So what are the priorities when launching a new year at Acton Academy?  Reading, writing and math?  Preparing for standardized tests?

Hardly.

Our goals for the first two weeks revolve around forming the Tribe and transferring the responsibility for the learning community to the Eagles.  If we get that right, everything else is easy.

Our priorities are simple:

1. Have fun together.

2. Work hard.

3.  Discover that we like each other; and

4. Commit.

Today we opened with a launch quoting the Gettysburg Address, comparing Lincoln’s vision for America to the Eagle’s opportunity to reshape learning in the 21st Century.

First, an Ice Breaking Exercise centered around exploration and questions; then hard work during Silent Core Skills, setting SMART goals and drafting and discussing the Contract of Promises; finally, a series of challenging trust building exercises.  In a flash, it was 3 PM and time for “lessons learned” for the day.

All along, it was the Eagles’ energy and leadership that mattered most.  The Guides failed today – we answered two questions each, four serious lapses in all.   Thankfully, there’s always tomorrow to redeem ourselves.  Even more exciting, soon Eagles won’t be asking Guides for anything at all.