May Staff Development Newsletter

Incredibly, May is here. All of the end-of-year celebrations are starting to occur and graduation, our culminating moment, is just around the corner. I know that this year has not been easy, but you have persevered and thrived and provided your students moments and memories that they will remember for a lifetime. Assessment results have strarted to come in and it is very evident that our teachers and students rose to the occasion in creating a strong academic year that will position them well for future success.

This year for staff development we have been focused on bringing clarity to our curriculum and refining how we provide grading and feedback. This will continue during the 2022-23 school year as well as a focus on literacy as we begin the language arts curriculum cycle. We are all teachers of reading and writing and it is important that we have and use strategies that have maximum impact on our students.

Thank you- Thank you on behalf of our students, families, and community for all that you have done this school year.

Matt

(Staff, I have shared this Jon Gordon post before, but it is one of my favorities. I hope you enjoy it and reflect on how you can end the school year with a positive grand finale!- Matt)

While watching a fireworks show with my family on July 4th it occurred to me that all great fireworks shows end the same way... with a bang.

They save the best and most spectacular displays for their grand finale. You can't help but clap at the end.

Now compare a fireworks show to many lectures, sales presentations and customer service experiences. They often start off strong but instead of ending with a bang, they fizzle.

The sales presentation that has a great hook in the beginning but doesn't leave a lasting impression at the end. The speech that makes you glad it's over instead of making you want to hear more. The restaurant server who makes a great first impression but is nowhere to be found when you want to pay the bill and leave. The teacher who fails to inspire his students to take action at the end of the lesson. The hotel that welcomes you when you arrive but ignores you when you leave. The store that has great merchandise but fails to create a memorable experience.

The examples are numerous but the solution is simple. Whatever your job or business add some fireworks to your work.Think of ways you can create a grand finale and leave a lasting impression. Finish your speech or sales presentation with a bang and give your audience a reason to clap at the end. Give your customers something positive to talk about as they walk out the door.

Fireworks don't have to occur just on the 4th of July. You can create a fireworks experience every day by finishing strong and making people say "Wow!"

- Jon

P.S. Remember learning to finish with a bang is a process. I’m still thinking of the perfect way to finish my speeches with a bang. Here’s an ending to a recent speech where I share an Energy Bus send off. Let me know what you think. Watch here.