Bears and Elephants!

Focusing on Kindergarten

The Real Reading Salad

Schema Lessons

Professional Development

Progress Monitoring

by Brenda Byrd and Janet Cumbee
Principal, St. Mary's and Cornerstone Leadership Fellow

When I began the work with Cornerstone in the first year of implementation, I did not have the wisdom of those who had already traveled the path we were about to begin. Today, in both districts you have a wealth of resources from which to draw, to learn, and to share; for each district now has a cadre of people and schools who have traveled this path and are eager to share what they have learned along their journey and where they plan yet to go.

This was never more evident than it was at the two Cornerstone 2009 Winter Meetings. Regardless of the years or year that schools had been involved in the work, they were eager to share, support, and encourage each other. The visiting schools had numerous questions like, “Where do we begin?” and “What do we do first?” As I listened to their questions, I remembered a list that one of the principals shared during a leadership session in one of our lesson studies. Typically, the host principal shares some strategies, advice or tidbits of wisdom to encourage and support those who are new to the work. This particular session was at St. Mary’s Magnet School in Columbus, GA.

Brenda Byrd, the principal, had put her head together with her coaches to develop a list of the Top 10 Ways to Build Capacity and Teacher Buy-in for the Cornerstone Initiative. In true David Letterman style, Brenda unveiled each item starting with number ten:

Number 10: Attending Cornerstone conferences and interacting with people from other districts, other parts of the country…even the world…and sharing ideas, perspectives and thoughts.

Number 9: Collaborating with Johnny, Becky, Janet, Edna and others from Cornerstone and also knowing that we could always count on them for a “shoulder to cry on” or for support.

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