Dr. M's TA Blog

Curriculum Mapping at TA

2012-03-09T12:08:00.007-08:00

Dear TA Community

You'll be hearing a lot about what's called in the education world curriculum mapping. Mapping has been popular over the past 15 years or so in the independent school world and TA is now joining the many schools who have "mapped."

Perhaps the best way to describe curriculum mapping is as an audit of a school's entire curriculum. When a school fully maps its curriculum every subject at every grade level is recorded in a data base. Unlike an accounting audit, which is a summative process coming at the end of a fiscal period, a curriculum map is never finished because a curriculum should always be evolving. Thus, mapping is a living process.

The primary benefit of mapping is communication. First, the teacher who maps has a comprehensive plan for what, when and how she's presenting her curriculum to her students that goes beyond the expected lesson and unit plans of even the most organized teachers. Second, maps help all teachers communicate with each other. Whether a fourth grade teacher needs to know what 3rd grade has done in science or whether an Upper School English teacher needs to know what his students studied in English in the Middle School it's all in the maps. Third, many schools also share their maps with current and prospective parents recognizing that the customer has the right to assess a school's curriculum in detail. Fourth, the maps are created using a research-based standardized template that incorporates best practice features of what should be considered when writing outstanding curricula. Fifth, maps are based on nationally developed standards that are built right into the process. This is critical because these same standards are used by the testing companies. Sixth, although teachers still have plenty of autonomy in their classrooms maps allow the schools to set the foundation for curriculum across all grades and subjects, guaranteeing high standards and accountability. Finally, we will use Rubicon Atlas, a web based program developed solely for curriculum mapping. It is a user friendly and extremely powerful tool for mapping.

On March 29th I will hold a Headmaster Coffee with curriculum mapping as the topic.

Value Effort

2012-02-08T10:49:00.001-08:00

As part of TA's ongoing efforts to be a community of learners we are reading about "Mindsets." The notion of a Mindset comes from Carol Dweck's book called Mindset: The Psychology of Success. Dweck, a professor at Stanford and a long time researcher of motivation in the educational setting, sets forth a powerful argument that a better foundation for achievement and success rests with what she has termed the growth mindset. Dweck's book has made the rounds through independent schools. Indeed, many schools have made the book a "community read". The book has been quite popular because the main message resonates, especially in the independent school environment.

The message is that people, schools and even society as a whole, will be better off if a "growth mindset" is prevalent. When people have a strong growth mindset their tendency is to believe they can learn or achieve anything. It would seem obvious that society would be better off if the growth mindset prevailed but the challenge is that so much of our culture, in schools and out, is dominated by a different approach to learning that Dweck calls the "Fixed Mindset". The fixed mindset is antithetical to the growth mindset. In short, we are conditioned to believe that our learning has limits and there are things we cannot do. (With this said, Dweck is a realist and concedes that some of us will never play in the NBA because we are 5' 2" and have severe coordination issues.) But she would strongly contend that there are far too many people who think they lack the innate ability to achieve or learn something but it really is something that could have been overcome with a growth mindset.

The traditional school structure puts tremendous constraints on the growth mindset, especially the grading system in the upper grades. What is the ultimate measure of a student's effort in this context? A grade. Do the students who have the greatest effort always get the highest grades? No. Thus, there is not a perfect correlation between effort and outcome. In extreme cases this is very discouraging to a learner. With this said, there are legitimate reasons for the grading systems in place in most schools. The reasons are mainly logistical. Grades, for example, are an easy way codify and compare a large number of individuals against a standard.

Notwithstanding the above paragraph, the most powerful take-way in the book is what I call valuing effort (as opposed to results). A fixed mindset leads to valuing results, whereas a growth mindset leads to valuing effort. When effort is the focus, growth occurs. For example, praise for winning the game is far less important for an athlete's growth than praise for effort - assuming the praise is valid. Similarly, praise for an "easy A" is far less influential than praise for a well-earned B minus. So the lesson to convey is, at every opportunity in our children's/student's lives, focus on the effort. To do this well we need to truly know our children. We need to know when genuine and sincere effort is being expended on a task. When we see this happening we need to respond quickly and clearly by letting our children know we saw what they were doing. By the same token when it is clear the effort was absent you also need to respond. In either scenario the feedback must be clear and accurate.

The long term outcome of valuing effort is a child who internalizes a growth mindset. With this mindset they are not afraid to try and fail, because you can try and fail but still give sincere and genuine effort. With this mindset learning for the sake learning occurs more often and when this occurs we are on the road to developing life-long learners.

I would love to hear your thoughts.

Multi-media Learning

2012-02-01T08:39:00.000-08:00

Not often do I get motivated to write a blog entry on a single, relatively simple, idea. This is an exception. Around TA there's been lots of technology related discussion lately. Should we start our tablet/laptop program in 5th grade? Should we allow families to purchase their own laptops as long as it meets our specifications? Is the timing right to insist that all classes 7-12 have e-texts? These are valuable questions to ask, and discussions have been provocative.

One idea that has come up in these discussions is that simultaneously reading and listening to text can substantially improve comprehension. The idea of multi-sensory learning of this kind is not new by any stretch of the imagination and has been proven again and again in empirical research to work. So, what's new?

In a word, “Access.” In a few words, “Easy access to digital technology.” Essentially, what I am saying is that most books students read, whether as an e-text or in traditional paper form, are now available as audio books. Most people know this is true of novels. For example, prior to the start of school I went to iTunes and within 10 minutes had purchased and shared audio versions of all my son's required readings for English class. He has read and listened throughout the year and I know, based on the nature of the material and his past performance in English class, that this has had a dramatic, positive impact on his learning, his grade and his enjoyment of the class.

Most people know that's it's easy to get the audio versions of popular novels and non-fiction materials but what most do not know is that there are places to get audio versions of most every high school text book as well. The site www.learningalley.org is a repository for thousands of audio text books. Originally developed, and still primarily used, for learners with reading disabilities, the site is becoming increasingly popular and accessible to learners without a specific deficit because of the simple fact that almost any learner benefits from this type of multi-sensory learning experience. Subscriptions are relatively inexpensive at $99 annually for a family. But if you're thinking about purchasing a subscription, you might want to wait because TA will be purchasing a school license next year.

Sometimes it’s difficult to assess the direct impact of technology on academic performance. In fact, no study that I have ever come across makes the claim that the implementation of a certain technology by itself increases academic performance. Multi-sensory learning, however, made easier in some cases by using technology, has been shown to positively impact academic performance...so the role of technology is more aptly described as a gateway for real improvement.

I would love to read your thoughts.

Jeff Atkins Scholarship

2012-01-13T14:08:00.000-08:00

January 12, 2012 was a proud day for TA. At the home basketball games against Pickens Academy, we announced the creation of the Jeff Atkins Scholarship in recognition of Mr. Atkins' dedicated service and passionate commitment to Tuscaloosa Academy’s athletics program. The Jeff Atkins Scholarship will be awarded annually to a student who qualifies for financial aid and who plays varsity girls basketball. Mr. Atkins was president of the Tuscaloosa Academy Knights Supporters (TAKS) for three years and many enhancements to TA athletics were made under his leadership, especially in the areas of fundraising and finances.

Mr. Atkins was joined by many friends and family at the presentation, including his wife Tammy and his two daughters Haley and Lindsey, both graduates of TA and strong contributors to TA’s athletics programs, especially basketball, track and cheerleading. In his speech, Mr. Atkins spoke with inspiration and courage about his illness and his faith in God. In fact, I must honestly say that this was one of the most courageous speeches I have witnessed.

Since last evening, there has been such an outpouring of support for Mr. Atkins that people in the TA community have asked how they can contribute to the scholarship fund we are creating. Despite this not being the original intention, we will honor any and all contributions made in Mr. Atkins name and set aside all funds donated for this purpose. You may make donations by writing a check to TA and indicating it is for the Jeff Atkins Scholarship.

Sincerely,

Dr. Jeffrey L. Mitchell

Experience TA Day

2011-11-14T07:00:00.000-08:00

Follow the link to a recent presentation for prospective parents concerning the 10 1/2 things you need to know about TA. Or, 10 1/2 reasons why TA is the best option for your children. I highlighted for prospective parents some of the BIG reasons why TA is the best educational option. There were a number of current parents at the meeting and for them it was an opportunity to confirm their decision and perhaps give them some "talking points."

See presentation.

Ideas come from everywhere

2011-10-27T07:01:00.000-07:00

I was doing some reading about strategic planning and came across the following excerpt from a respected independent school consultant:

Google’s company-wide goal to create an ever-better user experience keeps Googlers striving for new ideas, which are the lifeblood of their dynamic and innovative culture. Ideas can come from customers, engineers, or from top-down strategic priorities. It follows, too, that everyone is expected to have ideas, to participate in the mission of serving customers. Google has set up systems in which people feel they can contribute and that their perspectives and ideas are valued.

For schools, at this moment in time, there is much work to be done to create a new paradigm in teaching and learning. The best leader cannot do all the thinking, planning, creating, and managing for the whole school. Everyone bears a responsibility to participate, to have ideas.

Like most schools, TA struggles against what I call the tyranny of the moment. That is, the life of administrators and faculty is so often about completing the mundane but necessary daily tasks. Often we get bogged down in the mud, spinning our wheels over issues that have minimal impact on the future of the school.

Thus, the question for this blog is:

If you could design the perfect school what would it look like?

Communication the Digital Age

2011-10-16T11:53:00.000-07:00

Below, in white, is a reflection for an assignment from an online Google Docs course in which I'm currently enrolled. It explains a little about the the communication structure at TA. In blue is the prompt for the response.

Reflect on Standard 3c from ISTE’s Educational Technology Standards for Administrators, which you read earlier in this session:

Educational Administrators promote and model effective communication and collaboration among stakeholders using digital-age tools. Think about the tools your school community (staff, teachers, parents, and students) uses for collaboration and communication. What determines a “digital-age” tool, and what might “effective communication and collaboration” look like within that context? In your response, discuss the ways you currently communicate with the school community at large.

