Aaron Kampman Speaks at Belle Plaine

Just prior to Christmas Break students at Belle Plaine took break from classes and had the opportunity to welcome Aaron Kampman to Belle Plaine.  Kampman who is originally from Kesley Iowa, played football in high school for Ed Thomas at Aplington-Parkersburgplayed and then for Hayden Fry and Kirk Ferentz at Iowa before moving on to the NFL for a 10 year career mostly with the Green Bay Packers.  Since retiring from the NFL, Kampman has begun speaking with various groups, schools, and businesses about goals and dreams.

Kampman's message centered around the idea of an oak tree and how ones dreams and goals in life are much like the growth of a mighty oak with its beginnings as a tiny acorn.  Everyones goals and dreams start out as an acorn and the growth of those goals are dependent on a number of key things that will help them grow.  One of the keys to the growth of our dreams and the acorn is the things around us or for the acorn the soil.  Are the things around us restricting our growth or nurturing our progress?  The things that can hold us back are like weeds that can destroy our dreams.  Aaron identified a couple of those weeds that our students at Belle Plaine deal with specifically included alcohol, drugs, and the negative effects of technology and social media.

Another key to achieving our goals and dreams is the support we have all around us.  In the case of the oak tree, the sunshine that is necessary for it's growth.  Mr. Kampman identified three key areas that we all can look to for support.  The first area he spoke about was friends.  He shared that friends can also hold us back from our goals and dreams if they are exposing us to things that will be detrimental to being successful.  Aligning ourselves with friends who challenge us and bring out the best in us are key.  Friends can also be a big support if one of the other two areas is not very helpful.  A second area of support is teachers and coaches.  These individuals have the knowledge and skills to help students reach their goals and are people that students can go to with almost any need.  Aaron shared that he had several teachers and coaches who helped get him started towards achieving his dreams.  The final important area of support is ones family.  Whether it's parents or siblings, family can be one of the most important elements to attaining dreams and goals.  For some however, family support may not always be there or best the best role model and that is when the other two support groups become even more important.

Aaron's message was presented in a way that all students could understand and apply to themselves in some way.  He shared personal successes he experienced as well as challenges he faced and how he was able to move forward at all times.

The response from students and staff was very positive and it was great having Aaron come to Belle Plaine.  He remainded for nearly 30 minutes after to sign autographs and speak with students.

Growing Technology at Belle Plaine

This Wednesday at Belle Plaine teachers will again spend time learning about tools and strategies they can use in the classroom to support and enhance the level of learning among our students.  This year we have two primary areas of emphasis within our professional development.  One initiative is the implementation of the PLC Process among teachers.  In a nutshell, a PLC or Professional Learning Community is a group of teachers who work together to support and collaborate with one another through all phases of the learning process.  To fully and effectively implement this within a school takes time and effort by everyone and can be a challenge especially at the high school level where teachers can tend to hunker down within their own classroom and content world.  So far during the early learning stages teachers have been open and willing to listen and try a new approach that has many all-around benefits to teachers and students.

The second area of emphasis among teachers at the Belle Plaine Secondary is within the area of technology.  Tech has been a focus for teachers at Belle Plaine the last couple years, but with the looming 1:1 implementation approaching it has been taken to another level.  The focus of the district this year is on teacher training and network upgrades.  With plans in the works for system improvements over the summer of 2015, we hope to be ready for the implementation phase sometime during the 15-16 school year.  It's exciting to see the changes already taking place with the use of technology within our school and it makes me even more anxious to take the next step to full 1:1 computers for all students 7th through 12th.  Many of our teachers are embracing and accepting change with how they teach and infuse technology within their classes.  Students are also experiencing the changes and finding new ways to engage in the learning and demonstrate understanding.

As we move closer to this change within our school system it is important to always review the process and understand the change process.  In this it is key to know the process as it pertains to technology.  Below is a 10 step process from Life of an Educator by Dr. Justin Tarte, for beginning a technology revolution.

10 tips for starting a technology revolution

I've had the opportunity to work in several different capacities in my education career. In all these roles I've been a vocal advocate for integrating more technology in education.Ideally, we really shouldn't be having a separate conversation about technology, but the reality is we still have quite a lot of room for improvement in this area. Some of the 10 following tips have been learned the hard way, while others just happened to work out well. Either way, these 10 tips should hopefully provide some assistance as more and more buildings and districts start their very own technology revolutions...

1 - Make sure the administration is on board...

This first tip is not always 100% necessary, but I can say from experience that it will certainly make things easier. Approach your building and district administration with concrete examples of how integrating more technology will increase student engagement, thus increasing student learning opportunities. Additionally, provide real life examples of how social media and technology have improved your abilities as an educator. Share with them how social media and technology can be a valuable asset when it comes to educator growth and development, as well as how these tools can be used as a foundation for professional development.

