The school year is slowly coming to a close. Where did those 180 days go? Learners and teachers have gone home for the summer, and the halls are eerily quiet. Buses are parked until August, and our parking lots are almost empty. Evaluations are finished…well as finished as those 82-1s can be… for now. Vacant or new positions are posted, and interviews are scheduled.
Summer brings a different pace and many opportunities for us personally and professionally. How do you want to spend your summer?
Will you vacation with family and/or friends? Summer is the perfect time to reconnect and nurture those relationships which sometimes get challenged with demanding job responsibilities and relentless evening schedules. I am looking forward to sharing thrills with my son at Universal and watching the sun set over the ocean at OBX this summer! Or, maybe your idea of a vacation is a staycation and you are just seeking some relaxation or time to grill at home!
Will you develop the culture within your school or district? We always kick off our summer with a breakfast, catered by our administrative team, for all 12-month staff. Having some time to relax and talk as we transition to our summer work can help us all focus on what is next while celebrating what we achieved this school year.
Will you learn something new? What is on your reading list for the summer? After a busy year with endless reading, maybe you are looking forward to learning through a different avenue. What would you like to learn about during these slower-paced months? Have you ever searched for podcasts related to your interests? There are so many diverse podcasts available online. Seriously, check them out! Listen in the car, while you are floating in the pool, or even as you check some items off your to-do list around the house.
Will you invest time in developing your personal and/or professional learning network? If you haven’t had the time to connect with others on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, etc, summer is the perfect time to learn a new tool! Don’t forget to follow @pasasupts on Twitter. Or, maybe you are more of a face-to-face learner. Will you have time to connect with others at professional conferences? Don’t forget…PASA is partnering with many other professional organizations to offer the Leadership Summit in State College this July. So many learning experiences this summer! How can you share what you learn?
Will you focus your team on the upcoming work? Many of us engage in summer retreats with our teams. How will you engage your team in conversations which matter in your school/ district? What have been the characteristics of your most successful retreats? Outside speakers, brainstorming sessions, goal setting, celebrations?
The summer can fly by swiftly as we start to prepare for Opening Convocation and set our goals for the 2018-19 school year. Before we know it, our buildings will be cleaned, classrooms willbe painted, and floors will shine brightly!
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