840 --> 00:40:55.280
the exercise. And it's a different group of people being
801
00:40:55.280 --> 00:40:59.199
mad at me for decisions I make right versus other things.
802
00:40:59.239 --> 00:41:02.239
But now that and that's that's you know, that's really
803
00:41:02.280 --> 00:41:04.480
not even true because honestly, the people that I work
804
00:41:04.559 --> 00:41:07.159
with and work for every day, they're they're awesome. So
805
00:41:07.800 --> 00:41:09.599
that might be the thing we talk about from an
806
00:41:09.599 --> 00:41:12.119
administrative lands, but that's like this big of the job.
807
00:41:12.239 --> 00:41:14.400
So yeah, the job is amazing, but yeah, I get
808
00:41:14.400 --> 00:41:18.079
to do that. And I'm still wrapping up first semester
809
00:41:18.159 --> 00:41:19.960
of grad school for me as I'm going for that
810
00:41:20.360 --> 00:41:23.239
old doctorate. So and I'll be glad to get this
811
00:41:23.320 --> 00:41:26.280
class done. This one's testing me, this one's making me
812
00:41:26.400 --> 00:41:28.599
question whether or not this was a good decision. And
813
00:41:28.679 --> 00:41:31.719
so far, so good. But having to work, that's all right,
814
00:41:31.719 --> 00:41:34.159
it's good to good to really have to learn and
815
00:41:34.199 --> 00:41:37.000
really get yourself diving into that. So that's that's me
816
00:41:37.199 --> 00:41:39.039
right there. I get the kids back home, they'll be fun,
817
00:41:39.360 --> 00:41:40.360
get to see some people.
818
00:41:40.400 --> 00:41:41.199
But how about you.
819
00:41:41.840 --> 00:41:44.000
I'm definitely looking forward to having some time with my
820
00:41:44.519 --> 00:41:48.199
college son. He's been I mean he's he's been back
821
00:41:49.159 --> 00:41:52.320
for a total of maybe eight hours since August, which
822
00:41:52.400 --> 00:41:55.039
is great because he's been busy. I mean busy as
823
00:41:55.079 --> 00:41:58.880
in social, busy as in some other endeavors. I mean
824
00:41:59.119 --> 00:42:03.320
he's in the the business called the Tippy Business School
825
00:42:03.440 --> 00:42:05.880
here at the University of Iowa, and he's involved with
826
00:42:05.920 --> 00:42:10.000
the business fraternities. He's definitely staying busy and having a
827
00:42:10.039 --> 00:42:12.239
good time in college, which is what you should. But
828
00:42:12.280 --> 00:42:15.000
I'm looking forward to having him back. And it actually
829
00:42:15.199 --> 00:42:18.280
just there's one tradition. There's two durations we do here
830
00:42:18.760 --> 00:42:21.599
that I really like, and one of them is the
831
00:42:21.760 --> 00:42:24.559
Christmas Eve with every kid gets a present which is
832
00:42:24.599 --> 00:42:27.960
a book, but they have to find the book and
833
00:42:28.280 --> 00:42:30.519
I set up a little scavenger hunt for him. So
834
00:42:31.480 --> 00:42:35.360
a former teacher, librarian Joel Hake, taught me this one
835
00:42:35.440 --> 00:42:37.920
shared it with me. So they go on a scavenger
836
00:42:38.039 --> 00:42:41.639
hunt every Christmas Eve for their book. But then they
837
00:42:41.679 --> 00:42:43.800
all spend the night in the basement. And one of
838
00:42:43.840 --> 00:42:46.880
the things we talked about is doing something different, and
839
00:42:46.920 --> 00:42:51.199
they all three looked at me, like, why why go
840
00:42:51.280 --> 00:42:54.400
on a trip versus gifts. They're like, that's fine, but
841
00:42:54.440 --> 00:42:56.159
we still get to spend the night in the basement
842
00:42:56.199 --> 00:42:59.760
on Christmas Eve, right, you know, like, all right, I
843
00:42:59.760 --> 00:43:02.440
get yes, I guess we'll do that. Yeah. So just
844
00:43:02.519 --> 00:43:05.800
having those little things, and of course are family tradition
845
00:43:05.920 --> 00:43:07.480
of watching a Christmas vacation.
