Back to School
Al De Jesus, Principal, Orange Park Junior High School
FASA President Elect
As the heat of summer begins to warm the air with the break of dawn, the breezeways begin to bustle, the copier makes its familiar sound, laughter and talk fill the buildings! The heart of the school is beating again! The possibilities again become endless for experiencing a year of success, new areas of opportunity to explore, and growth reflected through student achievement for these are the elements that drive our school.
With 20 years of education looming, three of which having been spent in the principalship, I find my mindset changing with the ebb and flow of the needs of the student. However, the feelings that the opening of each new school year brings is unchanging. With each opening, I am reminded of the awesome responsibility that I have to the students, staff, and the school community to ensure they have academic and social-emotional growth, a positive climate, and clear and intentional norms. This does not happen overnight - it requires planning, relationship building, and having clears measures of success, or more simply put a “vision.”
Our vision and primary purpose at Orange Park Junior High School is the “student.” Our staff, parents, and school community have reached the unanimous verdict that our students can and will learn creating the driving force behind our school’s vision. With the “student” and all of their encompassing needs being our chief priority, it requires us to continually ask ourselves “is it good for the student, and is it good for the school.” Our school vision includes ensuring we are creating a safe and physically comfortable environment. We understand that when staff and students feel valued, and their own unique physical, social, emotional, and intellectual needs are being fulfilled they have then been provided with a landscape in which they can and will thrive.
Orange Park Junior High School (OPJH) is on a mission to to change the fabric of the school experience within our community. Each year, we have set a course and continue the journey to our destination rising from a “C” rated school and now a “B.” This success has brought enthusiasm and affirmation to our staff, because it is a true indicator that learning is occurring. It is a testament to their hard work. They have planned efficiently, taught effectively, and further advanced our goal of becoming and “A” school. At OPJH, we understand that such lofty yet attainable goals are met through a skillful use of technology, meaningful collaboration, and a sturdy climate built around the spirit of comradery.
Often times in education, many schools ask their staff to step into the classroom like the real deal “MacGyver.” They are then given and paper clip, a tube sock, some chewed up gum, and then ask them to change the world. However, we understand the world in which we live and the cruciality of having technology in the classroom. The gum and tube sock just does not get it done anymore. Our students must receive, and deserve, the skills necessary to be active participants in our 21st century global market. With the opening of this school year, we are continuing to work towards providing students with 1:1 devices where they can compete globally with their peers in school, in future job markets, and with their own personal adeptness. Even with a device at every fingertip, it is only as good as the acumen of the individual using the device or providing instruction. The technology piece requires the proper training to reach technological adeptness which in turn requires time and collaboration developed through a solid Professional Learning Community or PLC.
Cohesiveness and continuity through the collaborative experience offers educators a chance to learn and grow professionally. In John Hattie’s book Visible Learning, he provides readers with a a synthesis of over 800 meta-analyses that rates achievement using an effect scale with a standard deviation rate of +/- 0.4, with any ranking higher as having a substantial impact on student learning . The PLC ranks above the 0.4 “hingepoint,” solidifying this practice as a worthwhile use of time. More, importantly, Hattie ranks “collective teacher efficacy,” with a staggering 1.57 which could be directly correlated to the PLC process (Hattie, 2010). Through the collaborative process our team is given the opportunity to showcase their individual talents reflecting best practices, and develop highly effective lessons to challenge students to dive deeper into the curriculum. This time is set aside for thoughtful yet meaningful professional development where teachers can try out new ideas and experiences in a safe non-judgemental atmosphere. Collaboration provides educators with the time and opportunity to effectively collaborate with other professionals to share ideas and take collective ownership of the results produced.
Robert Griffin III once said, “Football is football and talent is talent. But the mindset of your team makes all the difference.” Camaraderie among staff is most definitely a poignant ingredient for progress for all. It is very easy to come to work day in and day out, doing what we do, and leaving when the bell rings. While contractually this is fine, it negates the fact that each staff member is a piece to a very intricate puzzle. Each of these pieces offers skills and talents worthy of contribution to meet the mission and vision of the school as a whole, if we would only nurture one another's humanity. But how??? Positivity, genuineness, and intentionality… We must ask ourselves just as Jon Gordon states in The Energy Bus , “that our eyes moisten when we are truly listening and internalizing what was is being said to us,” are we really listening (Gordon. 2015)? This idea exhibits such a small act of intentionality, yet produces a feeling of respect and worthiness among peers. At OPJH we do consider ourselves family, and truly try and create a personal connection between work and home. We have developed opportunities for staff to engage in team building activities outside the normal work day, including their families to create a more “family” atmosphere. This act of genuineness reduces turnover and strengthens the bond of our work family. Most importantly genuine and intentional positivity increases morale and creates an environment where staff members feel a sense of responsibility toward each other, the students, and the school.
Through each of our processes, we continually reflect on the mission. What do we seek to accomplish? How do we accomplish the goal? And how will we measure that the goal has been successfully reached? These questions are echoed through the guiding principles of the mission:
We believe that teachers, parents, and the community share the responsibility for the support of the school’s mission. We believe that all students can learn. We believe that students learn in different ways. We believe a student’s self esteem is enhanced by positive relationships. We believe students learn best when they are actively in the learning process.
