Mike Lubelfeld's Blog

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Message from the Superintendent – A Check In July 10 2022 #112Leads #HPStrong

July 10, 2022 / / 0 Comments

“Storms make trees take deeper roots.” Dolly Parton

On July 4, 2022, innocence was ripped out of the hearts of Highland Park and Highwood Illinois due to a tragedy of unspeakable description. Another mass murder in America – on the 4th of July – was unspeakable. As a result, all community partners, including our local elementary and high school district, have jumped to action and heeded the call to support our first responders, the city, the community, victims, a host of social service agencies, and more.

Instinctively so many joined together to provide instant community counseling efforts on Tuesday, July 5, and those continued in multiple formats throughout the week and they will continue at the Family Assistance Center (FAC) this week.

In this update, I share updates, insights, plans, and reactions to how the community is uniting in counseling, prayer, and planning. The schools will open on August 24, with this 11-minute audio update, I acknowledged the outpouring of community support immediately after the 4th, I explain the focus on reopening the schools after the summer break, and the information helps us focus attention on “right now” that people are at various stages in the healing process, what is I am doing about school safety and security, optional school “play dates” and next steps. For information visit https://cityhpil.com/resident/highland_park_strong.php

 

 

Spanish Translation/Transcript

– [Dr. Michael Lubelfeld] Esto es “Lighthouse 112”, el podcast del superintendente de escuelas en el Distrito Escolar 112 de North Shore. Somos un distrito escolar público de preescolar a octavo grado en el noreste de Illinois. Este podcast es una fuente de información sobre el distrito escolar, su liderazgo, sus maestros, sus estudiantes y su comunidad. Es otra fuente de actualizaciones y una fuente adicional de noticias sobre la narrativa cambiante de la educación pública. Inspirar, innovar, participar. Gracias por escuchar “Lighthouse 112”, el podcast del superintendente de escuelas en Highland Park y Highwood, Illinois. Hola, este es un mensaje de audio de Mike Lubelfeld, superintendente de escuelas del Distrito Escolar 112 de North Shore. El 4 de julio de 2022, la inocencia fue arrancada de los corazones de Highland Park y Highwood, Illinois debido a una tragedia de descripción indescriptible. Como resultado, todos los socios de la comunidad, incluyendo nuestra primaria local y los distritos de escuelas secundarias, han saltado a la acción y atendido la llamada para apoyar a nuestros socorristas, la ciudad, la comunidad, las víctimas, una gran cantidad de agencias de servicios sociales, y más. Instintivamente, muchos se unieron para proporcionar esfuerzos de consejería comunitaria instantánea el martes 5 de julio, y esos esfuerzos continuaron en múltiples formatos durante toda la semana y seguirán en el Centro de Asistencia Familiar esta semana. Los Centros de Asistencia Familiar están diseñados para proporcionar servicios e información a los miembros de la familia de los fallecidos y heridos, así como a aquellas personas afectadas por el incidente. Se supervisa el Centro de Asistencia Familiar por la Cruz Roja Americana, así como múltiples agencias, incluidos los equipos de asistencia a las víctimas del FBI, que prestan ayuda y apoyo a las víctimas, testigos, y cualquier persona en la comunidad que se vio afectada por este evento. Está ubicado en la Preparatoria Highland Park, 433 Vid en Highland Park. La FAC y los servicios de asesoramiento dirigidos por la comunidad estarán disponible a partir del lunes 11 de julio hasta el viernes 15 de julio de 11:00 a 19:00 horas. Todas las personas y familias afectadas deben sentirse seguras accediendo a los servicios de apoyo en la Preparatoria Highland Park, independientemente del estatus migratorio. Se puede encontrar más información y el anuncio de la ciudad en el sitio web de la ciudad de Highland Park, HPStrong.info. Desde terapeutas hasta perros de terapia, donaciones de alimentos, agua, peluches suaves, juguetes anti-ansiedad, suministros de arte y mucho más. Todos hemos sido abrumados y afirmados por la efusión de amor, atención, preocupación y apoyo para los miembros de la comunidad de Highland Park y Highwood impactado por el desfile del 4 de julio. Empresas y organismos gubernamentales como el nuestro están brindando consejería y espacios terapéuticos para nuestros empleados, pues ellos también fueron directamente e indirectamente impactados, y ellos también se ven afectados por el trauma que rodea todo esto. El clero y los grupos locales han organizado vigilias, mítines, reuniones y más continuarán a medida que cada individuo trata de luchar con las emociones involucradas en este acontecimiento comunitario y tragedia comunitaria. Abriremos nuestras escuelas a nuestros estudiantes y personal, y familias el 24 de agosto de 2022. Independiente de la tragedia del 4 de julio, e independiente de eventos nacionales, en el Distrito 112 hemos estado trabajando en actualizaciones relacionadas con la seguridad escolar, seguridad, etcétera. Sepan que antes del 4 de julio estábamos mejorando las puertas, cámaras, señalización, puntos de acceso, capacitación, divulgación y más. Estamos comprometidos con ambientes seguros, protegidos limpios y acogedores para todos y cada uno de ustedes, y todos y cada uno de los alumnos. Sepan que tendremos más actualizaciones para nuestra comunidad y familias antes del comienzo de la escuela. Sé que esto fue, es y seguirá siendo un esfuerzo prioritario en el Distrito 112. Sepa que independientemente de todo esto, nos hemos centrado profundamente en las mejoras de las instalaciones, incluyendo mejoras de seguridad y protección. Compartiré más información este verano según corresponda. En este momento, en colaboración con la ciudad y muchas, muchas agencias, vamos a apoyar a la comunidad en su sanación a corto, mediano y largo plazo, y respuestas post-incidente. El Distrito 112 se está preparando para abrir las escuelas en agosto. La