Monday Morning Memo - 8/10/2020

Four Domains of Change
I never imagined that I would be a first year head principal during a global pandemic, school merger, massive construction project, and significant racial unrest, but yet here I am. Actually, here we ALL are! Throughout my transition into Hixson, it became abundantly clear to me that we would need to simultaneously manage four major areas of change (listed in no specific order). 

• Domain 1: Hixson and COVID-19
• How do we take care of each other in an emergency situation such as a global pandemic that is bringing on a lot of change very quickly?
• Domain 2: Hixson and Equity
• How do we identify and dismantle racism and other forms of inequity within our school?
• Domain 3: Hixson and Steger
• How do we develop a new identity as one school?
• Domain 4: Hixson and Construction
• How do we take this opportunity to re-brand our school and beautify our campus?

I won't sugar coat this for you. This is a lot to handle, but based on what I learned about you throughout my transition in, we have the talent, intellect, passion, and drive within our staff to take this on. As I said last week, everybody take a deep breath, and try to imagine the possibilities that await us on the other side of this mountain! I will share more about our Four Domains of Change in our Faculty Meeting on Friday!

Are you working from Hixson, home, or both?
According to Dr. Wiley Skinner's email to staff on August 5, 2020, there are several employee groups who have the option to work from home or at their school. Almost all of you fall within one of those groups. Dr. Wiley-Skinner has asked you to communicate your work location plans to me. Before making your decision, please review the Remote Work Overview and WGSD Remote Work - Teachers documents. Then, click the Google Forms below to communicate your work location plans. The forms for the upcoming weeks will appear in each Monday Memo until we no longer need them. The form that's due will always be one week ahead so that I know your plans before the week actually starts. If you already know your plans for each week, then you are welcome to complete them all if you want. If you think your plans might fluctuate each week, then just complete the form when it is due on Mondays. If you need to change your plans after you've already submitted your response, email Sarah Magruder so she can update your information. If you already emailed me your plans last week, please add the information into the forms. I am trying to proactively avoid information getting lost due to the volume of emails I receive each day. I need everything in one place! 

The highlighted forms are due today, so please be sure to fill them out by 3:00 PM. Let me know if you have any questions!

Work Location Plans - 8/12 to 8/14
Work Location Plans - 8/17 to 8/21
Work Location Plans - 8/24 to 8/28
Work Location Plans - 8/31 to 9/4
Work Location Plans - 9/8 to 9/11
Work Location Plans - 9/14 to 9/18
Work Location Plans - 9/21 to 9/25
Work Location Plans - 9/28 to 10/2
Work Location Plans - 10/5 to 10/9
Work Location Plans - 10/12 to 10/16
Work Location Plans - 10/19 to 10/23

Adjustments to teaching assignments
We received our enrollment numbers for the Virtual Program on Monday, August 3. There are 193 Hixson students who requested to be a part of the Virtual Program. These students will engage in full time virtual instruction from Hixson teachers at least until the end of first semester. Because of this, we had to make changes to our master schedule so that we could provide staff for students in the Virtual Program and the Responsive Learning Plan. In order to do that, we had to form two virtual teams, ask some teachers to teach in the virtual and responsive learning plan, or move some teachers to different teams. 

I started having conversations with Hixson staff last Thursday about changes to their teaching assignments. I should be wrapping up those conversations early this week. Mike, Aimee, and I realize that these changes are not ideal, but we need your flexibility, grace, patience, and cooperation in order to implement a plan that will best serve our staff and students given such challenging circumstances. COVID-19 is certainly putting our school community to the test, but I truly believe that if we work together as a team, we will get through this and come out stronger on the other side. 

Upcoming professional development and prep time
Please review the schedule below to see what your training and time commitments will be this week. All of this training will be virtual. You can participate in it from home or from Hixson. If you are planning to work from Hixson, please park on the S. Elm lot and enter through the entrance at the end of the long sidewalk. Make sure you are wearing a mask and complete the health assessment before entering the building.

• Wednesday, August 12, 2020
• Watch Wake up to Webster video
• half day Health & Safety Trainings
• half day Canvas & Online Learning PD
• teacher directed time after Canvas training
• Thursday, August 13, 2020 
• Watch Wake up to Webster video
• Canvas & Online Learning PD
• teacher directed time after Canvas training
• Friday, August 14, 2020
• ABAR Training from ADL, 8:00 AM - 11:00 AM 
• Faculty Meeting, 12:30 PM - 2:00 PM
• Monday, August 17, 2020
• Canvas Training, 8:00 AM - 11:00 AM
• teacher directed time after Canvas training
• Tuesday, August 18, 2020
• Canvas Training, 8:00 AM - 11:00 AM
• teacher directed time after Canvas training
• Actively Learn PD (ELA, Science, Social Studies only), 12:00 PM - 3:00 PM
• Wednesday, August 19, 2020 
• Virtual Open House goes live at approximately 8:00 AM
• Student materials pick up
• Full teacher work day
• Thursday, August 20, 2020
• non-work day for teachers 
• Student Materials pick up make up day (for those who couldn't attend on 8/20)
• Friday, August 21, 2020
• non-work day for teachers
• Monday, August 24, 2020 
• FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL!

Note: Please schedule Department/CLT and Team meetings sometime during the back to school days that works best for you and your team. Please let your administrator liaisons know when your meetings will take place so we can join them if we are available.

School Leadership Team
I am inviting all who are interested to join the School Leadership Team! This group will focus on planning and implementing school wide initiatives, helping to facilitate change, discussing building-based professional development, problem-solving and other duties as assigned. School Leadership Team is required for Department Leaders, Team Leaders, and CLT Leaders, and it is optional for everyone else. During first semester, we will meet virtually after school on September 21, October 19, and November 16. Second semester will have to look different due to the lack of available dates (holidays, breaks, and conferences).  

If you are NOT a Department, CLT, or Team Leader, please email Sarah Magruder by the end of the day on Tuesday, August 11 if you would like to join School Leadership Team. She will keep the list for me.

Materials Pick Up
Materials Pick Up day will be Wednesday, August 19. If your department needs to issue supplies on that day, or if you would like to volunteer to help, please contact Mike Hazelton and let him know ASAP! 

Virtual Open House
Please remember that your Virtual Open House videos are due on Monday, August 17 by 5:00 pm. You can find the instructions and requirements for the video HERE. Please let me know if you have any questions.

This is it for now. Please reach out if you need anything!
Dr. Mayes