Elevate to Excel

Dear Teachers and Principals,

It’s hard to believe that the warm, beautiful days of summer have passed so quickly, and we are now into the second month of school.  Summer is an essential time for relaxation, reflection, and family time. We give so much of ourselves throughout the year that it is imperative we take that time to re-energize our bodies and restore our spirit.  Now that we are well into the school year, we must tap into that energy and keep it going! Setting goals, checking progress, and celebrating success are three ways to keep the energy going and elevating instruction to excel in your schools.

The beginning of each new school year brings a measure of excitement and anticipation.  We begin the year with fresh ideas and exciting plans. Elevating our students and teachers to excel is an ongoing process, and one way to do that is with SWAG! SWAG stands for “Students With Academic Goals.” It means teaching students and teachers to set goals and never giving up on achieving them. It also means having the end in mind, visualizing where you want your students and school to be at the end of the year.

As we elevate to excel by setting goals, we must also check progress along the way.  Every goal should be data-driven so that you can meet the students at their instructional level. One way to do this is to create SWAG binders or goal tracking sheets.  Include students in the goal tracking process. This gives them ownership of their progress toward meeting their goals and a sense of accomplishment when they meet them. Support your teachers and students by having open communication about the progress toward their goals.   Please support them with feedback when needed to help them reach their goals. If questions arise, allow them to find solutions or reach out to other educators for ideas.

We must also celebrate the successes of our students as we elevate to excel our schools.  Celebrate every SWAG achieved, small or large, and encourage your students and teachers along the way. Have small celebrations at progress report times and more significant celebrations at report card time.  Include your community in these celebrations.  Post pictures on your school’s social media or in your local newspapers.  Students, teachers, and their families love to see their names and photographs published.

I am confident that the rest of the year will be filled with rich and rewarding experiences with lots of learning that will reinforce the ideals and beliefs that each of us has about the importance of being an educator.  As we are presented with the changes and challenges of teaching and learning, we need to keep “Elevating to Excel with SWAG!” In the next nine months or so, we have the opportunity to influence and motivate students with diverse personalities, strengths, and talents.  That is our purpose! Let us enjoy and appreciate the opportunity we are given each year to teach children.  This is our privilege and joy!

Kindly,
Karen Robertson
West Leesville Elementary, Principal
Vernon Parish
2022 Louisiana State Elementary Principal of the Year