The district communication plan was to ensure open communication with the

community and staff regarding negotiations and new initiatives. The best

part of the plan was the initiatives the district set forth this year were the

exact same from the previous year. They were set up to make it easy to

follow through with classroom expectations and so that teachers can feel

some continuity from year to year. They are:

1. During instruction, teachers provide scholars with multiple and frequent

opportunities to demonstrate the standards for mathematical practice.

2. While reading, teachers create predetermined text-dependent questions

requiring scholars to cite textual evidence in their responses.

3. During mathematics instruction, teachers provide frequent and ample

opportunities for teachers and scholars to demonstrate the standards for

mathematical practices.

At my site, we had similar norms that were expected of teachers making it a

very smooth transition to implement the district expectations. The district

expectations was to roll the norms out to teachers during a PD at the site.

This did not have to be done at our site. We had teachers look at the norms

and discuss how in essence they were our school norms. They were well

received and have been applied throughout the teachers lessons.

The open communication between the staff and community regarding

negotiations hasnt really had a negative nor positive affect on the media or

staff. I found this to be interesting because the negotiation teams havent

discussed pay increases. This is always a topic of conversation during

negotiations and last year many teachers visually expressed their

unhappiness with the district offer of a 4% raise. (The teachers wore a

hideous lime green shirt.) I am hopeful, that by keeping the community

informed of our offers during negotiations, the district can remain in the good

graces of the media. Only time will tell. I know on a personal level I do not

get involved in the politics of the negotiations and I am not afraid to tell

teachers that I live in my little world of Marshall Elementary. Basically, I avoid

the politics of distraction and maintain a focus on the outcomes that need to

occur at my site.