Office of Maricopa County School Superintendent Steve Watson’s Post

Okay, CSLD hasn't posted in a while, so what's up with the pic of the large field? A lot, actually. The large field at our North Woods Challenge Course is finally getting a much-needed layer of mulch and our staff are excited. You see, once students graduate, we don't get the summers off. CSLD Coordinator Alison Jackson Frasier is usually on the course facilitating teambuilding for groups or focusing on maintenance. The work doesn't end! What else does CSLD do over the summer? 🌞 End-of-year reports/budget things, you know, the fun stuff 🌞 New Student Orientation: lots and lots of talking with new students and families/supporters 🌞 Still teaching: We're here for our LDR 417 Internship students 🌞 Still facilitating: We have several #CliftonStrengths workshops lined up for other departments' professional development needs in the coming months 🌞 Always planning: Things like Leadership Institute Peer Leader Training and the schedule for the full program ... reserving space for our fall Day of Leadership ... and making lists for "future us" (we'll get to fall class planning by August, for sure) 🌞 And yes, our staff take some time off as well, to rest and recharge. We wholeheartedly believe naps are productive. How's everyone's summer so far?

The Shared Leadership Network met to explore the topic of Meaningfully Involving Families and Communities. THIS IS WHAT WE LEARNED: Meaningfully involving students, families, and communities goes beyond asking for their opinions. It means intentionally involving them in the design process, actively encouraging families and community organizations to be on campus and involved in student activities, and valuing families as experts in their larger communities. Here are some examples ⬇️ ➡️ Teams devote time and funds for home visits, encouraging parent participation in some projects and internships, allowing students to gain credit while working to better their communities. ➡️ Teams decide to adopt a year-round schedule or adjust daily start and end times to better meet the needs of the students and community. ➡️ Teams advance a bilingual and bicultural program that is different from the district’s standard language immersion. ➡️ Teams decide to use a community schools model to meet the needs of the whole community, including offering medical and dental services, opening their campuses after school hours for activities and adult education, and providing social services connections. Interested in joining the Maricopa County Shared-Leadership Network? Register for free https://lnkd.in/g4fjcBtb #Shared-Leadership #Shared-LeadershipNetwork #Teacher-PoweredSchools #Teacher-Powered

Summer training completed

▶ Excited to share this video featuring the incredible Stacia Maynard , who brings insights from the NACE conference. Two powerful takeaways she mentions I encourage you to do your own research on: 1️⃣ Restorative Practices: which can significantly benefit you college career centers by fostering a supportive and inclusive environment that enhances student engagement and overall well-being. 2️⃣ "Yes, And" Concept: No matter what someone says to you, even if it's negative, you reply with "yes, and." This simple phrase can steer the conversation in a positive direction and allow you to add additional thoughts. 💡 Stacia highlights how reframing discussions around skills vs. degrees can benefit both students and employers. Instead of viewing these elements as opposing forces, adopting a "yes, and" approach can address the diverse needs of learners. Yes, traditional degrees provide structured learning and foundational knowledge And, practical skills gained through internships, projects, and real-world experiences are crucial in bridging the gap between theory and application.

🏫 I've been meaning to share this post for a while, but a recent visit to Aderhold Hall 411 as a guest speaker brought back memories and gratitude for my time in the CSAA-M and CSAA-D programs in the UGA Mary Frances Early College of Education. The room was more than just a classroom. For me, it was a place of growth, learning, knowledge construction, and shared experiences. 💭 The last faculty member of my master’s and doctoral programs (and also my amazing dissertation chair) Dr. Laura Dean retired this spring. While sitting in 411, I thought back to her “Last Lecture” and what I learned as a student. 🍎 During my teaching internship with Candace M. Moore, Ph.D., I discovered my passion for teaching. I had the opportunity to actively participate in the development of the syllabus, lead class discussions, and share my perspective as a practitioner. This experience provided me with valuable insights into the skills and dedication required to be an effective and engaging instructor. 🔍 From Dr. Diane Cooper, I learned that instead of solely focusing on identifying gaps in literature and research, the important part is in critically examining existing knowledge and identifying areas that require further questioning, exploration, and curiosity. The emphasis should be on uncovering what is already known and challenging assumptions, rather than simply seeking to fill gaps in research. ✂️ From Dr. Merrily Dunn, I learned that living in a place where you can get your hair done is a necessity (very much so - believe me). This is important from a practical perspective, but is also about where you can find community. I also learned that it’s just as important to know what you don’t like as what you do like as you consider work opportunities. 🎓 And from Dr. Laura Dean, I will always remember the question - how do you know that they know? I think about and use that question regularly. And as my dissertation chair, she gave the right amount of grace, challenge, and support to complete my dissertation and graduate with my friends. ❤️ While there's so much more to share, these are the core lessons I carry with me. #MFECOE #CSAAM #CSAAD