ciudad y muchas agencias están preparando cómo avanzar y coordinar los servicios comunitarios. Necesitamos respirar y necesitamos crear espacios seguros para los demás, ya que la tragedia aún está fresca en nuestras mentes y nuestros corazones. Si se sienten con ganas, asistan a las vigilias, acérquense a su clero, acérquense unos a otros, busquen asesoramiento. A medida que se sientan con ganas, asistan a lo que tenga sentido para ustedes. Tal vez algún día tomaremos un descanso en la acción, por así decirlo, pero hoy, ciertamente, no es ese día. Tenga en cuenta que nuestras escuelas se enorgullecen de ser socios de la comunidad en nuestra fuerte, amable, compasiva, inteligente, generosa y decidida comunidad. Entonces, ¿qué estoy haciendo ahora con respecto a la seguridad y protección de la escuela? Bueno, con respecto a la seguridad escolar y protección esta próxima semana, ya tengo en mi calendario alcance a los actuales y posibles proveedores comerciales en el área de seguridad escolar. Tengo reuniones con superintendentes de área, miembros de personal de área y consultor de seguridad la junta contratada en junio, independiente del incidente del 4 de julio, para revisar la seguridad y protección del distrito. Me reuniré con nuestro asesor de seguridad, acelerando nuestros esfuerzos juntos. Tendremos una reunión especial de la Junta de Educación, a partir de las 5:00 p.m. del miércoles, para discutir la seguridad y la protección en una sesión cerrada. Estamos haciendo mucho. Queremos saber qué estamos haciendo bien, queremos saber lo que estamos haciendo que hay corregirse. Y queremos ver qué, si es que hay algo, se necesita hacer en reacción a este horrible evento comunitario. Continuaremos manteniendo nuestra comunidad actualizada. Simplemente quiero que sepan lo que creo que ya saben, nos estamos centrando en esto en los más altos niveles de prioridad. Reuniones opcionales en la escuela. La próxima semana, algunas de las escuelas primarias están organizando citas para jugar con el PTO y el liderazgo principal. No esperamos que todos asistan o se sientan cómodos asistiendo en este momento. Sabemos que este es un largo proceso de curación. Sin embargo, simplemente queremos enfatizar que independientemente de lo ocurrido el 4 de julio y en nuestra comunidad, las escuelas siguen siendo lugares seguros y acogedores. Y reabriremos el próximo mes con el corazón y la mente abiertos. Debemos continuar a pesar de esta tragedia comunitaria indescriptible. Debemos apoyarnos unos en otros para tener fuerza, pues somos capaces de hacerlo. Sabemos que la gente aún no está lista para reunirse, y estoy enfatizando que está bien no asistir, está bien no estar listo. Seguimos centrados en el asesoramiento, la curación y abrir nuestras escuelas en menos de 40 días. Por favor comprendan que la seguridad de nuestras escuelas y el nivel de amenaza, por así decirlo, no es diferente hoy de lo que ha sido. Y entiendo que esto es más que difícil. Ni siquiera tengo las palabras para ello en mi corazón y mente, y oraciones y pensamientos para todos los involucrados. Por favor, comprendan que todos estamos tomando esto juntos un paso a la vez. Y todos estamos trabajando a través del libro de juego de cómo dirigir nuestras escuelas, nuestra comunidad, nuestras familias. Y sepan que el sistema escolar está aquí para ustedes, y vamos a prepararnos para todos. Y si quieren asistir esta semana, háganlo. Si no quieren, por favor no lo hagan. Está bien. Próximos pasos. Continuaremos compartiendo comunicaciones actualizadas en nombre de la ciudad y las muchas agencias gubernamentales involucradas. Y seguiremos haciendo fuertes a Highland Park y Highwood mientras vivimos juntos como comunidad y como un pueblo que no permitirá que el terror los apague. Con aprecio y optimismo, seremos la luz que ahuyente el odio. Para terminar, seguimos enfocados en apoyar a las víctimas, los afligidos, los heridos, y los muchos que están sintiendo una montaña rusa de emociones. Gracias por escuchar “Lighthouse 112”. Continuaremos compartiendo actualizaciones de la comunidad durante todo el verano. Gracias por escuchar “Lighthouse 112”, un podcast del superintendente de escuelas en el Distrito Escolar 112 de North Shore. Somos un distrito escolar público de preescolar a octavo grado en el noreste de Illinois. Este podcast es una fuente de información sobre el distrito escolar, su liderazgo, sus profesores y alumnos, y su comunidad. Es otra fuente de actualizaciones, y una fuente adicional de noticias sobre la narrativa cambiante de la educación pública. Inspirar, innovar, participar. Este podcast se puede escuchar y oír en Anchor, Podcasts de Apple, Podcasts de Google, Spotify, Breaker, Overcast, Pocket Casts, RadioPublic, Stitcher, y otras fuentes que se agregan todo el tiempo. Vuelvan a consultar y suscríbanse a nosotros para mantenerse al día con lo que está pasando en el Distrito Escolar 112 de North Shore. Visiten también nuestro sitio web en www.nssd112.org. Muchas gracias por escuchar y por su interés.

Inspired by Leadership Conference – Honoring President’s Day #112Leads #Suptchat

February 20, 2022 / / 4 Comments

“I am seeking, I am striving, I am in it with all my heart.”
– Vincent Van Gogh

On Monday, February 21, 2022, we celebrate President’s Day in the United States. It’s a day to honor those who have been elected by the “people” or some version of the “people” as that has evolved over time, to lead the “free world” as we say. These leaders have experienced trials, tribulations, scandals, triumphs, and much, much more over our nation’s many years in the global sphere. Leadership is what makes the difference as all leaders have ups, downs, and in between.

Our nation’s schools, a foundation and cornerstone of freedom, democracy, and “The American Way”, have come under a spotlight, scrutiny, hate, and love during the nearly two years of the experimental leadership driven by COVID-19 and divergent leadership around the nation. Follow the scientists – OK but they disagree. Follow the public health experts – OK but they disagree. Follow the politicians? – Uh – no thank you (LOL)! – But even they disagree. So … what is a leader left to do?

