This post will appear in the "PAW Print" newsletter on June 25, 2009:
When I think back to last summer, I remember the hope and excitement we felt at the prospect of our kids enrolling at this brand new charter school called “Endeavor.” The school was still empty – no furniture, books, teachers or students, and certainly no “PAWS” yet. It was definitely coming together, but for all intents and purposes it was still just the promise of a great school to come.
Since the school’s doors opened, PAWS has served and supported the school in ways that have exceeded all expectations. By the end of 4th quarter, we will have raised over $150,000, run more than 70,000 cars through dropoff & pickup lines, served over 24,000 café days meals, supervised more than 3,600 lunch & recess periods, provided nursing and general office support, built playground fences & storage areas, and the list goes on and on.
So as we approach this summer and close out our inaugural year, I feel a great sense of pride for the ways in which our parent community has stepped up for Endeavor. In addition, I’m happy to say that I still feel that same hope and excitement I remember from last summer. Most of all, I am truly grateful for the leadership of the Endeavor Board, for the vision of the founders of this school, for the talents and dedication of our teachers, for the wonderful friendships we have formed, and for the honor the PAWS membership bestowed upon me to serve as president during this first year.
All the best,
John
Monday, June 15, 2009
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
The Other Charter
This post will appear in the "PAW Print" newsletter on May 28, 2009::
Now that I’ve nearly completed my first year as a charter school parent, it’s clear to me that a successful charter school is really about two charters and both of them are equally important. The first charter, of course, is the one that the school has with the State of North Carolina, which is all about meeting the standards for schools set by the state. It’s also about realizing the vision laid out in the charter application for what makes the school different, which comes about by implementing the educational philosophies behind the vision.
The “Other Charter” is the one the parents have with the school to serve and support it. In order to work, the Other Charter needs full participation because the role of parents in a charter school is so critical to the basic operation of the school that if the school had to pay vendors to provide the services that our parent volunteers provide, the numbers just would not add up and the school would have to close. As a result, both charters are necessities for Endeavor to operate and succeed. We’ve had so many successes this year, and many of them are due to the way that our parents have stepped up and kept the Other Charter alive.
If you are among the few that have not found your groove as a charter school parent, please contact me at paws.president@endeavorcharter.com and I might have some suggestions for you. If your daytime hours are limited, there are many ways you could help the school in the evening or on weekends. Of course, during the day there are many opportunities to help – both at the school, or from your home or office. For those of you that are involved, thank you so much for your time and dedication. And remember that as a member of PAWS you have a voice – please participate in the PAWS General Membership meetings or come observe one of the PAWS Board meetings. The next Board meeting is at 6:30pm on Tue., June 16 in the multipurpose room. This letter appears as a post in my blog – click on the link below my name and post a comment if you like.
All the best,
John
Now that I’ve nearly completed my first year as a charter school parent, it’s clear to me that a successful charter school is really about two charters and both of them are equally important. The first charter, of course, is the one that the school has with the State of North Carolina, which is all about meeting the standards for schools set by the state. It’s also about realizing the vision laid out in the charter application for what makes the school different, which comes about by implementing the educational philosophies behind the vision.
The “Other Charter” is the one the parents have with the school to serve and support it. In order to work, the Other Charter needs full participation because the role of parents in a charter school is so critical to the basic operation of the school that if the school had to pay vendors to provide the services that our parent volunteers provide, the numbers just would not add up and the school would have to close. As a result, both charters are necessities for Endeavor to operate and succeed. We’ve had so many successes this year, and many of them are due to the way that our parents have stepped up and kept the Other Charter alive.
If you are among the few that have not found your groove as a charter school parent, please contact me at paws.president@endeavorcharter.com and I might have some suggestions for you. If your daytime hours are limited, there are many ways you could help the school in the evening or on weekends. Of course, during the day there are many opportunities to help – both at the school, or from your home or office. For those of you that are involved, thank you so much for your time and dedication. And remember that as a member of PAWS you have a voice – please participate in the PAWS General Membership meetings or come observe one of the PAWS Board meetings. The next Board meeting is at 6:30pm on Tue., June 16 in the multipurpose room. This letter appears as a post in my blog – click on the link below my name and post a comment if you like.
