Shotgun Blasts
One of the first Principals that I worked for used the Shotgun Blast to inform, reprimand, and occasionally punish his faculty. You probably know how it works. The administrator notices something that one or a few teachers are doing, that needs to change. Instead of having a conversation with that individual or small group, he sends out a general announcement or memo to everyone, just in case he hasn’t noticed all the wrongdoers. The result is that the wrongdoers continue to do whatever it was because “they” weren’t caught, while the rest feel guilty or upset for being accused of something they didn’t do. And no real answers get put in place to stop the indiscretion.
The irony in this case was, that this school was a good place to work. On the whole the Principal valued his staff. The families in the community were supportive of the programs, and the students… I guess I should add that this was the “good old days’ before cell phones, cable TV, and Internet bombarded the students with so many ideas and distractions that teachers have to compete with today.
I am sorry that the younger teachers will never experience that simple environment where going to school was the best entertainment in town. It was great and I’m not sure I appreciated what a great gig it was. Before I put you all to sleep with my nostalgia, I need to move on to the latest information that you and your chapters need from DKG.
Please forgive the Shotgun Blast format of the following information and reminders…
And Please share with them with your chapters…
The DKG State Spring Board Meeting is just around the corner. Room and registration deadline March 6th. More information is on the state website. Chapter presidents should also have and should share this information. Please let me know if you can’t find it.
State Team Members and Chairmen – There will be time to meet as a team during the Spring Board meeting. Please plan to attend and make sure your team members know they should come. Topics for you to work on include: planning a breakout session for the summer leadership conference; presenting information to the board meeting or writing an article for the Peaks and Plains; evaluating progress so far; possible recruiting of team members.
State Leadership Conference will be in Montrose, Colorado, June 12-14, 2020. A dynamic meeting is being planned and the Call will be available very soon.
Chapter, State, and International Dues are due soon. – June 30th – Please help out your treasurer and get them paid as soon as possible.
Contact information – Has your address or telephone number changed? Please go into the International Website using your DKG member number. Under the tab – My DKG, you can check the current information and make any updates that are needed. If you need help, ask someone in your chapter or let me know that you need help with this. Need a program idea for your chapter? Have a meeting to explore the International and State Websites and to check your personal profiles.
By the way, the Registration information is available for the International Convention in Philadelphia this July on the DKG International website.
Please plan to come. I am hearing that there are 100+ more amendments to the DKG Constitution submitted for consideration again this year. Come help consider these ideas.
Don’t forget the Life-Long Learning Scholarship is available to help defray the expense of attending the State and International DKG meetings.
New chapter officers… This is an election year in our chapters as well as in our country. Please step up to take your turn leading your chapter. State and International levels need your slate of new officers and committee chairmen ASAP. Kerry Tripp, State Corresponding Secretary will be compiling this information for the state directory. Once you have your selections made, you can be mentoring the incoming officers to prepare them. Also, assure them that you will support and help them as needed, and then follow through to do so.
As I have traveled the State to visit chapters, I am blown away by the diverse ways you are finding to support our actively teaching members. Examples include: scholarships, gift cards, volunteering time in classrooms, sharing classroom resources, helping purchase needed equipment, building classroom libraries for new teachers, gift baskets, great speakers and programs, awards, and many more. Way to go Colorado! Keep it up!
A concerning issue came up recently about a trend in school districts to replace professional educators such as librarians with paraprofessionals. Is this happening in your district? What can be done to stop this trend? The reasoning usually comes down to budget limitations and the lack of outcry against this stopgap. Is anyone else seeing this happen in your area?
Many of our members are experiencing Health CONCERNS. We are thinking of you and care about you. Be sure to let your chapter know so they can support you. Thank you all for the care and support you offer your DKG sisters.
WHEW, I’m so glad to get all that off my mind. I will be on the road to see many of you in your natural chapter habitat soon, and I look forward to seeing and meeting so many of you. That said, please come to the state level meetings to share ideas, meet new and old friends, and promote personal and professional growth in women educators and excellence in education.
There are so many Treasures to Pursue in Delta Kappa Gamma.
