Have You Voted in the Edublog Awards?

The Edublog Awards began in 2004 as a way to promote blogging and showcase outstanding examples. This post is about introducing you to my favorite school administrator blog and one that is a finalist for the Edublog Awards.

I invite you to explore the Raymond L. Young Elementary School blog located at http://RLYoung.blogspot.com. After you have had a chance to get a feel for the blog, I hope you will vote it in the category “Best School Administrator Blog.” Anyone can vote. Go to http://edublogawards.com/vote-here and select “Administrator blog” from the list. There, you will see a list of the finalists and make your selection. Voting is open through Sunday, Dec. 9. Also important is that you can vote more than once, but the limit is once per day.

Five years ago, Pattie Thomas became principal of this school in the middle of the year. From the very beginning, she used this blog as a way to share the good news about happenings in the school and to provide a way to keep parents and community members informed.

As one example, upon receiving her appointment as principal, Mrs. Thomas realized tardies, checkouts, and absences due to frivolous reasons were far too frequent. It was on the blog that she introduced the "Top Dog Club." As the prestige of being a "Top Dog" caught steam and attendance improved, the blog was right there to celebrate that success.

Elementary schools are places where memories are made, and this blog captures every one of them, whether it be a celebration of the holiday season, the sights and sounds of the Fall Festival. or the words of a student serving as a guest blogger.

Some administrators use their blogs to give their opinions on topics of global concern. This blog takes a different route. It does not try to influence a national audience. Instead, it's focus is telling the school's story to the community it serves. In doing so, it provides a shining example of what other principals can do in their own communities.

Across America, educators are doing great things, yet are discouraged when nobody seems to care. Pattie Thomas demonstrates that schools are in charge of telling their own stories, and that a blog is the perfect tool to do so. While the blog makes no attempt to influence a national audience, the example it provides may do just that.   

Take a moment to meet Pattie Thomas through her Principal's Message. Enjoy the blog, most of all, cast your vote today and each day through Sunday.

I just cast my vote. Want to join me?