All the best,
John
Monday, May 4, 2009
Into the Homestretch
This post will appear in the "PAW Print" newsletter on May 7, 2009:
It’s hard to believe that we’ve almost completed our first year, but it’s true. At our last PAWS general membership meeting, we voted in next year’s PAWS Board of Directors and they will begin their terms after fourth quarter ends.
I’d like to call for a round of applause for Karin Reed, president; Kris Stauffer and Karen Josloff, co-VPs of Fundraising; Liz Green and Karen Johnson, co-VPs of Volunteers & Communications; Christina Cermin, VP of Programs & Services; Kristy McClure, treasurer; and April Lee and Karen Lynn, co-secretaries.
If you are interested in heading a PAWS committee next year, get in contact with the appropriate Vice President for next year, since they appoint the committee chairs. The list of committees and their VPs are on the Endeavor Web Site. And please don’t forget that there is always a need for people on all of the committees.
And of course, thank you for all of your hard work this year.
All the best,
John
It’s hard to believe that we’ve almost completed our first year, but it’s true. At our last PAWS general membership meeting, we voted in next year’s PAWS Board of Directors and they will begin their terms after fourth quarter ends.
I’d like to call for a round of applause for Karin Reed, president; Kris Stauffer and Karen Josloff, co-VPs of Fundraising; Liz Green and Karen Johnson, co-VPs of Volunteers & Communications; Christina Cermin, VP of Programs & Services; Kristy McClure, treasurer; and April Lee and Karen Lynn, co-secretaries.
If you are interested in heading a PAWS committee next year, get in contact with the appropriate Vice President for next year, since they appoint the committee chairs. The list of committees and their VPs are on the Endeavor Web Site. And please don’t forget that there is always a need for people on all of the committees.
And of course, thank you for all of your hard work this year.
All the best,
John
Friday, April 17, 2009
Keeping a Positive Frame of Mind
I have been very fortunate at key points in my life to hear words of wisdom from some interesting people from all walks of life. At times, the impact of the words immediately register with me and the moment becomes unforgettable, and then there are times when it’s only upon reflection that the implications become apparent and then the message itself is what becomes unforgettable.
One such unforgettable message came from quite an unexpected person, especially considering how diametrically opposed my view of the world is from this individual. Newt Gingrich was the keynote speaker two years ago for a national healthcare & life sciences Executive Conference that my work group at SAS organizes annually. Since leaving the House of Representatives as Speaker, Mr. Gingrich has founded the Center for Health Transformation, an organziation dedicated to creating a 21st Century Intelligent Health System that saves lives and saves money for all Americans. Along the way, he has earned the respect and recognition of people on “both sides of the aisle” for his thoughtful positions on heatlh care reform and related topics.
It was on the question of healthcare reform needed in our country that Mr. Gingrich provided one of those “delayed reaction” words of wisdom that my teammates and I picked up on as we reviewed the conference a week later to plan for the following year’s conference. Since then, I have applied the idea at work and it has become one of the tenets that help guide me through almost any decision-making process.
He said that providing universal health insurance coverage is not at all impossible, and that one of the biggest obstacles is simply the approach to the problem. Here is the golden nugget: he further added that if force yourself to begin any answer to any problem with the words “Yes, if…” and suppress the urge to say “No, because…” it focuses the framing of the problem (and therefore the solution) on a positive outcome. Please think about that for a second.
Of course, his response was much more complex than what I paraphrased, and it was followed by about 15 minutes of examples to illustrate the point. But the core idea was that so much more can be accomplished by envisioning a positive outcome and consistently working towards that goal, than spending any time focusing on reasons why not to do it.
From what I’ve seen, the administration at Endeavor has gotten this school to where it is with “Yes, if…” answers. And for that I am truly grateful. It’s amazing what you can accomplish simply by keeping a positive frame of mind.