As part of my annual spring tour of colleges, this past week I visited Bennington College in Bennington, Vermont. I'd lived in Bennington briefly about 20 years ago, but had never actually visited Bennington College until this year. Bennington is a small college of about 730 students with a charming campus filled with eclectic and thoughtfully constructed learning and living spaces. What stands out to me most about Bennington is its innovative curriculum. Rather than declare a traditional major, Bennington students develop an academic plan focusing on a single, challenging, often interdisciplinary intellectual problem or question. Students then embark upon an ambitious research process, including multiple internships, classes, and tutorials, culminating in a 30-60 page research paper as well as some sort of public-facing presentation or performance. Similar to a dissertation committee, a committee of faculty members works closely with each student to hone their research questions, ask questions of their own, provide feedback and support, and help direct the student toward opportunities after they graduate. Many Bennington students go on to graduate school to continue and deepen their research pursuits. It is an innovative, rigorous, and inquiry-driven approach to undergraduate studies, and the students I spoke to were extremely excited about the projects they had embarked upon. The type of student most likely to succeed at Bennington is someone who is, or aspires to be, self driven in their intellectual pursuits, who does not expect a uniform or cookie-cutter design to their program of study. Students enrolling at Bennington don't necessarily need to be natural leaders among their peers, but they do need to be community minded. Bennington students are generally oriented toward helping to make the world a better place, and are people seeking to use their educational experiences to make a difference. If you'd like to learn more about colleges all over the country to develop a robust and diverse college list, use the contact form on my website to schedule your free one-hour consultation. #iec #ieca #collegeadmissions #collegecounselor #collegecounseling

In today's dynamic educational landscape, it's crucial to bridge the gap between theory and practice. Join Podium Education to delve into innovative strategies for integrating real-world experiences into the classroom environment. Whether you're an educator, administrator, or industry professional, this webinar promises valuable insights to enhance teaching and learning outcomes. #futureoflearning #futureofwork

An incredible and rewarding experience completing my first year as a Professor of Public Policy at the University of Redlands 🎉 Engaging students and watching them learn was a joy. Thank you to all my students for an unforgettable year. We all need to remember that at the heart of a university is its classes and students’ collective learning experience 📚 Below are some humbling comments from my students. Your feedback encourages me to continue improving! *"Professor Aguilera is one of the few professors in which I have the outmost respect for based on how he treats his students. He listens and recognizes the external stressors and other classes of his students appropriately while also engaging them throughout class." *"He makes us aware of many extracurricular activities and opportunities such as internships, fellowships, clubs, and more, all of which would help us have a future career in public policy or just expand our learning overall." *"Very informative and made public policy as somebody who’s never dabbled in it, interesting. He keeps students involved in the subject and he made me interested in furthering my career in some form of public policy." *"His amicability. He's just incredibly easy to talk to. Because of that, it doesn't feel like he's too intimidating to ask questions, while also knowing what he's talking about enough to be the guide of the discussion." *"An amazing, well-rounded professor! Would take his class again. I would highly encourage people to take this course."

Now that the academic year has ended, I wanted to take some time to reflect and share how my sophomore year at UH went. I’d love to hear some insight or advice from anyone who has been in a similar situation. During my sophomore year, I...  ✅ Finally decided on my double major: Entrepreneurship  ✅ Filed my degree plan for MIS and Entrepreneurship (after struggling with a pre-req class for the last three semesters)  ✅ Decided to file for a minor in Spanish for the Global Professions  ✅ Found three student organizations to join (after struggling to get involved during my freshman year)  ✅ Became president of UH PAIR (Partnership for the Advancement and Immersion of Refugees) for the 2024-2025 academic year  ✅ Earned two scholarships from the Honors College for Spring 2024  ✅ Planned my first project that was community service orientated with the Bauer Honors Leadership Program and Books Between Kids  ✅ Boosted my GPA after seeing it decline since my arrival at UH  ✅ Got accepted to work as a Residential Advisor for the 2024-2025 academic year    Looking back, I realize my path hasn’t been the smoothest or predictable. It’s hard to stay motivated or positive at times. Still, I’m glad to have made progress that my freshman year didn’t see. As for what I have planned, I’d like to...  ❇️ Update my LinkedIn more often  ❇️ Explore potential career opportunities (now that I’ve decided my areas of study)  ❇️ Look into internship and research opportunities (or investigate creating a new type of project)  ❇️ Increase my involvement with community service through volunteering and project planning   ❇️ Work on my personal brand and see how I can expand my network  ❇️ Apply to more scholarships and student recognition events    I’m excited to plan out and expand on these goals over the summer, and I’d love to see just how much further I can turn things around compared to my first year. Here’s to another successful academic year!