A Win Is A Win

 The little victories.

Like how we kept paper on our bulletin boards for the entire year.

Or how we finally got the kindergartners to freeze in place when the recess bell rings instead of simply sprinting for their line.

And how we got Jesse, the challenge kid from each of his six classes here since he was in kindergarten to stand up at his fifth grade promotion to share the Principal's Pledge. Without cursing or mocking or making anything but a dignified addition to the ceremony. 

A victory. 

This came along on the same day as the report came to us from a review group that had spent some time interviewing and collecting data from staff, students, and parents this spring. The categories were graded on a scale from one to four. We did not receive any fours. 

But we also did not receive any ones. Every grade we received was above that. Not by a lot, but our over all grade would have been a C+, depending on the curve. During a brief meeting after students were sent home for the next to last time for this school year, I pointed this out to my colleagues. Some of them scoffed, perhaps believing that I was being sarcastic. My reputation precedes me in this case, but I was sincere. The progress we have made by pulling together and pushing that big rock up the hill should not be underestimated. Like so many others in the room, I looked first for the lowest scores. Then checked to see if we had any in that rarified air of excellence. 

Not yet. We still have a lot of kids who aren't reading at grade level. We have a lot of parents who aren't getting their kids to school, not just on time, but at all. Creating an environment where every student takes ownership of their education is still a little bit further down the path, but we are coming to a place where we can imagine how that can happen. 

This year our principal was promoting a fifth grade class that she came in with as kindergartners. The strides they have made along with everyone else in the building cannot be diminished. Which is why we are coming back in August to try again.