All the best,
John
One such unforgettable message came from quite an unexpected person, especially considering how diametrically opposed my view of the world is from this individual. Newt Gingrich was the keynote speaker two years ago for a national healthcare & life sciences Executive Conference that my work group at SAS organizes annually. Since leaving the House of Representatives as Speaker, Mr. Gingrich has founded the Center for Health Transformation, an organziation dedicated to creating a 21st Century Intelligent Health System that saves lives and saves money for all Americans. Along the way, he has earned the respect and recognition of people on “both sides of the aisle” for his thoughtful positions on heatlh care reform and related topics.
It was on the question of healthcare reform needed in our country that Mr. Gingrich provided one of those “delayed reaction” words of wisdom that my teammates and I picked up on as we reviewed the conference a week later to plan for the following year’s conference. Since then, I have applied the idea at work and it has become one of the tenets that help guide me through almost any decision-making process.
He said that providing universal health insurance coverage is not at all impossible, and that one of the biggest obstacles is simply the approach to the problem. Here is the golden nugget: he further added that if force yourself to begin any answer to any problem with the words “Yes, if…” and suppress the urge to say “No, because…” it focuses the framing of the problem (and therefore the solution) on a positive outcome. Please think about that for a second.
Of course, his response was much more complex than what I paraphrased, and it was followed by about 15 minutes of examples to illustrate the point. But the core idea was that so much more can be accomplished by envisioning a positive outcome and consistently working towards that goal, than spending any time focusing on reasons why not to do it.
From what I’ve seen, the administration at Endeavor has gotten this school to where it is with “Yes, if…” answers. And for that I am truly grateful. It’s amazing what you can accomplish simply by keeping a positive frame of mind.
All the best,
John
Monday, March 23, 2009
Rising to the Challenge
This post will appear in the "PAW Print" newsletter on March 26, 2009:
Wow! My toes are still tapping from our all-school music concert! It reminded me of how fortunate we are to have 3 dedicated arts teachers at our school. As we near the end of the 3d quarter, the year’s end will be here before we know it. For PAWS, that means our nominating committee has been busy identifying a top-notch group of individuals for us to vote on for next year’s PAWS Board at our April 23 meeting. Please be sure you come to cast your vote.
Having been involved in my children’s previous schools – one public and one private – I have seen first hand how a charter school’s dependence on parent participation is truly exceptional. Fortunately for Endeavor, we have an equally exceptional community of parents that has risen to the challenge and gone above and beyond to support the school this year.
Thanks to everyone who has volunteered so far this year – and there will be more opportunities to help in the 4th quarter. As you look to next year, consider the many committee chair positions as a way to make a big impact. After the election, work with the respective VPs that appoint the committee chairs for their committees. Details can be found in the PAWS area of the Endeavor Web Site.
All the best,
John
Wow! My toes are still tapping from our all-school music concert! It reminded me of how fortunate we are to have 3 dedicated arts teachers at our school. As we near the end of the 3d quarter, the year’s end will be here before we know it. For PAWS, that means our nominating committee has been busy identifying a top-notch group of individuals for us to vote on for next year’s PAWS Board at our April 23 meeting. Please be sure you come to cast your vote.
Having been involved in my children’s previous schools – one public and one private – I have seen first hand how a charter school’s dependence on parent participation is truly exceptional. Fortunately for Endeavor, we have an equally exceptional community of parents that has risen to the challenge and gone above and beyond to support the school this year.
Thanks to everyone who has volunteered so far this year – and there will be more opportunities to help in the 4th quarter. As you look to next year, consider the many committee chair positions as a way to make a big impact. After the election, work with the respective VPs that appoint the committee chairs for their committees. Details can be found in the PAWS area of the Endeavor Web Site.
All the best,
John
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Spring Forward
This post will appear in the "PAW Print" newsletter on March 12, 2009.
It’s that time of year again when the plants start budding, the birds and the bees get busy and we humans lose an hour of sleep in exchange for later sunsets with daylight savings time (a tradeoff I happily make). This time of year is marked by religious festivals and other rites of spring to celebrate the spirit of renewal that coincides with warmth, sunshine and a new growing season. For sports fans, baseball season starts and the NFL gears up its draft. Household activities usually include some variation on the theme of spring cleaning.
