WEBVTT NOTE This file was generated by Descript 00:00:14.460 --> 00:00:18.030 Jethro Jones: welcome to transformative principle, where we interview real 00:00:18.030 --> 00:00:21.750 principals who are doing amazing things to help our students every single day. 00:00:21.810 --> 00:00:23.340 I'm your host, Jennifer Jones. 00:00:23.430 --> 00:00:25.590 You can find me on Twitter at Jethro Jones. 00:00:26.415 --> 00:00:26.805 Today. 00:00:26.805 --> 00:00:30.825 I am very fortunate to have Tony finished his interview. 00:00:30.974 --> 00:00:35.355 If you are listening to this in the car, you might want to pull over and take out 00:00:35.355 --> 00:00:39.974 a notebook because Tony has so much great information to share with you today. 00:00:40.935 --> 00:00:43.845 He is an inspiring principal who you can tell. 00:00:43.845 --> 00:00:47.055 He loves what he does and loves the students that he's working with. 00:00:47.805 --> 00:00:50.185 This is a great interview, and I hope that you learn a lot from. 00:00:51.180 --> 00:00:53.940 And I hope that you'll excuse that I was recording in a place where 00:00:53.940 --> 00:00:56.130 there was a training going on. 00:00:56.160 --> 00:00:57.870 They came in halfway through the interview. 00:00:57.870 --> 00:01:00.570 And so when I talk, there's a lot of background noise. 00:01:00.570 --> 00:01:02.460 I did my best to erase that. 00:01:02.460 --> 00:01:03.660 So it's not as annoying. 00:01:04.110 --> 00:01:07.650 So anyway, the good thing is what Tony says. 00:01:07.650 --> 00:01:10.020 So you can ignore most of what I say. 00:01:10.800 --> 00:01:13.110 And I'd like to thank our sponsor for this week's episode. 00:01:13.110 --> 00:01:16.770 SaneBox this last week was spring break and. 00:01:17.715 --> 00:01:20.835 So I didn't get a lot of emails, but it was really nice at the end of 00:01:20.835 --> 00:01:25.515 each day to get an email from SaneBox telling me about all the marketing 00:01:25.515 --> 00:01:29.715 emails that I'd missed and be able to deal with those and not have them 00:01:29.715 --> 00:01:30.975 interrupt me while I was on spring. 00:01:32.405 --> 00:01:36.665 So please click the link in the show notes and give SaneBox a try. 00:01:36.665 --> 00:01:37.835 I think you'll really love it. 00:01:46.385 --> 00:01:46.535 Tony Sinanis: for 00:01:46.535 --> 00:01:46.835 Jethro Jones: sure. 00:01:46.835 --> 00:01:49.985 So let's talk a little bit about what you're really good at and 00:01:49.985 --> 00:01:53.855 known for, and that's being a good branding expert for your school. 00:01:54.275 --> 00:01:56.225 Talk about how somebody would. 00:01:57.490 --> 00:02:02.980 It's just getting into social media and how they could take their school 00:02:03.370 --> 00:02:07.600 from nothing to being a positive brand that people think that. 00:02:09.039 --> 00:02:09.400 Tony Sinanis: Sure. 00:02:09.670 --> 00:02:13.570 Um, I think, I think the whole branding things, just so you know, I'm going to 00:02:14.170 --> 00:02:15.640 food is being delivered as I'm doing this. 00:02:15.640 --> 00:02:16.210 And I have the 00:02:19.100 --> 00:02:19.540 . No worries. 00:02:19.900 --> 00:02:24.430 So the whole branding thing for me started, um, after I took a 00:02:24.430 --> 00:02:25.720 workshop with Eric Schenander. 00:02:26.475 --> 00:02:29.835 Um, last year at eight, no two years ago at AACD. 00:02:30.705 --> 00:02:34.035 And then again, last summer at N ESP, which is the elementary 00:02:34.035 --> 00:02:35.205 school principals association. 00:02:35.865 --> 00:02:40.395 And Eric said something really simple that resonated with me. 00:02:40.995 --> 00:02:43.695 Why are we going to let other people tell our stories when we can be the one 00:02:43.695 --> 00:02:48.825 telling our stories, we can create the perception, we can build the reality. 00:02:49.215 --> 00:02:51.615 Um, and, and it just, it stuck with me. 00:02:51.645 --> 00:02:52.635 And I was like, yes, we can. 00:02:52.635 --> 00:02:53.025 You're right. 00:02:53.025 --> 00:02:53.715 We control that. 00:02:54.675 --> 00:02:57.315 Why am I going to let the local paper write something with a local news 00:02:57.675 --> 00:03:02.325 agency, run a story about the common core or high stakes testing or, or 00:03:02.355 --> 00:03:05.025 how much teachers get paid and we get paid too much and blah, blah, blah. 00:03:05.715 --> 00:03:10.644 Um, when in fact we can spotlight not only what we're doing, right? 00:03:10.644 --> 00:03:12.515 Because I can tell you all the wonderful things we're doing again. 00:03:12.975 --> 00:03:15.765 But when we tell a story, I, you, how we. 00:03:16.635 --> 00:03:19.755 So I can tell you, we do writer's workshop, but how does that look? 00:03:19.965 --> 00:03:20.325 Right. 