Publicly elected school board members (unpaid volunteers in Illinois and in many states around the nation) became (and are) at the front lines of democracy. Elected Officials who shop at the same grocery store as their neighbors who voted them in office. They who attend the same churches and faith-based organizations as their neighbors, and those, who until recently, held boring meetings. You know things may be out of control when Saturday Night Live parodies school board meetings and every superintendent is “like” – “yep, they got it right”!

So how do we evolve and grow, progress, and lead for our nation’s children and educators? When outside “experts” either abdicated leadership, waffle at the leadership, paralyze themselves with fear of failure, other, or “all of the above”, the leader (eg – the superintendent of schools in partnership with his/her school board and team) must LEAD.

I’ve been in public schools for nearly 30 years, I was a middle teacher (social studies, US history, civics, reading, Spanish, English, 6th grade, and 8th grade), a middle school associate principal (grades 4-8 and 5-8), a middle school principal (grades 6-8), a PK-8 Assistant Superintendent, and for the past 12 years, I have been a PK-8 public school superintendent. I learn from other leaders, and I lead others. I have four degrees from college universities (Bachelors, Masters, Specialist, and Doctorate). I’m a member of the AASA Leadership Network and the IASA Leadership Team, I’m a published author and a leadership coach. Blessed with opportunity, coaches, guides, friends, colleagues, and inspired by students, families, teachers, and experts, I am a lead learner proud of opportunity and highly cognizant of responsibility.

I take nothing lightly (for better or for worse). Thankfully the school board for whom I am employed, dedicated, and proudly serve is composed of seven amazing people who understand governance, leadership, and future-focused planning. With them we have and we continue to navigate the uncertain waters of the pandemic. We are now at a “crossroad” where the politics have gone haywire, the scientists and public health experts have gone haywire, and the need for leadership outpaces the speed at which outside experts have offered guidance. This coming week, the week where we honor President’s Day, our Board, locally, will be demonstrating on-the-ground leadership at a very important time. I’m honored and proud to lead in #112Leads.

My experiences from last week have reignited my passion to write … this is my first blog post in months … thank you AASA!

Leadership is a Team Sport

Recently I had the good fortune of attending the National Conference on Education, NCE, from the American Association of School Administrators (AASA). The School Superintendent’s Association, the AASA, has been in operation for more than a century. Supporting professional development, growth, and innovation for our nation’s top educational leaders has been and remains their mission of service. In the twelve years, I have served as a public school superintendent, I have attended the NCE. The conference was in person this year, the first time since February 2020 — and even though it’s only been a few years — it has seemed like an eternity since we have been able to learn together, lead together, and network together as colleagues and friends from all over the USA.

Education, public education, some would argue is the glue that binds us as a society. Some would argue it’s the most “American” of institutions. It’s where our youth spend more time than anywhere else from age 5 to 17 (or age 3-22 in many cases, as well). It’s the place where cultural values and norms are taught, reinforced, challenged, and promulgated. It’s where the very roots of the foundation of our democracy are first taking hold. And since March 2020, the foundation has been shaken, inequities have been exposed, innovations have been tested, divisive politics have divided and leadership both absent and present has guided us — or misguided us — on many fronts.

The #NCE2022, with great keynote speakers, honored partners, and heroic superintendents recognized for leadership and accomplishment helped restore my faith and confidence and my re-energization with respect to my role as a suburban Chicago, Illinois public school superintendent. The title of this post is “Leadership is a Team Sport” and that is exactly what #NCE2022 reminded me and my colleagues at each interaction. Whether it was awarding the national Superintendent of the Year or focusing on a keynote speaker from government, higher education, k-12 education or global leadership, or whether it was in the form of the hundreds of break out sessions, roundtable discussions, or special events, one huge theme came forward – we’re in this together. Whatever “this” was, is, and will be, we’re in it together.

I have the good fortune of leading with many exceptional people in North Shore School District 112 in Highland Park, IL, in Lake County, Illinois, in Illinois in general, and around the nation. At the #NCE2022, I was able to bring closure to a year-long leadership academy called the AASA National Aspiring Superintendent Academy, Blended Learning Model. Together with my good friend and leadership partner, Nick Polyak (Superintendent in Leyden High School District 212) we had the chance to meet in person most of our students with whom we have been leading on the journey towards the superintendent of schools position. Of our 29 students/participants representing 17 US states, 19 were able to make it in person, 14 US states were represented. Ideas and perspective sharing from Alabama, Texas, New Mexico, Illinois, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Maine, Massachusets, Arkansas, Maryland, Tennessee, Arizona, South Carolina, and Ohio were prominent in the team building and capstone project presentations.

Each of the participant’s capstone projects, presented in the IGNITE style (20 slides with imagery advancing every 15 seconds for a concise 5-minute presentation) were moving, thoughtful, highly prepared and planned, innovative, inspiring, and reflective of the excellence that each of the aspiring superintendents brings to the table in their home, work, and beyond interactions. They were individuals who became a team as a result of our time together. After all that we have been through and all we endure during the pandemic, it was powerful to gather, learn, and lead in person. Their graduation ceremony was fun, dignified, and well deserved.

In addition to teaching at the conference, Nick, PJ Caposey (Superintendent in Stillman, Valley, IL, Meridian CUSD 233) and I had the opportunity to make a presentation as a breakout session to more than 100 attendees at the conference. Our session on Student Voice: From Invisible to Invaluable was based on our 2018 Rowman & Littlefield book of the same title. Our team approach to research, writing, and presenting was energizing and affirming too. The AASA Conference staff wrote about our session and made a short video interview of my thoughts on Student Voice, which was also the theme of the conference. 

As I return to my home and next week back to my home district, I have recalibrated my “why” and thanks to my multiple teams of colleagues, friends, mentors, coaches, and fellow superintendents, I have the strength to lead with purpose no matter what challenges emerge. I have the strength and courage to lead for the students I serve, the employees I lead and manage, the Board to whom I report, and the community.