So spring is all about renewing your focus on what’s important.
Please renew your commitment to Endeavor this Spring through the many ways that your volunteer time benefits the school. Many PAWS committees can always use some additional help, or maybe look into helping out with lunch & recess for a class that’s not your child’s. Talk with our nominating committee about being a candidate for a possible stint on the PAWS Board during Endeavor’s second school year. And dads - consider the ways that all kids benefit from having positive male role models and do what you can to be visibly present at the school.
The official start of spring happens at the vernal equinox, which falls this year on March 20. We don’t have to wait until then to renew our commitment to Endeavor.
All the best,
John
It’s that time of year again when the plants start budding, the birds and the bees get busy and we humans lose an hour of sleep in exchange for later sunsets with daylight savings time (a tradeoff I happily make). This time of year is marked by religious festivals and other rites of spring to celebrate the spirit of renewal that coincides with warmth, sunshine and a new growing season. For sports fans, baseball season starts and the NFL gears up its draft. Household activities usually include some variation on the theme of spring cleaning.
So spring is all about renewing your focus on what’s important.
Please renew your commitment to Endeavor this Spring through the many ways that your volunteer time benefits the school. Many PAWS committees can always use some additional help, or maybe look into helping out with lunch & recess for a class that’s not your child’s. Talk with our nominating committee about being a candidate for a possible stint on the PAWS Board during Endeavor’s second school year. And dads - consider the ways that all kids benefit from having positive male role models and do what you can to be visibly present at the school.
The official start of spring happens at the vernal equinox, which falls this year on March 20. We don’t have to wait until then to renew our commitment to Endeavor.
All the best,
John
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Weaving Kevlar
This post will be published in the Feb. 26, 2009 "PAW Print" Newsletter:
I’d like to take a moment to call your attention to something extraordinary that has happened at Endeavor, which I like to think of as “weaving kevlar.”
Our extraordinary school was founded based on a set of ideas about how to educate children well through experiential learning and the development of self-confidence with good citizenship. Based on that thread of good education, it’s to be expected that the school would attract parents who want the best possible education for their children, and that it would also attract excellent teachers who thrive in an environment where they are empowered to succeed.
As our children learn and grow, they develop friendships and lo and behold, their parents start developing friendships. And gradually we find ourselves having woven a social fabric through the school that’s strong and resilient because it’s based on core values that are rock-solid. Hence my thinking of it as weaving kevlar. In this ever-uncertain world we live in, I take great comfort in being a part of the kevlar we’ve woven at Endeavor.
On a separate note, we’ve formed a nominating committee to start the process of identifying the parents who would welcome the honor of serving on the PAWS board during the coming academic year (after July). The committee is headed by Ashley Garff, and includes Jennifer Viemont, Leann Bove, Lori Tolson and Michelle Boggis. Please consider this very gratifying way to be involved in the school.
All the best,
John
I’d like to take a moment to call your attention to something extraordinary that has happened at Endeavor, which I like to think of as “weaving kevlar.”
Our extraordinary school was founded based on a set of ideas about how to educate children well through experiential learning and the development of self-confidence with good citizenship. Based on that thread of good education, it’s to be expected that the school would attract parents who want the best possible education for their children, and that it would also attract excellent teachers who thrive in an environment where they are empowered to succeed.
As our children learn and grow, they develop friendships and lo and behold, their parents start developing friendships. And gradually we find ourselves having woven a social fabric through the school that’s strong and resilient because it’s based on core values that are rock-solid. Hence my thinking of it as weaving kevlar. In this ever-uncertain world we live in, I take great comfort in being a part of the kevlar we’ve woven at Endeavor.
On a separate note, we’ve formed a nominating committee to start the process of identifying the parents who would welcome the honor of serving on the PAWS board during the coming academic year (after July). The committee is headed by Ashley Garff, and includes Jennifer Viemont, Leann Bove, Lori Tolson and Michelle Boggis. Please consider this very gratifying way to be involved in the school.
