Furthermore, I have incorporated input from students of various grade levels by involving them in safety committee meetings at selected times. I believe that giving students a voice enhances safety on campus, helps them feel secure and valued, and reveals potential issues that we may not always see.

One of the things I have been working on being more consistent with this school year is stressing and supporting the practice of calling home for student concerns. While I think it is fair to assume that most teachers know this is best practice, it falls under the category of "trust but verify". Many new teachers are intimidated by the act of calling home and unsure how it will go. They need reassurances and sometimes models to feel confident. Some veteran teachers have had enough bad conversations that they are skipping the step. Those teachers need to be reminded of the value of parental involvement and how great it can be when the partnership is established.

My action in this area is to use the line "What did mom & dad say?" in every student concern conversation with teachers. It is an easy way to show them that it is an expectation of mine without confronting their values in a negative way.

Relationships are integral to being a champion for all students. I intentionally greet students every morning, at recess, lunch, and at the end of school. I visit classrooms daily and make sure that if I say I will do something, I do it. There are times that I must discipline students and give undesired consequences. However, it is always done with respect and empathy. I have learned students' names and unique things they like. I put extra effort into decorating my office to things they will be able to relate to. If I need to call home to inform a parent or guardian of a discipline matter, I make sure that I can call home with praise reports the next day. Every small gesture is remembered and appreciated. I give hugs and positive reinforcement many times a day. If a student is sad, I take the time to inquire about what is happening and provide encouragement and support where possible. If not, I will call someone who can help. Being a champion for all students is a top priority for me.

In my current setting, I've had the opportunity to connect with a few students following discipline. For example, after remediating with a student, I learned about his home life and shared his interest in coming to school on time. I greeted him at his period one class to either praise him for being on time or remind him in a supportive way. With another student, after a consequence for vaping on campus, I visited his classroom the next day to check in, offer support, and remind him that I’m here for him. I make it a point to greet him around campus and we occasionally exchange a fist bump.  

In most cases, students feel discouraged when held accountable for their actions, and I make it a point to remind them that they are young and that mistakes are a natural part of growing up—it's how we learn. This is why building trusting relationships with struggling students is so important. By fostering trust, we can encourage positive growth and celebrate even the smallest successes, reinforcing the idea that progress, no matter how small, is worth recognizing.

One strategy we implement is to hold monthly student support team meetings involving multiple team members, such as counselors, teachers, and administrators. These meetings are held to discuss student progress academically and behaviorally and establish regular check-ins with students. These regular check-ins not only help us understand the students better but also foster a positive environment. This approach allows us to learn about students we might not have known personally and gives us a broader perspective of each student. It enables us to collectively help students and advocate for their needs, working together to help students thrive.

I believe that true excellence comes from within. Setting high expectations for ourselves not as constraints but as personal invitations to grow and reach beyond what they think they are capable of. This approach goes beyond pushing them toward success. it’s about teaching them to define success for themselves. Every student has a unique potential, and rather than molding them into replicas of who I am, I challenge them to embrace their individuality and carve their own pathway to greatness.

I believe Excellence is not a destination but a continuous process of becoming better each and every day. My goal is to ensure students learn that success is measured not by conforming to a set standard, but by their own efforts to set goals. I want them to move on to middle school with not only the skills and acquired knowledge they need to excel, but also with the confidence to pursue their unique identities and aspirations.

In my efforts to improve the implementation of RtI in my school, I have been using my classroom observations to search for highlights of teachers using intervention strategies. I take pictures of those interventions in action, and feature those highlights in videos I prepare for our grade level PLC meetings. For areas of need, I turn to our SPED team for intervention strategies or just ask for their expertise in helping with the struggles found in the Gen. Ed classroom. I am trying my best to "motivate the elephant" by highlighting the skills that I would hope initiates change in classroom practices.

I also make it a point to check in on our teachers and staff by visiting classrooms and the teachers' lounge for a quick chat to gauge how everyone is doing. These informal temperature checks help me ensure that everyone feels supported. If I notice someone feeling stressed, I offer a listening ear and words of encouragement. I believe in being a merchant of hope by recognizing the potential in each student and staff member, having faith in their capacity to grow, and reminding them every day of their ability to achieve great things. For me, it is about focusing on what is achievable instead of what is wrong and fostering a culture of resilience and optimism, one conversation at a time.

I've been working on building relationships with students with behavioral, academic, and attendance-related issues. Working alongside my counselor has helped our students feel valued. My goal is to impact their lives, even in the smallest ways, such as through smiles and intentional conversations.

I carry the banner in my school by reinvesting my veteran teachers. Molokai High School has a 60% teacher retention rate of teachers who have been there for 5 years or more. Before COVID, we were hitting strides in school improvement efforts. After COVID, we have been slow to recover. I am finding that helping my veterans to rediscover their shared leadership capacities is the best way to build a community of trust with the current faculty. Finding value in my veteran teachers and highlighting bright spots helps foster a shared sense of responsibility. I aspire to INSPIRE my vets again!

