Batavia principal brings new ideas to the classroom
Jeff Modaff, principal of Grace McWayne Elementary in Batavia, has a little-known talent: He is also a disc jockey.
Based on PARCC scores, his school is outperforming most in the state of Illinois. His school recently launched a 21st Century Learning Center and has a unique take on report cards.
We checked in with Modaff, who is in his eighth year as a principal - and his fifth year as principal of Grace McWayne - to find out more.
Q. What are some unconventional ways you go above and beyond the job description?
Modaff. I don't think anything I do is unconventional. In Batavia and beyond, I work among some amazing administrators who work hard to inspire teachers and connect with children and their families. With that said, here is what I enjoy about my job:
• I am constantly looking for ways to improve the learning experience for students and their families at Grace McWayne. This can be hard on the teachers because we need to commit to changes each year, and sometimes right in the middle of a school year.
I believe that if we can do something that is best for our students, and research shows long-term positive impact, then we need to figure out how to make it happen at Grace McWayne. Two examples of this are the My G.R.A.D.E. Project and the 21st Century Learning Lab.
• I love being silly with students. Whether I'm hanging out at lunch or visiting a classroom, I look for ways to connect with students on a personal level, and humor seems to work best. Children's laughter is quite energizing for me, and I think the students benefit from having a close relationship with their principal.
• We often look for ways to celebrate the great students we have at Grace McWayne. We organize monthly and trimester celebrations, and I get to be a part of most of them. I get to host extra recesses or lunch dance parties and I get to be the emcee at our unique assemblies. In the past, the assemblies have included turkey bowling, elf bowling and minute-to-win-it games.
Students are working right now to earn an Angry Birds assembly, where the winning students will compete in a life-size Angry Birds game. Our staff comes together to make these crazy events happen and they are a lot of fun. I would like to see our next assembly incorporate the Pie-face Showdown game!
Q. We heard you are a DJ as well as a principal. How did you get into that, and how does that work? (Is it a side job? Something you do just for fun?)
Modaff. My brother and I owned the DJ business for over 15 years. We started out in our early 20s DJing family parties and the hobby grew into a part-time gig for both of us. We are both "retired" from the DJ business now, but it's fun to bring the mixer, speakers and DJ lights to school and play music for the students at lunch for celebrations.
Q. Tell us more about your 21st Century Learning Center and your unique take on report cards.
Modaff. As I mentioned before, if it is good for students and we have the means to do it, I would like to see it happen at Grace McWayne. Our leadership team was looking for ways to motivate and empower students through goal setting and self-assessment.
What came about after six months of planning is the My G.R.A.D.E. Project. G.R.A.D.E. is an acronym for Goal Setting, Reflection, Accountability, Digital Portfolios and Empowerment. This year's pilot is requiring students to use digital portfolios to set goals, reflect on their learning and share out to their parents about their own learning and growing. This portfolio has replaced the traditional report card this year. It's been an exciting learning experience for everyone involved and we have received a lot of positive feedback from parents and students.
The 21st Century Learning Lab is an innovation that a few teachers started using two adjoining empty rooms at Grace McWayne. One of our teachers, Sue Palombella, has shown her passion for this space and has helped grow it to the lab we have so far today. The lab was built to encourage the 21st Century Learning Skills: critical thinking, collaboration, creativity and communication skills, information, media and technology skills and life and career skills.
We have big aspirations to continue to grow the lab according to student feedback, but so far, we have a makers space, an assortment of building materials, Lego table, electronic and circuit kits, a coding lab, two microscopes and a grow tower.
Students use the lab during intervention blocks and scheduled class appointments to explore, create, solve challenges and reflect on what they learned. Grace McWayne families and the PTO have generously donated supplies and funding to support the 21st Century Learning Lab.
Q. Why do you think your students are doing so well on the PARCC tests?
Modaff. I think our success on PARCC can be attributed to a combination of factors. Our students come from families who value education and support the school in a variety of ways. The Grace McWayne staff is top notch. They have high expectations for students and combine tried and true teaching methods with innovative strategies to make learning happen. There is also an overall culture of caring and advocacy for children and there are structures in place to identify and support all levels of students.
Q. What is your advice for new principals? And what piece of advice would you give parents of elementary students?
Modaff. For new principals, I would tell them that leading change is very difficult, but kids are worth it. Do what you need to do to improve the learning experiences for students at your school.
To the parents, I would tell them to believe in us as educators. Please know that all of us are working to the best of our ability to help your children grow and find success every day. We do make mistakes, but we love and care for your children as if they were our own.