Walk Around the Leaf

Here at Bellevue Public Schools we have a lot of changes coming at us for the following school year and this summer!  Here is a rundown of the challenges headed our way:

1) We will be going Google from Gaggle for an email system
2) We will be a G-Apps District
3) Teachers will be moving from a PC platform to a MAC platform
4) iOS devices will increase in the district for teachers
5) 1:1 environment for students is a vision for the near future

As technology trainers for the district our plate is already full and this school year hasn’t even ended yet!  It is a very exciting time, but also very treacherous.   At a recent training we showed a clip from the movie "A Bug’s Life".  The clip highlighted the scene in the very beginning where a leaf falls from the sky while the ants are marching in a single file line with their winter food to the pile.  When the leaf falls and breaks the line, the ants all stop and you can feel the panic rising and see the confusion in the ant’s eyes.  “I'm lost! Where's the line?!”  Suddenly, a “trained professional” rushes to the scene of the leaf and screams, "Do not panic!". He helps the ant to walk around the leaf.  The ant trusts the more experienced ant and carefully and slowly walks around the leaf.  All is well and the line is restored again.  

Teachers and administrators in the room of this particular training chuckled as they watched the clip.  We thought it was a great theme for our future as we move into this unknown territory for so many of our staff members.  Themes are a great way to bring people together and to help people stay focused.  We must stay calm, reassuring, and walk around the leaf as definite obstacles will befall us as we move into this exciting time.  

The role of leading people around the leaf is key to success.  We know we will hear anything from “I prefer PC”, to “What’s a track-pad?”, to “How do I turn my ipad on”, to “Where are my files?”.  

And that is ok!  We are ready!  We will stay calm and reassuring and help staff members to Walk Around the Leaf!  Let the leaves fall!