00:03:20.565 --> 00:03:21.855 And why does it look that way? 00:03:22.215 --> 00:03:25.635 Because writer's workshop is rooted in a philosophy of, of teaching and learning. 00:03:25.635 --> 00:03:28.065 It's rooted in the gradual release of responsibility of 00:03:28.065 --> 00:03:29.355 learning from teacher to student. 00:03:29.745 --> 00:03:31.545 And so it's about philosophy. 00:03:31.545 --> 00:03:33.885 It's not about program or resources. 00:03:34.185 --> 00:03:37.545 Um, I wanted our community to know that I want our community to know that that 00:03:37.695 --> 00:03:39.405 that's what we build our thinking on. 00:03:39.705 --> 00:03:43.785 Not just randomly saying, okay, let's buy this resource and put it in place. 00:03:45.630 --> 00:03:48.660 This is why we believe in that this is how we do it. 00:03:48.660 --> 00:03:52.000 You know, um, we believe in one-on-one instruction here at Cantiague. 00:03:52.019 --> 00:03:53.579 Like we do a lot of one-on-one instruction. 00:03:53.579 --> 00:03:56.880 There's a lot of, you know, uh, reading conferences, writing conferences, 00:03:56.880 --> 00:04:00.000 math conferences, whatever, because every kid is different. 00:04:00.239 --> 00:04:03.209 They learn different and we believe in formative assessment. 00:04:03.359 --> 00:04:03.810 And what does that mean? 00:04:04.709 --> 00:04:07.950 Here are pictures to show you, you know, um, we believe in small group 00:04:07.950 --> 00:04:11.459 work because research shows that proximity plays a role in, in teacher 00:04:11.459 --> 00:04:15.570 transmission of learning to student or student availing themselves to learning. 00:04:16.289 --> 00:04:17.940 We believe in valuing the whole child. 00:04:17.940 --> 00:04:19.649 Like I love my kids and they know that. 00:04:19.890 --> 00:04:23.070 And so when kids feel good about themselves in a space, 00:04:23.640 --> 00:04:25.320 their brain releases endorphins. 00:04:25.349 --> 00:04:26.400 And when your brain releases. 00:04:27.390 --> 00:04:30.930 You are open to learning, you know, so that's the background in terms of 00:04:30.930 --> 00:04:32.310 like, that's the stuff that we do here. 00:04:32.340 --> 00:04:35.040 So why are we going to let news day write an article about the fact that 00:04:35.040 --> 00:04:38.880 we get paid too much or that we only work eight months out of the year? 00:04:38.880 --> 00:04:40.290 Some, you know, business like that? 00:04:40.590 --> 00:04:43.740 No, because we do a lot, a lot goes into everything that we do. 00:04:43.950 --> 00:04:47.520 Every choice we make is thoughtful is reflective, is meaningful. 00:04:47.520 --> 00:04:48.420 It's not just random. 00:04:48.420 --> 00:04:50.640 We just randomly decide to do one-on-one instruction. 00:04:50.670 --> 00:04:52.440 There's research that speaks to the power of that. 00:04:52.980 --> 00:04:53.970 So after hearing. 00:04:55.125 --> 00:04:57.734 And talking about it in our school, I started using 00:04:57.734 --> 00:04:59.414 Twitter are I'm very fortunate. 00:04:59.414 --> 00:05:01.065 Our building is, um, is wifi. 00:05:01.875 --> 00:05:05.534 Um, and I walk around with an iPad and I take pictures all day and 00:05:05.534 --> 00:05:06.825 I tweaked them out with captions. 00:05:07.575 --> 00:05:08.054 I'm conscious. 00:05:08.054 --> 00:05:09.375 I don't put anyone's name in a tweet. 00:05:09.614 --> 00:05:12.044 I just write, you know, grade two kid working on making 00:05:12.044 --> 00:05:13.215 an inference or whatever. 00:05:13.395 --> 00:05:17.085 So, um, that's how I started telling the story. 00:05:17.205 --> 00:05:20.265 I did Twitter one-on-one workshops for parents so that they can get connected. 00:05:20.294 --> 00:05:21.614 We have over a hundred parents with. 00:05:22.409 --> 00:05:25.320 Um, we have 400 kids, so not bad. 00:05:25.590 --> 00:05:28.140 Um, but I also realize that not everyone's on Twitter. 00:05:28.349 --> 00:05:32.880 So we use Storify, which is a web-based and app based resource where you can 00:05:32.880 --> 00:05:34.919 curate all your tweets and collect them. 00:05:35.219 --> 00:05:38.010 And so I send those out in a link to our parents on Friday, 00:05:38.039 --> 00:05:39.120 here's our weekend sweets. 00:05:39.299 --> 00:05:40.770 They still get the picture and they get the. 00:05:41.985 --> 00:05:45.435 I'm really thoughtful about the caption, because I want that to capture the how and 00:05:45.435 --> 00:05:49.455 why not just the, what, not just like here we are in a small group, we're in a small 00:05:49.455 --> 00:05:50.865 group because, you know, blah, blah, blah. 00:05:50.985 --> 00:05:54.795 So, um, that is how I've gone about branding our school. 00:05:54.825 --> 00:05:59.505 So hashtag canny ag, he goes into every tweet and, um, he does it. 00:06:00.045 --> 00:06:03.345 And, um, you can find that when you Google Kenny ag. 00:06:05.200 --> 00:06:08.110 It was an opportunity for us to take control of our storytelling. 