Love Letter

                                                  
                  A PRINCIPAL'S LOVE LETTER TO HER STUDENTS

June, 2015©

Hello Students!,

I want to leave you with a small message from me as we end this school year. I have truly enjoyed being your principal. You are remarkable! You are memorable! You are beautiful! You are talented! You are smart! And you have brought me much happiness and joy.

When I first started as your principal I wanted to have a signature statement to say at the closing of each announcement. I thought about many fancy statements such as “Reach to the Heights” or “Always Give Your Best”. Yet none of those were really satisfying. I wanted my closing statement to you to be something you would love hearing and something that would edify you and build you up.

I thought long and hard and then I remembered what I always wanted to hear when I was little. I always wanted to hear the words, “I Love You!”

You see as a child, I knew that my parents loved me dearly. They would work long hours to feed and clothe me. They would take me to church and buy me nice things for Christmas. They would take me on family vacations to see my favorite cousins. They would sit up with me at night when I had a fever. They would kiss my forehead and give me warm hugs. But they never said the words, “I Love You”. That just wasn’t a way they were used to communicating. Yet I always wanted to hear the words, “I Love You”.

Then one day when I was much older, I went to college and joined a Christian group called the Navigators. During one of our Bible Studies the leader asked, “How many of you have ever heard your parents say, “I Love You?”. A lot of us in the study group raised our hands. The leader went on to say, “Then here is what you should do. Every time you call your parents, say the words “I Love You” at the end of your conversation and then watch and see what happens.”

So I decided to try this. I did it over and over again. Sometimes my mother would just say “me too” or “I know”. My dad would just say “okay”, or “I know”. Then one day something marvelous happened. I had just finished talking on the phone with my mom about something and just when we were about to hang up she said, “Shelia, I Love You!”

From that moment on both of my parents continued to say “I Love You” to me. I can still hear echoes of it now even though they are both no longer living.

Students  that is why I decided to make my signature closing line “Mrs. Burlock loves you!”  You need to not only see it and feel it but you also need to hear it.

This simple statement affirms you. It lifts you up. It values you. You are valuable! Your dreams and desires, thoughts and opinions, comments and suggestions, ideas and creativity matters! You are a Star, no matter who you are. You can and will achieve, if you just believe. Believe in yourself. And believe that Mrs. Burlock loves you and always will!  ©                                                                                     

Shelia F. Burlock

RUNNING



Running with the Goal in sight

     Each day we begin a new chapter in our lives and we have the choice to decide how we want to handle change.  No two days are the same. We can choose to cultivate passion or mediocrity. We can choose to cultivate resiliency or complacency.  We can choose to be hemmed in by obstacles or we can choose to seek out opportunities. Nonetheless, it all depends on how we set our sight on the goal. Running with the goal in sight makes the accomplishment seem that much nearer. It makes the goal a reality because we can see it, hear it, touch it and taste it. When we visualize the goal, we become formidable in our intensity to conquer the odds.       

     Staff our goal for Francis Scott Key is to raise our school’s grade by increasing the rigor of our learning community and building a Culture of Achievement. This task is obtainable. We are presently centralizing the fortitude of our combined energy to make synergy; of our creative ideas; of our professional and personal development; and of our district support in order to make this happen.

 Let’s run with our goal in sight. It is obtainable. It is near. It will happen.

Mrs. Shelia F. Burlock, Principal    

 

 

 

 

Quote for the minute: “Changing who you are now to who you think you ought to be is the decision to write a new story about your life”.  Taken from the book, Leading Change in Your World by Smith and Lindsay

 

 

 

 

 

Positioning

 

 

 

                                  Memo Minutes

 

November, 2014

Positioning ourselves to make a difference in the lives of children is the“Energized Paradigm” of thinking we should have as we move forward this school year.  We must reframe, refocus, and recharge our performance and position ourselves to prepare through professional development in order to give the best for our students.  We must position ourselves in creating possibilities; in building new relationships with staff, students and parents; in anticipating positive and productive change.  We must position ourselves in hoping for progress, with a new attitude to persevere (be finishers); to collaborate (be listeners); to grow (be learners) and to empower the world around us (be leaders).

Education is all about moving forward. Education is all about positioning ourselves to make a difference in students’ lives.