Educators, from Socrates to Mrs. Smith my third grade teacher, are communicators - and great educators, almost by definition, are great communicators. It’s fair to say that communication (along with perhaps knowledge and passion) is our most important asset. Effective communication and collaboration must ultimately advance the mission of the school and secondarily must do so without draining valuable teacher/administrator time.

As the lead administrator in my school, I have a basic rule of thumb that guides my thinking about communication. We start from the premise that there should be formal connections among all constituents. That is, among students, teachers, parents, alumni and administration there must be formal processes in which communication is facilitated. For example, do teachers effectively communicate with students and parents? Do administrators communicate with teachers, parents, students and alumni? The goal is to have no gaps. With this principle in place, we then explore, discuss and implement what we think is the most appropriate form of communication among our various constituents. At TA, we noticed a couple of gaps. For example, I asked the Division Deans (Principals) to start meeting face-to-face with a representative sample of parents from their division because we did not have a regularly scheduled meeting between these members of our community. This has been well received.

Finally, my personal preferences/approach for communicating with the TA community is listed below:

Person-person: I’m happy to say that, although I’m somewhat tech-literate, that when I really thought about how I communicate the best thing I do is take time to visit with TA folks person-to-person. One example, is that I try to visit every teacher’s classroom at least once per week - the benefits of doing so are tremendous.
Email: most of my day-to-day “business” is communicated through email.
Cell phone/text message: I do quite a lot of communicating, especially with my Board of Trustees, via cell phone and sometimes text messaging.
Formal systems: we have three large software programs that we utilize. Our student information system (SIS) is called Administrator Plus and we use it as our data base, for admissions, for development, for scheduling and more. We have a master calendaring software called Dynacal. Everything, outside of what happens in a specific teacher’s classroom, goes on Dynacal and all faculty/staff are responsible for using it. Finally, we use an add-on to Administrator Plus called Edline, which is a software platform that teachers use to communicate to students and parents what is happening in their classrooms. I must also note that Edline has an emergency notification feature that is very useful when urgent messages must be delivered to parents in a timely fashion.
Formal meetings: I have a lean formal meeting structure. My faculty meeting is every Monday morning from 7:30-7:45 am. The meeting is purely informational: we look back on the successes or challenges from the previous week and we communicate, as a back-up to what’s on Dynacal, what’s coming up in the next week. Issues that need more time and reflection are discussed at the division level in monthly meetings runs by the Deans. Perhaps, once or twice per year I’ll call an impromptu meeting if I see no other option.
Blog - For about a year now I have kept-up a blog. As an administrator, I have always sent a newsletter to parents/faculty, the purpose of which was to develop and extend conversations about issues and initiatives currently being discussed at the school. The blog format is ideally suited to this goal.

Tag Line Contest

2011-10-07T06:17:00.000-07:00

Dear TA Community:

I am excited to announce a school-wide competition to create a new TA tag line. We would like to replace our current tag line of "Think. Play. Belong.", so we thought that we would engage the TA Community in the effort. Below you'll find information to guide you if you wish to participate.

The first thing to know about a tag line is that it must connect to the Mission of the school. TA's Mission Statement reads: "The mission of Tuscaloosa Academy is to provide a college-preparatory education in a supportive environment of intellectual freedom, to cultivate a love of learning, and to maximize each student's potential for academic achievement, character development and readiness for life in a global environment."
One way to stimulate your thinking about tag lines is to think hard about the essence of TA and how that can be described in very few words.
A tag line must be simple, yet memorable. We want everyone in the community to know what it is after reading it just a few times and we want everyone in the community to be able to reflect on the tag line and say to themselves "wow, that really makes a lot of sense."
You do not need to worry about font or color in your tag line, just submit the tag line as regular text.
A committee of school personnel will sort through the submissions and reduce the number to three "finalists" which will then be taken to the Board of Trustees and the Headmaster for final approval. Please send all submissions to the Headmaster only (jmitchell@tuscaloosaacademy.org). I will compile all entries and submit them, blind (without the name of the creator) to the committee.
The contest is open to students, parents, faculty/staff and alumni of the TA community.
Each individual is limited to one submission.
If your submission is selected as TA's official tag line you will receive either $1000 in tuition support for the next school year or $500 in cash.
The deadline for submissions is October 22.

To stimulate thinking, I have listed a variety of tag lines from independent schools across the country.

Exceptional Educators. Extraordinary Educators.
Yes, I can.
Prepared for life.
Where kids grow.
Informing the mind. Developing the body. Enlightening the spirit.
Inspiring Boys. Building Men (Boy's School)
Character, Integrity, Respect.

Thank you,

Annual Fund Letter

2011-09-26T06:59:00.000-07:00

Dear TA Community

Tuscaloosa Academy, like all independent schools, is solely responsible for its funding. At TA tuition and fees provide 95 percent of the funds required to educate students, the remaining 5 percent comes from tax-deductible gifts given by trustees, parents, grandparents, alumni and other friends of TA, almost exclusively generated by our Annual Fund.

Parents often wonder how the money raised during the Annual Fund is spent. It’s important to answer that question. The first idea that needs to be understood is that TA runs a traditional annual fund campaign. The goal is to raise operating, as opposed to capital, revenue. This is best practice for independent schools. Which means, of the literally thousands of independent schools that have annual fund campaigns, the vast majority run them this way. At TA, we do not direct Annual Fund money towards any specific cause, item or program. We simply put it into general revenue and it gets proportionally distributed the same way that all school revenue gets distributed. Specifically, about 70% of all revenue goes toward faculty/staff salaries and benefits. Thus, about $140,000 of a $200,000 Annual Fund Campaign goes to salaries and benefits for our deserving faculty and staff. Here’s an illustration based on one donor’s potential contribution. If you contribute $1000 to the Annual Fund, about $700 goes towards salaries and benefits. About 20%, or $200, goes to facilities. That is, keeping the lights on, keeping the school climate controlled, the grass green and cut, etc. The final 10%, or $100, goes into programs/instruction. That is, the materials and resources the faculty and staff need to support their professional efforts; a large part of this is technology, from infrastructure to hardware to software. So, wonder no more about where your hard-earned money is going when you contribute to the annual fund. Moreover, with this explanation I hope that the importance of maintaining a vibrant annual fund campaign is clear.

Historically, TA has been truly fortunate to have the generous support of those committed to its mission. The history of generosity has impacted each and every student who has sat in our classrooms. Through this legacy of giving TA will remain an outstanding school – sought out by dedicated teachers as a wonderful environment in which to work, as well as by parents as the best place to educate their children.

Every single gift, regardless of the amount, is valued and deeply appreciated. Everyone is encouraged to be engaged in the TA community. With your gifts, TA will continue to provide a learning community where children are inspired to THINK, PLAY and BELONG.

Distributed Practice

2011-09-16T06:15:00.001-07:00

There are very few universally accepted learning principles. That is, approaches, strategies or ideas that researchers and practitioners agree work in almost every learning context. In this blog entry I’d like to present one of those ideas: distributed practice.

The essence of distributed practice is that, all others things being equal, learning something over a longer period of time will enhance the likelihood of understanding it better. For example, let’s say two learners of equal acumen spend 60 minutes trying to grasp a concept. One learner tries to learn the concept in one span of 60 minutes, while the other learner spends 15 minutes on four closely spaced days. Thus, although learners spend exactly the same amount of time on a concept, learners who distribute that learning time are far more likely to learn.

Examples from various contexts can be given. Take an average fourth grader learning how to divide fractions. The fourth grader will learn how to divide fractions more effectively if the practice/learning is distributed. Now take a second child who has a desire to learn proper shooting form for basketball. He will have a much better chance to learn proper form if he practices (for the same amount of time) over a week versus over one or two days. The examples are infinite.

Why is distributed practice effective? It might have something to do with knowledge consolidation. There is research to suggest that knowledge takes time to be embedded in one’s mind. For example, some research suggests that during sleep the knowledge of the day is vetted and embedded and this is critical to the formation of long-term memories. Another reason distributed practice might be effective is that spending too much time trying to learn any one thing is usually not the way the human mind likes to work. Some research suggests, for example, the 5 plus 2 rule. The idea being that when teaching a particular idea/concept/skill to a learner, you might not want to spend more than 5 minutes, plus 2 minutes for each grade level the learner is in. If you do violate this guideline, you’re more apt to lose the learner’s attention.

What are some implications? One, you’ve probably already considered as you read, is that the effectiveness of distributed practice necessarily means that “cramming” is a very inefficient way to learn. Not that it isn’t better than nothing but it is far from the best way to learn. The notion of distributed practice provides parents with some ammo when their children ask why they should “study” when they do not have any homework, per se. A final point to note is that education researchers have appreciated this concept for decades and practically all curriculum philosophies around the world are at least partially based on it. For example, take the popular idea of the spiral curriculum. The foundational principle of a spiral curriculum is that key concepts in a given subject area are returned to over time. Generally, you don’t teach something once and forget about it. Take again the concept of dividing fractions. You will find this concept in the math curriculum guides over multiple years, probably anywhere from 4^th grade through 7^th grade, with only extensions of the basic idea as the grade level increases.

The impetus for this blog entry was that just recently a TA parent sent me a link to an article on the benefits of “spaced repetition”. As I read through the interesting article I quickly figured out that spaced repetition was the new term for distributed practice. I guess good ideas don’t go away, they just get renamed.

Although I believe in the effectiveness of distributed practice there are some loopholes to note. The most obvious of which is too little time or too much time between learning episodes. For example, the positive effect of distributed practice would be mitigated if the practice was distributed over the same day, or, if there was an extended period of time between learning episodes.

The upshot of this discussion is that distributed practice is an idea you can put in your back pocket and apply to your own, or your children’s, learning situations. Whether in academics, athletics or the fine arts, it will work.