FASA President Elect
As the heat of summer begins to warm the air with the break of dawn, the breezeways begin to bustle, the copier makes its familiar sound, laughter and talk fill the buildings! The heart of the school is beating again! The possibilities again become endless for experiencing a year of success, new areas of opportunity to explore, and growth reflected through student achievement for these are the elements that drive our school.
With 20 years of education looming, three of which having been spent in the principalship, I find my mindset changing with the ebb and flow of the needs of the student. However, the feelings that the opening of each new school year brings is unchanging. With each opening, I am reminded of the awesome responsibility that I have to the students, staff, and the school community to ensure they have academic and social-emotional growth, a positive climate, and clear and intentional norms. This does not happen overnight - it requires planning, relationship building, and having clears measures of success, or more simply put a “vision.”
Our vision and primary purpose at Orange Park Junior High School is the “student.” Our staff, parents, and school community have reached the unanimous verdict that our students can and will learn creating the driving force behind our school’s vision. With the “student” and all of their encompassing needs being our chief priority, it requires us to continually ask ourselves “is it good for the student, and is it good for the school.” Our school vision includes ensuring we are creating a safe and physically comfortable environment. We understand that when staff and students feel valued, and their own unique physical, social, emotional, and intellectual needs are being fulfilled they have then been provided with a landscape in which they can and will thrive.
Orange Park Junior High School (OPJH) is on a mission to to change the fabric of the school experience within our community. Each year, we have set a course and continue the journey to our destination rising from a “C” rated school and now a “B.” This success has brought enthusiasm and affirmation to our staff, because it is a true indicator that learning is occurring. It is a testament to their hard work. They have planned efficiently, taught effectively, and further advanced our goal of becoming and “A” school. At OPJH, we understand that such lofty yet attainable goals are met through a skillful use of technology, meaningful collaboration, and a sturdy climate built around the spirit of comradery.
Often times in education, many schools ask their staff to step into the classroom like the real deal “MacGyver.” They are then given and paper clip, a tube sock, some chewed up gum, and then ask them to change the world. However, we understand the world in which we live and the cruciality of having technology in the classroom. The gum and tube sock just does not get it done anymore. Our students must receive, and deserve, the skills necessary to be active participants in our 21st century global market. With the opening of this school year, we are continuing to work towards providing students with 1:1 devices where they can compete globally with their peers in school, in future job markets, and with their own personal adeptness. Even with a device at every fingertip, it is only as good as the acumen of the individual using the device or providing instruction. The technology piece requires the proper training to reach technological adeptness which in turn requires time and collaboration developed through a solid Professional Learning Community or PLC.
Cohesiveness and continuity through the collaborative experience offers educators a chance to learn and grow professionally. In John Hattie’s book Visible Learning, he provides readers with a a synthesis of over 800 meta-analyses that rates achievement using an effect scale with a standard deviation rate of +/- 0.4, with any ranking higher as having a substantial impact on student learning . The PLC ranks above the 0.4 “hingepoint,” solidifying this practice as a worthwhile use of time. More, importantly, Hattie ranks “collective teacher efficacy,” with a staggering 1.57 which could be directly correlated to the PLC process (Hattie, 2010). Through the collaborative process our team is given the opportunity to showcase their individual talents reflecting best practices, and develop highly effective lessons to challenge students to dive deeper into the curriculum. This time is set aside for thoughtful yet meaningful professional development where teachers can try out new ideas and experiences in a safe non-judgemental atmosphere. Collaboration provides educators with the time and opportunity to effectively collaborate with other professionals to share ideas and take collective ownership of the results produced.
Robert Griffin III once said, “Football is football and talent is talent. But the mindset of your team makes all the difference.” Camaraderie among staff is most definitely a poignant ingredient for progress for all. It is very easy to come to work day in and day out, doing what we do, and leaving when the bell rings. While contractually this is fine, it negates the fact that each staff member is a piece to a very intricate puzzle. Each of these pieces offers skills and talents worthy of contribution to meet the mission and vision of the school as a whole, if we would only nurture one another's humanity. But how??? Positivity, genuineness, and intentionality… We must ask ourselves just as Jon Gordon states in The Energy Bus , “that our eyes moisten when we are truly listening and internalizing what was is being said to us,” are we really listening (Gordon. 2015)? This idea exhibits such a small act of intentionality, yet produces a feeling of respect and worthiness among peers. At OPJH we do consider ourselves family, and truly try and create a personal connection between work and home. We have developed opportunities for staff to engage in team building activities outside the normal work day, including their families to create a more “family” atmosphere. This act of genuineness reduces turnover and strengthens the bond of our work family. Most importantly genuine and intentional positivity increases morale and creates an environment where staff members feel a sense of responsibility toward each other, the students, and the school.
Through each of our processes, we continually reflect on the mission. What do we seek to accomplish? How do we accomplish the goal? And how will we measure that the goal has been successfully reached? These questions are echoed through the guiding principles of the mission:
We believe that teachers, parents, and the community share the responsibility for the support of the school’s mission. We believe that all students can learn. We believe that students learn in different ways. We believe a student’s self esteem is enhanced by positive relationships. We believe students learn best when they are actively in the learning process.
Our Personal Journey starts Here at OPJH!
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