Staff as we move forward this school year, proceed with the expectancy that we will make a difference in the lives of our children. Let’s move forward with intensity and intentionality that our input is a significant and integral part of the whole.  We all need one another like the rungs in a ladder, in order to climb and move forward toward increasing the productivity of our school’s learning community.  Let’s continue to move forward this school year, looking ahead and positioning ourselves to make a difference in each child’s life.

Quotes for the Minute:
“Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.” Thomas Alva Edison

“We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we're curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths." Walt Disney

 

 

Mrs. Shelia F. Burlock, Principal of Francis Scott Key Elementary

Comprehension Connections

1. Dear BASE CAMP participant, post your comments on your recent reading of Comprehension Connections by Tanny McGregor.
2. You can post comments, reflections, questions, celebrations or any ideas that inspired you from your recent reading of Comprehension Connections.
3. You can post results of using the strategies in your classroom to "amalgamate reading and thinking: Using Schema; Inferring, Questioning; Determining importance; Visualizing; and Synthesizing." 
4. You must post at least two comments a month.

BULLYING BEYOND THE PLAYGROUND (Uncovering the Bullies in the Workplace)

Description of a Bully in the Workplace
I can tell lots of stories about bullies. The one that first comes to my mind is when I was a little third-grader. I ran home every day because a bully was chasing me. I was afraid for an entire school year and I never told anyone how frightened I was until one day, near the very end of the school year on the streets of Southside Chicago, I got tired of running and decided to turn and face my bully. This article is about facing and unmasking the bully not on the playground, bus route or in school halls, but in the workplace. You have to reach a point when you just become good and tired of running and turn to face the bully or bullies in your life.

Facing the bullies means exposing them or bringing to the light what is hidden. To do this in the workplace takes finesse, discretion, courage, wisdom and a whole lot of guts. The bullies who bullied on the playground grow up and continue their modi operandi or
M. O.s of bullying because they were never unmasked or revealed. So revealing a bully means doing a justice for yourself and the bully. You see, some individuals have lived as bullies for so long that they do not realize when and how they are being a bully as an adult in the workplace.

A bully likes to wear a mask and masquerade as someone other than he or she really is. Bullies set up a lifestyle and personality façade which don’t really exist. It is just a smoke-screen so that others will not know what they are doing in secret, which is bullying. Bullies are really preying cowards who hide and wait until their victims are vulnerable and then they strike. They know when their victim is vulnerable, or in other words, when their victim is less guarded because they consider the bully to be trustworthy. The bully then uses knowledge shared in confidence against the victim. Exposing the bully-unveiling the truth is the way to take back your power, your control-your dignity. It is time to stop feeling victimized.

The remedy to this feeling of victimization is to stop allowing the bully to discredit you as a person and as a performer. Stop allowing them to discredit your giftedness, ideas and presence. In the workplace, bullies love to discredit the character of others through gossip (twisting truth) and through silence (not saying the truth). Bullies hate to affirm or compliment the character or appearance of others. Bullies struggle with jealousy and envy. Bullies love to discredit the performance of others. They consistently find fault and nick pick. They spend time subtly comparing and competing with the performance of others.

The adult bully in the workplace looks like a modern-day Pharaoh. (Remember the Bible story of Pharoah versus the children of Israel?). Well the adult Pharoah bully is one who likes to keep you from your destiny. They do this by capitalizing on your minor flaws instead of celebrating your successes. They seek to keep you in “bondage” to feelings of fear, inadequacy and incompetency. The adult Pharoah wants to squash your dreams and keep you in servitude to a feeling that you are “beneath” them. The workplace bully thrives on false power-the false power to intimidate, insult, frustrate and isolate. The bully intimidates by challenging, questioning and doubting your work performance. The bully insults with the silent treatment of not giving any kind of affirmation of your performance. Next the bully frustrates or creates confusion through doing a kind act after he or she has just insulted you. Finally the bully begins the process of isolating you-similar to choosing teammates on the playground. Everyone is chosen except you and you are acutely aware of being alone and abandoned.
The adult bully in the work place is usually motivated by jealously, envy, ignorance, bigotry and their own lack of self competence. Therefore their goal is to prey on someone else.