00:06:08.200 --> 00:06:10.810 And I know people think branding like negatively because you're trying to 00:06:10.810 --> 00:06:12.250 market or whatever, but you know what? 00:06:12.490 --> 00:06:13.390 We are businesses. 00:06:13.390 --> 00:06:14.140 That's what we are. 00:06:14.380 --> 00:06:16.390 Um, we are about money on some level. 00:06:16.480 --> 00:06:19.390 We are obviously primarily about kids, but money's involved. 00:06:19.630 --> 00:06:21.520 So we. 00:06:23.300 --> 00:06:24.380 We need to capitalize on that. 00:06:24.410 --> 00:06:25.460 We need to tell the story. 00:06:25.820 --> 00:06:28.880 So that has been the main platform for me, social media. 00:06:29.210 --> 00:06:31.070 The other thing that I started doing this year, which I love is 00:06:31.070 --> 00:06:32.719 we do video updates with our kids. 00:06:33.080 --> 00:06:37.280 Um, and so each week a different classes spotlighted, and they have a couple 00:06:37.280 --> 00:06:39.770 of days to go around the building and find out what each grade level is 00:06:39.770 --> 00:06:41.540 doing and what special areas are doing. 00:06:41.930 --> 00:06:44.510 They come and they have lunch with me on Wednesday or Thursday, depending. 00:06:45.690 --> 00:06:46.770 And we film a little video. 00:06:46.830 --> 00:06:50.670 It takes like 20 minutes or so, but it is such an awesome experience for these kids 00:06:50.670 --> 00:06:52.020 to know what's going on in their building. 00:06:52.050 --> 00:06:53.280 And then we shoot this video out. 00:06:53.580 --> 00:06:55.800 So I'm not the one telling the story because you know what, I can 00:06:55.800 --> 00:06:57.030 make it up from my office, right. 00:06:57.030 --> 00:06:58.530 Because the principal just sits in their office all day. 00:06:58.830 --> 00:07:00.600 Well, my kids are the ones they're living it. 00:07:00.630 --> 00:07:01.350 They're telling us. 00:07:01.680 --> 00:07:03.870 Um, so next week we will start. 00:07:03.960 --> 00:07:04.740 We have gone through. 00:07:05.550 --> 00:07:06.030 Great. 00:07:06.030 --> 00:07:07.140 Fourth, third and second. 00:07:07.170 --> 00:07:08.190 So we're going to start first grade. 00:07:08.190 --> 00:07:10.470 So we're going to have little first graders finding out what they're 00:07:10.470 --> 00:07:12.630 doing in fifth grade, and they're going to come and tell us about it. 00:07:12.870 --> 00:07:15.630 Um, so I'm really excited and the feedback has been really positive. 00:07:15.960 --> 00:07:17.010 Uh, those go on YouTube. 00:07:17.010 --> 00:07:18.270 I use the TouchCast app. 00:07:19.455 --> 00:07:24.375 And they then go on YouTube and, um, we get over 300 views a week, 00:07:24.495 --> 00:07:25.695 which I think is pretty awesome. 00:07:25.695 --> 00:07:30.284 You know, um, George Gross, who I love and I respect, he has picked up my 00:07:30.284 --> 00:07:35.025 video, um, updates and he spotlights them during his presentations and Dean sure. 00:07:35.025 --> 00:07:38.775 Risky, or I don't remember how to say his name shows. 00:07:38.865 --> 00:07:39.195 Okay. 00:07:39.205 --> 00:07:41.235 He also spotlights those, which is great. 00:07:41.235 --> 00:07:41.294 Yeah. 00:07:42.000 --> 00:07:45.120 Like, it's such a powerful tool and it takes so little time, but 00:07:45.120 --> 00:07:49.170 it's student voice so that the brand management has been shifted 00:07:49.170 --> 00:07:51.540 from me to our staff and our kids. 00:07:51.780 --> 00:07:54.900 Because the one thing I need people to know, if they're listening to 00:07:54.900 --> 00:07:58.890 this, you have to make sure that brand experience matches the brand promise. 00:07:59.040 --> 00:08:01.550 So I can't sit and tell you that we believe in one-on-one instruction. 00:08:01.570 --> 00:08:03.720 We believe in small group instruction and that never happens. 00:08:04.020 --> 00:08:05.370 Um, it's got to happen. 00:08:06.780 --> 00:08:07.770 And that starts inside. 00:08:07.770 --> 00:08:10.859 That starts as a, as a school community that starts as a district community. 00:08:10.859 --> 00:08:11.609 Like, what are you doing? 00:08:11.609 --> 00:08:12.390 What do we believe in? 00:08:12.599 --> 00:08:14.969 What, how are we going to teach us, how are we going to plan? 00:08:15.180 --> 00:08:18.210 You know, we believe in, uh, you know, understanding by design. 00:08:18.210 --> 00:08:19.650 So we believe in essential questions. 00:08:19.810 --> 00:08:21.719 That's going to be a part of our thinking when we plan. 00:08:21.719 --> 00:08:22.950 And so that brand. 00:08:23.740 --> 00:08:26.200 Must match a better brand experience or don't put it out there. 00:08:26.290 --> 00:08:27.640 Don't falsify what's going on. 00:08:27.790 --> 00:08:28.930 So that's, that's my thinking. 