Just as the one hundred miles an hour pace of the end of the
school year starts to slow down and we all catch our breath, the calendar and
our focus turns to the beginning of the next school year. It’s hard to believe
that just a few short months ago we were talking wind chill and this past week
the talk turned to heat index. Just like that the 2013-2014 school year is in
the rearview mirror. It ended with saying goodbye and good luck to a terrific group
of 8th grade students who are moving onto the high school and welcoming
our incoming 5th graders to West Genesee Middle School. One class
leaves, the next arrives and we move on. It was a great year to be a Wildcat!
One of the things we talk about all the time at West Genesee
Middle school is continuous improvement. Although we have been planning for
next school year well before this one ended, the focus of the summer is
reflecting on everything that we do in order to try and do it better. Instruction,
professional development, time for teachers to plan, student support services,
safety, building operations, communication, parent engagement and involvement,
and intervention services, just to name
a few of the areas we will analyze and try to enhance as we start the 2014-2015
school year. What drives us is the idea that there is no finish line. There is
always room for improvement and opportunity to learn from others and grow. We
are not content to be good at what we do; we want to be great. Our students
deserve it and we expect it of ourselves.
So as those that complained about the cold four months ago
now complain about the heat, many of our teachers will be engaged in a variety of
workshops and professional development through July and August to fine tune
their practices and continue to improve at what they do and how they do it. It
is also a great time for all of us to find some time to relax and recharge
before the one hundred mile an hour pace of the 2014-2015 school year gets
underway. I can’t wait! Have a great summer!
Continued Success,
Steve Dunham
@Sdunhamwgms