Motivation

2011-09-06T12:22:00.000-07:00

The concept of motivation has always been very interesting to me. As a university instructor of educational psychology or an AP Psychology teacher, the topic of motivation has been a frequent, formal lecture topic. As an educator, every day that goes by includes, directly or indirectly, some mention of the impact or influence of motivation in the educational context.

There's no question that motivation impacts our destiny. The good news is that we do have some control over this variable. For example, compare motivation with genetics. No doubt, some people are genetically predisposed to do well academically, athletically, in the fine arts, etc. And, all other things being equal, they will do better in these areas than the average person. But we have no control over the genes we inherit. It's also probably true that some people are in the right place at the right time. That is, luck plays a role. (Although some argue quite convincingly that you make your own luck.) I would say there's at least some truth to the saying that it's better to be lucky than good.

But motivation is under our control. So what motivates us? Motivators are often distinguished as internal or external. Internal motivators are ones in which the person derives a feeling of pleasure or a sense of accomplishment from performing or completing a task, usually to a relatively high level. The "reward" is completely internal. (For an excellent discussion on the power of intrinsic motivation as it pertains to the educational setting see Carol Dweck's book Mindset.) External motivators depend on tangible outcomes as rewards. Common external rewards, which are highly motivating for people, include grades, money or other material items, and political recognition. By political recognition I mean any kind of public recognition for an accomplishment.

Many would argue, and I would agree, that especially in the educational context we should strive to motivate students (and teachers) intrinsically. There's plenty of research (see Dweck) to support the claim that when one is intrinsically motivated the learning outcomes are best. That is, when you are doing something because you really want to do it and the rewards are internal, you'll enjoy it the most and learn it the best. I often call this the "great book phenomenon." Think about the best book you've ever read. Chances are when you read that book (probably more than once) it did not feel like work and the reward was primarily intrinsic i.e., it made you feel something positive. Chances are, you also learned a great deal from that book and could recite what you learned, if necessary. Ultimately, and you may have figured this out by now, it is rare that motivation is purely based on internal or external influences. We strive to be internally motivated. We hope to be in jobs and classes that we inherently enjoy but realize that external motivators typically make up the difference between the ideal and the reality.

With all that said, motivation, whether internal or external, plays a role in performance. It is the difference between one letter grade and the next higher one, between a promotion or not, between making the starting line-up or not. We've all heard amazing accounts of what can be accomplished through dedication and effort. We all can also give very discouraging examples of untapped potential. In psychology an extreme form of untapped potential is called learned helplessness. In short, learned helplessness describes a situation in which the learner learns not to try. He learns this because of repeated failures. The failures typically stem less from shortcomings associated with innate ability and more from shortcomings with his social context. In essence, it becomes better for the psychological well-being of the individual to not try, rather than to try and fail. What ends up happening is that learners end up not trying, even things that are well within the capabilities, as witnessed by the very high national dropout rate. For the vast, vast majority of students, a high school diploma is, cognitively, well within reach.

So indeed it's critical to be motivated. The million, perhaps even billion, dollar question is "what motivates a person"? If I had the answer I'd be very rich. Instead, I'll have to settle for some generalities pertaining to education. How do you motivate students, especially when you have 20 or so of them in your class? (Remember we are fortunate at TA in that we have students who, as a general rule, come to us motivated). First step, exude passion and enthusiasm for your subject. When a teacher is passionate about his subject it seems to be contagious, even if the students don't quite share the teacher's enthusiasm, they do appreciate it. The next challenge is to engage the learner. Human beings are inherently curious beings. We will respond to interesting stimuli. There's much that could be said on this topic but I can reduce it all to one word: VARIETY. A teacher ought to vary his approach in the classroom, whether it be instructional techniques, activities or evaluation, a teacher would do well to be as varied as possible in conveying the subject matter. Why? We learn in a variety of ways. We learn through all our senses. We see, we hear, we smell, we touch and we taste. Often instruction relies on just hearing and seeing. We have strengths in various areas. Some have high emotional intelligence. Some love learning in groups. Some prefer to learn while doing. Some like projects. Some like lectures, some like music and some like art. In actuality, we all have the ability to learn in all of these areas. I believe the power comes from simply providing that variety for the learner.

Motivation is a very big onion to peel. What are your thoughts on the topic?

Enrollment at TA

2011-09-01T08:52:00.000-07:00

In this blog I will share some data regarding TA's enrollment pattern for the past four years. I will also share some reflections on what this means for an independent school. In the graph below you see the enrollment numbers for the past four years. Overall, we are up 60 students, or about 15%.

The positive impact of increased enrollment, especially for an under-enrolled school, cannot be underestimated. Our finances are tuition-driven. Although there are a few ancillary sources of revenue, tuition is by far the primary source. In a nutshell, the increasing fiscal stability associated with getting closer to ideal enrollment numbers means you have a better opportunity to compensate the faculty/staff appropriately. It means that desirable curricular or extracurricular programs can be enhanced and/or implemented. It means you can reduce your debt load more quickly, It means you can enhance your facility, if needed, and finally it means you can invest money that will support the school for years to come. In fiscally healthy schools all of this happens, in proper measure, depending on the school's particular needs.

Finding a Balance

2011-08-19T14:27:00.000-07:00

Often discussed in educational settings is striking a balance between grades and learning. At one extreme is the notion that if a school becomes too dependent on the "tyranny of the grades" then that becomes the de facto Mission of the school. The other extreme is that if there is no accountability in the system - like the accountability provided by grading - then the structure becomes too loose and focus is lost.

Of course, the ideal is a delicate balance between the two extremes. This could be described in the following way. Think about the best book you have ever read. Think about your experience with that book. Think about how motivated you were to read that book, how you could literally not put it down. Now think about how much you remember from that book. Chances are, you remember a lot. Chances are that if you were evaluated on the material you would do very well. But also think whether you felt it was a chore to do this work or not. Chances are, you did not.

This, of course, is the prototype. As educators we strive to create learning situations in which students do not realize they are learning, yet they are fully engrossed in the learning situation. In fact, the mastery of this "trick" would be one indicator of a master teacher. Parenthetically, the same reasoning applies to why it's a wonderful idea to find a job you love.

My job, as Headmaster, is to provide a fertile environment for this to happen. Of course, job one is to find passionate and skilled teachers. Job two, is to set-up systems and processes by which the teacher thrives.

What do you think?

Sincerely,

Dr. Jeffrey L. Mitchell

Headmaster's Letter

2011-08-09T10:52:00.000-07:00

It is about this time of the year that some parents have bitter-sweet feelings regarding the start of school. Bitter because the opportunity to spend more quality time with their children will soon be over. Sweet because they have spent too much quality time with their children over the summer and it is wearing thin.

When the students return on August 17^th they will come back to a school with a healthy enrollment of close to 400 students. They will feel the effects of a robust financial picture as well. For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2011 we had a substantial budget surplus, which we first used to give all faculty and staff another bonus to supplement the bonus they received at Christmas. Next, we attended to some long overdue facility issues which will be explained in more detail below. Finally, we placed a sizable amount of money away in a just-in-case Maintenance Reserve, took steps to amortize our debt, thus paying more on principal than we ever had before and, invested our modest endowment funds in a proper investment vehicle. TA has taken some positive steps towards financial stewardship!

I want to thank Hunter Plott for his leadership and guidance over my first two years at TA. The business of running a school is challenging and Hunter is wise beyond his years. I also want to thank Dena Prince, as her tenure on the Board has officially ended. Dena was on the Board for many years, including two years as President. Dena is a true Southern lady. But an indicator of a healthy school is that there are great people waiting in the wings to carry on with the Mission. I am very excited to work with Elizabeth McGiffert, TA’s new Board President. Her passion and dedication for TA is unmatched. Finally, I want to welcome Farley Poellnitz to the Executive Committee of the Board. Farley, as the school’s lawyer, never fails to provide insight and context to Board discussions.

I also want to sincerely thank all of my administrators and administrative staff, coaches, the Summer Knights employees, our maintenance crew, Sherri Sellers and Kim Hudson (School Store) and all the other people who worked hard this summer to add value to our wonderful school.

This summer has also been busy in terms of hiring and staffing. A number of personnel notices were emailed to families this summer regarding academic and athletic personnel who have departed and arrived. Indeed, it has hard for even me to keep track of everyone, and I’ve done all the hiring! We are tremendously excited about the many new academic and athletic hires we’ve made and believe that not only will the fine traditions of academic and athletic excellence be maintained but they will be exceeded by these hires.

At the same time, it is always difficult to see good people go. But I remember reading something about a very well respected headmaster from a prominent east coast school. One of the things that stood out about this headmaster was how many younger headmasters he groomed and sent off to lead other schools. I think the total number was around ten. The headmaster in question thought this was one of his greatest legacies in his long and successful career. I couldn’t help but think that although we lost a number of fine coaches this year, every one of them has moved up the ladder in their profession. Coach Brantley went on to a bigger school and a bigger football program. Coach Rushing has received a position as Director of Baseball Operations at Troy University, a Division 1 college. Coach Golden has moved on to a very good 5A basketball school. Coach White has moved on to ACA, which has a fine softball program. These coaches did a fine job for TA and they will be missed, but in a way their departure is a testament to TA. These coaches grew and honed their skills in a fertile and supportive environment. I think TA, especially for a small school, has demonstrated itself to be an excellent environment for young coaches to develop, while at the same time providing TA the benefit of their talents. TA wishes all of them the best of luck.

I mentioned to a few people this summer that this has been, by far, the busiest summer of my career, mainly because of all the activity happening on campus. As noted above, our beautiful campus received a significant and timely facelift. Most important, we have a sparkling new roof and HVAC units over the Lower and Upper divisions of the school. Although not time-tested, this should stop our leak issues and seriously increase the efficiency of our heating and cooling system. We plan to replace our aging buses with newer and more cost efficient vehicles. There’s new carpet in the administrative offices, new paint on the walls in the Lower School, new ceiling tiles in places throughout the hallways of the Lower and Upper School divisions. The entire asphalt area surrounding the school has been re-surfaced and re-striped. Finally, we have renovated several classrooms to give us more teachable spaces.

