No surprises

As we reach the end of the quarter, it's a great time to remember that there should be no surprises when conferences occur.  I know all of the ways that you communicate with families, but the most impactful is a phone call home.  As you finish up final grades, keep a close eye on any significant changes that you notice.  Call for both concerning decreases and celebratory increases.  The celebrations will make the concerning calls easier.

Calendar
Tuesday, November 10th          4:15-5:15  Practice
Wednesday, November 11th    Veterans' Day- Please dress in red, white, and blue!
Thursday, November 12th        Conferences
Friday, November 13th             Jeans for Troops Day
                                                     NO OFFICE DAY!
                                                   7:00-9:00PM  6th grade Youth Night

Great things I saw this week
*Collaboration by students in Science, Math, Social Studies, and Language Arts.
*Open, honest conversations in our grade level meetings. Rest assured that I listened and that I will do all that I can to help us continue to move forward for kids.
*Staff stepping up for other staff, without complaint, and with a smile on your face.
*Kids helping out one another in classrooms and in the hallways.
Don't forget to fill out this form so that I can share the great things we're doing with the world!

Tweets, quotes, and blogs
"Don't wait for extraordinary opportunities; seize common occasions and make them great."- Orison Swett Marden, writer

"In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity."- Sun Tzu, military leader
"Change has to come for life to struggle forward."- Helen Hollick, writer

(from Pinterest)

"Nothing is so painful to the human mind as a great and sudden change."- Mary Shelley, writer

My first guest post on ASCD- 7 Tips for Staying Centered

Being left out hurts- Post from @lisabarr18 about girl cliques in middle and high school

"It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends."- J.K. Rowling, writer

"We make our world significant by the courage of our questions and by the depth of our answers."- Carl Sagan, astronomer and writer

@mertonint on Twitter

#mertonint on Twitter

Merton Intermediate School Facebook page

Family smore for 11.6.15

Movember

As I moved about NYC on Sunday, you can imagine that my mind wandered more than usual.  I was thinking about my family, each of you, our students, and any number of other topics.  Then, when I woke up on Monday, I saw this post, A Cause Bigger Than Ourselves, from my friend, Ben Gilpin (@benjamingilpin).  I don't shave the day of a marathon, so November 1st was an easy way to start No Shave November.  Ben encapsulated everything behind the meaning of the month but the thing that really caught my attention was the focus on relationships.  You know how much I care about the relationships we have with our students and with one another.  Movember is just another way to make connections with our kids.

Have a great weekend, enjoy some family time, and be ready for another great week of learning!

Jay