00:08:29.200 --> 00:08:29.410 Jethro Jones: Yeah. 00:08:29.410 --> 00:08:30.190 I think that's great. 00:08:30.190 --> 00:08:34.360 Don't tell people that this is how we do things at our school and it's 00:08:34.360 --> 00:08:37.270 not really how we do this is what we believe, but it's not really what we do. 00:08:37.540 --> 00:08:39.160 Those have to be aligned. 00:08:39.160 --> 00:08:41.350 And I think that's a, that's a great point. 00:08:41.590 --> 00:08:44.710 So you taught Twitter and one-on-one classes to parents, 00:08:44.920 --> 00:08:46.660 um, and staff and staff. 00:08:46.750 --> 00:08:48.580 And then, um, you do. 00:08:49.440 --> 00:08:50.850 These weekly videos. 00:08:51.180 --> 00:08:52.740 Um, and then you post those out. 00:08:52.920 --> 00:08:56.100 How have you dealt with these student privacy? 00:08:56.280 --> 00:08:59.280 Um, parents not wanting their kids on the internet. 00:08:59.400 --> 00:09:00.360 How have you dealt with that? 00:09:00.600 --> 00:09:01.050 Is that through 00:09:01.050 --> 00:09:01.770 Tony Sinanis: education? 00:09:02.880 --> 00:09:03.600 As a great question? 00:09:03.630 --> 00:09:07.620 I got lucky because I work in a district that forces not 00:09:07.620 --> 00:09:09.060 forces, but families have to. 00:09:10.035 --> 00:09:12.645 So when they registered their kid, they have to check off the thing that 00:09:12.645 --> 00:09:14.145 says, I don't want them in pictures. 00:09:15.985 --> 00:09:16.285 Yeah. 00:09:16.305 --> 00:09:17.835 And which is, which really is genius. 00:09:17.835 --> 00:09:19.995 Because if you try to get everyone to opt in, you're going to be 00:09:19.995 --> 00:09:21.575 chasing people around for years. 00:09:21.575 --> 00:09:26.955 So, um, so we do the opt-out thing and I have been so transparent in it. 00:09:27.585 --> 00:09:31.485 I talked to the parents about it all the time and I. And I, and I can tell 00:09:31.485 --> 00:09:35.444 you that it has changed the relationship between our school and our community. 00:09:35.444 --> 00:09:36.435 It's, it's transparent. 00:09:36.465 --> 00:09:37.575 They know what's going on. 00:09:37.814 --> 00:09:40.425 Um, they feel comfortable coming to me and asking me questions. 00:09:40.575 --> 00:09:42.975 When we have PTA meetings, we're not just talking about big 00:09:42.975 --> 00:09:44.865 sales and, and, and fundraisers. 00:09:45.225 --> 00:09:48.075 We are talking about book clubs and what those look like 00:09:48.075 --> 00:09:49.064 and why we believe in those. 00:09:49.064 --> 00:09:51.615 We talking about guided reading and why that is. 00:09:51.735 --> 00:09:53.194 We talk about math and focus. 00:09:53.205 --> 00:09:54.765 Cause that's a new math resource we're using. 00:09:55.064 --> 00:09:57.855 How is that preparing our kids for middle school and so on and so forth. 00:09:57.855 --> 00:09:58.585 So the conversation. 00:09:59.415 --> 00:10:03.405 So much richer, um, and parents feel that they can access my parents 00:10:03.405 --> 00:10:04.515 who tweet me about math homework. 00:10:04.515 --> 00:10:06.405 They're like, need help with this math problem. 00:10:06.405 --> 00:10:06.795 What do we do? 00:10:06.795 --> 00:10:07.095 You know? 00:10:07.365 --> 00:10:10.185 Um, and it it's, it's, it's, it's transformed. 00:10:10.215 --> 00:10:13.425 So you talk about transformational leadership that has transformed 00:10:13.635 --> 00:10:18.105 the way we function as a community because no school can be successful 00:10:18.105 --> 00:10:22.365 without the community support and no community can grow without a school 00:10:22.365 --> 00:10:23.775 that's, you know, constantly reflect. 00:10:24.750 --> 00:10:25.860 I thinking and evolving. 00:10:26.070 --> 00:10:28.440 So, so that's really been a focal point for me. 00:10:29.160 --> 00:10:29.940 That's awesome. 00:10:29.970 --> 00:10:33.750 Jethro Jones: Um, sounds like there's some amazing things that are happening there. 00:10:33.750 --> 00:10:37.470 Is there, is there anything else that, uh, that you want to say about that 00:10:37.470 --> 00:10:40.710 branding, something else that somebody could be doing that they may not be? 00:10:41.880 --> 00:10:44.010 Tony Sinanis: I think it's just a matter of starting small, find 00:10:44.010 --> 00:10:48.510 something that you want to spotlight and build it from the inside. 00:10:48.600 --> 00:10:49.680 Like talk about it as a staff. 00:10:50.560 --> 00:10:54.060 And this can be like faculty, like, so we don't have faculty meetings anymore. 00:10:54.090 --> 00:10:55.290 I don't call them faculty meetings. 00:10:56.160 --> 00:10:59.430 I call them faculty intimate opportunity because they're an opportunity 00:10:59.430 --> 00:11:02.130 for us to learn and grow, not just for us to sit and hear me talk. 00:11:02.490 --> 00:11:07.439 Um, you can spend an entire year as a school thinking about what you 00:11:07.439 --> 00:11:11.490 believe, what do you believe in, what do we espouse in our actions? 