We were also due for some technology upgrades. Our wireless network had become slow and cumbersome, thus we enhanced the technology infrastructure by fitting the school with better wireless access points and an enhanced network “backbone” that will speed up data transmission significantly.

We just finished-up our second successful year of Summer Knights: more programs were offered and more families were served. The overwhelmingly positive feedback indicates that the program has been well received and will continue to grow. On the coattails of the Summer Knights program and building upon traditional offerings such as karate and gymnastics, we intend to develop even stronger and more varied after school offerings. Mrs. Crawford is putting together what we are calling Extended Explorations. Information on the program is available through the Mrs. Crawford.

The end of a school year brings many things, including lots of AP testing. We received a summary of our students’ result during the summer. Of note, 67% of the 82 AP exams that were written by TA students received a 3.0 or higher (passed and received college credit). This is compared to 47% for the state of Alabama and 60% globally. This is an excellent result and we are very proud of the 2010-2011 graduating class.

I am also proud to announce that Tuscaloosa Academy successfully renewed its SAIS/SACS accreditation. Last year was our accreditation year, culminating in a visit by an accreditation team composed of educational professionals from a number of SAIS schools. Below is a list of the commendations they had for TA:

1. A nurturing environment where each student feels encouraged and appreciated;

2. The hiring of certified teachers as teacher assistants to minimize the student/teacher ratio in a fiscally responsible manner;

3. The partnership with Mercedes Corporation which enhances enrollment and creates culturally enriching experiences for all TA students;

4. Beginning to pay down the principal for the debt and having the forethought to budget for a maintenance reserve in the current year and explore new investment opportunities for restricted endowed funds;

5. Well executed surveys from multiple stakeholders;

6. The school has made strides with internal communication as evidenced by Edline, newsletters and parent correspondence;

7. Recent adjustments to the schedule that represent greater balance for the academic program while preserving appropriate time for extra-curricular activities;

8. The extra-curricular program (arts and athletics) seem to appropriately engage the vast majority of students in meaningful opportunities and experiences;

9. Parent support and active involvement in supporting the school through volunteerism;

10. The Board’s vision and financial commitment in seeking consultation from a renowned professional consultant;

11. The Board’s vision in conducting a national search and hiring a visionary leader;

12. Implementing a student technology program.

They also made some insightful recommendations:

1. Continue to explore opportunities to better connect with relevance to the Tuscaloosa community, in which the school resides;

2. Formalize enrollment growth plan consistent with admission standards and student profile;

3. Explore more philanthropic opportunities to establish an endowment fund, capital campaign and maintenance reserve;

4. Formalize a plan to increase faculty salaries/benefits, establish an ongoing maintenance reserve, and pay for future expansion through fundraising;

5. Build upon the success of the self-study and continue toward the formal articulation of a strategic plan (realistic short-term and long-term goals);

6. Research the possibility of establishing a comprehensive development plan;

7. Establish a systematic mentoring program for new faculty;

8. Develop an umbrella parent organization under which programs and activities are supported and enhanced with a unified focus overseen by the Headmaster;

9. Continuing to support the vision and goals of the new Headmaster and reorganized

Board;

10. Create a technology plan to provide formalized training for teachers in how to integrate student laptops in daily instruction.

Both the commendations and the recommendations inform TA’S purpose. They provide us with valuable information as we move forward. Most important, they can provide the impetus for a strategic planning process.

TA and Mercedes Benz USA have been working very hard this summer putting the final touches on the Intensive Language and Curriculum Track program (ILCT). The program provides an opportunity for any TA student to participate in a semi-immersion German language program. This is truly a differentiating opportunity for TA. Not only will we be able to continue unimpeded with our regular college prep curriculum, we will now offer a track in which a more intensive language learning opportunity is possible. One of the goals of the ILCT program is to provide native German speakers as teachers so with the support of Mercedes Benz we have been conducting international searches for just the right teachers to staff the program. We are happy to say that after a comprehensive search process we have four fulltime ILCT staff members hired.

TA is also spreading its wings in Asia, so to speak. The American High School Curriculum Program (AHSCP or China partnership) is ready to take flight. After several months of working through details we believe we have a program that will provide TA’s faculty and students unparalleled opportunities to connect with Chinese students and teachers in our partner school. As the weeks, months and years unfold TA will be interacting with a school in Wuxi, China (about 100 miles from Shanghai). Essentially, the program is an ongoing exchange of knowledge between the administration, faculty and students of both schools. The knowledge exchange takes the form of electronic communications, student visits and teacher visits. After my trip to China in June to investigate the partnership, I strongly feel this will be wonderful complement to TA’s current programs.

As I enter my third year at TA. I remain passionate about our Mission. I distinctly remember the first time I read the Mission statement and visited the TA website thinking, “Hmmm…this seems like a great fit for me and my family.” I remain fixated on doing what’s best for TA. Next to my family, it’s the most important thing in my life. Although an awesome school already, we have just scratched the surface in terms of what we can do and where we can go.

Some of the strategic endeavors that must be faced head-on over the next few years, if TA is to remain an outstanding college preparatory environment, include:

· A continued focus on the scope and sequence of all curricula in all subjects.

· Although faculty and staff are getting well-deserved bonuses, we must systematically compensate them better by increasing the pay scale and improve the retirement benefit.

· Although we did a lot of great work this summer, we need to take a serious look at ongoing facility issues.

· Some classroom spaces need to be updated.

· We need pay off our debt.

· Finally, we need to grow our endowment so that the interest earned can be placed directly back into the school to offset operating costs, offer more financial aid opportunities, create new programs, create endowed chairs, enhance the professional development of our faculty and staff and many other possibilities.

If you see a need and want to help please do not hesitate to call me.

I look forward to the coming school year. I look forward to the surprises, the rewards, the challenges, seeing the students, seeing the teachers; everything that comes with a vibrant community of learners that thinks, plays, and belongs.

Sincerely,

Dr. Jeffrey L. Mitchell

Headmaster's Letter

2011-06-03T09:36:00.000-07:00

June 2011

Dear Parents

Thank you for the wonderful year! I’m so proud to be TA’s Headmaster and much of that pride stems from the support you give to the school. I am one of those people who loves his job and it is apparent I work with so many more who feel the same way.

Word is spreading about the good things happening at TA. Enrolment was up 17% this year over last and we are trending to be up again for the 2011-2012 school year. A number of things are playing a role in this trend, among them, the positive spirit emanating from TA into the greater community and the growing partnership with Mercedes. One area that’s down so far this year in terms of supporting enrollment is financial aid. Historically, many, many fine and deserving students have attended TA on financial aid. If you know of a family who is a good fit for TA but needs financial support please let us know.

As you may know, we went through our five year accreditation this year and “passed with flying colors.” I have read the report and it is “glowing.” It will be shared at the beginning of the next school year.

Schools are dynamic places. Faculty and staff come and go, and many roles change. This year we are sad to see Sandra Horne leaving, who, for four years, has done a remarkable and graceful job of managing the day-to-day finances of Tuscaloosa Academy. We will miss Mrs. Horne’s humor and wisdom. We will also miss Wayne and Lisa Brantley. Lisa was a wonderful addition to the LS teaching staff. Always professional and always positive, Lisa exuded the finest qualities of an elementary school teacher. Wayne turned a football program in crisis around. Wayne’s passion for the game and the players he coached will echo around TA’s campus for years to come.

We are also saying good-bye to Eddie Martin, our groundskeeper. To get to know Eddie is to realize that he is a “good man.” He elevated our thinking and increased our expectations about what our beautiful campus could look like. Kelly Montalvo is also leaving after a very successful year at TA. She taught Lower School Spanish and coached volleyball, basketball and softball. We have several shoes to fill with her departure. Also, after a successful stint as Development Director, Eleanor Montgomery will be leaving us as an employee but staying on as a parent.

With the departure of these fine folks, new people will be coming in. We have hired a new groundskeeper. Kyle McCracken will start soon. We are very close to hiring a business officer and a biology teacher. We are currently seeking candidates for the Development Officer and Lower School Spanish positions.

With the implementation of the Intensive Language and Curriculum Track program and MBUSI’s support, we have hired four teachers, who will provide instruction for students wanting to take a more intensive second language program.

Although many roles change yearly in schools, a couple of highlights include the roles of John Copeland and Abbie Reed. John will apply his talents as a coach for JV basketball and track and field. Abbie will expand her role as TA’s service learning coordinator, become TA’s archivist and supervise our “bullpen”. The bullpen is what we are calling the study hall room.

With regards to some significant initiatives: the new schedule implemented for this year seems to have been well-received from every angle, as has the proposed partnership with a school in China. I will be going to China next week (June 8^th) to visit with the potential partner school and organization. This initiative has significant promise as a vehicle to extend TA’s past global initiatives into a region we’ve never before ventured.

A lot is happening, as always, with technology. We aim to correct our inconsistent wireless network issues by upgrading some of our equipment. We will update and upgrade our student information system software by adding some needed modules. It’s time to replace a number of outdated teacher laptops. And, we are offering MacBooks as a laptop option for students 7-12^th grade.

I was happy with starting a Destination Imagination program this year and bringing back to life a TA chess program. I look forward to growing these programs and adding programs like formal debating, public speaking and/or Model United Nations. Finally, get your vote in as we consider changing our cumbersome domain name “tuscaloosaacademy.org” to something more user friendly. Here are the choices:

1. goknights.org

2. gotaknights.com

3. gotaknights.net

4. gotaknights.org

5. taknights.net

Sincerely,

Dr. Jeffrey L. Mitchell

Learning to Serve

2011-05-11T09:49:00.000-07:00

The tragic events of the past two or three weeks have crystallized the importance of service learning. Although we've had service learning requirements for years, the scope of this disaster required a different response. With at least 40 people dead, many still missing, 6000 buildings destroyed and the mayhem that comes with a massive EF-5 tornado ripping through a populated area, the salience of service to others becomes clear.