2 - Lay the groundwork and foundation by asking simple questions...

In order for this technology revolution to start you must have an idea of where your fellow colleagues are when it comes to technology knowledge and background. Simply take some time to both formally and informally ask questions. This will help you when it comes to knowing where to start, as well as what information could be skipped over and/or re-emphasized to get the technology revolution underway. Additionally, use these questions to find out what pieces of technology and social media are already being used, and in what ways they are being used.

3 - Some educators will be advanced...but most will not be - GO SLOW...

I have probably heard "You need to slow down" more than any other comment thus far in my career. The excitement and passion some educators have for technology and social media is awesome...however, this excitement must be contained and released on a slow and controlled basis. Going slow ensures you won't lose anyone simply because you were going too fast. Remember, some of these concepts and ideas are 100% brand new, so consequently going slow and not overwhelming anyone is key.

4 - Do not drown your fellow educators with too much too soon...

Please don't forget that our colleagues are learning and have similar characteristics and qualities as our students do. Furthermore, you can't and shouldn't give them too much to bite off at one time. Take it slowly and present one or maybe two concepts at a time. By limiting yourself to one or two concepts, your fellow educators have a much better chance of fully grasping those topics before moving on to any new ones. A stressed and confused brain shuts down...make sure you don't help in creating a room full of shut down brains.

5 - Support and encourage your shining stars...

As the year progresses and the technology revolution is more underway, a few sparks and shining stars will begin to emerge. These educators will be embracing the technology revolution. They will even be using some of the concepts they have learned in their classes. These educators need to be encouraged and supported, because they are taking a chance and a risk by trying something new (in case you didn't know, this is really difficult for most educators). Allow these "superstars" to discover and explore, but keep them also in close contact. Be there to help at the first sign of struggling, but only if they want help. These shining stars are the first sign of a successful technology revolution. They will be alone and at times alienated for trying something new, they will need your support and guidance.

6 - Use the largest, loudest, and most listened to group in the school - the students...

Invite and encourage students in your school to help teach and lead social media and technology sessions. Can you imagine a better way to get students more involved and engaged than this? This will also help educators to realize it is okay to not know all the answers. We can learn from students just as we expect them to learn from us. The students are and will continue to be a great resource that unfortunately, most schools never tap into...let's change that.

7 - Get constant feedback from your colleagues...

Just as educators use formative assessments to get feedback and information from students, we need to get feedback and information from our colleagues. Ask them how these new ideas are impacting their classrooms; ask them if they are using any of these tools to grow professionally; ask them if they see value in learning about technology and social media integration. You have to not only ask these questions, but you also have to respond to their answers. Simply asking the questions is not enough, you will need to change, modify, and adapt based on their responses. This is a vital key moving forward as you continue the technology revolution.

8 - Offer your time to help others (off the clock)...

Busy is the default. We are all busy, but when you are starting a revolution, you will need to offer your assistance and services when others are available and have time. This will require you to stay after school to help. This will require you to use your conference period to answer emails and trouble shoot problems people might be having. It is absolutely crucial you are available to help answer some of the questions your colleagues WILL have. The first stages of any revolution are the most difficult...this one will be no different.

9 - Help make technology and social media applicable to their class / content area...

When somebody asks, and they will ask, "How does this work for me in my class," you will need to have an answer. Put yourself in their shoes for a moment and think about how these new tools can have a positive effect on their classroom. Provide your colleagues with lists and resources of other people teaching the same or similar classes. If your fellow educators don't see how technology and social media integration can help them or their students, they will not take part in the revolution.

10 - When you get discouraged, don't - the revolution will be long and hard...

As hard as it is to imagine, there will be fellow educators who will be critical. They will purposely try to derail the technology revolution. They will talk in the shadows about how this is just one more thing and by next year it will be gone. They will relish in any setback or problem that arises. DO NOT LET THEM GET YOU DOWN. You see value in what you are doing, and you know it can positively affect the lives of both students and educators. Remain steady in your resolve and do what is best for the kiddos. Your colleagues will be looking to you for leadership and inspiration, and it is your job to be the unyielding voice of optimism and hope. Are you ready for the revolution...? 

Belle Plaine Career Day

On Thursday Belle Plaine Jr./Sr. High School held a Career Day for all students in grades 7-12.  Over 40 professionals from a wide range of careers spent the morning at Belle Plaine to share information about their careers and answer questions about what they do.  Presenters also shared information about how students can begin thinking about careers that might connect with their skills and interest and also the qualities that these professions require.