Action steps toward stopping the bully
A big part to the remedy of not becoming a bully’s victim is to be acutely aware of these bullying traits. When someone exhibits these traits toward you, take action and “teach people how to treat” you. When necessary, publically speak up when the bully publically tries to discredit your performance or person through a mask of so called innocent joking. Speak out and say what is true about you. Don’t allow some jokes to fester. Taking this minor first step toward aggressively exposing the bully is a step toward gaining back your sense of self-efficacy and dignity. If the bully is your supervisor, be aware that the feelings of fear and inadequacy you may be experiencing have been brought on by the bully. There is nothing wrong with you.
Confront those feelings and mentally recite and rehearse true, affirmative statements about yourself. As you do this, you will again exude the confidence and accomplishments of a worker who is strongly aware and in tune with your strengths and creativity. Next take yourself out of just the realm of evaluation by your “bully” supervisor and expand your sphere of influence within your workplace by volunteering to spearhead or serve on projects where you are looked at by other leaders. This action will begin to nullify the words and opinion of the bully as other supervisors see your performance.

You must not allow your career, job, work performance and dreams to be victimized. You must face the bully and take control. Here are five action steps to use.

STATION- Set your face like flint in firm determination to perform with excellence on your job regardless of the bullies around you.

STAND-Maintain the mental status of “who you are” and “whose you are”. Know that you are a valued and unique individual, created to fulfill a purpose in this life and to fulfill it with substance and sustainability.

SEEK-Look for an advocate on your job such as another coworker or leader who will affirm your performance

SING-Compliment your own self and sing out what you are gifted in and what contributory differences you can bring to the table.

STRATEGIZE-Build up your self-efficacy. There are other skills, talents, interests that you have and need to explore and expand. Capitalize on these and use them as vehicles to move forward.

© February 11, 2011 By Shelia F Burlock and Melissa G Burlock
Art by Donald A. Burlock Jr.

Reference List
Goodwin, L. (2011, Jan. 5). Anti-bullying program quashes playground gossip. Retrieved from http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_thelookout/anti-bullying-program-quashes-playground-gossip/print
Randall, P. (1996). A Community Approach to Bullying. Stoke-on-Trent Staffordshire, Eng, UK: Trentham Books Limited.
Randall, P. (1997). Adult Bullying: Perpetrators and Victims. London, Eng, UK: Routledge.
Randall, P. (2001). Bullying in Adulthood: Assessing The Bullies and Their Victims. East Sussex, Eng, UK: Brunner-Routledge.

Note from the authors:
Media awareness of child bullying has recently swelled to an outpouring of anti-bullying legislation (which prohibit student-against-student harassment and cyber-bullying), as well as an overflow of campaigns by celebrity entertainers and other empathetic individuals. While artists, educators, politicians and families are concerned with curbing bullying via text messages, internet postings and/or in-school encounters, there has been little discussion about bullying outside of these adolescent domains. Bullying Beyond the Playground is an article written for adults which describes the characteristics of adult workplace bullies, and action steps towards stopping them.

We feel that this timely article is a concise contributory addition for all employees and employers to read. The informative discourse of this article also offers a personality quiz titled Are You the Bully or the Bullied? Find out by Taking the Quiz and Tallying Your Score. There is also an original illustration to depict the theme of the article.

We have had distinct experiences with this topic and believe that we can use those experiences to help teach others about identifying bullies and reclaiming self-efficacy in the workplace.
Authors: Shelia F Burlock and Melissa G Burlock © February 11, 2011 Art by Donald A Burlock Jr © February 11, 2011

Are You the Bully or the Bullied? Find out by Taking the Quiz and Tallying Your Score
1. Do you gossip about a particular coworker?
A ... No, and I discourage others from this kind of action
B ... Never, but other coworkers talk about me behind my back
C ... Yes, because the coworker is so different and he or she is not forthcoming with explanations
D... Yes, because it’s harmless and the coworker does not know about it

2. Do you make jokes at the expense of another coworker?
A ... Never, and I seriously discourage others from this kind of action
B ... Never, but I’m usually the subtle punch-line to others’ funny jokes
C ... No, but I do question certain coworkers in front of other people for good reasons
D ... Yes, because the jokes are good-natured and the coworker usually laughs

