Happy Thanksgiving

Dear Fox Point-Bayside Team Members:

Please allow me to use the Thanksgiving meal metaphor to illustrate the connection of what we do as a learning community.  First, much like the Native Americans helping the Pilgrims harvest food and survive the first winter, our educators facilitate learning for students to help them survive, thrive and grow as people.

Like many of you, I really do reflect on what I am grateful for during this time.  Of course, I am thankful for the health and happiness of my family, but my list also includes having the opportunity to work in this very special school district with such committed educators and supportive parents.  I feel truly blessed. 

Thank you for your continued commitment.  Best wishes for a Thanksgiving that returns the gratitude you have given to your students.  May you sit down to a great meal and enjoy time with family and friends. 

With Pride and Respect,

Vance

Vance Dalzin

District Administrator     

Teachers Matter!

     Smarter Balanced Assessment System, Common Core Standards, Response to Intervention, and a host of other initiatives are making their way into schools as a way to provide a better public education for students.  History tells us some of these initiatives may make a difference and some may not.  I believe what has always made a difference, and always will, is the quality of educators a school has in front of students facilitating learning on a daily basis.  In virtually every study or piece of literature I have read on factors that affect student learning, the quality of the teacher almost always is at the top of the list.  Although important, the standards, curriculum, assessments, technology, and physical appearance of the school do not have nearly as much influence on student learning as the teacher does.

     In July, I started serving as the superintendent of one of the highest academic performing districts in the state of Wisconsin.  I have been asking a lot of questions of different stakeholders (teachers, support staff, parents, and students), searching for why the district is performing at such a high level.  I feel the answer is that the district has done a great job attracting, selecting and developing quality teachers who are making an incredible difference for students.  For a typical teaching vacancy in our district, it is common to get over 300 applications.  The Fox Point – Bayside School District has become a destination district for not only parents to send their children, but for experienced educators to continue their professional journey.  Most of our teachers taught in other districts before they came here.

     I continue to be amazed at the high quality and talent of our educators.  I was impressed with the staff development our staff members were involved in over the summer.  Most of our teachers have advanced degrees and are immersed in continuing to evolve in their craft.  Much of my professional career was spent at the middle school and high school level and now I am seeing firsthand how primary teachers facilitate the first steps toward literacy; I am simply awestruck.  Teaching really matters.

    What do I believe are the primary reasons our two schools are outperforming other schools? It is because we have supportive, knowledgeable, curious and resourceful parents who have high expectations for their children and highly skilled educators who have the knowledge, skills and dispositions to get the most out of students.  It is a good formula for success.  As a district, we need to never lose sight of our investment in attracting, developing and supporting teachers.  It has paid great dividends and helped bring us to where we are as a learning community.  Teachers matter and I am so glad to be a part of the FPBS Team!

I love my new Job!

I started this blog in late August and wondered if anyone would actually read it.  Well, I am able to see how many daily  hits on it I get and I am averaging about twenty-five a day.  I am hoping it is not just one person checking it twenty-five times a day and that it is a good mixture of parents, staff, and maybe even some students.  Anyways, I have been asked the question a lot "how is it going?"  and I want to tell you that I love my new job.  I enjoy the staff a lot.  They are hard-working, student-centered, and incredibly talented. I have found the parents to be active and supportive of our schools.  Most importantly, I have really enjoyed interacting with the students in each building.  I have tried to be visible and get into some classes even if if it is for a short period of time, on a daily basis. I was able to fill some of the administrative positions and "build my team" and that has been awesome.  I really feel I have a strong team.  I get a lot of questions about my family. Below is a picture of my family. My son, Connor, is in the back row and from left to right in the front row is my daughter, Lauren; my wife, Diane; and my youngest son, Mitchell.  They are all very supportive of my new job.  My wife is a teacher and she has a good sense of teaching , learning, and how important it is for me to be visible and engaged in my new job. I am in a good place on my professional journey and I feel I am growing and helping the district to continue to evolve.  I am very happy!  If you are one of the people who reads my blog, drop me an email and let me know what topics you would like me to explore on this blog. I am proud of the learning that is taking place.