Upon arrival at my high school campus, I connected with students I had taught in 3rd and/or 6th grade. I was amazed and wholly touched that students from so many years ago remembered me and had such strong reactions to me being their new vice principal. As I approached some former students, I received hugs, even a few tears, and many memories that they had from our time together. While we discussed their memories, they told me about their current grades and asked if I could help them like I had in the past. I realized I had made a lasting impact on them, and our connection was still present because I had believed in them. The relationships I had built so many years ago are available to help me make new connections through these students and become a merchant of hope for a new group of students. I will foster my relationships with my previous students and work on developing new connections with their peers due to word of mouth and action steps. I have become a classroom staple by visiting and sitting with students to check in on them and encourage their progress. Teachers have already expressed gratitude for my presence on campus and in their classrooms. I hope to continue to show students and staff that I believe in them and am working on encouraging a positive and hopeful school community.

On a separate note, I do notice some divisiveness between leadership and teachers and I try to stay on the positive side of things. Teachers are our most valuable resource, and their voices should be heard and acknowledged. I see the negative talk gain momentum and I do my best to refrain. Being new I do not necessarily call out the actions of others.

As a vice principal, I often interact with students that many teachers and staff members find most challenging to work with on a day-to-day basis. Vulnerable students with high academic and/or behavior needs need a champion on campus. When we use Panorama to log and track intervention plans, we designate a "Champion" who takes ownership of supporting that student. One of my favorite strategy that I use is the 2x10. The premise is simple: Spend 2 minutes everyday connecting with a student over the course of 10 days. The student can talk about whatever they want and the focus is all about building a positive rapport. I have personally experienced success using this strategy with multiple students and it is one I highly recommend to our teachers and staff.

On my second day as a Vice Principal this year, we had a student who was suspected of vaping on campus. The consequence was enrolling her in our Vape Education course (4 weeks in place of an elective). He explained that while he could give her a day of suspension, how would that help her? She was a foster child who didn't have much supervision at home. Thus, he thought she would be at home vaping, which would not help her. He instead wanted to educate her about vaping so she could make a better choice next time. Our principal knew who she was individually to be able to give a consequence that would help her rather than punish her.

This year alone, I have had to handle more Chapter 19 incidents than I did last year. Suspension may often be the most obvious consequence. However, when analyzing the root cause, this isn't always the best option in advocating for our students and supporting them in the best way possible. It's clear that understanding our students is key to identifying potential issues early, providing appropriate support, and building trust so that students feel supported and can rely on my decisions.

Most recently I had a student in possession of alcohol. This student is a straight A kiddo, works at our school as a classroom cleaner, and is applying to be in SBG. There are many ways of how this could have been handled, but I worked to use this as an opportunity to connect with her on although she made a choice, that together we would work through it, and when she returned from her inevitable suspension I would be there to help with next steps. A quote that stood out to me in this section "the things that keep me up at night are the same things that get me u pin the morning charged and ready to go to work". Challenges bring opportunity. Each time I talk to a kiddo is an opportunity to support, love, and tell them how awesome they truly are!

Like myself many teachers are new to the school, knowing this the Guiding Coalition and the teachers created Collective Agreements to be implemented this year. The Collective Agreements address the responsibility and behaviors of all adults on campus so our students can be successful in and out of the classroom. The Guiding Coalition is responsible for ensuring all members of the faculty are following the agreements and offer support when someone is not doing their part. As admin I support when teachers are continuing to not abide by the collective agreements and provide additional support or training. This process helps keep everyone accountable to what is important and ensures everyone on campus understands what excellence looks like.

This vision reflects my evolving approach to student discipline which is deeply influenced by restorative justice. When I first learned about restorative justice, I didn't appreciate its impact until I put these strategies into practice. Witnessing the positive effects it had on students truly opened my eyes. Instead of simply telling a student what they did wrong and outlining the predetermined consequences, I use incidents as learning opportunities. Allowing students agency in creating the plan to rectify the situation makes this intervention much more meaningful. This model embraces forgiveness and focuses on preparing relationships to mitigate future conflicts.

A moment that resonated with me was two pivotal questions the author poses at the end of his student conversations: "Do you think you were treated fairly? Do you think I care about you?" As a next step, I want to incorporate these questions into my restorative practices to reassure the student that I deeply care about their experiences, well-being, and growth. As I've gained trust and built relationships with students (and staff), I notice they share more of their internal and external struggles with me. Creating this open and safe space allows me the opportunity to prevent bigger issues before they even arise.

White I sometimes encounter differing views among teachers and staff regarding restorative practices, I view this as a growth opportunity. If I were to get frustrated with my teachers, I would be a hypocrite. As a leader, I know I must model positivity and foster an uplifting atmosphere that supports and encourages shifting mindsets. Open and honest conversations with those who have hesitation to embrace restorative justice practices are essential. Together, we can shape the hope into a strong belief that all students can meet our expectations when we meet them where they are.