00:11:11.550 --> 00:11:14.939 And, and what does this communicate when we say this or do that? 00:11:15.180 --> 00:11:19.290 And so I think you have to start there and then go, go from that point. 00:11:20.069 --> 00:11:22.949 Use Facebook or use Twitter or, you know, get to the parents the 00:11:22.949 --> 00:11:24.540 way that is easiest for you to do. 00:11:25.109 --> 00:11:26.910 That's, you know, we use email a lot of emails. 00:11:27.060 --> 00:11:27.329 So, 00:11:29.939 --> 00:11:31.770 Jethro Jones: uh, I have two questions that I ask at the end of 00:11:31.770 --> 00:11:35.280 each interview and they sometimes take a very short answer and 00:11:35.280 --> 00:11:36.719 sometimes this is a very long answer. 00:11:36.930 --> 00:11:39.270 So to respect your time, I'll ask them right now. 00:11:39.270 --> 00:11:41.310 And then if you take a long time, then that's okay. 00:11:41.310 --> 00:11:47.430 But, um, the, uh, the first one is, um, What is something that 00:11:47.430 --> 00:11:51.450 somebody you advice you would give somebody today to help them become 00:11:51.450 --> 00:11:53.940 a transformative principle like you? 00:11:56.250 --> 00:11:57.420 Tony Sinanis: Um, wow. 00:12:01.930 --> 00:12:02.260 Okay. 00:12:02.290 --> 00:12:03.250 I would say three things. 00:12:04.030 --> 00:12:06.010 One is, it's not about you. 00:12:06.580 --> 00:12:08.470 It's about the community and what their needs are. 00:12:08.530 --> 00:12:11.440 So when we talk about transformational or transformative leaders, 00:12:12.010 --> 00:12:13.180 those are people who can. 00:12:13.965 --> 00:12:16.755 Get their finger on the pulse and realize what needs to change 00:12:16.995 --> 00:12:18.375 and why it needs to change. 00:12:18.735 --> 00:12:21.705 So don't just change things for change sake, because you think 00:12:21.735 --> 00:12:25.005 you're a change agent was then it becomes about you and not the school 00:12:25.005 --> 00:12:28.665 community or, or the instructional practices or the kids or whatever. 00:12:28.995 --> 00:12:32.565 Um, and that's, I've seen people fall into that trap. 00:12:32.865 --> 00:12:34.905 Um, and so it's not about you. 00:12:35.625 --> 00:12:37.785 Um, the second thing is. 00:12:39.105 --> 00:12:40.455 You must stay current. 00:12:40.665 --> 00:12:41.895 You must be informed. 00:12:41.895 --> 00:12:42.885 You must be read. 00:12:42.885 --> 00:12:46.875 You must know what instructional practices that are rooted in research that I've 00:12:46.875 --> 00:12:50.625 shown to be effective are ones that you value and you want to see in your 00:12:50.625 --> 00:12:53.325 school and you must get buy-in in those again, just be used to ending at a 00:12:53.325 --> 00:12:54.525 meeting and saying, Hey, you know what? 00:12:54.915 --> 00:12:57.555 I think small group instruction is what we need to do, and this 00:12:57.555 --> 00:12:58.875 is what we're going to do now. 00:12:58.885 --> 00:12:59.385 But instead of. 00:13:00.650 --> 00:13:04.760 Share an article, send a link out, get the people talking about it and 00:13:04.760 --> 00:13:07.700 get people thinking about it because in order to be a transformative, 00:13:07.790 --> 00:13:11.270 a transformative leader, you're transforming, people's thinking, right. 00:13:11.270 --> 00:13:13.580 You have to be able to transform people's thinking, but the only 00:13:13.580 --> 00:13:16.970 way that's going to happen is if they trust you is if they know that 00:13:16.970 --> 00:13:18.830 it's not again, not just about you. 00:13:19.190 --> 00:13:20.990 Um, it's about the issue. 00:13:20.990 --> 00:13:21.830 It's about the need. 00:13:21.830 --> 00:13:22.820 It's about the gap. 00:13:22.850 --> 00:13:23.810 It's about whatever. 00:13:24.050 --> 00:13:27.320 And so I guess, relationship. 00:13:28.365 --> 00:13:31.185 Are very much at the core of any transformative leadership 00:13:31.185 --> 00:13:32.595 or transformational leadership. 00:13:32.835 --> 00:13:35.145 Um, because that's the expectation that we're going to get student 00:13:35.145 --> 00:13:36.015 achievement to increase. 00:13:36.015 --> 00:13:37.275 We're going to get test scores to go up. 00:13:37.275 --> 00:13:39.225 We're going to get teachers to do X, Y, and Z. And the 00:13:39.225 --> 00:13:40.755 community is going to do ABC. 00:13:41.085 --> 00:13:42.765 That's what transformational leadership is about. 00:13:42.765 --> 00:13:46.125 But the only way that happens is if the relationships are rooted in trust 00:13:46.155 --> 00:13:48.055 and people know that you're not doing. 