Leadership is a team sport and the strength, inspiration, grounding, and clarity a team provides can only help us each and all do better for those we have the privilege to serve.

Post 2 of 2 – Global Service – Dominican Republic- IASA 2021

October 13, 2021 / / 0 Comments

Post 2 -IASA Global Service Trip – Dominican Republic October 2021

This is the second post describing and documenting a global service trip I had the opportunity to attend in the Dominican Republic with 30 colleagues. Each member of this international travel experience was a school superintendent, school or district level administrator or elected member of a Board of Education. Under the exceptional guidance and care of our team from Education First and the Dominican people, we led, learned, served, grew, opened our minds and hearts and set the foundation for student learning and teacher learning opportunities at home.

In this blog post, I will share the rest of the story that was started in the first blog post about this incredible set of adventures and experiences. As I left off in post #1,  this post will highlight our visit to Santiago (the 2nd largest city) visiting the historical district and learning about street art history and culture. I’ll describe the visit to the artisan area in Moca where we learned how to use pottery and bricks for stoves that help reduce the use of wood and lumber by 70% in the mountain areas, our adventures on the north coast of Cabarete, the Dream School and Inspire DR.

Thank you for reading the posts about of our journey in the Dominican Republic! Below I’m showing some photos from the Environmental institute I wrote about in the first post.

Trail “oasis” “after” completion

Tree Nursery

Hands on service!

Trail “oasis” “before” work

Trail Restoration Project

Creative reuse of plastic bottles to insulate wall of outdoor greenhouse

Discussing environmental possibilities

The journey from Jarabacoa towards Santiago afforded us the chance to visit with a local artisan and engage in several workshops and hands on learning experiences at a pottery shop. The artisan was located in Moca, Dominican Republic, and at our briefing we learned cultural and historically significant information as well as sustainability and direct impact on rural Dominican homes as well as the greater environment, health, and wellness.

Briefing at artisan site

The cultural lessons centered around a faceless doll. This was a special art project that originated in 1977. Essentially, in a nod to the complex and mixed ethnic and cultural and racial ancestry of the Dominican people, with 2% Taino (native peoples), 23% Spanish, and 75% African heritage and DNA in its citizens, the artisans wanted to make a statement about the pride and complexities of the mix. Therefore, the idea of the Faceless Doll of a Dominican women was born. A proud, interesting, and creative example of telling a highly complicated and high level concept (ancestry, heritage, etc.) in a clay doll. Beyond our new learning and appreciation for the progression of “who am I” and “who are we”, we actually had the chance to make a doll (though it’s really not easy! And the art teacher was as patient as anyone could be with our amateur creations).

Attempt at making faceless dolls

Artisan pottery – chimney brick project

Brick stove with chimney – transformation

In addition to the Faceless Woman project, we also received a briefing on the stoves in the homes of folks living in the rural, mountain areas and the toll on health, especially for women and children that their old, traditional stoves were taking. For example, cooking indoors with wood, fire, and no chimney or ventilation system led to severe impact on trees (wood for cooking), severe impact on lung/respiratory health of women and children (traditionally in the home while the men go in the fields and work) and skin issues due to the smoke and its carcinogenic properties. So at this pottery artisan production center we visited in Moca, they also make bricks for new rural stoves that use bricks and chimney design to ventilate the toxic smoke, and it has benefits on health, the forest, and lungs! These brick ovens reduce the wood usage by 70% — this is already having a positive impact on the island.

Proud to learn and serve making bricks for brick stove

 

 

Our work in brick makingThis focus on sustainability is also impacting the Haitian side of the island. Together in partnership we all benefit. We on this trip are planting seeds of international cooperation and respect that we will ideally recreate so that students in our schools can learn, do, experience, and we can all pay this forward. The artisan shop is also an example of supporting the local economy as there are locally produced handcrafts for purchase.

 

 

After we visited Moca’s rich artisanal history, and experienced projects of value and of meaning for us and for future student groups, we headed to the nation’s second largest city Santiago. In Santiago, there is a recently restored historic neighborhood with incredible street artwork. I’m sharing a bunch of photos from this visit – I feel that the imagery is far more powerful and descriptive than my words can be.

This visit to Santiago shared for us urban redevelopment in the historic district as well as a visual representation of culture, history and the society over time. The streets on which were were walking are centuries old and have stories of their own.

From Santiago we headed into Puerto Plata on the north coast of the island nation. Our destination was Cabarete. Cabarete is a culturally significant city with a cosmopolitan and international flair. Cabarete and the Puerto Plata coastal area was the original spot for Dominican tourism prior to Punta Cana’s creation on the southeast side of the island. Cabarete is known for international visitors and “expats” as well as kite surfing and surfing on the Atlantic Ocean.

In Cabarete we visited and served at a community center/Montessori-inspired school called the Dream Center School, and we also visited Inspire, an after school and year round STEAM/Shop/Culture/Values program for boys 18-25 years old. Here are some photos of Dream Center and our on site, hands-on beautification service projects. 

 

Fixing up the recycling and trash receptacle after relocating

Our take aways, amens, and epiphanies are many and varied. With the school sites, the after school social organizations, the community library, and their integration and interdependence to supplement and in some cases supplant the overall social-educational systems in place, we saw firsthand how EF works with value and mission driven local organizations and groups so our students can be part of something much larger than their typical education/school experiences. We adults were highly moved and  affected by our service, the informational briefings, and the reflections We got to experience what our students will go through. The Dream School Center allowed us to see how a private school interacts with the public school system.

Finished project!

We saw how early childhood education up through grammar school is organized in very similar fashions to our US educational system. Montessori philosophy is popular in many settings around the world. The Dream Center shares a STEAM classroom with the local public school.

