Skip to main content

Principal Literacy Series: What does it mean to be a literacy leader in the educational setting? [Guest, Andrew Marotta]

 



I have been a secondary building administrator in the Port Jervis school district for the past 20 years. I love Port Jervis and all the great opPORTunities it has for our kids and staff. We have lots of positive projects happening now in the district, and I have tremendous pride looking back at the past 20 years, and the progress we’ve made as a school and community.

            Andrew Marotta
One of the things I’ve tried to do over the 20 years was to be transparent and public with the information that I was sharing whether it was written, spoken, or recorded. I’ve sent out thousands of emails, given hundreds of speeches, written countless letters of recommendation, and more.  In all of these, I tried to model Literacy: creativity, interest, humor, and more.
We expect those around us to be great writers and speakers. We must model that ourselves.
When I gave a speech, I wanted it to have a deep impact, and be like a comet:  brilliant, memorable, and brief.  I was very intentional about writing the speech and delivering it.
Through many crises we managed, I thought it extremely important to communicate them effectively. Here are a few links to emergency safety letters, and different communications that I had to put out to parents and community members regarding incidents that occurred in the school.  Tt was important that these letters were timely, informative, transparent, and detail-orientated to be able to effectively reach my concerned audience.


It all goes back to literacy and being an effective communicator. If I wrote poorly or spoke poorly, it would be a bad reflection on the district, my teaching staff, and certainly I would be considered a poor role model for the students.
In all I did over the 20 years, I wanted to make sure it was done well and modeled the type of writing and speaking I was looking for in others.


Mr. Marotta and his family

Today as the district Director of Communications and Academic Services, I have more of an opPORTunity to write for the district and the community. I draft weekly emails to the district and lead the communications on Facebook and community memos, all of which require proofreading, effective communication, creativity, and more.  Again, it all goes back to literacy and connecting with the people of the Port Jervis community.


I’m happy to carry the banner for Port Jervis Schools, and it is extremely important that I am an effective communicator to do so. To be an effective communicator you must have strong literary skills to get the word out to reach your audience.
Want to write more and just not sure where to start?  Start with celebrations.  Pick people and programs that are doing awesome in your school/community and celebrate/recognize those people.  They deserve it.  If I can help you in any way don’t hesitate to reach out @andrewmarotta21 on Twitter or via my website, andrewmarotta.com.  Sign up for my weekly inspirational blog too, #ELBlog:   https://bit.ly/SignUpELBlog  
Need a speaker for your next event?  Reach out and we’ll connect! Keep rolling friends keep surviving and surviving.


Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Middle Grade Mondays: A Weekly Adventure in Books

Lovers of middle grade books know their transformative power.  Geared toward readers ages 8-12, middle grade stories create a bridge for readers between early chapter books and young adult novels (for more about differences between the types of books, read this Writer’s Digest article).  While the age range does not equate to the age of middle schoolers, the purposes behind middle grade books and what middle school students might learn are often the same: encourage empathy, boost literacy skills, and foster critical thinking.  Recent Middle School Gems to Explore At the 2024 National Council of Teachers of English annual convention, the award committee of the Charlotte Huck Award for Outstanding Fiction for Children named a winner, five honor books, and eight recommended books. What follows are three middle grade Honor books. ( Link HERE for the complete list of winners ).  Middle Grade Honor Books This novel-in-verse fosters empathy by addressing topics of poverty,...

Middle Grade Monday: Nonfiction, Invigorating, Interactive, Gritty

Suggestions for middle grade teaching tips like Blackout Poetry, an Escape Room, and much more I don’t write enough about nonfiction, especially for upper elementary and middle grade readers. At NCTE’s 2024 convention – Heart, Hope, & Humanity – I had the great fortune to listen to authors and educators share great books and teaching tips around three nonfiction books.  Why Longform Nonfiction?  Excellent middle grade nonfiction acts in certain ways for readers. It invigorates readers, it provides interactive opportunities for students, and it’s often personal and gritty for readers of all ages.  When the writing is really good, it gets to the point quickly, which is something young readers can engage with immediately. The great books are invitations into other worlds and the topics get kids excited about concepts and reading.  What follows are three books for any reader interested in courageous nonfiction that offers tons of information. Educators: read to the e...

Middle Grade Monday: Intersection of Art & Identity

If you have a story to share, then share it.  Three authors – Jonell Joshua, Huda Fahmy, and Sarah Myer – have done just that. They had the opportunity to share about the writing process and craft during their presentation at the 2024 National Council of Teachers of English ( NCTE ) annual convention in Boston this November.  Me with Sarah Myer at NCTE, 2024 While the texts in this post are written for older middle grade and young adult audiences, the teaching tips can be adapted and used by all secondary teachers.  The speakers shared that queer authors and authors of color teach us about craft and writing process, not just about reluctant readers or book bans. What follows is a summary of their books with a link to their websites.    How Do I Draw These Memories? by Jonell Joshua ~ Levine Querido Jonell Joshua spent her childhood traveling between Savannah and New Jersey – living in grandparents’ homes during the times her mother, struggling with mental illne...