So far, our role in serving the community has been remarkable. We are needed. We are helping the Tuscaloosa community. Not only is this plain and clear from simple observations like watching our students go into TES and unload truck loads of goods that would otherwise sit for extended periods, but this simple extension of goodwill is being met with myriad examples of heart-felt appreciation from a grateful community.

Inherent in any great school is the obligation to serve; simply put, the world becomes a better place as a result. Valuable life lessons like humility are learned through serving. As I observe our older students working in less than ideal conditions, such as a hot warehouse unloading and packing various essential items, I see students out of their comfort zone. Not unsafe, but uncomfortable. In many ways, this is a powerful learning experience for our students. For example, probably better than any activity the best teacher could have created, our students are learning to appreciate every single thing that they have. As they unload and pack bags and boxes of things that most of our students take for granted or would consider “junk” they realize that people who have been devastated by this tragedy may treasure these same items. Also, with this taste of manual labor, albeit only for an hour per day, our students may be more motivated to work hard in school; perhaps thinking, I do want to do this kind of work for a living. We want smart kids who feel and who know the value of giving back. We all have heard the stories about smart people acting unethically. Real and powerful service learning opportunities develop the mind, heart and soul. They build character. Exactly what a great school ought to do.

But, lest one think our students are not learning during this time of service, I would argue that this unfortunate tragedy has turned into the single best learning experience of this school year. How so? First, by asking students to work cooperatively in groups toward a common purpose, not only with each other, but with people they do not know. Moreover, they are working cooperatively in an actual group situation, with real group dynamics. Second, they are solving problems in context, not on paper. The relief effort has been fluid from the start. The variables are changing. Our students are in positions to solve problems they would have never had a chance to solve otherwise. For example, yesterday a student I observed figured out how to fix a tape dispenser which was being used to put boxes together. It was a small but significant act in many ways. In a survey done a few years ago, 100 of the top CEO’s in the country were asked, “What skills/traits should schools do a better job of teaching?” Among other things, they mentioned being able to work in groups, problem solving and a strong ethical foundation, all of which are manifest in this situation.

It’s easily argued that the ultimate goal of school is preparing students to be productive members of society. To educate productive members of society a school must teach students to respond with mind, heart and soul to our ever-changing world.

Aftermath

2011-04-29T10:56:00.000-07:00

The devastation of a crisis brings into clear focus what's truly important. We move along with our daily business, sometimes getting worked-up over things that are ultimately trivial in the aftermath of such a disaster.

For example, by coincidence we were supposed to have a Board meeting on the evening that the tornado hit. I recall, as I looked through my report to the Board the day before the meeting, thinking that we had a number of very important issues to discuss. As I re-visited the report today, it felt like nothing in the report was even worthy of comment. Instead, how can TA help those hurt in this disaaster becomes the only agenda item. To this end, TA has become a clearinghouse for the collection of clothing and other necessities that will help the victims. We are also setting up a kitchen to supply food for some of the victims.

Extreme events highlight what we take for granted. Turning on the tv, making a call, traveling across town, keeping food fresh, drinking clean water, all have become indeterminate activities in Tuscaloosa for many people. If this causes us to pause and think about how fortunate we are, when you truly boil it down to the basics, then some good can come from this situation.

I'm so proud of how the TA community has responded to the crisis. I've literally heard hundreds of accounts of TA families helping others in the TA community, and beyond, who have been impacted. But I have also been given the resolve by this crisis to fortify our community service program at TA, so that when we need to respond there are fewer logistical details to work through.

The altruistic resolve of the Tuscaloosa community has been astounding. We will get through this and be stronger than ever. Indeed, we will learn, grow and become better people as a result of this diaster because that's the spirit of America.

The School's Role

2011-04-20T11:37:00.000-07:00

I was listening to the radio on the way to work this morning and heard that Malaysia is considering putting an "O" on students' report cards. The "O" would stand for obese. That is, students would get formally evaluated based on their weight relative to their age and height. If the student has an "O" it would be seen as any other less than satisfactory evaluation a student would get and would thus have the same stature as say an "F". I thought about the insensitivity of such a gesture. Then I started thinking about the deeper implications of placing an "O" on a report and whether it was within the school's purview to do so.

Most often school's are second only to family when thinking about impact on a child's life...sometimes, however, a school's role is the most impactful association in a child's life. Regardless, school is fundamental. The never-ending debate stems from just how much the school should be involved in the student's life.

There are many things to consider on this topic. Some of the more interesting things we at TA and other independent schools have considered include discipline issues, religion, drug testing and even student dress code.

When discipline issues arise during school or during sanctioned school events it's the school's responsibility to respond. However, when issues arise which involve students arise but they do not happen on campus or as part of a TA event there's a grey area. Does the school have an obligation to respond with disciplinary action? For example, three students have decided on their own to study together at somebody’s house and one of them steals something from the house. Does the school get involved? Common nowadays are issues pertaining to technology e.g., a student cyber bullies another outside of school time. Does the school get involved? Having dealt with a number of these "grey area" issues over the years the answer is, "It depends on the details."

What about drug testing? Is this really the school's responsibility? Most schools still do not think so and neither did I until a couple of years ago. With a well thought-out drug testing program, like we have implemented at TA, the school becomes an objective intermediary that runs reliable tests...with the added benefit of substantiating claims about being a drug free school.

As a general rule, independent schools require a bigger buy-in from its students, parents and teachers than public schools. What I mean is, students, parents and teachers are generally expected to contribute more to the school. Thus the school's role is greater. This is a strength of independent schools sometimes called individual attention and opportunity. The trade-off is that although we require more, the constituent also gets more, typically, out of the experience. So, for example, a student will typically do more homework, participate in more extracurricular activities and be required to complete more community service hours, thus, the school has a greater role in that student's life. But from this the student learns more, will get the benefits from participating in activities they may not otherwise have participated in and will learn to give back early in life.

In the end, is an "O" any worse than an "F"? At first blush it seems much worse, but maybe we've been conditioned to accept an "F"? (Or, accept the fact that children get cut from sports teams or school theatrical productions.) Perhaps one can make the same claims about the psychological impact of an "F", implication being that the student is "stupid" or "lazy", as one could make about an "O", implication being the student is "fat" or "lazy". At this point in the evolution of schools, most are not ready to put "O’s" on report cards but maybe one day it will be as common as an "F".

Writing at TA

2011-04-15T14:25:00.000-07:00

I was doing my "rounds" and walked in on Mrs. Guthrie just as she was discovering that some of our Upper School students had done very well in a national writing contest. That was enough motivation for me to formally acknowledge this accomplishment, moreover, do a little boasting about our very fine English program.

Historically, TA has produced very good writers. I know this because of what alumni and past parents have told me and through convincing standardized tests results. Teaching AP Psychology this year has allowed me to confirm first-hand the quality of our students' writing. Of the 40 or so papers I've marked, only one was less than an A paper. Way back when I was an English teacher I was known as a "tough marker." Either I've grown soft in my old age or these students can really put pen to paper. I think the latter is the case.

...back to the point of this blog. Mrs. Guthrie told me about an essay contest based on John Stossel's recent special, "What's Great About America" (view the streaming video here). Students across America were asked to write an essay on the following Essay Topic:

What qualities make America a great nation? Are the criticisms of America discussed in the video valid? Does the video successfully counter these charges? Support your analysis with at least two examples from the video.

Kailie Melchoir and Daniel Kendrick were two of only 20 Finalists from thousands of submitted essays. Please follow the link and enjoy the quality of the writing. Indeed, TA was the only school in the nation to have 5 winners. Samantha Jacobi, Robert Nye and Rachel Mullinex were also winners in this essay contest.

http://www.stosselintheclassroom.org/essaycontest.php?p=finalist_essays.html

Personnel Announcement

2011-03-30T07:35:00.000-07:00

Dear TA Community

For personal reasons, Ms. Rachael Gregory has resigned her position as TA’s art teacher, effective Wednesday, March 30, 2011. Ms. Gregory has done an outstanding job for TA over the past two years. We wish her all the best as she moves on to another stage of her life.

Mr. James Styres will be our new art teacher. Mr. Styres is a fixture in the Tuscaloosa art community and currently teaches part-time at Shelton State. He brings a number of years experience teaching art and art history to students of all ages. As a result of his commitment to finish teaching classes he’s presently involved with at Shelton State, Mr. Styres will not be available to teach Tuesday and Thursday afternoons, thus Kim Hudson has graciously volunteered to teach 6^th grade art for the reminder of the school year.

Alumni Survey Summary

2011-03-24T12:10:00.000-07:00

This year, as part of the SAIS/SACS accreditation process we conducted extensive student, faculty/staff, parent and alumni surveys. While I've shared many of the results from the student, faculty/staff and parent surveys, the results from the alumni survey took longer to collect and thus this is the first formal effort to share.

Overall 98 alumni, representing graduation years between 1976 and 2010, completed the 50 + question survey. Overall, the results of the survey reflected very well on TA. The Overall Satisfaction mean score was 4.28 (out of 5). A rating of 4.20 was obtained for how well our alumni felt they were prepared for college. Excellent preparation for college is something Many times in conversations with alumni, I've heard that TA prepared them exceptionally well for college. This survey provides objective evidence to confirm those comments.

The survey was also very instructive and will prompt us to look at several things related to alumni relations. For example, although the survey results were quite positive, as indicated in the previous paragraph, 83% of respondents to this survey said they do not give to the Annual Fund. Similarly, although 1/3 of the respondents currently live in the Tuscaloosa area, only 3% send their children to TA. Now some of this could be financial but whatever isn't we must be rectified.