846
00:43:08.199 --> 00:43:11.920
Yeah, you know, elf, it's for us. That's the Christmas
847
00:43:11.920 --> 00:43:14.639
Eve after we go on our own scavenger hunt, but
848
00:43:14.719 --> 00:43:17.159
it's Christmas light. We have a list, try to check
849
00:43:17.199 --> 00:43:19.039
them all off. We've done that for you. It's fun.
850
00:43:19.119 --> 00:43:21.000
I love it, and there's a reason that they want
851
00:43:21.039 --> 00:43:23.239
to continue to do it, because that's that's why it's
852
00:43:23.239 --> 00:43:26.800
called a tradition. Yeah, you're right, you're right, absolutely right,
853
00:43:26.800 --> 00:43:28.320
you're right. Well, I'll tell you what, guys, this has
854
00:43:28.360 --> 00:43:31.760
been an awesome show. This has been fun. Jim. I
855
00:43:31.800 --> 00:43:34.440
hope this was worth your time coming on here as well.
856
00:43:34.480 --> 00:43:37.320
And maybe you got enough of a warning about when
857
00:43:37.360 --> 00:43:39.280
you come on with the two of us that it
858
00:43:39.320 --> 00:43:41.280
has a little bit of a risk that's involved with
859
00:43:41.320 --> 00:43:44.880
that too, But you've been awesome. You've been a great guest.
860
00:43:45.199 --> 00:43:47.920
Really appreciate you coming on the show today and just
861
00:43:47.960 --> 00:43:50.280
a wealth of knowledge. Before we go, though, I want
862
00:43:50.280 --> 00:43:52.639
to make sure people have an opportunity to if they
863
00:43:52.639 --> 00:43:55.199
want to connect with you, learn more about your work.
864
00:43:55.719 --> 00:43:57.559
How do they do So, what's the best way to
865
00:43:57.639 --> 00:43:58.159
get to you?
866
00:43:58.679 --> 00:44:02.519
Sure at Jim detro on Twitter, it's probably your best way.
867
00:44:03.079 --> 00:44:06.079
Also on Instagram Jim Dutrow, So that's your best way
868
00:44:06.119 --> 00:44:08.039
to get a hold of me. And I really thank
869
00:44:08.079 --> 00:44:09.679
you guys for being a part of this. I love
870
00:44:09.719 --> 00:44:12.960
what you guys are doing. I love your shows. It's
871
00:44:13.000 --> 00:44:15.679
a great format and I was just excited to be
872
00:44:15.960 --> 00:44:17.480
asked to be on here. So thank you.
873
00:44:18.079 --> 00:44:19.880
Hey, we're probably gonna have to bring you back on
874
00:44:19.960 --> 00:44:21.840
and see how you close out the school year too.
875
00:44:21.840 --> 00:44:24.039
We might have to do something. You keep them engaged
876
00:44:24.039 --> 00:44:24.639
all the way through.
877
00:44:25.280 --> 00:44:26.159
I think I like that.
878
00:44:26.639 --> 00:44:28.599
I used to also like to hear the stories of
879
00:44:28.639 --> 00:44:31.119
how the staff get you and went up you. Those
880
00:44:31.920 --> 00:44:34.480
those are things I like. So, Hey, Jim, thanks for
881
00:44:34.519 --> 00:44:36.320
being a friend over the years, and I appreciate you
882
00:44:36.360 --> 00:44:39.079
being here and I look forward to continue partnership through you.
883
00:44:39.159 --> 00:44:43.800
Just the friendship as well as the educational collegiality absolutely awesome.
884
00:44:44.159 --> 00:44:46.639
Thank you guys, appreciate you all being here tonight. Thank
885
00:44:46.679 --> 00:44:48.719
you listeners. We'll talk with you again next time.
886
00:44:53.480 --> 00:44:57.079
You've been listening to Control Shift Lead, brought to you
887
00:44:57.119 --> 00:45:04.760
by Inspired Edification and AWB Education. We're glad you joined
888
00:45:04.840 --> 00:45:09.679
us for today's discussion on empowering school leadership to dive
889
00:45:09.760 --> 00:45:13.239
deeper and explore more of Jim and adams work. Find
890
00:45:13.320 --> 00:45:21.119
us at www dot AWB education dot org. Thanks for listening.
891
00:45:21.880 --> 00:45:24.280
We look forward to connecting with you again soon