00:13:48.870 --> 00:13:52.380 For you, you're doing things because they're in the best interest of our kids, 00:13:52.380 --> 00:13:53.880 of our community or so on and so forth. 00:13:54.360 --> 00:13:56.520 Um, yes, that is so 00:13:56.820 --> 00:13:58.320 Jethro Jones: powerful before I do the last thing. 00:13:59.130 --> 00:14:02.610 That's the thing that I've heard over and over and over from these transformative 00:14:02.610 --> 00:14:05.790 principals that I've interviewed, it's about relationships and trust. 00:14:05.790 --> 00:14:09.480 And once that's established, you can do pretty much anything. 00:14:09.830 --> 00:14:12.600 And I appreciate you reaffirming that, cause that 00:14:12.600 --> 00:14:13.260 Tony Sinanis: is so vital. 00:14:14.460 --> 00:14:15.630 And the only way people would trust you. 00:14:16.469 --> 00:14:18.569 Is if you're you're, you're not only talking the talk, 00:14:18.569 --> 00:14:19.560 but you're walking the walk. 00:14:19.800 --> 00:14:24.300 And when I first got here, I was modeling independent reading conferences. 00:14:24.300 --> 00:14:27.209 I was modeling small group instruction because that's what I believed was 00:14:27.209 --> 00:14:29.849 effective, but I was totally open to, Hey, tell me, rip me apart. 00:14:29.939 --> 00:14:31.500 Tell me why this does not work. 00:14:31.890 --> 00:14:32.939 Um, cause I don't know. 00:14:32.939 --> 00:14:33.420 What do I know? 00:14:33.449 --> 00:14:37.560 I only know from the experiences I have and when you build that. 00:14:39.160 --> 00:14:41.470 The smartest person in the room is the room, right? 00:14:41.500 --> 00:14:43.000 Everyone in that collective space. 00:14:43.000 --> 00:14:46.570 And we have such expertise in our buildings, in our communities that 00:14:46.570 --> 00:14:49.570 in order to be transformative or transformational or whatever, the 00:14:49.570 --> 00:14:54.310 word it takes us collective process, this, this, this, this group effort. 00:14:54.370 --> 00:14:55.390 You're not going to do it alone. 00:14:55.780 --> 00:14:59.500 Um, and the last thing I'll say, and this is just me personally, um, 00:14:59.530 --> 00:15:00.970 don't take yourself too seriously. 00:15:01.300 --> 00:15:03.430 Don't take yourself as the principal too seriously. 00:15:03.430 --> 00:15:04.810 Cause you're not that big of a deal. 00:15:05.020 --> 00:15:06.520 You're replaceable in a moment. 00:15:08.115 --> 00:15:09.765 But take the work that you do seriously. 00:15:09.795 --> 00:15:11.655 And I live, I live for the space. 00:15:11.984 --> 00:15:14.385 I live for these kids and for our staff and our community. 00:15:14.775 --> 00:15:17.805 And it's why I'm here on a Friday when I'm off this week. 00:15:17.834 --> 00:15:20.224 And it's why I come in on weekends. 00:15:20.265 --> 00:15:23.655 This is why I'm here until 5 30, 6 o'clock at night at the expense 00:15:23.655 --> 00:15:24.645 of other things in my life. 00:15:25.905 --> 00:15:27.825 Very much, because this is a priority. 00:15:27.825 --> 00:15:32.475 So for any new leaders who might listen to this, it's not about you don't take 00:15:32.475 --> 00:15:35.535 yourself too seriously because when you start walking around, like, I'm the 00:15:35.535 --> 00:15:40.185 principal, you project this like sort of finished product, I'm finite, I'm done. 00:15:40.245 --> 00:15:40.905 I'm the principal. 00:15:40.905 --> 00:15:43.515 So I don't need to learn anymore because I did all this stuff, but you 00:15:43.515 --> 00:15:47.685 know what, if anything, you need to be learning the most and you need to be 00:15:47.985 --> 00:15:49.875 projecting the most and sharing the most. 00:15:49.905 --> 00:15:51.795 And again, it's not about you. 00:15:51.975 --> 00:15:54.105 It's about the relationships you build and it's about. 00:15:54.900 --> 00:15:56.520 You're not taking yourself too seriously. 00:15:56.580 --> 00:15:57.270 That's my opinion. 00:15:57.300 --> 00:15:58.590 I like to laugh and have a good time. 00:15:58.620 --> 00:15:59.910 So I will, I think 00:15:59.910 --> 00:16:01.260 Jethro Jones: that's great advice also. 00:16:01.740 --> 00:16:06.750 Um, I, uh, I was talking to a teacher just a couple of days ago and she said, I 00:16:06.750 --> 00:16:14.310 finally realized that I am a replaceable parts in a big system and I can be out of 00:16:14.310 --> 00:16:20.520 the job tomorrow and the work will still continue on and it doesn't matter if it's 00:16:20.520 --> 00:16:21.840 me doing it, or if it's somebody else. 00:16:22.680 --> 00:16:27.870 And, and so I need to do the best that I can, but I have to remember also 00:16:27.930 --> 00:16:30.780 that I'm not, I'm not the center of it. 00:16:30.810 --> 00:16:32.580 The kids are, and whatever I'm doing 00:16:32.670 --> 00:16:33.470 Tony Sinanis: needs to be focused on. 00:16:34.470 --> 00:16:36.150 And that's it, you're, it's not about you. 00:16:36.240 --> 00:16:40.140 Like, I don't show up here because, um, I want people to like kiss the 00:16:40.140 --> 00:16:41.940 ring and, you know, um, bow to my feet. 00:16:41.970 --> 00:16:43.320 Uh, no, not at all. 00:16:43.560 --> 00:16:47.100 I come here because I want to set the stage for other people to shine and for 00:16:47.100 --> 00:16:51.870 other people to grow and for other people to learn and my job as a. It's to remove 00:16:51.870 --> 00:16:55.770 the obstacles, not be the obstacle or not be the focus or whatever, you know, so 00:16:55.950 --> 00:16:57.300 that's really important to me as well. 00:16:58.170 --> 00:16:58.590 Jethro Jones: Absolutely. 