Presenters included former Belle Plaine alumni such as Doug Bannon, Director of Admissions at Kirkwood, Jill Monnahan of Iowa Realty, and Brad Cook of Iowa Mold.  Others included Brent Balbinot, play by play announcer for the University of Iowa Women's Basketball, John Rathjen, of Highway Equipment Company, Mark Brinkman from the Vet Med Clinic in Williamsburg, Jo Nelson, Assistant Benton County Attorney, and John Brandt of the Cedar Rapids Fire Department.

As I visited many of the rooms throughout the morning I heard some common themes from nearly every presenter.  Communication and people skills are one of the most important qualities that will help individuals be successful.  Reliability was also a word that came up quite often as well.  Another theme that seemed to be discussed quite often was the importance of having some level of post-secondary training or schooling.  Many jobs didn't necessarily require a 4-year degree but most needed some level of training beyond high school.  Computer skills was also an area of emphasis for many of the careers.

Overall, it was a great day for students to learn from people in the job world and have the opportunity to interact and question potential employers.  Every student in the high school attended 6 different sessions and were exposed to a variety of careers.

A huge thanks goes out to all our presenters and also to Lisa Koch for all her hard work in getting this day organized.

Also a big "Good Job" to our students who we received many positive comments about from our presenters.

Handling the Pressure of Being a Student or an Educator

Everyday, students and staff at Belle Plaine feel a certain level of stress or pressure.  The source of this can come from a variety of places for each of us and, at the same time in many cases.  Deadlines, expectations, rules, procedures, policies, and many more can cause all of us the feel stress.  Friends, family, co-workers, supervisors, teammates, classmates, teachers, and several other people can also lead to enhanced stress and anxiety.  How we deal with all this stuff flying at us all every day determines how we progress and move forward.  There is no doubt we each need to face these issues and take them on but our strategies can vary.  One of my favorite quotes ever is- "Adversity does not build character, it reveals it".  Stress and anxiety are not exactly adversity, but they certainly can lead to it if not handled with character.

Students talk to me quite often about anxiety and the pressure they feel as students.  I encourage them to always keep trying and to stick with it.  Working through the challenge will benefit them more in the long run than avoiding it.  Too often we enable students by finding ways around difficult situations rather then nudging them in the right direction and guiding them as they work through it.  Communication is a key to this process.  It is never a bad thing to ask for help!  In a letter sent to our 8th grade Leadership class from former Belle Plaine alum Henry B. Tippie he advises- "When in doubt ask.  Some are afraid to ask as they are concerned they might be looked at as not being very smart.  It works the other way around.  The smart person who asks is the one who will get ahead."  Mr. Tippie also states, "Rewards are generally received on the basis of effort expended."  Facing stressful situations takes effort and assistance to get past them.  The accomplishment of working through these things can be extremely gratifying and a huge life lesson.

The following advice may provide some guidance for us to see stress as a way to grow individually.

WHY YOU NEED TO ADD A LITTLE MORE STRESS IN YOUR DAY

STRESS CAN MAKE US MORE PRODUCTIVE. WITHOUT IT, YOU MIGHT NEVER MEET THAT DEADLINE, ACE THAT EXAM, OR NAIL THAT PITCH.

BY LISA EVANS

While many of us think as of stress as something we need to avoid--or manage through daily yoga and meditation practices--a small amount of daily stress can help us to respond faster, focus more intently, and perform better than if we were in a constant state of relaxation.

Sebastian Bailey, author of Mind Gym: Achieve More by Thinking Differently, says putting stress under a negative spotlight means missing out on some of its key benefits.

 He argues our peak productivity comes at a point of eustress--or euphoric stress--a state in which we’re being challenged. “[In this state] you feel more energized; you’re exhilarated," he says. "You may feel slightly under pressure but are determined, acting as though every moment counts.” It’s in this state of eustress that productivity is maximized. Being slightly under pressure causes us to work a little faster, and focus more intently on the task at hand.

 But, the benefits of stress have a limit. Too much stress can cause us to feel overwhelmed, which is when we tip into a state of distress--where the negative consequences of stress become more pronounced.

 When you find yourself in a stressful situation, keep these tips in mind to take advantage of its productivity benefits:

 1. CHANGE YOUR PERCEPTION

While the thought of standing in front of a crowd of people to deliver a presentation is enough to send many of us into an instant state of distress, Bailey says we can quickly and easily put ourselves into the ideal state of eustress simply by altering our perception of the situation.

 The first step is to minimize the importance of the event. “By minimizing its importance, you downplay the level of arousal,” he says. The second step is to downplay the importance of the outcome. “People often over-exaggerate how important the outcome of a situation is,” says Bailey. Consider whether you will remember the presentation six months, or a year from now. Chances are, you won’t remember it a month from now.