The Dream library is a community library, they have a “book mobile” as well and their outreach is community-wide, not just for the students in the school or special programs. Their Bachata sister academy for older youth (High school ages) demonstrated some Bachata music in an impressive display of musical talent!  As the photos show, we helped them with requested beautification projects and functional projects designating space for motorcycle parking, movement of a recycling and trash receptacle to the back of the grounds, as well as touch up painting throughout the classrooms.

Finished project!

The service elements, similar to what our students will experience, showed us that a group of people may start as strangers, yet they emerge as friends in part due to the opportunities that forge authentic bonds. The problem solving, skills development, team work and overall satisfaction with jobs well done meant a lot to each and every one of us every day on this fantastic set of adventures.

We left the Dream Center feeling a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction and reward. We finished up our exploration and inquiry at an after school program for boys (though they are also adding girls programming) InspireDR – Free After-School Programs in Cabarete, Dominican Republic This private foundation “NGO” community based center offers swimming instruction, computer literacy, health education, wood shop, economics, a dojo for marshal arts, and more. We were truly inspired by the emphasis on technical life skills, problem solving, positive, moral, ethical, community focused learning and living. These boys and young men were learning English, swimming safety, and we were able to engage and interact with them on site. In addition, they teach public speaking and communications. This free (privately funded) community center has a waiting list of 90 students and they are serving as many as they can free of charge. This and so many of our new discoveries would each and all make great fund-raising, sponsorship, visit/exchange, education, and of course service projects for our own youth, Rotary and other civic organizations and other foundations.

We also ate lunch at Water to Wine, a water purification team — the opportunities to serve and make our world a better place seemed to be never-ending.

As I close the photo journal and documentary accounts of our incredible 2021 IASA Global Service Project, and as I again thank Dr. Polyak and our business partners, I’ll share some final thoughts, reflections and comments. In North Shore School District 112, we are going to explore the possibilities we can create with our own local partners for a student trip and relationship moving forward. Inspire…Innovate…Engage – our aspirational motto — in action!

Captivating natural beauty

We had so many “to do” or “do now” opportunities. We had so much history and culture learning and education experiences. We were not blind to the irony of our service during the Indigenous People/Columbus Day observances (at home and in the DR). It was not lost on us that we were meeting in Columbus Park for our Santiago art/history walking tour.

We learned and lived and engaged and built lasting relationships in a relatively short period of time.

Our world is complex. Our work is complex. Our past is complex.

In order that we support and facilitate the support for teachers and students to create conditions for a sustainable and globally connected world, we must get out of our safe and small circle of our worlds at home and jump out of comfort zones and live, learn, do, think, be open minded to change, and to lead.

With experiences in the educational, social, cultural, artistic, political, geographic, environmental, and service genres (and more), I simply say Thank YOU to all who put in so much effort to create the spaces where we and I could enhance ourselves and our worlds.

Here’s to the next time … truly we are all unfinished! Opportunities like this help us frame our paths to become the next versions of ourselves.

For nearly 30 years I have been serving public education and schooling in suburban Chicago, Illinois, USA. I’ve been a public school superintendent for 12 years (so far). Each year, each job/role, each child for whom I lead, each adult with whom I lead, each family I serve, each community I serve — each one enhances my sense of self and my body of work. My answer to the call of duty in an ongoing and unfinished, never ending cycle of service is to serve, to lead, to push myself and to make my wife, my children, and my community proud and respectful.

Proud and grateful to sponsor partners

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reflections from Dominican Republic – IASA Global Service Trip

October 12, 2021 / / 0 Comments

IASA Global Service Trip 2021-Blog Post 1

Cabarete, Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic

Cabarete, Dominican Republic 1,851 miles from Highland Park, Illinois

October 2021

As our world heads out of the restrictive nature of the recent years, and as our school district re-energizes and re-commits to student educational access and excellence in education for each child, every day, I’m beyond grateful that I have had the opportunity to join a recent trip to another country to learn the culture, history, sociology, teamwork, global interconnection, education (of course) and much, much more. Together with a member of my school district’s Board of education, and with leaders from all across the state of Illinois (Cairo, IL to Zion, IL and all parts in between), our lives were forever changed and opportunities for students across Illinois and throughout the Dominican Republic will be impacted for years to come.

In 2018 thirty strangers agreed to participate in international service, culture, and leadership trip called the Illinois Association of School Administrators (IASA) Global Service Trip. The trip was delayed twice due to the impact of the global pandemic. Thanks to incredibly generous and supportive business partners, the cost per person was minimal, and thanks to an international educational tour company, the world-class tour, trip, adventures, experiences, reflections, expertise, travel, fellowship, new friendships, shared love for our calling to serve and to educate, and the overall service-learning was among the best I have experienced.

Understanding I will likely leave out details, miss a detail or two or three, to the degree possible, I’m making an effort to share in this blog a documentary accounting and “editorial” in this blog post and some follow-up posts as well.

To start, we all met together at a dinner at a restaurant outside of Chicago, IL. As a reminder, we are each superintendents, board of education members, school administrators, and we represent all areas of the great and diverse state of Illinois. We had no idea the depth of communal care, comfort, support, experience, joy, reflection, and leadership upon which we were each embarking.  We each had our own motivation for applying to join this trip. Our partners at the Law Offices of Hodges, Loizzi, Eisenhamner, Rodick, & Kohn (HLERK), International Contractors Incorporated (ICI), DLA Architects, AXA, and SPM Architects all took a significant leap of faith believing in the powerful vision of my good friend and the Leyden High School Superintendent Nick Polyak and his vision for impacting the world, education in Illinois, superintendent-board relations, and so much more — words cannot thank the business partners for their support and investment — and genuine on the ground experiential learning and partnership. Life-long friendships were made on this trip across the Dominican Republic!