00:16:58.680 --> 00:16:59.280 That's awesome. 00:16:59.940 --> 00:17:04.170 Um, so the very last question is kind of a light softball question for you. 00:17:04.230 --> 00:17:08.430 What's something in your office that you have there that inspires or 00:17:08.430 --> 00:17:10.829 motivates or reminds you why you're 00:17:10.829 --> 00:17:11.610 Tony Sinanis: doing what you're doing. 00:17:14.040 --> 00:17:14.430 Okay. 00:17:16.349 --> 00:17:18.030 I mean, really, it's pretty easy for. 00:17:21.200 --> 00:17:25.610 This is when I look at every day, um, this is my son. 00:17:26.089 --> 00:17:30.830 Um, and, um, he's, uh, he's, he's my life. 00:17:30.890 --> 00:17:34.280 Um, his name is Paul and he is, um, in fourth grade. 00:17:35.180 --> 00:17:38.270 He is why I do what I do because when I come, when I come here, 00:17:39.440 --> 00:17:42.890 I always in the back of my head, think, what would I want for Paul? 00:17:43.040 --> 00:17:45.260 What would I want Paul's school to be like, what would I want Paul's 00:17:45.260 --> 00:17:46.700 classroom to be like, what would I want? 00:17:46.700 --> 00:17:47.450 Paul's a community. 00:17:48.405 --> 00:17:51.345 What would I want Paul's principle to be like, and that's where I leave. 00:17:51.375 --> 00:17:52.485 I leave from that space. 00:17:52.815 --> 00:17:55.635 And, um, I think that's done me all right so far. 00:17:55.695 --> 00:18:01.095 Um, and I've learned more from him about education than anything I learned 00:18:01.095 --> 00:18:02.835 in a course in a book, in a class. 00:18:03.105 --> 00:18:09.145 Um, because when you're a parent, I get it. 00:18:09.145 --> 00:18:09.505 I get it. 00:18:09.505 --> 00:18:13.615 My parents come in here and they might be angry about something or they might be sad 00:18:13.615 --> 00:18:15.125 about something or they might be, this is. 00:18:16.035 --> 00:18:18.495 With this other person is like your heart and your soul right. 00:18:18.495 --> 00:18:20.085 Wrapped up in this other little body. 00:18:20.565 --> 00:18:24.014 So I think of Paul and I think of the 403 kids that I have here. 00:18:24.014 --> 00:18:26.205 They are someone else's life and heart and soul. 00:18:26.504 --> 00:18:28.815 So I have the most important job in the world. 00:18:28.815 --> 00:18:32.325 We as educators have the most important job in the world and I value that. 00:18:32.325 --> 00:18:34.905 And so he is my motivation very much on a lot of levels. 00:18:35.745 --> 00:18:36.225 Amen. 00:18:36.315 --> 00:18:39.135 Jethro Jones: I, my oldest daughter, her name is caught tissue. 00:18:39.870 --> 00:18:41.040 In second grade right now. 00:18:41.070 --> 00:18:45.240 And, uh, yeah, same type of thing. 00:18:45.270 --> 00:18:51.209 I've I feel like so much of what I do is, is dependent on, on how 00:18:51.209 --> 00:18:52.620 I would want her to be treated. 00:18:52.620 --> 00:18:57.090 And, and it gives me a great respect for the struggles that our, our 00:18:57.090 --> 00:19:00.870 students and our parents are going through and keeping her in mind helps 00:19:00.870 --> 00:19:04.020 me make those, those choices that are really beneficial for all my stuff. 00:19:04.814 --> 00:19:06.735 Not just one here, one there, 00:19:06.735 --> 00:19:07.455 Tony Sinanis: but for all of them. 00:19:07.455 --> 00:19:07.665 Yeah. 00:19:08.355 --> 00:19:11.475 You know what, Paul Paul, our son was born with medical issues. 00:19:11.564 --> 00:19:16.905 His main issue is that he has, um, congenital scoliosis, um, which 00:19:16.905 --> 00:19:18.435 requires surgery every six months. 00:19:18.435 --> 00:19:20.054 So it's quite a journey. 00:19:20.205 --> 00:19:20.504 Right. 00:19:20.895 --> 00:19:25.365 Um, but what I've learned from Paul, he's so incredibly resilient and he's 00:19:25.365 --> 00:19:29.415 so incredibly positive, um, that I realized anything that we can do. 00:19:29.625 --> 00:19:31.665 Anything we want to do, we can do, we can make it. 00:19:32.504 --> 00:19:35.024 Um, but everyone has a in their life. 00:19:35.655 --> 00:19:41.415 So it may not be a medical issue, but our kids, our staff, our parents, 00:19:41.655 --> 00:19:43.004 they have a Paul in their life. 00:19:43.004 --> 00:19:44.685 You know, it might be someone who's learning disabled. 