Do your best...Be your best!

The first quote from this week really hit me- "Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of somebody else."- so I made it the focus of my first thoughts instead of putting it in the "quotes" section.  The quote is from Judy Garland, singer and actress, and probably most famous for her role as Dorothy in "The Wizard of Oz".  How often have you compared yourself to someone else?  It may provide you a goal for a short time but the only person you can really compare yourself to is yourself.  Other people don't look like you, don't think like you, and don't have to deal with same things that you have to deal with.  I can only compare what I do today with what I did yesterday while still deciding what I will do better tomorrow.  Let's all be first rate today!

Calendar
Monday, April 25th          School board meeting 7:30PM
Tuesday, April 26th          Yogurt bar
Wednesday, April 27th     Workout Wednesday

Celebration Day t-shirts for staff
All staff should provide Barb with their size for a Celebration Day t-shirt.  You will get the color of the grade level you represent for the day.  Those going between grade levels or not assigned to a grade level will get purple!  If you have any questions, don't ask Barb, ask me!

Tweets, quotes, and blogs
"Who we are in the present includes who we were in the past."- Fred Rogers, TV personality
And That is Enough (blog from @Jonharper70bd)

(from PixTeller)

"Your inner strength is your outer foundation."- Allan Rufus, writer
How Will You End Your Year? (blog from @JohnBerray via @burgessdave)
"Take action.  Success is not guaranteed, but inaction will guarantee failure."- Ken Poirot, writer

(from Pinterest)

Don't You Dare (blog from @ajjuliani)
"Beyond your wildest imagination, there is something worth working for."- Gordon Attard, enterpreneur

(from PixTeller)

"The speed of your success is limited only by your dedication and what you're willing to sacrifice."- Nathan Morris, financial coach and writer
"What you have to do and the way you have to do it is incredibly simple.  Whether you are willing to do it, that's another matter."- Peter Drucker, management consultant and writer

(from Pinterest)

"Problems are only opportunities in work clothes."- Henry Kaiser, industrialist
"Tomorrow is the only day in the year that appeals to a lazy man."- Jimmy Lyons, musician

@mertonint on Twitter
#mertonint on Twitter
Merton Intermediate School Facebook page
BLT notes from 4.18.16
Family smore for 4.22.16

Back to School Meemic grants
Please see this flyer with information about a 3 question grant for back to school supplies from Quill.com.

A challenge for each of you...
I know that it seems like a long way off, but I'd like to discuss one activity that we will take part in during our May 27th PD day.  I want you to take a chance, try something new, or change up the way that you do something in your classroom with kids.  But that's not it.  You need to bring your "innovation" with you to share with others.  Maybe it's an artifact from a student or a visual or who knows what else.  Any questions, don't hesitate to vox me.  Come on!  You can do it!

And one more challenge that's even more important then the innovation challenge.
64.  What's so important about the number 64?  It's the number of hours some of our students go without hearing something positive from an adult between the time they leave us on Friday and the time we see them again on Monday.  Try to say something positive to our kids today, and then greet them, individually, with a positive on Monday.  In fact, let's greet the kids at the doors Monday morning to get their week started out right!

Have a great weekend!
Jay
Take care of our kids.  Take care of each other.  Take care of yourself.