Another finding worth noting is that given the following choices:

facilities
programs/curriculum
financial aid
endowment
pay down debt
faculty salaries/benefits

regarding how one thinks money raised in a capital campaign should be spent. Alumni, just as parents did in their survey, indicated that faculty salaries/benefits was the most important. It seems reverence for our faculty has a history.

As always comments are welcome.

Football Update #3: Robert M. Johnson Announced as New Varsity Head Coach

2011-03-16T15:23:00.000-07:00

TA is proud and excited to announce that Robert M. Johnson will be our next Head Varsity Football Coach. In an extensive search process involving the Headmaster, the Athletic Director, Board members and parents, Coach Johnson rose above a large pool of excellent candidates.

From our extensive conversations with Coach Johnson his belief in modeling and developing outstanding character through football, was clear. He also feels that students must excel in both academics and athletics. He communicated his knowledge and passion for developing great athletes through a well thought out strength and conditioning program. Finally, he stated his desire to build a football program from the youth level up. For Coach Johnson, the success of the football program rests on developing the talent within. He is looking forward to building on the outstanding program that has been established by Coach Brantley and his staff. Indeed, he was very impressed when told about the team of assistant coaches TA currently has on staff.

Coach Johnson has a career record of 86 – 67. From 1997 to 2006, Coach Johnson was the Head Varsity Coach for Saint James School, in Montgomery, where he enjoyed great success, becoming the all-time wins leader in school history. His teams were Capital City Conference Champions 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, & 2005. Coach Johnson was named Capital City Conference Coach of the Year 1997 and 1999. Currently, Coach Johnson is Athletic Director and Head Varsity Football Coach at Pike County High School. From 2007 to 2009 he was Head Coach at Carroll High School, in Ozark. Important to Coach Johnson, is his commitment to optimal physical preparation of his players. A big part of his success in this area has been his Bigger Faster Stronger (BFS) Certification. One of his first tasks will be to equip our weight room to accommodate his training methods.

Coach Johnson was First-Team All-State Football in 1987, as the center for Montgomery Academy. He was the 1988 recipient of the prestigious Jimmy Hitchcock Memorial Award for Outstanding Christian Leadership in Athletics. Indeed, he has coached three Jimmy Hitchcock Award Winners. Coach Johnson was also All-City in baseball as a high school student and has coached his own children in community baseball.

Coach Johnson is also an excellent upper level math teacher, having taught Calculus, Algebra II with Trigonometry, and Algebra I, among other classes, including computer programming. Coach Johnson graduated from Auburn University, with a Bachelor of Science, with a Major in Applied Mathematics and a GPA of 3.94.

From our conversations with it was clear that Coach Johnson is a passionate believer in the mission of independent schools. As a graduate of Montgomery Academy and a long-time teacher and coach at Saint James School, he understands independent schools. Coach Johnson is married to Elizabeth Deese Johnson and they have three children: Noah (12), Alex (9), and Chloe (7). The Johnson’s currently attend Ozark Baptist Church. Coach Johnson will begin his tenure as TA’s Head Coach March 21, 2011.

Sincerely,

Dr. Jeffrey L Mitchell

Headmaster

Some thoughts on the state of education by Bill Gates

2011-03-04T13:47:00.000-08:00

In this video clip, Bill Gates has some very interesting comments on the essence of a great education experience. He believes, and I agree, that excellent teaching lies at the heart of the matter. The crux of the issue becomes how to promote and sustain great teaching and teachers. Please view and comment.
http://www.gatesfoundation.org/foundationnotes/Pages/bill-gates-110228-flip-the-curve.aspx

Press Release

2011-02-25T13:49:00.000-08:00

Dear TA Community

As an FYI, below is a copy of the release written for the media regarding today's incident.

TA Students Released Early

On Friday, February 25, 2011, the administration of Tuscaloosa Academy received a threat from a terminated employee. Although the threat was never imminent, the school took the standard preventative measures of calling the police, locking the school down and then releasing all students early from school.

Nothing is more important to Tuscaloosa Academy than the safety of its students, thus the school will always take every necessary and prudent step to ensure the safety of our students and staff. In this situation, the school reacted in a powerful and coordinated fashion. TA’s Headmaster Dr. Jeffrey Mitchell was extremely proud of the seamless handling of the situation. “It is in these challenging circumstances that the true test of a school and its people shines through and I’ve never been more proud to lead this great school.”

International Language & Curriculum Track (ILCT)

2011-02-24T13:07:00.000-08:00

Today I gave a presentation on the proposed International Language and Curriculum Track program. The slides are presented in question and answer format and might be helpful to further your undertsanding about is being proposed. Please remember this is still in the development phase and nothing has been finalized.
ILCT

The Power of the Pride

2011-02-14T14:10:00.000-08:00

I remember a conference I went to a few years back in which there was a presentation on The Power of the Pride. The presenter was referring to prides of lions and how, in a sophisticated way, they work as a group to go about necessary survival activities, like hunting and killing prey. The author went on to make connections to human organizations and how we can learn from the dynamics of the pride. One of the messages was that collectively they were greater then the sum of the parts.

Recently, I came across some research that suggests "teams of people display a collective intelligence that has surprisingly little to do with the intelligence of the team's individual members."* In this study approximately 700 subjects, who first had their individual IQ formally assessed, were randomly divided into small groups. The researchers then had the groups complete successively complex tasks, and from this developed a measure of "collective intelligence." What they found was surprising.

First, group success did not correlate with having the most intelligent individual members. It also did not matter whether the groups seemed "motivated", "satisfied" or "unified." What did matter was "social sensitivity." The authors found that the groups who displayed behavior that allowed them to read and react to another's behavior in the group context were far more successful, in that they solved the problems presented to them with greater accuracy and speed.

The findings from this study jive with some other information I recently came across, in which a number of the top CEO's across America were asked to state the critical skills they desire in their employees. The CEO's stated skills like fluency in a second language, problem solving and creativity, among others. One of those others was the ability to work productively in teams.

So we have some strong evidence to suggest that group dynamics might be even more important than most of us thought. My ultimate question when delving into interesting discussions such as this is: how does this relate to TA? Do we give students enough opportunity to be productive in groups? Are we a community that is greater than the sum of its parts because we create a socially sensitive environment which promotes optimal performance?

My almost two years at TA tells me that we are a community, in the purest sense of the word. Thus, we have the power of the pride (on most days). What do you think?

*Carolyn Y. Johnson, as reported in the Boston Globe, December 19, 2010, in describing a study by MIT researchers.

Football Coach Update #2

2011-02-14T05:23:00.000-08:00

Dear TA Community

We are currently in the process of interviewing several excellent candidates for the head football coach position. Coach Rushing and I are very excited about the slate of candidates who applied. We had over 40 candidates express interest, many with significant experience. Indeed, it was difficult to narrow the field down to a manageable number of candidates to interview. We are making excellent progress through the interviews, yet we are mindful that we cannot rush this important process for the sake of getting the job done sooner. Coach Brantley has done a wonderful job of building this program and we owe it to him to find the best possible coach to follow in his footsteps. We remain on track to hire TA's next football coach by March Break.

Sincerely,

Dr. Mitchell

Things That Be Will Obsolete in Education by 2020

2011-02-10T11:00:00.000-08:00

Dear TA Family

I came across the following on another blog a few months back and thought it would be a provocative post for my blog. Presented below is a list of typical items, activities and processes found in schools around the world. The website www.teachpaperless.com predicts that these aspects of school life will be "obsolete" by 2020. The website is obviously coming at this from a particular (paperless) perspective and some of the items on this list are more likely to become obsolete than others. For me, it provides yet another information source that suggests our world is becoming "flatter" and more connected. What are your thoughts on some these predictions? Are they accurate? Feasible? Sensible?

Things That Be Will Obsolete in Education by 2020

www.teachpaperless.com Blog, 12/15/09

Desks
The 21st century does not fit neatly into rows. Neither should your students. Allow the network-based concepts of flow, collaboration, and dynamism help you rearrange your room for authentic 21st century learning.

Computers
More precisely this one should read: “Our concept of what a computer is.” Because computing is going mobile and over the next decade we're going to see the full fury of individualized computing via handhelds come to the fore. Can't wait. iPads.

HomeworkThe 21st century is a 24/7 environment. And the next decade is going to see the traditional temporal boundaries between home and school disappear. And despite whatever Secretary Duncan might say, we don't need kids to 'go to school' more; we need them to 'learn' more. And this will be done 24/7 and on the move (see #3).

The Role of Standardized Tests in College AdmissionsThe AP Exam is on its last legs. The SAT isn't far behind. Over the next ten years, we will see Digital Portfolios replace test scores as the #1 factor in college admissions.

Differentiated Instruction as the Sign of a Distinguished Teacher
The 21st century is customizable. In ten years, the teacher who hasn't yet figured out how to use tech to personalize learning will be the teacher out of a job. Differentiation won't make you 'distinguished'; it'll just be a natural part of your work.

Fear of Wikipedia
Wikipedia is the greatest democratizing force in the world right now. If you are afraid of letting your students peruse it, it's time you get over yourself.

PaperbacksBooks were nice. In ten years' time, all reading will be via digital means. And yes, I know, you like the 'feel' of paper. Well, in ten years' time you'll hardly tell the difference as 'paper' itself becomes digitized.

Attendance Offices
Bio scans. 'Nuff said.

Lockers.
A coat-check, maybe.

IT Departments
IT Departments as we currently know them. Cloud computing and a decade's worth of increased Wi-Fi and satellite access will make some of the traditional roles of IT -- software, security, and connectivity -- a thing of the past. Look to tech departments to instigate real change in the function of schools over the next twenty years.

Centralized Institutions
School buildings are going to become 'home bases' of learning, not the institutions where all learning happens. Buildings will get smaller and greener, student and teacher schedules will change to allow less people on campus at any one time, and more teachers and students will be going out into their communities to engage in experiential learning.

Organization of Educational Services by Grade
Education over the next ten years will become more individualized, leaving the bulk of grade-based learning in the past. Students will form peer groups by interest and these interest groups will petition for specialized learning. The structure of K-12 will be fundamentally altered.