00:19:44.715 --> 00:19:46.335 It might be someone who's going through a divorce. 00:19:46.335 --> 00:19:47.865 It might be someone who is addicted to drugs. 00:19:47.895 --> 00:19:50.835 It might be someone who lost all their money because of the, you 00:19:50.835 --> 00:19:53.294 know, re uh, re uh, recession. 00:19:53.294 --> 00:19:53.565 Sorry. 00:19:55.225 --> 00:19:56.754 Everyone has that person in their life. 00:19:56.935 --> 00:19:58.885 And we have to value that we have to put value on that. 00:19:59.125 --> 00:20:01.315 And if we want our staff to be successful, we want our kids 00:20:01.315 --> 00:20:02.575 to be successful as a leader. 00:20:02.695 --> 00:20:06.415 I need to remember that because our staff is coming to school and they 00:20:06.415 --> 00:20:08.365 might've have had their kid throw up on them on the way to school. 00:20:08.365 --> 00:20:11.125 Or they may have had their mom go to the hospital the night before, 00:20:11.304 --> 00:20:13.014 or one of our kids coming to school. 00:20:13.014 --> 00:20:14.845 And they may have heard their parents arguing the whole car 00:20:14.845 --> 00:20:16.044 ride to school or whatever. 00:20:16.435 --> 00:20:16.975 Those are things that. 00:20:17.760 --> 00:20:20.400 Shape us for me, it's Paul that shapes, you know, my family. 00:20:20.610 --> 00:20:24.180 Um, and so that's important to keep at the forefront when 00:20:24.180 --> 00:20:25.380 you're interacting with people. 00:20:25.530 --> 00:20:28.350 When you're placing expectations on people, they are these 00:20:28.350 --> 00:20:32.610 people who are shaped by their outside lives and experiences. 00:20:33.375 --> 00:20:34.635 That's that's something important to me. 00:20:34.845 --> 00:20:35.595 Absolutely. 00:20:35.895 --> 00:20:36.165 Well, 00:20:36.675 --> 00:20:38.115 Jethro Jones: thank you so much, Tony, for your time. 00:20:38.115 --> 00:20:41.145 Is there any, uh, final shout out you want to give or, or how 00:20:41.145 --> 00:20:42.345 people can connect with you? 00:20:43.275 --> 00:20:44.065 Tony Sinanis: Uh, you can file. 00:20:44.135 --> 00:20:45.555 Find, follow me on Twitter. 00:20:45.585 --> 00:20:52.670 I'm at Tony T O N Y. S I N a N I S and my last name is a palindrome. 00:20:52.730 --> 00:20:54.290 So spell forwards and backwards the same way. 00:20:54.320 --> 00:20:59.780 So if you forget to spell it backwards, uh, and I'm, I'm pretty active on Twitter. 00:21:00.080 --> 00:21:04.190 Um, you can go to Jericho schools.org is our website. 00:21:04.190 --> 00:21:06.410 You can find my school, Kenny ag elementary school there. 00:21:06.410 --> 00:21:08.240 You can see my email address if you want. 00:21:08.570 --> 00:21:11.000 Um, we have units of study available online, you know, 00:21:11.000 --> 00:21:13.129 whatever people want to see, but Twitter is the best way to get me. 00:21:13.520 --> 00:21:16.850 Um, when all I can say is, remember that being an educator. 00:21:17.715 --> 00:21:20.895 It means that you are constantly looking to learn and grow 00:21:21.345 --> 00:21:22.425 for the sake of children. 00:21:22.545 --> 00:21:22.845 Right. 00:21:22.845 --> 00:21:25.485 And so we can keep kids at the center then we're good to go. 00:21:26.325 --> 00:21:26.775 That's right, 00:21:27.045 --> 00:21:28.335 Jethro Jones: Tony, again, thank you so much. 00:21:28.335 --> 00:21:29.145 This has been awesome. 00:21:29.985 --> 00:21:30.555 Tony Sinanis: My pleasure. 00:21:30.765 --> 00:21:31.575 And I'll talk to you soon. 00:21:31.575 --> 00:21:32.055 Have a great day. 00:21:32.535 --> 00:21:33.315 Bye-bye bye. 00:21:33.335 --> 00:21:33.465 Bye. 00:21:33.465 --> 00:21:33.645 Bye 00:21:41.595 --> 00:21:41.835 That 00:21:41.835 --> 00:21:43.905 Jethro Jones: really was an awesome interview with Tony. 00:21:43.905 --> 00:21:46.755 He is such an inspiring leader, and I hope that you learned a lot from. 00:21:47.940 --> 00:21:49.620 I'd love to hear what you think about the show. 00:21:49.770 --> 00:21:52.320 Please feel free to send me some feedback. 00:21:52.350 --> 00:21:57.030 jethroJones@gmail.com or you can find me on Twitter, follow me there 00:21:57.030 --> 00:21:58.620 and give me some feedback as well. 00:21:58.620 --> 00:22:00.390 At Jethro Jones is my Twitter handle. 00:22:01.560 --> 00:22:03.390 Also, if you like the show, please share it with your 00:22:03.390 --> 00:22:05.550 friends on Twitter and Facebook. 00:22:06.210 --> 00:22:08.070 Send them emails, let them know what's going on. 00:22:08.070 --> 00:22:11.880 Even if they're not into a social media, you can still share the 00:22:11.880 --> 00:22:15.000 great things that you're learning from these wonderful principles.