 2. CELEBRATE THE POSITIVE

Think about what’s positive about the situation that’s causing you to feel stressed. An overloaded work schedule, for example, may cause you to tip into distress. But taking a moment to celebrate the fact that you’re needed, that your business is successful, or that you’re learning and growing can be enough to push you from the inhibiting state of distress into the productivity enhancing state of eustress.

Similarly, receiving negative customer feedback can be paralyzing to some business owners who worry a few negative reviews will signal the end of their business, but focusing on the positive--like how a customer’s feedback will allow you to improve either your product or business--can change your state of distress into eustress.

 3. SET GOALS THAT PUT A LITTLE PRESSURE ON

Your über-relaxed coworker who never seems to stress out about a deadline may be the envy of his stressed-out colleagues, but being too relaxed can be as detrimental to productivity as being overly stressed.

Bailey advises those who are feeling a little lax to add a little challenge to their lives to reach the productive state of eustress. When setting goals, he explains, be sure to make them challenging, but realistic as well. “If you set over-stretching goals, then you’ll give up much faster,” warns Bailey.

Junior High Students Return to Longfellow

                                                                                                                                                                  

This past week Junior High Students from Mrs. Ridout’s 21^st Century Learning class went to Longfellow Elementary to read one of their favorite children’s books to Kindergarteners.  After reading the stories the JH students asked the kids a series of questions about what they liked, disliked, or favorite parts of the story.

Mrs. Ridout’s students then used this information to guide them as they began the process of writing their own children’s book.  Once they have written the books they will return to Longfellow and read the original stories to the same students.  The interaction among the students from each class was great to see and each set of kids learned so much from one another.

Fall Activities Going Strong!

Since before school started and even throughout the summer, students have been working hard to prepare for the fall activity season.  In the summer students attended weightlifting and also participated in camps both as teams and individuals to prepare for the upcoming season.  That hard work is now paying off!

The Junior High students are participating in Cross Country, Volleyball, and Football.  All three squads have lots of kids participating and each are doing very well thus far.

Marching Band participants have also been working hard since before school started and are being led by 1st year director Nathan Johnson.  Junior High students have been added to the marching band to boost numbers and the group has been performing at all home football games.  Their first contest of the year is October 11.

At the high school level, the Boy's and Girl's Cross Country teams are making good progress with every meet.  Although numbers are not high the runners are working hard and improving everyday.  Cross Country teams run next at Williamsburg on Tuesday September 30.  The volleyball team is also off to a great start and just this week defeated English Valley and HLV in 3 straight games both nights.  Volleyball has their next home games next Monday night, September 29.  The Plainsmen Football team is also off to an outstanding start with a 4-0 record and recently entered the Cedar Rapids Gazette Class A Top 10 at #10.  This Friday they play at home vs #8 Montezuma who is also 4-0.

Come out and support all our teams this fall and display our Plainsmen Pride!! 

Off to A Good Start

For about the last 7 days or so I've been wanting to sit down and write about how our year has been going thus far and I'm finally taking a moment to actually do that.  So far, the year is off to a very good start!  Each year presents new challenges, opportunities, and initiatives that can have a positive or negative impact on the students, staff, or school as a whole.

One change that has occurred this year with students is the cell phone policy.  In years past students were not allowed to use their phones at any time during the school day unless granted permission by a teacher for educational purposes.  This year students may use their phones during passing times in-between periods and also at lunch.  They can still be used in class if teachers grant permission for educational reasons.  Information is at students fingertips, so why not use that technology at times!  Feedback from students and staff will be collected throughout the 1st semester as well as attendance data to monitor the impact of the change.  Thus far students have responded to the additional responsibility very well and thus far the change has been good.

Another change that is occurring is the emphasis among staff to assess the students learning more routinely and use this to guide and plan instruction.  For example Mrs. Maxwell might ask students to share information they learned in class on sticky notes and place them on the posters that she has in class.  Based on this she can monitor what the students understand and base her planning for instruction on this feedback she gets from the students.

Some teachers are gathering feedback from students at the beginning of units on, "What they know", "What they don't know", and "What they would like to know".  This gives the teacher an idea where to start and a direction to move in that will interest the students.  These are just a couple examples of the assessment tools teachers are using to better meet the needs of students.

The last thing that has also been a big emphasis with students and staff is school pride and the climate and culture of our school.  We've talked about he we can build stronger relationships with students and families and how we can show our students we do care about them as people and not just as students.  The chart below shows how the success rate of students increases significantly when students feel as if just one person cares about them.

Making a significant change in a climate and culture will not occur overnight or even in just one year.  However, I do feel we made good progress in this area last year and with continued effort we will continue to make Belle Plaine Schools a place where every student feels safe and cared for by others who will help them succeed.