We'll Take Care of That, Too!: Continued Commitment to Student and Family Success in Unprecedented Times

 We’ll Take Care of That, Too!: Continued Commitment to Student and Family Success in Unprecedented Times

Principals have been faced with what seems like insurmountable challenges since the onset of the pandemic. Nonetheless, they press forward, staying focused on the school’s vision, identifying barriers and their impact on the well-being of the school, families, and local community. Thankfully, they don’t have to do it alone.


Across the nation, principals are tasked with maintaining, and even accelerating, student achievement after approximately two years of organizational disruption due to the pandemic. While these leaders assess learning, analyze data, progress monitor, plan and implement intervention, and follow their school’s vision toward student success, for all students, they are finding that new work must be prioritized.

 

It’s been said that “we must Maslow before we can Bloom”, referencing Maslow’s hierarchy of needs as the essential foundation that must be satisfied before accessing Bloom’s taxonomy for learning. In the 2021-2022 school year, however, principals’ work involves ensuring that all of the pieces are present for that work to be done concurrently. It involves leveraging assets, accessing resources, and prioritizing the needs of their teachers, staff, students, and families…first. These prolific leaders will ask the critical questions, challenge old ways of thinking, communicate with unabashed transparency, and exhibit bounds of gratitude and grace.

 

What Do We Need?


 

 

Any principal worth their salt already does his or her best to addresses the barriers of poverty, inequity, and limited access. So, what has changed over the last two years? Everything. Now principals are identifying new gaps- those created by changes in mid-pandemic society. Now is the time to ask Staff and families, “what do we need?”. Answers include everything from daily meals, clothes and shoes, support with finances to pay utilities and mortgage/rent, holiday help, access to technology or connectivity, to simply a place where one feels safety and belongingness with mental health supports. After the responses have been reviewed, leaders translate and clearly communicate those needs to anyone and everyone that will listen.

 

Lift Your Voice and Roll Up Your Sleeves!


Pandemic times call for pandemic efforts-great ones. Phone calls, old-fashioned footwork, and letters to a variety of organizations can pay off in a major way. Local community organizations donate, not only finances and materials, but more important, their time and energy…something we principals have very little of right now. Be present and invite your Staff and families to join in the charitable events. Engage students, from a young age, in the cooperative efforts of supporting one another, doing good-simply because it’s the right thing to do, and then be certain to show your appreciation.

 

Embrace the Power of “Thank You”


 
 

Showing organizations, local or long distance, appreciation is nothing new, but there certainly are new ways to do it. A photo is worth a thousand words- even more these days! Take a photo with your local donor, or better yet, with the those that benefit from their generosity, and post to a variety of social media outlets (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Tik Tok etc.) to encourage others to join in the cooperative efforts to support our schools. Contact the local radio station or mention them in a podcast. Simple yard signs and banners at your building show how you acknowledge their contribution to your students’ success! Then, ask them again. Invite them to be an ongoing partner in this crusade. Share the results (student growth and achievement) and thank them, again.

 

The administration, Staff, students and families of Peace River Elementary would like to publicly thank the following (and many others) for their contributions this year:

Port Charlotte Salvation Army                                          Charlotte County United Way

Suncoast Campaign for Grade-Level Reading                The Patterson Foundation

Charlotte County Health Department                             Drug-Free Charlotte County

Charlotte Community Foundation                                    YReads Program

Sunrise Kiwanis                                                                    Kiwanis Punta Gorda After Hours

Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office                                     Punta Gorda Police Department

Charlotte County Fire Department                                   Port Charlotte Chikfila

Girls on the Run                                                                   Let Me Run

Punta Gorda Rotary                                                             Elks of Punta Gorda Lodge #2606

SuperT                                                                                   First Alliance Church of Port Charlotte

Fawcett Memorial Hospital                                                Jarrett Ford of Charlotte County

Tropical Smoothie                                                                Dairy Queen of Port Charlotte

Publix                                                                                     Winn Dixie

 

If you would like to learn more about ways to prioritize and acquire resources through partnerships to accelerate student learning in your school, please contact this Proud Panther Principal at Heidi.Keegan@yourcharlotteschools.net.  (941) 255-7627

 


Heidi L. Keegan, M. Ed Principal Charlotte County Public Schools

Heidi L. Keegan has served as a Florida public schools educator for 18 years as an elementary school teacher, Reading Coach, Assistant Principal, and Principal in Charlotte County. An administrator in six Title I elementary schools over the last 10 years, and a product of Florida public schooling, her experience lies in reinvigorating school culture and climate and instituting a systems-thinking approach to advocate for marginalized populations, with the ultimate goal of closing the achievement gap. Student achievement at the forefront, she has implemented various strategies to address the diverse needs of students of poverty, students of color, and students with unique abilities. She is a member of several professional organizations, including the Florida Association of School Administrators where she serves as the South Region Director for the Florida Association of Elementary and Middle School Principals. She has completed educational degree programs at University of West Florida, University of South Florida, and is currently seeking admission to the doctoral program at University of Florida.

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