6:34 AM
Marshall
In a world of exponential and aggressive adjustments to our way of life, it is with some embarrassment that I must confess that I too sometimes don't like change. I like my routines. I like to know what I'm doing. I like to have a sense of comfort in my actions. In all honesty, that seems to make sense, and it would be my belief that it would put me in a solid majority of people with similar thoughts.
At the same time, it is imperative that I step out of that comfort zone and into the challenges that exist. It isn't hard to imagine that if you don't keep up, you get run over. At the same time, several of us would like to do just that - stay with our current pace and way of doing things.
My most recent challenge comes after just getting a slight handle on the state reporting that is done by every school district in the state of Iowa. Although I have never understood this bearcat of a system, it was something that I had come to grips with as a principal and now am starting to be able to comprehend at a minimum level as a superintendent. To most of you that don't work with this system, it's OK that you don't know what it is or what it looks like, just understand that my learning curve has been steep, and I'm on those foothills of breakthrough that indicate I may have a chance.
Most recently, however, I have heard - and even seen to a degree - that the current format will be changing to adjust our approach into a more streamlined and simplified system. Notice that I didn't say "easier" here as that is another oxymoron in the educational world - Project EASIER. With the same intent, Project EASIER was created but has clearly not lived up to its name. For this one, however, I do hold some level of expectation that it will improve what we do and how we do it. The goal here is to combine several reports on which we enter the same information (now downloaded mostly, so it isn't even fair to say there are checks and balances being eliminated) into one.
Looking forward, I simply need to continue to remind myself that I need to adapt and that Change is Good.
At the same time, it is imperative that I step out of that comfort zone and into the challenges that exist. It isn't hard to imagine that if you don't keep up, you get run over. At the same time, several of us would like to do just that - stay with our current pace and way of doing things.
My most recent challenge comes after just getting a slight handle on the state reporting that is done by every school district in the state of Iowa. Although I have never understood this bearcat of a system, it was something that I had come to grips with as a principal and now am starting to be able to comprehend at a minimum level as a superintendent. To most of you that don't work with this system, it's OK that you don't know what it is or what it looks like, just understand that my learning curve has been steep, and I'm on those foothills of breakthrough that indicate I may have a chance.
Most recently, however, I have heard - and even seen to a degree - that the current format will be changing to adjust our approach into a more streamlined and simplified system. Notice that I didn't say "easier" here as that is another oxymoron in the educational world - Project EASIER. With the same intent, Project EASIER was created but has clearly not lived up to its name. For this one, however, I do hold some level of expectation that it will improve what we do and how we do it. The goal here is to combine several reports on which we enter the same information (now downloaded mostly, so it isn't even fair to say there are checks and balances being eliminated) into one.
Looking forward, I simply need to continue to remind myself that I need to adapt and that Change is Good.
Posted in: access, Belmond-Klemme, Broncos, challenge, change, communication, community, government, growth, information, iowa, leadership, perspective, priorities, school, technology, viewpoints
1 comments:
I think the state needs to understand like many successful businesses, that ask the people who work with the system how to make it more effecient, and then take the advice. Maybe perhaps that is what they have done. Let's hope...
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