Redding School District

These particular producers of a particular program were exhausted after their meeting with the network executives.   They were trying to convince the executives that they had come up with a sure-fire hit even though they had pitched their show to every network available without even a smidgeon of interest.   Many of those meetings were brutal.  Full of arrogant indifference and implied insults.  The producers tried the broadcast networks first and then moved on to cable networks but with no interest at all.

Upon discussing why their program idea was not encouraging a network to invest in it, they decided it was that they could not describe it appropriately.  So they took their idea overseas and put the show on over there and bring back video of the program so the network can see for themselves.  

The producers did get their program on television that very summer and recorded their video.  The following autumn they came back to the networks one more time in the United States.   They pitched their show and this time with a video to show the format and yet they were told the same thing.  The format is wrong and even the general subject is wrong for American audiences. 

Nobody wanted to sponsor a television show that no network wants.  What really happened is something of a miracle.  The daughter of the president of the last network they pitched to was living abroad.   She had seen the British version of the television show and told her father to buy it.  Unexpectedly the network does buy the show and places it on the fast track.  That show has been on the fast track until its last season this year.  The show that every network turned down twice, then became the number one rated new show called American Idol.

I am proud of our efforts to continue the work in providing better outcomes for our students.  Our collaborative teams at our schools and the district level built processes that we are implementing that will make a difference.  The curriculum standard alignments and common assessment work will make a transformation in our work as we find ways to reach our students who are failing.  The California Reading and Literacy Project trainings, common flow charts, and small group instructional practices are going to pay off.  The move to engaging forward thinking unique programs to empower our student’s future will serve them well.  Keep moving all of your efforts towards excellence in process and delivery.   I love talking with all of you about the exciting practices that you are working on to help our children.   Our data will move and we will make a difference.  Like the executives of those networks who turned down American Idol, we cannot always predict what is going to happen.  What we can do is focus on the tweaks and adjustments as you give feedback to your students and get feedback from their performance to find better and better ways to deliver learning to every parent’s child in our district.

Thanks for your efforts and have a wonderful weekend.

Rob