All the best,
John
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Seize the Moment
This post will be published in the Feb. 12, 2009 "PAW Print" Newsletter
I am an occasional sports fan - usually too busy to follow any sport through its season and having moved enough times as an adult to have never bonded with any “home town” team. But I do try to watch the Super Bowl no matter who is playing, and I don’t think I will ever forget this past Super Bowl XLIII.
There were many great plays in the game, but the history-making whopper was when Pittsburgh linebacker James Harrison intercepted a pass in the Arizona Cardinals’ end zone and took off like a bullet all the way to the Pittsburgh end zone 100 yards away for a surprise touch-down right before the end of the first half. It was a stunning and improbable moment made even more amazing because Harrison is a linebacker – a big guy who blocks opponents on the defensive line. They’re not expected to be fast & agile like their offensive teammates.
But with just seconds on the clock, Harrison seized the moment to become fast & agile and make Super Bowl history. As NBC re-played the interception and 100-yard dash over and over again and the commentators whipped us armchair quarterbacks into a frenzy, something else became quickly apparent.
It wasn’t simply a great moment for a talented linebacker, it was also a great moment for teamwork. Every 15 or 20 yards or so along the entire length of the field, Harrison’s team mates kept showing up to knock out the Cardinals that tried valiantly to tackle him. In those moments, James Harrison was able to seize the moment once he caught the ball to turn it into a touchdown because he had all his team mates behind him. But just as importantly, it was the Steelers’ winning team spirit that got them to the Super Bowl in the first place.
It’s that same winning team spirit that has brought Endeavor this far as an improbable success story sandwiched between the K-Mart and the K&S Cafeteria, having only opened it’s doors at the end of last July. And it’s that same winning team spirit that will ensure that anyone at Endeavor seizes the moment when they suddenly find themselves holding the ball and the end zone couldn’t be further away – and then the team comes together and delivers the goal. It's happened already many times at Endeavor in this past semester and it will continue to happen over and over again on our road to success.
You know what to do when you catch the ball. I can already hear the crowd cheering...
I am an occasional sports fan - usually too busy to follow any sport through its season and having moved enough times as an adult to have never bonded with any “home town” team. But I do try to watch the Super Bowl no matter who is playing, and I don’t think I will ever forget this past Super Bowl XLIII.
There were many great plays in the game, but the history-making whopper was when Pittsburgh linebacker James Harrison intercepted a pass in the Arizona Cardinals’ end zone and took off like a bullet all the way to the Pittsburgh end zone 100 yards away for a surprise touch-down right before the end of the first half. It was a stunning and improbable moment made even more amazing because Harrison is a linebacker – a big guy who blocks opponents on the defensive line. They’re not expected to be fast & agile like their offensive teammates.
But with just seconds on the clock, Harrison seized the moment to become fast & agile and make Super Bowl history. As NBC re-played the interception and 100-yard dash over and over again and the commentators whipped us armchair quarterbacks into a frenzy, something else became quickly apparent.
It wasn’t simply a great moment for a talented linebacker, it was also a great moment for teamwork. Every 15 or 20 yards or so along the entire length of the field, Harrison’s team mates kept showing up to knock out the Cardinals that tried valiantly to tackle him. In those moments, James Harrison was able to seize the moment once he caught the ball to turn it into a touchdown because he had all his team mates behind him. But just as importantly, it was the Steelers’ winning team spirit that got them to the Super Bowl in the first place.
It’s that same winning team spirit that has brought Endeavor this far as an improbable success story sandwiched between the K-Mart and the K&S Cafeteria, having only opened it’s doors at the end of last July. And it’s that same winning team spirit that will ensure that anyone at Endeavor seizes the moment when they suddenly find themselves holding the ball and the end zone couldn’t be further away – and then the team comes together and delivers the goal. It's happened already many times at Endeavor in this past semester and it will continue to happen over and over again on our road to success.
You know what to do when you catch the ball. I can already hear the crowd cheering...
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