3. Do you compliment another coworker on a weekly basis?
A ... I make an effort to do so
B ... I compliment others, but no one compliments me, even when I do very well on a project, presentation, assignment, etc.
C ... I do not want to embarrass the deserving person, or make others feel uncomfortable, by paying a compliment
D ... I would like to, but I do not want other people to know about it, so I do not

4. Do you converse with/listen to the same co-workers during your break?
A ... Not every day; I like to invite new people into my conversations with others
B ... No, I usually eat by myself; the people at work have known each other for a long time so they’re understandably cliquish
C ... Yes, because I feel more comfortable talking within a group of friends/ like persons
D ... Yes, because not everyone at work is worth conversing with in my spare time

Give yourself the appropriate number of points for each answer.
A’s = 5
B’s = 4
C’s = 3
D’s = 2

What’s your score?

17-20
Then you’re an A+ coworker; you stand up for the potentially bullied

13-16
Then you’re nice, but you also might be the bullied at work

9-12
Then you’re contributing to the bullying of others in some way

5-8
Then you’re most likely a workplace bully in some way

© February 11, 2011 by Melissa G Burlock

PURPOSE

MEMO MINUTES

Vol 3 October 2011

PURPOSE driven life, is a familiar phrase, which has been used in the religious, business and political sectors over the past few years. It is a phrase, which captivates the attention of many because of the significance of the word purpose. This word reflects having a sense of mission or a task to accomplish. Having a "purpose driven life" can also mean, "making a difference with your life". Most everyone wants to make a difference in this world and feel pride in significant accomplishments. As educators, we are among the legacy builders, the ones who make a difference in the lives of children. Having a defined purpose is what motivates us to continue doing a job well done. This motivates us to believe that we are playing a vital role in initiating change; in embedding change; in blossoming change; in creating change; and in imprinting change within the lives of children. This kind of purpose brings about a legacy, which continues on within the life of another individual.
Frances Slocum staff, let’s take time to reflect upon our PURPOSE for why we do the things we do. REMEMBER THAT DAILY WE ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF CHILDREN. Having a defined sense of PURPOSE makes US legacy builders.
I am happy to serve among such a distinguished group of educators.

Teaching tip for the minute:
"Immediately after attending a workshop or conference, choose at least one new strategy you learned and incorporate it into your teaching.” -Teach to Reach by Craig Mitchell
---------Mrs. S. Burlock, Principal of Frances Slocum Elementary

Welcome Back Letter from the Principal

MEMO MINUTES August 13, 2011
Welcome Back Frances Slocum Family!

Welcome to an exciting new 2011-2012 school year! Get ready, set and motivated to begin afresh. READY, SET, GO. However, before we set off, let us remember all our R’s again.
Relax. Rest. Reflect. Rejuvenate. Rejoin.
Relaxing is a process. It involves a procedure for winding down—like a spinning top coming to a slow pace and finally resting. Resting is the outcome of relaxing. Resting is being still—still in mind, body and spirit. Still enough to listen. We must be still to listen to the quiet voice within and without. We must listen enough to reflect. Reflecting is responding to all the upheaval of busyness. Reflecting is responding to the quiet voice within and without. Reflecting is needed in order to evaluate, to grow and to respond. How should we respond? The answer is: Responding in rejuvenation! Rejuvenate in order to not procrastinate. Rejuvenation is needed to spark new life into education. When we are rejuvenated, we are ready to Rejoin. We rejoin back together in strengthening our school culture in order to maintain a community of collaboration and care, where everyone has a sense of belonging thereby creating an atmosphere of synergy and valuing the differences of others. We do this in order to improve the quality of learning at our school and to advance student achievement. Everyone is valued, meaning the students, parents, teachers, staff, administrators, and all in the community at large who have an interest in the education of our students. This is my leadership vision for Frances Slocum Elementary!
So Relax, Rest, Reflect, Rejuvenate, and come back to Rejoin. Ready, Set, Go!
Mrs. Shelia Burlock

Quote for the minute: “Changing who you are now to who you think you ought to be is the decision to write a new story about your life”. Taken from the book, Leading Change in Your World by Smith and Lindsay.