SamTastic Weekly Tip: 7/1/24 - 36 Days until your New TimeTrack arrives.

36 Days until your New TimeTrack arrives.

The new TimeTrack will appear like magic when you click your access link August 5.  Filled with new features to make your work easier and use of data more intuitive, the new TimeTrack is loaded with new features and options.  Great news!  We’ve tested the new TimeTrack with nearly 100 users.  Each found it to be easy to use without new training.  One SAM said:  “This is just like getting a new iPhone.  You can use all the features you’ve come to love right off the bat.”  All of your current data and staff lists will transfer automatically.  We’ll have techs and Time Change Coaches available to answer questions…but we think you’ll find this will be an easy transition.

Here’s your first look at a basic element of TimeTrack:  Event Entry.  Look at the check marks…and then go to the corresponding color, below.

RED Checkmark: New Descriptor:  Feedback, Written.  For years SAM teams have used Instructional, Office work Prep when writing/sending written feedback.  Many have used an optional descriptor so they know how much time they have spent preparing feedback.  The new descriptor will join Feedback, Directive, Feedback, Non-Directive and Feedback, Celebration—unifying all types of feedback on your dashboard.

Orange Checkmark:  Location.  You will be able to list the location of the event.  You can paste a link here for an online meeting, click it and connect immediately.  Or, you can specify office, classroom, district office—anything you’d like.  This is a new TimeTrack option.

Green Checkmark:  Event Note, Addition. You can now add notes about an event, links to documents and videos, anything you’d like…and have immediate access.  This is separate from NoteTrack.  NoteTrack is below and is still completely private—a place of the TimeTrack owner to keep a running narrative record of work with an individual, group or associated project.

Blue Checkmark:  Your schedule for the entire day:  You now can see your complete schedule for the day when you are entering an event.  Even better, clicking on any event on the right gives you a quick summary with all the basic information you’d like…even Event Notes, Associations and Event Notes.

Yellow Checkmark:  You now have easier access to reconciling an event…and lots of

options. Just above, you will find event options are easier to access including the ability to exclude an event from your data.  To the left, you have a Quick Info box showing adjacent events, prior event with the person this event is associated as well as the next event associated with this individual or group.

I bet you’ve noticed a few other changes on event entry.  Associated individuals are shown in BLUE.  This is a quick link to charts and graphs showing time spent for the current year with the individual or group.  This gives you immediate access to a graphs showing time spent with the individual, frequency of interaction, prior/future events and your NoteTrack narrative record.  It even includes the option of sending the associated individual or group an email without leaving event entry. 

The new TimeTrack is faster and can be added to your tool bar as an app making access even easier on a desktop, laptop, iPad and smartphone.

Each Monday in July we will share new features of your new TimeTrack.  Wait until you see the new Auto Select, First Responders and Search.  Can’t wait!

On a different subject, are you interested in a five-minute read on effective communication skills when working with leadership teams?  Two of the smartest people I know authored an article that was published recently in Learning Forward's journal, The Learning Professional.  Jody Spiro, nationally recognized expert on school leadership, and Lucas Held, senior strategic communications consultant who works with leaders in K-12, higher education, and philanthropy, share easy to apply strategies to use with your leadership team, PLCs and other groups.  Use this link to access a PDF of the two-page article:  https://bit.ly/3L98UIo

Registration opens Labor Day

18th Annual National SAM Conference

January 16-19, 2025 ~ Loew’s Miami Beach

SamTastic Weekly Tip: 6/24/24 - Have you looked at your TimeTrack end-of-year data?

Have you looked at your TimeTrack end-of-year data?

Over 1,000 TimeTrack users completed end of year SAM process rubric assessments with their Time Change Coach.  We are preparing the annual report for the NSIP Board and will make it available mid-July to all SAM teams.  The results are very impressive.  The amount of instructional time for the year hit a record high.  Congratulations!

When you completed the assessment with your coach you focused on instructional time and its intended impact: improved teaching performance and student outcomes.  Your coach talked with you about how your instructional time aligned with your school and district improvement plans…as well personal goals for coming school year.  Great!

I wonder if you’ve also looked at your management time data.  Did you know you can change your data dashboard with a single click from instructional to management time?

Use the options tab on your dashboard to make the switch.  It can be helpful to see what management work you are doing.  Could a First Responder assist?   Another thing to consider:  a lot of your management work is of great value.  For example, greeting students in the morning, lunchroom supervision and student dismissal are prime connection times with students that you don’t want to miss.  This interaction with students allows you to build relationships and emphasize your commitment to student academic, emotional and social success. 

Congratulations to Fulton High School Principal Katie Fulton, Northeast Missouri’s Principal of the Year.

Here’s what Kati said about her SAM process work:

“TimeTrack has been a total game changer for helping me accomplish my instructional leadership goals.  Scheduling my time in advance has allowed me to set personal goals for my instructional leadership while still having some flexibility for management tasks that are always going to arise. The tools offered through this program have encouraged me every step of the way.  This program has strengthened my working relationship with Sarah, my SAM. She truly protects my time and encourages me to take care of ME.  When we reflect on the data (very user-friendly graphs), we both feel a sense of accomplishment that wasn't there before using this system.  I've found this program continues to push us to strive to utilize our time in the most effective and efficient ways for our students. 

Registration opens Labor Day

18th Annual National SAM Conference

January 16-19, 2025 ~ Loew’s Miami Beach

SamTastic Weekly Tip: 6/17/24 - What you do tells people what you value

What you do tells people what you value. Principals have tremendous impact on others, and, like most things, actions speak louder than words.

Make a point to schedule time each morning talking with students about their schoolwork.  Some principals elect to do this as kids are entering the building. These short conversations can be a powerful tool in communicating the importance you see in their schoolwork. It gives insight on what is happening in the classroom and ideas on how to help the teacher improve.

Some SAM principals enter a room before the bell and sit with a student and have the same conversation. These principals know the power of their presence and may elect to stay in the classroom as the teacher gets things started. This is a favorite kind of “seeing instruction” for many SAM leaders as they get to work with a student, or group, while watching the teacher work.

Effective principals look for teachable moments with teachers. A principal who stops and helps a teacher complete a bulletin board, cut out letters, grade a set of papers or prepare materials, teaches a lesson that won’t soon be forgotten: the leader values, respects and appreciates the work of teachers.

What you do, regardless of your title, speaks volumes. Make sure what you do moves your staff in the direction you seek. 

Great SAMs help their principals schedule these teachable moments in every SAM Daily Meeting.  It is not too early to consider scheduling these kinds of events on your TimeTrack for the new school year. 

Registration opens Labor Day

18th Annual National SAM Conference

January 16-19, 2025 ~ Loew’s Miami Beach