Proactive Transitions Make A Difference

It's official.  I now wear glasses.

For well over 45 years I have been privileged with good eyesight-both near and far.  Recently, however, I have been squinting to see the small print when I read books or articles.  When I drive at night, everything seems muddled.  Large print books look more and more enticing, and  I have been increasing the font defaults on my computer.  My eye doctor has been telling me this was coming for several years.  He gently nudged me to purchase some over the counter magnifiers to use when I read, and I have a prescription for nighttime driving.  Both help me significantly, but I have uncovered something new about transitions.

Nobody ever told me about the "culture" of wearing glasses, and I have been struggling to adjust.

• Where am I supposed to store my glasses if I don't need them?
• What if I need them and I don't have them?
• What if  people "make fun" of me?

Each of these questions are rather silly, and they all have reasonable answers.  Plenty of people wear glasses, and I know they can help me.  The transition to being a glasses "wearer," however, has made me think about other transitions and how we our school helps.  The beginning of the school year is filled with transitions for our students, staff, and our entire school community, but we are very intentional with what we do to help students succeed.  

Our school hosts Kindergarten Screening Days and Kindergarten Parent Night in the spring.  Each August our PTO president, the director of our public library, and I meet with new families who have registered over the summer.  Our school has "Open House" for all of our students and families about a week before school starts.  Our school secretaries and I give many tours of our school, and we even train a team of student tour guides for visitors.

Whenever we have a new staff member join our building, I meet with them and share a packet of "tried and true" hints and suggestions about being a part of our family.  Also, our district assigns formal mentors to all new teachers, and I help new staff create an individualized development plan to help them grow and be successful.  Most of all, our entire staff welcomes and supports each other on a regular basis.

Every teacher on my staff was in the building this summer working to ensure the transition to a new year would be successful.  Without extra pay, staff were present multiple days to set-up their rooms, take additional training, prepare technology, determine service schedules for some specific students, help interview new teachers, and support each other.  This work does not go unnoticed by me.  It is simply inspiring to me, and this "unsung" dedication helps makes our building and district so special.

This year several of our staff,  in my opinion, went "above and beyond" to help a number of our students transition to a new school year.  I have written previously about supporting "all" students in our school.  We recently realized transitions are extremely challenging for some of our students.  Four staff members researched and hosted a "Sensory Friendly Open House" for twelve students.  These students and their families were scheduled and given private tours of their new room and the school.  The quiet, calm setting helped alleviate anxiety, and each student was given a personalized social story to help them better prepare for the new year.  Feedback from the parents indicates this extra step will help make a positive transition for each of these students.

I encourage all families to talk with their children about the transitions they will face as the school year begins.  Use language of empowerment and strength to instill a sense of positivity and perseverance around change.  Be excited and happy for the transitions.  Listen for any concerns, and implement a plan to get started on the right foot.  Our children notice the words and tone adults use.

Transitions are not something to be forgotten.  As we begin a new year, I am more aware than ever that how we manage transitions is just as important as what we hope our students to learn.  I am grateful I work in a school where our families, students, and teachers intentionally work together to make a positive difference for our students.

Here's to the best-year ever!