Education School Classes that Fail to Integrate Social TechnologyEducation Schools have to realize that if they are to remain relevant, they are going to have to demand that 21st century tech integration be modeled by the very professors who are supposed to be preparing our teachers.

Parent-Teacher Conference Night
Ongoing parent-teacher relations in virtual reality will make parent-teacher conference nights seem quaint. Over the next ten years, parents and teachers will become closer than ever as a result of virtual communication opportunities. And parents will drive schools to become ever more tech integrated.

Typical Cafeteria Food
Nutrition information + handhelds + cost comparison = the end of $3.00 bowls of microwaved mac and cheese. At least, I so hope so.

Outsourced Graphic Design and WebmasteringYou need a website/brochure/promo/etc.? Well, for goodness sake just let your kids do it. By the end of the decade -- in the best of schools -- they will be

High School Algebra IWithin the decade, it will either become the norm to teach this course in middle school or we'll have finally awakened to the fact that there's no reason to give algebra weight over statistics and IT in high school for non-math majors (and they will have all taken it in middle school anyway).

PaperIn ten years' time, schools will decrease their paper consumption by no less than 90%. And the printing industry and the copier industry and the paper industry itself will either adjust or perish

Football Coach Update #1

2011-02-03T10:44:00.000-08:00

Dear TA Family

This is the first of several postings as we go through the important process of hiring TA's next football coach. The following outlines the process Tuscaloosa Academy is using to hire its next football coach.

We have advertised on the AISA website and locally. As of our deadline this week, we received over 40 complete applications. The quality of the applicants is quite impressive with many of the candidates having high school and/or college head coaching experience. Although its going to be a real challenge to replace Coach Brantley I am optimistic that we have the potential to do so.

We are now in the process selecting a number of candidates for interviews that will take place throughout February. It is likely we will have a second round of interviews after we narrow the candidate pool down even further. Our plan is to make a decision by mid March.

Warm Regards,

Dr. Jeffrey L. Mitchell

Headmaster

Critical Elements

2011-01-25T06:28:00.000-08:00

In an ongoing effort to share some of the key results from the constituent surveys conducted this year, go to the following link which summarizes data from a question which asked faculty, parents and students to rank nine critical elements at TA. The elements are: academics, character development, safety, financial sustainability, technology, facilities, athletics, fine arts and food service.

Critical Elements

Financial Model for Independent Schools

2011-01-19T12:34:00.000-08:00

Below you'll find a link to an excel document that outlines the relationship among the three key elements of an independent school's financial model: tuition, cass size and compensation.

Financial Model for Independent Schools

Survey Results - Overall Satisfaction Among Parents

2010-12-08T08:04:00.001-08:00

So far 168 parents have responded to this year's parent survey. As the year progresses I will share results in various formats. Below you'll see the result for the "Overall Satisfaction" question. As you can see in the chart almost 92% of the parents who responded are either "Satisfied" or "Completely Satisfied" with their experience at TA. This is a very positive result. Over the years, I've been privy to survey data from many of the best independent schools across North America and this result is among the best I've witnessed. We should all be proud.

If you have not had a chance to respond there's still time for your voice to be heard.

Single Sex Classrooms in the Middle School

2010-11-17T08:04:00.000-08:00

Dear TA Community

A initiative contemplated for next year is to create single-sex academic classrooms in some middle school grades. As is our approach with all major undertakings we want to collect as much information as possible on this topic before a decision is made. So we're seeking input, from this blog, to parent councils, to the surveys which have just been made available, in which a question about single-sex classrooms is asked, we need your input.

Historically, single-sex independent schools were very common throughout the 20th century. It wasn't until the 1970's that many traditionally single-sex independent schools converted to co-ed. Recently, research suggests that there might have been an over correction in the move to co-educational schools. That is, single-sex classrooms, within a co-educational environment might be an excellent educational compromise, because they combine the socialization benefits of girls and boys being schooled together holistically with some specific academic benefits associated with separating boys and girls in middle school. In short, research generally shows overall academic performance for both genders improves when taught in a single-sex middle school classroom.

Curricular separation of boys and girls in TA's Middle School actually already happens at TA. A number of electives are already single-sex and some English classes have a dichotomous curricula for girls and boys. For example, Mrs. Smith has the boys in her class reading one novel and the girls reading another novel.

All this to say we'd love to hear what you have to say. Everybody at TA has a voice and we'd appreciate hearing from you.

Taming of the Shrew

2010-11-17T05:50:00.000-08:00

I’m always in awe the day after a school production. I’m in awe of the talent of our kids and staff. I’m in awe of the effort it took to bring Taming of the Shrew to the stage. I’m in awe of the incredible learning experience this was for our students: their appreciation of what it takes to work from start to finish on a massive project and the life-long appreciation of Shakespeare that will no doubt result from this experience. So my heart-felt and sincere thanks to all of the cast, crew and staff that made TA proud.

Veteran's Day Assembly

2010-11-11T15:24:00.000-08:00

We started a tradition today by conducting a school-wide Veteran's Day Assembly. Several veterans, with affiliations to the school, were invited and honored.

Below is an excerpt from my speech today.

Today, we have gathered as a community to honor our veterans: here today…and elsewhere, of the past and of the present……this is…OUR duty.

We must never neglect, nor take for granted, the gifts we’ve been given…especially, the gift of freedom. In this age of hyperbole, it is no exaggeration to say that we would live in an unimaginably different world, if it were not for the sacrifice and courage of those who served.

The gift of freedom…begets the gift of education. We are all the beneficiaries of a profound and extraordinary gift, that is Tuscaloosa Academy, in which the Mission states…Tuscaloosa Academy provides a college-preparatory education in a supportive environment of intellectual freedom, to cultivate a love of learning, and to maximize each student's potential for academic achievement, character development and readiness for life in a global environment."

Our Mission, and thus our school, would not be possible in a society that was not free. We should be humbled by the sacrifice made, and thus the gift given, by those who have served for peace, liberty and a better world.

Who we are...

2010-11-11T15:14:00.000-08:00

Please follow the link to a PowerPoint presented at today's Experience TA admissions event which explains who we are at TA. I think even seasoned TA folks will find it informative.

How's the Schedule

2010-11-09T07:52:00.000-08:00

Often, change is hard. No matter how much sense an impending change seems to make, large-scale buy-in will not occur until after the change is well underway and those influenced by the change have had a chance to live through it. Such is the case with the schedule we implemented this year. It was quite radical: longer periods, rotating periods, drop days and most important, increasing academic time. I have had my finger on the pulse of this change and have monitored the collective heart beat of the school as we have implemented this change. The feedback I have received seems to indicate an overwhelming positive response to the new schedule. For example, I conduct Senior interviews annually and to a person they have been pleased with the schedule. Most indicated some trepidation going in because they would be worried it might be confusing but those concerns were mitigated after about a week with the new schedule. The students seemed to especially appreciate the variety the new schedule offers. Never one to be complacent I want to know how we can make the schedule even better. What are your thoughts?

Punkin' Knight Thank-you

2010-11-02T06:04:00.000-07:00

Punkin' Knight, once again, was a huge success! Big thanks to coordinators Angela Hollingsworth and Sharon Guaraldo for making it happen. Follow the link below to a thank-you (in German) from our coordinators of the international food pavilion...new to this year's festivities.

A Punkin' Knight Thank-you to Our International Families

TA Book Fair

2010-11-01T08:58:00.000-07:00

Mrs. Lake is doing some wonderful stuff in the TA library. Read below about the activities she has planned for the week of November 15th.

TA Book Fair --HOORAY FOR OUR HEROES-READING SAVES THE DAY!

November 15-19th 7:30 to 3:30 Monday-Thursday

Friday 7:30 to 10:30

Special Events

Monday-Dress like your real life hero or your superhero.

Tuesday-TA Reading night at Chick-fil-a. Bring your family for dinner to celebrate reading together as a family. A portion of the proceeds from the night will go to the TA library.

Wednesday-8:00-8:15-School wide DEAR time. The entire school will DROP EVERYTHING AND READ!!

Thursday-Doughnuts for Super Dad and Mom the Marvelous

Friday--Book Fair closes at 10:30. Celebrate being a school of great readers!!!

Evaluation & Assessment

2010-10-28T12:28:00.000-07:00

Dear Community

Follow the link to view a PowerPoint that I used this morning in a presentation on Evaluation, Assessment and Standardized Testing.
www.tuscaloosaacademy.org/__Dr. M/The ABC's of Evaluation & A.pptx

See a copy of an email sent to me by Mrs. Lake, or Librarian

2010-10-28T09:32:00.000-07:00

Dear Teachers,

WE DID IT!!! As of this morning the lower school had taken 1,021 AR tests!! I would like to come and bring a treat to each class in the morning for them to enjoy in the afternoon!! Please let me know if this will work for you and what time.

FYI - AR tests are taken after a student has finished reading a book...

Veteran's Day Admissions Event

2010-10-28T09:26:00.000-07:00

On November 11th TA will host its 2nd annual admissions showcase. Please follow the link for more details.

http://www.tuscaloosaacademy.org/__Dr.%20M/Experience%20TA.docx

SAIS Presentation on Surveys

2010-10-26T12:04:00.000-07:00

Dear TA community

I presented the following at the recent SAIS conference in Atlanta. Please follow the link to the PowerPoint which summarized why constituent surveys in independent schools are useful.

Constituent Survey Presentation from SAIS Conference

Headmaster Coffee

2010-10-22T07:57:00.000-07:00

The next Headmaster Coffee will cover the topic of Standardized Testing. This is a topic I'll probably cover every year because it is often a source of confusion and concern for some parents. In this presentation I'll cover the WHAT, WHY, HOW of standardized testing both from educational theory perspective and from a practical point of view (TA's perspective). The session will be held at 8:15 am on Thursday, October 28, either in the Atrium or in the MS conference, depending on the number of attendees. Please RSVP to Becky if you're coming.