Service-learning changes lives forever, after having the incredible opportunity to have served on several trips over the past few years, I know firsthand how powerful the hands-on learning and engagement of people make a lasting impact and serves to support a legacy of global connectedness and growth opportunities. Hat tip to the AASA for allowing me to join in on the LifeTouch Memory Mission in 2016 to the Rio Grande/Constanza, Dominican Republic area with World Servants, and hat tip to my friend and fellow Illinois Superintendent Jim McKay for two trips to San Juan, Puerto Rico (so far) for service learning, educational partnership, teacher exchange, training, technology,  hands-on construction and more! On one of these adventures, I had the opportunity to bring my son with me; blending work and home, blending professional and personal, wow – seriously impactful. My son and I will clearly enjoy many more memories and experiences in the future.

Back to this 2021 trip, …Me and my Board member (or my Board member and I) learned together, experienced together, built together, laughed together, and most importantly, we planned together visions for students in our school district to experience life-changing service like we did. I’ve reached out to the district and school administrators back home (while in the DR) to start the thinking process for a legitimate investment in our students in partnership and travel as an adjunct part of the curriculum. Our motto in North Shore School District 112, https://www.nssd112.org/ is Inspire…Innovate…Engage. This trip to the beautiful island nation of the Dominican Republic was highly inspiring, we are beyond motivated to bring these learning opportunities to our students, and we were engaged from the dinner meeting the night prior to our departure.

A few years ago I posted a reflection post about a series of reflections (I see writing as an intimate and public way to express myself, communicate my thinking, and share professional experiences). See link: Reflecting on Global Service – 3 Year Anniversary of Dominican Republic Memory Mission Trip – This is the blog from Public School Superintendent & Author Dr. Michael Lubelfeld

The incredible company Education First,  EF Education First – Global SIte (English), sent us their “A-Team” of leaders and they truly have outdone themselves in terms of an authentic set of learning, leadership, service, opportunity, and true business/education vision and planning opportunities for children. Thank you, Brian, Alex, Claire, Gabriel, Hector, and everyone in the Dominican Republic on the ground for their amazing leadership, expertise, camaraderie, fellowship, friendship, vision, and overall and genuine professionalism. This was a fantastic experience all around. Thank you also to Angel for day and night support!!

We literally visited and traveled through the entire length of the country traveling from the south to the north. We visited urban, rural, and coastal communities. We saw both the Caribbean and Atlantic coats. We visited cultural and historic sites, geographic sites, the two largest cities, public school sites, private school sites, after school clubs, “NGO” not for profit areas committed to environmental sustainability, social justice, education, future-focused support and so many opportunities for post-trip partnership and service and support. I will be sharing the information and “leads” with my local Rotary Club, Leadership Team, Board of Education, and community leaders.

After we arrived in Santo Domingo, the capital city, we visited a Coral Reef and Mangrove reforestation NGO on the Caribbean Sea prior to our long drive north, through the center of the island towards Jarabacoa. We were immediately taken in by the

Captivating natural beauty

immense natural beauty of this island nation. We were also starting our journey and adventure into the Dominican Republic’s commitment to environment study, preservation, sustainability, and education. The sense of community was powerful and we were just getting started.

The overall journey from Santo Domingo to Jarabacoa is 90 miles/144 kilometers, and by motorcoach with a quick visit to the Coral Reef/Mangrove restoration center (and the Caribbean beachfront), it’s a trip of around 3-4 hours (with a stop on the way for a rest and some coffee). We were at O’Hare International Airport in Chicago at 3:00am for a 5:00am flight to Miami, Florida, then after a short layover we headed to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic (journey of 1,936 miles/3,116 kilometers), we arrived in Santo Domingo at 12:40pm local time (O’Hare is CST and Santo Domingo is EST). The journey was long, our anticipation was high, our anxiety was being eased by actually being on the ground and for having enjoyed dinner the night before as well as a long travel journey. But the learning was just getting started.

On our next visit, we went to the Environmental Institute, formally called Instituto Técnico de Estudios Superiores en Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales in Recinto, Jimenoa. At this impressive, Ministry of Education funded school, founded in 1968 and refurbished within the past few years, we learned a ton about reforestation efforts, trail building and preservation, the

Trail “oasis” “before” work

connection of the Dominican Republic and Haiti, and the overall impact on the preservation of nature’s greatness. At the institute, students are 18-25 years old, the integration of genders was recently added and the federal government funds and runs this impressive, two-campus higher education institute. Topics we addressed at the briefing included conservation, tree nursery, forestry, agriculture, trail building, learning, service, and education. The impact of climate change is real and the need for a larger-scale focus on sustainability is everyone’s responsibility. Here in the Dominican Republic, there are scholarships for students from Haiti in an effort to positively impact the entire island of Hispaniola which both countries share. One of the service projects, hands-on learning for our leadership team, was in the tree nursery and the other was in the nature trail. This institute plants more than 750,000 (seven-hundred fifty-thousand) saplings across the island each year! The impact is beyond huge and lasting.

I was part of the trail restoration project. With sweat equity and really intense physical labor, our team cleared out tree stumps, restored a number of benches and a table (in a clearing on a nature trail at the Institute) our team was really proud of the physical labor and task completion. With natural leadership and skills emerging from team members, and under the

Trail “oasis” “after” completion

supervision and leadership of our Dominican hosts, together we created a nice and comfortable oasis in the trail for a meeting space, thinking, reflection, and ambiance of the beautiful and serene nature trail on one of the campuses.

The tree nursery group learned how to take “baby” trees and plant, clean, separate soil/plants, and recreate the initial steps in the tree nursery growing and sustaining process. Education First (EF) formed relationships with institutions that thrive on their own, but who also benefit from volunteer service and support from student groups, educator groups, and others, to complete their mission-driven work.

It’s really hot in the Dominican Republic— even in October — it’s 90 degrees, powerful sun, intense heat, and we’re not all physical/manual laborers by day. So, the work was really intense and we had sweat on top of sweat and we drank more water than we normally drink! It was also highly rewarding to impact this institution in such a positive way. The service-learning projects are high-intensity and powerfully related to what our students will do as well. In addition, the concepts of inter-dependence are built upon each other at each step.

