Summer is an exciting time.  It provides your best chance to plan and prepare for the greatest year ever at your school (yes, that is my idea of a vacation, time to plan).  And like everything else, you need a bootleg technology plan.  In my travels, the hidden pitfall of a good bootleg technology plan is connectivity.  Adequate cellular / Wi-Fi coverage and access is critical. Miss this and you are finished before you start. So to help you out, here is my non-technical connectivity checklist.

1. Can I log in as a guest on the campus Wi-Fi?

2. If the guest Wi-Fi requires a password, can a legitimate user find support quickly?

3. Once on the guest network, is filtering reasonable?

4. Once on the guest network, is speed adequate?

5. With a smart phone, visit each classroom, office and common area on the campus. Is there cellular/Wi-Fi connectivity in each of these areas?

6. If there is campus-wide connectivity, is speed adequate?

For every “No” response, get with your technology specialist and work to make that issue a “Yes,” sooner rather than later.   

A number of you in the LYS Nation are now using your own bootleg technology devices to follow Twitter.  If you haven’t done so yet, we want you to join us.  To let you see what you are missing, here are the Top 10 LYS Tweets from the week of June 17, 2012.

1. I won’t argue that every student can go to college. I argue that we shouldn’t be the reason why they can’t. Too often we are.

2. Don’t ask, “What would be the best schedule for teachers?” Ask, “What is the best schedule for students?” The answers are not the same.

3. Researchers tell us we base 80% of our expectations of others on their appearance. (By @jackson_carrie)

4. Teacher note: Advertisers know that the best way to connect w/ a diverse, distracted & demanding audience is laughter. Sell your content.

5. Reading an early draft of a university study on the performance of LYS schools. Summary: LYS Nation, your school is outperforming your peers.

6. I was accused by an educator of not trusting people. Not the case. I have done this long enough to trust that people will be people.

7. I know it increases accountability for something that we should already be doing, but why the opposition to increasing the compulsory attendance age?

8. HISD Trustee Moore wants CFO to emphasize to the public that the Texas Legislature cut $78 million from HISD last school year, plus $47 million in the coming year. (By @e_mellon)

9. Just read, “Look at Me,” by Sean Cain. Fun read. So True! (By @CaptAndy2011)

10. The Fundamental 5 (Cain & Laird), just flew past 11,000 copies sold. Thanks, LYS Nation! We are forever grateful.

Think. Work. Achieve. Your turn…

• Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “The Fundamental 5: The Formula for Quality Instruction.” Individual copies available on Amazon.com!  http://tinyurl.com/Fundamental5 
• Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “Look at Me: A Cautionary School Leadership Tale” Individual copies available on Amazon.com!  http://tinyurl.com/lookatmebook
• Now at the Apple App Store: Fun 5 Plans (Fundamental 5 Lesson Plan Tool); PW Lite (Basic PowerWalks Tool); PW Pro (Mid-level PowerWalks Tool)
• Confirmed 2012 Presentations: Channelview ISD Leadership Team Kickoff, Bushland ISD Staff Kickoff, Canadian ISD Staff Kickoff, Highland Park ISD Staff Kickoff, Sunray ISD Staff Kickoff, Region 10 ESC Fall Leadership Conference (Keynote)
• Follow Sean Cain and LYS on www.Twitter.com/LYSNation