total lunar eclipse

hangin' out

Here's a pic mommy took of Case and I around the Stockyards today! We love fall in Texas!

Below you will find a prezi that I did for our Policy class. The subject is Switzerland with a focus on education. It is a precursor to a research paper that I am currently working on. Definitely Jones'in to go visit. I was in Basel back in 1997, but it was only for a day!

Switzerland Presentation on Prezi

it's been a while...

After a long time away from the blog, I thought it was about time to share some more worthless text on the already inundated internet. Our program has gotten tough lately. We have done a lot of work this summer? It has been really tough to balance a full time load of doctoral work with being a good husband and father, not to mention juggling a photography business and my "real" job as a school administrator. As the overseer of facilities, the summertime is very busy as we put the campus back together after using it hard all year. Given all of these factors, it has been really tough to complete the 100 or so assignments that we've had this summer over our 10 class meetings. Just a little whining to break back on to the blog scene.

summer plans

We start our coursework back up this week. Im not really all that excited about it, but my gut tells me that the 6 hours I'm taking this semester will be easier than this past one. THe qualitative research class turned out to be a lot of work, but very entertaining. I am looking forward to this summer as I am teaching a class the first week at SCS. The class is on digital photography and I really excited to have the chance to do it. I am also excited about presenting at TASSP this summer. I will be presenting on Digital Citizenship and my ideas on how schools ave a huge responsibility to teach students to be good citizens of the world online. I am shocked at what I see that kids (and adults for that matter) will share on their facebook pages or comments that they make on youtube. The situation needs to be addressed, so I am going to challenge administrators to put something in place to encourage kids to at least think about their behavior before they misrepresent themselves online.

Excerpt from "Trends" Paper

Hello everyone, or no one...

Here is a paragraph from my Trends paper we have due Thursday night...

"As a teacher and coach at Cleburne High School I was asked by my players to lead them in prayer prior to athletic competition. I took this opportunity every time I was asked. I was approached by my superintendent after one particular prayer time about leading my players in this way. He let me know, in no uncertain terms, that he could not protect me if anyone had a problem with me praying with my players. I had never really thought before that day about the impact that a coach can have on his team. The idea had never crossed my mind that by praying with my players I might offend someone. That is when I made my choice to seek employment in a setting where my convictions and beliefs would not be offensive, or illegal for that matter, to the people that I work with and educate."

I have heard people with more experience than I comment on the fact that your views and stance change so much over time. I am seeing that happen in my life as well. Although I am a Christ-follower, I'd rather not push that on other people. I was pushy at one point, and I don't remember that tactic ever drawing anyone to a relationship with Christ. I do however believe that change comes through relationship. I have changed in that I try first to be a good friend, to let people know that I care for them, and if there comes a time that God gives me a chance to share with them the joy that is in my life...that is when I feel ok in sharing Christ's love and how He changed and changes my life.

Oh, I also submitted a title and description for the TASSP conference this summer. One of my goals for the next year is to speak at a major conference - TASSP would satisfy this desire. My topic is "Digital Citizenship". I shared about half of this talk with my staff a couple of months ago and realized that I am really passionate about it...so I thought, "Why not?"

I will let you know if I get it!

posting again!

It has been a while since I've thrown an idea out and since I am feeling froggy from my reading this evening, I thought I would contribute to the vast amount of useless jibberish that is housed online - so here it goes:

One thing that makes SCS such a dynamic place that is capable of change is that our organization is not a subgroup of a larger entity (p.56, Implementing Change). As a public school you are under the governance of the state and ultimately the federal government. This factor is huge in that they will feel burdened or even controlled and limited in what they can accomplish. Change is often something that is handed down from someone that you feel does not know your system. The changes are often given to all schools in a one-size-fits-all fashion, which is seldom true. At SCS we have autonomy to notice needed change, plan for implementation, create buy-in, implement, evaluate, and monitor our own change – which is totally created within. This introspective means of noticing potential areas of change creates instant buy-in with the administration and teachers.

What do you think? Accurate? Way off?