Always Great to Celebrate District Successes!

On October 25^th, the District had a Professional Development Day. We started the day with a short celebration of the Fox Point - Bayside School District receiving a rating of Significantly Exceeds Expectations for student performance during the 2012-2013 as reported on the District Report Card by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. The faculty and staff ate cake as we discussed the importance of this recognition. Next, the day was spent individually and collaboratively planning for continuous improvement. Even though we were only one of nine districts in the state to receive the distinction, there was a definite theme that kept emerging during the day that we still have areas that we can improve on to enhance learning in our schools. It is exciting to be a part of such a high performing district. The work ethic of the faculty and staff, high expectations they have for their students and themselves, and the genuine care and concern they have for children was so evident again today. Our teachers are focusing on Common Core Standards, Response to Intervention Initiatives, a new state assessment system, and a new state evaluation system. I continue to be impressed and inspired by our team. Hats off to all of our educators for a productive and meaningful staff development day today

Thank You Principals!

Did you know that October is National Principals Month?  The title "principal" evolved from the concept of the "principal teacher" because early in U.S. education the principal was the lead teacher in a building and also was responsible for much of the operational part of the school such as evaluation, school finance, and student discipline.  This changed in the early 20th century as the expectations of principals changed and so did the required training.  In Wisconsin, principals are required to have at least three years of teaching experience and a graduate degree that is essentially a credential in School Leadership.  The job continues to become more complex and demanding.  I really appreciate the role, having served as a principal for seventeen years myself.  Over the years, I have studied mounds of research on effective principals and  their influence on student achievement, school climate, and the culture of schools.  The research continues to document the important role that principals play in leading a successful school. This next year, in Wisconsin, all principals as part of their evaluation, will be held more accountable for the student achievement in  the schools they lead. Teachers will also have more accountability in outcomes of the individual students they teach as part of the DPI Educator Effectiveness Initiatives.  Hats of to both Dr. Don Galster, Bayside Principal, and Mrs.  Karen Grimm-Nilsen, Stormonth Principal, for the fine job they do providing leadership in our schools. Both of them inspire me on a daily basis.

For more of my thoughts on the principalship, please see an article that I had published a few years ago
http://www.nassp.org/Content/158/PLFeb10_MyOpinion.pdf

Parent Engagement Supports Student Success

Recently I attended a Math Program Informational meeting in the district which was followed by the monthly PTO meeting.  Today, I attended the Back to School Coffee sponsored by the PTO.  What strikes me about each of these events is the incredible amount of parental engagement in our schools.  Parents had great questions as we were discussing the pilot math program.  Parents could talk about the instructional technology we are using to enhance learning.  It is truly impressive.  It is not a coincidence that this week the DPI rated the Fox Point –Bayside School District as Significantly Exceeds Expectations on the State Report Card for performance during the 2012 -2013 School Year.  Much research supports the significant role parents play in student achievement.  The home – school connection is paramount to this success and we want to continue to cultivate that partnership as we are engaged in continuous improvement. Thank you to all stakeholders for your work in contributing to the high level of achievement in the district.

Thank You Fox Point - Bayside Educational Foundation!

 A big Thank You to the Fox Point - Bayside  Educational Foundation for their work in raising funds to help improve instructional technology in our schools.  This year, they raised over $30,000 that was used to bring the vision of  Smart Board technology in every classroom. We are almost there.  Please check out their link on the District website.  Below is a picture of some of the members who attended the recent monthly meeting on September 12th.

New Backpacks, Tennis shoes, Opportunities and Learning; I love the first day of school.

On Tuesday, September 3rd, 938 students entered the doors of the Fox Point - Bayside schools. There was a great amount of anticipation, excitement and energy in the district as the staff greeted the students as they entered the schools.

One of the initial things you notice on the first day of school is all of the backpacks.  To me backpacks are symbolic in schools.  They represent that important connection and partnership between  home and school. The packs are empty when they arrive and filled  with books, supplies, information sheets and other artifacts for parents and students to use as they go home.  You as parents entrust us with your most precious possession, your children. We as educators pledge that we will care for them, have high expectations,  and build from  the incredible amount of learning that takes place at home.  This partnership is so critical as we facilitate learning in our schools.

