Challenge Issued. Challenge Accepted.

When I was growing up as a student in Corner, I attended Mt. Zion Baptist Church.  Each summer we would meet at the church, get into cars or on a bus, and head to Cook Springs for a week for church camp.  It was an amazing time where you could get away from the every day realities of the world, meet new friends, and leave refreshed and renewed as you headed back to school.

Many years have passed, but I continue to look forward to opportunities to grow during the summer.  Over the past two weeks, educators from Jefferson County have participated in our own Leadership Matters district meetings and the CLAS Summer Conference.  In each of those places, we have been encouraged and challenged in whole group sessions, breakout sessions, and in small group conversations.

One such challenge occurred this week at CLAS by Jimmy Casas, a former high school principal and leadership specialist.  He encouraged us to do a better job of connecting our school and communicating its message to the stakeholders (students, families, teachers and staff, community) through a variety of media and opportunities for personal connection.

The challenge that he issued really struck a chord with me.  Now . . . full disclosure . . . I haven't been very effective as a school leader in the past couple of years communicating the great things going on in our school.  Sure.  We have a Facebook page, a web page, a Twitter page, and we use Communicate (what used to be School Cast).  We give you iNow passwords to keep up with your students' grades and attendance.  We toss out information, dates, and lists pretty well, but I really haven't TOLD YOU . . . SHOWED YOU . . . what amazing kids, teachers, and staff we have here at Corner Middle School.

So, Mr. Casas.  I accept your challenge to create a digital learning community (DLC) that will tell our story.  I will not be the only storyteller either.  I will seek submissions from our students and teachers and staff and families and community members in an effort to let you see what is going on in your school on a more regular basis.  My hope is that this DLC will serve as a place where anyone looking for an in depth answer to that age old question, "What did you do at school today?" can be found on a regular basis.

I have asked several people to serve as my accountability partners to ensure that I model and encourage the use of the DLC and to update it regularly for our school and community.  I hope each person reading will hold me accountable, too!

Thank you Dr. Jennifer Maye, Janet Hagood, and Dr. Anna Vacca for giving district administrators the opportunity to grow this past week at the CLAS Summer Conference.  Thank you CLAS for bringing in a rich variety of speakers to grow us . . . renew us . . . and challenge us!  Now it is time to go to work and tell our story!