Following this intense and novel manual labor, our hosts from EF allowed us to experience a geographically beautiful and one of the highest waterfalls in the Dominican Republic. We visited Salto Jimenoa Waterfall,  in Jarabacoa. This was about 35 meters, or 115 feet, tall. The walk to the “watering hole” at the foot of the waterfall was far easier on the way to the falls vs the way back (climbing back up was tough). We were so hot, really stretching muscles we don’t normally use, an intense pride in task completion due to the adrenaline and pride in service we were walking around with since we boarded the plane in Chicago. The visit to this waterfall, impressive on its own — tall, loud crashing water, awe-inspiring geography, and much welcomed “cold water”. Once we entered the watering hole we felt the wind — forceful and inspirational wind — we then headed towards the actual waterfall itself. The massive, natural force driving this water from the mountains — this waterfall invited us in — we each felt a sense of invigorating relief at the entrance with the cold water, the cold almost mystical wind; but words cannot describe the feeling of inspiration upon entering the area against the rock behind the crashing cascade of water! The force reflected our powerful desires and force to serve, learn, and accomplish all we can for each child, every day. We were in paradise — a unique and foreign world compared to our middle-American realities.

Words I wrote in my journal were: “work hard, serve, learn from collaboration, sweat equity, the satisfaction of contributing part to whole, symbolic of the overall trip, aim each of us as global citizens are parts contributing to the whole – cultural, local”.

Each meal was authentically Dominican. We ate rice, beans, chicken, beef, plantains, yucca, fruit juices, fruit, banana, truly outstanding and truly local cuisine.

Each cultural experience was a tribute to our Dominican hosts, the beauty and richness of the people, and representative of the value of travel, touring, meeting other people, gaining experiences through other people’s lenses, learning and respecting the locale. We were not there on any mission to “help” or to “save” — we were present in respect and mutual admiration to learn, lead and serve shoulder to shoulder. We were not there to show who we are and what we do — by embracing our hosts and by opening our minds and hearts, we showed who we were and who we are. On our journey we learned about Bachata, Merengue, Salsa, yes, we superintendents danced (or tried to dance) with the Latin rhythm and beats in our hearts and our souls. Our dance teacher was really patient.

My next post will highlight our visit to Santiago (the 2nd largest city) visiting the historical district and learning about street art history and culture. I’ll describe the visit to the artisan area in Moca where we learned how to use pottery and bricks for stoves that help reduce the use of wood and lumber by 70% in the mountain areas, our adventures on the north coast of Cabarete, the Dream School and Inspire DR.

Thank you for reading the first post about half of our journey in the Dominican Republic!

Stay tuned for the rest of the story.

Twitter Chat Archive on Mental Health & Wellness #suptchat

October 6, 2021 / / 0 Comments

In October 2014, Nick Polyak and I started #suptchat, the international chat on Twitter for superintendents and school leaders. The responses and support have been affirming and impressive! We’re sharing this information in the event some folks have not yet had the chance to participate in one of the chats. A Twitter chat is an opportunity and an invitation to spend an hour with other thought leaders and colleagues – in this case on the first Wednesday of every month 7:00 pm Central (5 pm Pacific, 8 pm Eastern).

The topics we have addressed are varied and reflect the multitude of complex challenges we face in leadership every day. By month, here are the past topics we have discussed. For a collection of chat topics and archives from the past few years, please visit https://bit.ly/suptchatstory 

For a look at tonight’s (Oct. 6, 2021) chat archive, see below:

Podcast – What’s Going on in D112? We are preparing to reset! #112Leads

May 11, 2021 / / 0 Comments

This unprecedented school year is coming to a close — what a year! We have learned, we have grown, we have struggled, and we will emerge stronger than ever. We chronicle the “reopening” at https://www.nssd112.org/domain/1243 and we take great pride in our guiding principles of safety, learning, and communication.

In this podcast, Dr. Lubelfeld previews the report coming up at the May 18, 2021, Board meeting on resetting for the upcoming school year. Sharing learning, social-emotional learning/mental health, finance, and policy, the superintendent gives a preview of a longer report detailing what learning and growth look like after the impact of a disruptive global pandemic. The future is bright – we had challenges prior to the pandemic, during the pandemic, and we’re up for the challenges post-pandemic!

Link to Spanish and English Text of Podcast

March 31 Schooling Update – #112Leads

March 31, 2021 / / 0 Comments

“I don’t think limits”
– Usain Bolt, 8 time Olympic Gold medalist

In the year that pushes us all to find positive, silver linings, in the year that challenges us to stay out of despair, in the year that causes us to change technically and adaptively, we move forward with vigor, hope, and execution.

This year marked the Hybrid Learning Model that had, as part of it, in-person learning and virtual learning. This year marked the Remote Learning Model that had, as part of it, District teachers and teachers from private companies. This year marked the rebirth of the words synchronous and asynchronous 🙂 – This year also marked the realities of scaled-up technology implementation and inequities, equity, equality, trial and error, loss, gain, and so much more!

In North Shore School District 112 in Highland Park & Highwood, IL, we are marking the fourth and hopefully final first days of school! We started school 9/3, 10/21, 2/1, 3/30, and we’re starting again on 4/6 and on 4/12.

This is a year of remarkable agility and flexibility and creativity and change and resilience. The teachers and educational support staff, the students, the administrators, the families, the community, the Board of Education — truly – EVERYBODY- has been exceptional!

Tonight we shared our “schooling update” … so far this year, we’ve shared about 34 videos, board presentations, in addition to podcasts, app notifications, and what feels like 100s of emails as part of our commitment to clear, consistent, and coherent communication.