If you have any thoughts on this topic please comment on this blog.

State Cross Country

2010-10-22T07:43:00.000-07:00

Our cross country team completed another successful season by competing in the AISA State Championship yesterday afternoon at Sokol Park. I want to thank these athletes for giving their all to TA and a number of the cross team parents for volunteering their time to make this a successful year.

The TA boys won the state title again this year! Team members include: Bannock Farrens (2nd place-19:58), Tim Klaeser (3rd place- 20:11), Alston Thompson (6th place-20:26), Blake Sellers (7th place-20:29), Gage DeZoort (11th place- 21:24), Jack McKenzie (13th place -21:51), Price McGiffert (17th place-22:10 ), Garrett Sellers (28th place- 26:59 ), and John Dooley (30th place- 27:20), .

Anna McKenzie won her third consecutive individual state title (18:58). The TA girls finished in second place in the team standings. Team members include: Cora McKenzie (2nd place-20:32), Jessica Goebel (9th place-24:23), Philene Gromotka (14th place-27:18), and Ann Tyler Corwin (21st place-35:23).

No More Picture Books?

2010-10-19T13:03:00.000-07:00

On the theme of don't be in a big rush to have your children grow up (and go to an Ivy League school) too soon. As parents whose children are grown-up will easily attest, let your children be children. Please read and comment on this interesting article from the NY Times from a few weeks back.

No More Picture Books??

Homecoming Week

2010-10-14T06:56:00.000-07:00

TA does Homecoming Week very well. Our pride in community shines through with every event and activity. We see unlikely students participate and take chances in "radical"ways. It's refreshing and invigorating for TA. I love it.

Lower School Newsletter - October 11, 2010

2010-10-11T12:55:00.000-07:00

Middle School Newsletter - October 11, 2010

2010-10-11T09:06:00.000-07:00

New Thoughts on Study Habits

2010-10-08T10:55:00.000-07:00

From a New York Times article on study habits. I think you'll find some interesting points being made.

New Thoughts on Study Habits

Lower School Happenings

2010-10-07T08:03:00.000-07:00

Here's just a sampling of some of the great things going on in the Lower School, within a two hour span this morning.

The third grade play Vacation on Mars finsihed its two day run today. In the play the students learned a great deal about the solar system and had a lot fun during the voyage.

Our preschool is participating today along with Tuscaloosa’s Success By 6, and the nation, in reading The Snowy Day. It was read this morning on the Today Show and in preschools across the nation. I will report how many of our students heard the book today and that number will go into the nations’ total to set a new world record for the greatest number of people reading the same book on the same day.

Second grade was visiting folks around the school, including the Headmaster, and reciting a poem about skeletons they just learned ...

What's Great About TA?

2010-10-06T14:12:00.000-07:00

TA is a place where a Headmaster can walk around the school at the end of a busy day and stumble on a young man shooting baskets in the gym...as I was about to leave, after exchanging pleasantries, the young man asked if I wanted to shoot some baskets...we ended playing a game of HORSE...and this was the highlight of what was otherwise a pretty good day. I accomplished a lot for the school on a number of fronts, I thought. But this was the best thing that happened.

So many have told me they value the family feel of this school. Well, when the young man asked if I would like to shoot some baskets I felt we were a part of the same family.

For the record the old man won the game of HORSE, wearing shirt and tie.

Academic Excellence

2010-09-30T13:53:00.000-07:00

TA has a long and proud history of academic excellence. In keeping with this history, Renita Daniels was recently named a Semifinalist in the 2011 National Achievement Scholarship Program. Recently named as College Board AP Scholars were Ashley Shamblin (AP Scholar) and Daniel Kendrick (AP Scholar with Distinction). While Ashley Shamblin & John David Ryan were named as Commended Students in the 2011 National Merit Scholarship Program. Finally, Daniel Kendrick was identified as a National Merit Semi-Finalist in the same program. Congratulations to these fine young scholars.

Accreditation

2010-09-30T10:06:00.000-07:00

Dear Parents

Once every few years TA goes through a formal accreditation, critical to maintaining our good standing as a reputable independent school by SAIS and SACS, our accrediting agencies. We are required to produce a comprehensive document and submit that document to a “visiting team” of educators about one month prior to a visit they will make to TA in April.

Strategic planning is a significant part of the document and the accreditation process. For the 2010-2011 TA accreditation process we will form four committees and charge them with developing some strategic goals that will be presented to the visiting team as evidence that TA continues to evolve for the betterment of its students. The committees are:

1. Curriculum and Programs

2. Financial Sustainability

3. Internal & External Relations

4. Facilities

Additionally, a significant part of the accreditation process is inclusiveness of all stakeholders in the process. To that end, all faculty and staff will participate on a committee. At least one Board member will be on every committee. And, we would like a representation of non-Board parents on the committees as well. So if you are interested in serving TA as a committee member for the accreditation process please reply back to me by October 5, 2010, indicating which committee you would like to serve on. We will select one parent from each division for each committee.

Punkin' Knight

2010-09-30T08:37:00.001-07:00

A great TA tradition returns October 25! It’s Punkin’ Knight; likely TA’s best community building event. We will, as usual, have a carnival theme and atmosphere for the students to enjoy. This year, however, Pumpkin’ Knight will focus only on fun…not fundraising. We have eliminated the class baskets and the auction from Punkin’ Knight. Led by Punkin’ Knight Chairpersons Angela Hollingsworth and Sharon Guaraldo, Punkin’ Knight will surely be a smashing success. Please save the date and enjoy the evening.

PS – We will have a late arrival day on October 26…that too was critically acclaimed.

Senior Interview

2010-09-28T12:33:00.000-07:00

Last year I decided it would be a good idea to meet with every Senior and ask them a few questions about their experience at TA. This has become one of my favorite activities as Headmaster. The "interview" values this person's cumulative experience at TA via the simple, yet powerful, process of simply asking. The information I collect has been very valuable to me as I communicate to past, present and future students, faculty and parents the virtues of a TA education.

Football Update

2010-09-24T18:46:00.000-07:00

Knights hanging in with Restoration...end of third quarter 18-14

Dr. Jeffrey L. Mitchell
Headmaster
Tuscaloosa Academy

Tell the TA Story

2010-09-24T11:16:00.000-07:00

Over my 14 months at the Academy I've heard so many wonderful stories about what TA means to those in the TA community. If you have a story to tell please write a comment to this post.

Headmaster's Coffee

2010-09-23T10:37:00.000-07:00

The first Headmaster's Coffee for 2010-2011 was held today. These gatherings of parents with the Headmaster are designed to facilitate communication between the Head of School and TA parents. The model we use gathers parents of a particular interest group within the community and we gear our discussions towards the interests of this particular group.

So today I met with about 15 parents from MBUSI and we discussed a number of topics of interest to them. My thanks to Edina Bense for helping organize this session. Look for information on the next Headmaster Coffee.

Honor Flight 2

2010-09-23T08:35:00.000-07:00

By wonderful coincidence, the Tuscaloosa Honor Flight Veterans visited the WWII Memorial at the same time our 6th graders, who were visiting Washington DC this week, were at the Memorial.

Honor Flight

2010-09-23T05:16:00.000-07:00

It was my sincere pleasure to be involved with Tuscaloosa Rotary's Honor Flight. Honor Flight is a national program which makes possible opportunities for veterans to travel back to Washington DC to visit the war memorials as a small token of our appreciation of all they did for us...lest we forget. I was very proud that TA had about 50 students, faculty and parents present to welcome the veterans home.

From Jordan Plaster - Honr Flight Chairman

Thanks Jeffrey, I really appreciate your involvement with our Honor Flight Committee ! I hope all of the students from TA enjoyed the experience of the reception last night as the WWII Veterans.

I sat next to a veteran and his daughter on the flight home. She told me that she was reading the note in the bag to her father , who is partially blind, and could barely finish reading the note as it brought her to tears. Those notes meant the world to the veterans and their families. I want to thank you and your students for that added touch to the veterans’ experience.

Magazine Sale

2010-09-23T04:55:00.000-07:00

The magazine sale is a painless fundraiser that promotes reading in the TA community. Please consider renewing your magazine subscriptions through this fundraiser...TA benefits by receiving 40% of the revenue, which goes directly back into programs and people.

ACT Scores

2010-09-21T11:45:00.000-07:00

The graph presents TA's Composite ACT score cumulative 6-year average versus other comparison groups.

Middle School Trips

2010-09-21T10:48:00.000-07:00

Our Middle School Trip Week is well underway. I have received some texts from my wife as she and my son are enjoying the 6th grade excursion to DC. Above you see a photo taken by Coach Rushing who is with the 8th graders at Dauphin Island.

Accreditation

2010-09-20T13:19:00.000-07:00

Little known, but critically important to the long term viability of TA is the accreditation process. Every 5 years TA goes through a major accreditation process through our dual accrediting agencies SACS/SAIS. TA is assessed on a list of Standards used by these accrediting agencies to determine our "fitness." A visiting team comes here in April to compile information and write a comprehensive report. Until that time, we will be busy ensuring we have met the Standards. More to come...

Honor Flight

2010-09-20T13:06:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday, September 22, 2010 Tuscaloosa Rotary is sponsoring its second Honor Flight this year. I'm proud to be serving on the committee that is making this happen and even more proud to say that TA students will be participating. In short, Honor Flight is an opportunity for veterans to visit Washington, DC, specifically its monuments to our heroes. Many of our veterans have never had this opportunity. TA will participate by writing to and then presenting them to our participating veterans. We will also be on hand when the plane returns from its day long trip to DC.

Cross Country

2010-09-20T11:28:00.000-07:00

Our cross country team has acheived some early season success.

Welcome

2010-09-20T11:20:00.000-07:00

Dear TA Family

I want to welcome you to my new TA blog. I will use this site to communicate with all in the TA community about what's happening at TA.