The new tennis shoes that are proudly displayed are a good analogy for the start of the school year. The newness represents the fresh, optimism that they will be able to jump higher and run faster.  Our job as educators  is to preserve that optimism of the new tennis shoes and the new school year and help each student grow and maximize his/her potential.  It is a charge that we will all take very seriously.

 Students welcome back! You are the most important people in our schools and we missed you over the summer.

Thank You PTO

A special THANK YOU to the Fox Point - Bayside Parent Teacher Organization for providing the staff luncheon on August 27th.  We are fortunate to have a vibrant PTO that does great things for students, staff and parents in the FPBS schools.  The PTO does have a link on our District website, I would encourage you to check it out.

Welcome Back Staff

All staff were welcomed back with a breakfast and presentation that included a program and speeches by Superintendent Vance Dalzin, Board Member Mike Weidner, and additional members from the administrative team. There was a great amount of synergy in the room as past successes were celebrated and the theme of continued high expectations for students and staff reinforced.  Each staff member also received a Fox Point - Bayside School District T-shirt. Hats off to all of the educators who choose a livelihood of molding the minds and hearts of the future and are starting another school year in our district.

Vance Dalzin
Superintendent
Fox Point - Bayside School District

New Teachers, New Beginnings!

On August 23rd, The Fox Point - Bayside School District provided a special program for the teachers that are new to the District this year.  Each year, new teachers are assigned mentors that help ease the transition and provide information and support.  We have six new teachers this year and all of them have prior teaching experience.  Because of the fine reputation of the District, literally hundreds of people apply for vacant positions each year.  Again this year, the new teachers are a very impressive bunch. During the various discussions and activities, it became evident that the new teachers are highly skilled  and have a genuine care and concern for students.  It is exciting when you think of the influence on student learning these new teachers will have in  our learning community for the next twenty plus years. Also, kudos to the mentors who help guide the new teachers.  It was truly a productive event today.  Hats off to all of our great educators that will be coming back to work on Monday,  August 26th. 

Creating Innovators - Food For Thought

A few months ago I attended a conference where the keynote speaker was Tony Wagner, a researcher affiliated with Harvard University. He recently published a book titled Creating Innovators: The Making of Young People Who Will Change the World. His research and presentation was interesting and engaging, but as an educator, I felt a little uncomfortable because his message was really challenging much of the culture of public schools in the United States of which has been my livelihood for 26 years. We have all read about how jobs are being lost overseas and that our schools are on a spiral downward compared to many other countries. I understand that we need to be more competitive, but he was suggesting that traditional U.S. schools do little to foster innovation in our students.Wagner’s research was done on successful companies and the individuals who were the innovators that helped them get to where they are. His research suggests the qualities these individuals exemplify are:        

• curiosity, which is the habit of asking good questions and a desire to understand more deeply
• collaboration, which begins with listening to and learning from others who have perspectives and expertise that are very different from one’s own
• integrated thinking
• an inclination toward action and experimentation

His book suggests that most U.S. schools reward individual competition and achievement instead of teamwork. He also suggests that traditional academic classes are organized to communicate test specific content rather than focusing on a problem-based, multidisciplinary approach. He contends that U.S. schools rely heavily on extrinsic rewards like grades and grade point average, while employees prefer students who can work in a team, are intrinsically motivated and can problem solve using a more multidisciplinary approach. This is the culture of innovation that you would find at many currently successful companies.

It is difficult to deny that, regarding how students are measured on high stakes testing, we have fallen behind some countries. I believe we should continue to be concerned about that, but I am also concerned that schools are not striving to create a more innovative culture. In our pursuit of high achievement on high stakes tests, have we put less emphasis on creativity, collaboration, and developing an entrepreneurial spirit in our students? These are great questions that our community of educators, parents, community members and students should discuss.

 

 

Dr. Vance Dalzin

District Administrator

Fox Point - Bayside School District