In this post, we’re sharing the slides from the presentation (videos are located at our Board of Education pages), we’re proud, tired, exhilarated, and energized – we have hope, grace, gratitude, and energy! Our students have but one time to experience their particular grade level — we make it count in D112!! #112Leads

Getting ready for the 4th quarter – #112Leads

March 28, 2021 / / 0 Comments

“For it is in giving that we receive.”
– Francis of Assisi, Italian Friar

Spring Break is complete in our communities – it’s now time for the final weeks of learning, leading, teaching, and experiencing life! This year has been full of change, transition, opportunity, obstacle, confusion, clarity, fairness, unfairness, resiliency, and creativity! With 75% of the school year in the rearview mirror, it’s time for us to finish strong for each and every child in our care.

In North Shore School District 112, we’re gearing up for a fourth (and ideally final) FIRST DAYS of school. This year we have opened Hybrid 9/3-10/20, reopened Virtual/Remote 10/21-1/29, reopened Hybrid since 2/1, and in the next few weeks, with a pivot to full in-person learning for 90% of our students and full virtual learning for 10% of our students, we are going to reopen once again! April 6th will mark the K-5 reopening into the full in-person and full virtual models, and April 12th will mark the same for the two middle schools. All of our reopening plans are documented on our reopening web pages.

At Northwood Middle School, there is a double re-opening, though! Northwood has been located at Elm Place School since 2019 for a massive modernization project and now, in the midst of this pandemic, and a completed construction project (on time and on budget), we’re opening the school on March 30 in the Hybrid Learning Model and then again on April 12, we will reopen into the full in-person and full virtual model. Needless to say, we have a lot going on in District 112!

In preparation for the next few weeks, I shared a brief audio podcast episode with the community today:

In the podcast episode, we mention the top thoughts from a recent ThoughtExchange survey opportunity. Check this link for the report on all thoughts with responses to many thoughts, as well as the word wall showing the most prominent words shared by the community:

We also shared a “Facebook Live” video tour of the New Northwood Middle School, set to open to students on Tuesday, March 30, 2021:

Link to Video Tour of New Northwood

In District 112 we’ll share an update to the community on March 31 at a special Board meeting, and we’ll focus on the best, most impactful learning for each child as we bring this most unusual and historic year to a close in three months!

Planning for summer school is far along, and planning for the fall as well as tutoring and other interventions and learning supports are also being planned literally around the clock.

 

Students as Leadership Partners – #112Leads

February 5, 2021 / / 0 Comments

From the Board room to the community, and into the classroom Student Voice: From Invisible to Invaluable, gives practical examples of how to leverage student voice in our schools and districts. It is alive with insights and ideas that school leaders can easily implement to engage students in the operations of their schools and districts. If you are interested in student voice, this is a must-read. — Chris Gaines, EdD, AASA past president; superintendent, Mehlville School District – Review written in support of Student Voice: From Invisible to Invaluable (2018 Rowman & Littlefield Publishers)

At North Shore School District 112, students are lead members of the Modern Learning Committee. To this end, they are active partners and decision-makers in the aspirational vision, Portrait of a Graduate, and innovative practices in the District. Director of Technology Mr. Jeremy Wickham and Superintendent of Schools Dr. Michael Lubelfeld made a “virtual” presentation that includes video clips of students, teachers, principals, and highlights the journey of the Modern Learning Committee and the Portrait of a Graduate in D112. Learn more: https://www.nssd112.org/domain/1230

This presentation was part of a month-long national conference from TCEA & IDEACon, learn more about the conference here: https://youtu.be/OEYreJyiwo8

To listen to their presentation, please click on the Podcast Player below:

Welcome Back to School – AGAIN – 2nd First Day – #112Leads

January 31, 2021 / / 0 Comments

“It is not light that we need, but fire; it is not the gentle shower, but thunder. We need the storm, the whirlwind, and the earthquake.”
– Fredrick Douglass

Welcome back to school – AGAIN – it’s the first day of school in our district for the 2nd time this year. Since March 12, 2020, our lives have never been the same. This enduring and seemingly unending Pandemic gets weirder and stranger and more complex by the day. Last June, with the help of the DMGroup out of Boston, MA, our district formed five leadership teams (steering committee, operations, resources, communication, instruction & sel) to guide the coalition needed to get operating and educating in the 2020-2021 school year. We will not let perfect be the enemy of good and we have iterated, reiterated, and reiterated again as we learn how to do schooling in the midst of a pandemic.

I’m beyond proud of the leadership team in D112, the Board of Education, the teachers, educational support staff, parents, students, and the overall community for incredible unity around continuous improvement and unity around safety, learning, and communication.

We will share the story of CAN DO from as many venues as possible – the superintendent is the Chief Storyteller and Chief Cheerleader of the organization. I’m proud of the shoulders on which I have the honor of standing as we all lead for the kids, support staff, teachers, and each other. Education is a team sport and a contact sport. Education has shown its agility and ability to adapt, pivot, change, endure, and inspire. We may be getting to the other side of this pandemic but we have just started the new era of public educational excellence.

Please join us on our journey and our processes of massive organizational change and shift as we eliminate opportunity gaps as we eliminate inequity and as we create anew and refreshed new models of doing what we do best – educating children, supporting staff/teachers, and inspiring communities for now and forever!

We are the public schools and nothing can stop us from excellence for each and every child each and every day.

Thanks for following our journey of aiming to be the best organization on our block!

As we prepare to open in Hybrid for the second time this year—first time 9/3-10/20 and now again on 2/1–we do so with improvements and tweaks to all elements of our operations. I share some information in a recent podcast (shared below) as well as a recent interview on Friday with the NPR Chicago radio station, WBEZ (link below the podcast). I’m also sharing an interview I had with Silas Knowles of Pushing Boundaries Consulting.

Inspire—Innovate—Engage

Podcast – Perspectives and Context to the journey we are on!

Link to recent Radio Interview – Opening our Schools in the midst of controversy in the region

I’m also sharing a video of a recent podcast/”vod”cast interview I had with a local teacher and national education consultant! We’re spreading the messages of continuous improvement, excellence with no limits, and Inspire/Innovate/Engage on multiple platforms across our universe of edleadership!

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