Leila
One of the first Principals that I worked for used the Shotgun Blast to inform, reprimand, and occasionally punish his faculty. You probably know how it works. The administrator notices something that one or a few teachers are doing, that needs to change. Instead of having a conversation with that individual or small group, he sends out a general announcement or memo to everyone, just in case he hasn’t noticed all the wrongdoers. The result is that the wrongdoers continue to do whatever it was because “they” weren’t caught, while the rest feel guilty or upset for being accused of something they didn’t do. And no real answers get put in place to stop the indiscretion.
The irony in this case was, that this school was a good place to work. On the whole the Principal valued his staff. The families in the community were supportive of the programs, and the students… I guess I should add that this was the “good old days’ before cell phones, cable TV, and Internet bombarded the students with so many ideas and distractions that teachers have to compete with today.
I am sorry that the younger teachers will never experience that simple environment where going to school was the best entertainment in town. It was great and I’m not sure I appreciated what a great gig it was. Before I put you all to sleep with my nostalgia, I need to move on to the latest information that you and your chapters need from DKG.
Please forgive the Shotgun Blast format of the following information and reminders…
And Please share with them with your chapters…
The DKG State Spring Board Meeting is just around the corner. Room and registration deadline March 6th. More information is on the state website. Chapter presidents should also have and should share this information. Please let me know if you can’t find it.
State Team Members and Chairmen – There will be time to meet as a team during the Spring Board meeting. Please plan to attend and make sure your team members know they should come. Topics for you to work on include: planning a breakout session for the summer leadership conference; presenting information to the board meeting or writing an article for the Peaks and Plains; evaluating progress so far; possible recruiting of team members.
State Leadership Conference will be in Montrose, Colorado, June 12-14, 2020. A dynamic meeting is being planned and the Call will be available very soon.
Chapter, State, and International Dues are due soon. – June 30th – Please help out your treasurer and get them paid as soon as possible.
Contact information – Has your address or telephone number changed? Please go into the International Website using your DKG member number. Under the tab – My DKG, you can check the current information and make any updates that are needed. If you need help, ask someone in your chapter or let me know that you need help with this. Need a program idea for your chapter? Have a meeting to explore the International and State Websites and to check your personal profiles.
By the way, the Registration information is available for the International Convention in Philadelphia this July on the DKG International website.
Please plan to come. I am hearing that there are 100+ more amendments to the DKG Constitution submitted for consideration again this year. Come help consider these ideas.
Don’t forget the Life-Long Learning Scholarship is available to help defray the expense of attending the State and International DKG meetings.
New chapter officers… This is an election year in our chapters as well as in our country. Please step up to take your turn leading your chapter. State and International levels need your slate of new officers and committee chairmen ASAP. Kerry Tripp, State Corresponding Secretary will be compiling this information for the state directory. Once you have your selections made, you can be mentoring the incoming officers to prepare them. Also, assure them that you will support and help them as needed, and then follow through to do so.
As I have traveled the State to visit chapters, I am blown away by the diverse ways you are finding to support our actively teaching members. Examples include: scholarships, gift cards, volunteering time in classrooms, sharing classroom resources, helping purchase needed equipment, building classroom libraries for new teachers, gift baskets, great speakers and programs, awards, and many more. Way to go Colorado! Keep it up!
A concerning issue came up recently about a trend in school districts to replace professional educators such as librarians with paraprofessionals. Is this happening in your district? What can be done to stop this trend? The reasoning usually comes down to budget limitations and the lack of outcry against this stopgap. Is anyone else seeing this happen in your area?
Many of our members are experiencing Health CONCERNS. We are thinking of you and care about you. Be sure to let your chapter know so they can support you. Thank you all for the care and support you offer your DKG sisters.
WHEW, I’m so glad to get all that off my mind. I will be on the road to see many of you in your natural chapter habitat soon, and I look forward to seeing and meeting so many of you. That said, please come to the state level meetings to share ideas, meet new and old friends, and promote personal and professional growth in women educators and excellence in education.
There are so many Treasures to Pursue in Delta Kappa Gamma.
Leila