Connected, my #OneWord2018

A reflection for my Merton family, students, staff, and families

As I sit in my office, visiting our school for the first time since I left on Friday, December 22nd, I reflect on the connections we have made with our students and with one another.  In some cases, we have done an exceptional job.  In other cases, we have not done enough.  I know that each of you have a large number of students to connect with.  We all do, and that shouldn't be an excuse.  It should be our challenge.  There are days when we are tired, or overwhelmed, or sick, or frustrated, or all of these at the same time.  Those are the days when focusing on a relationship with one student or colleague can provide a complete turn around.  My #principalsinaction friends, in particular Mark French, challenged one another to come up with #OneWord2018.  If you can't tell, mine is "Connected".

Now I know that many of you think that I chose connected due to social media and the incredible PLN that I have.  That is not the reason for my word choice.  The face to face connections that we have and need to develop every day is the reason for my #OneWord2018.  I have the opportunity every day at school to improve on my connections with students, staff, and families.  When I take the opportunity to connect with a student or group of students, they get to know me better and I get to know them better, too.  When I take the opportunity to connect with a colleague, I need to focus on that time to listen, to learn, and to share the great things they are doing with and for our students as well as setting goals for improvement.  When I take the opportunity to connect with families, I need to focus on finding the ways to make things the best they can be for their child or children.

Notice that each of these connections doesn't mention social media.  Connections are about relationships, and social media or emails or phone calls can start a relationship, but to truly build a relationship, one must have face to face conversations.  Now here's where you all come in.  I need those gentle, and sometimes not so gentle, reminders to unplug and disconnect from my device while we are talking.  My #OneWord2018 of connected is meant to focus on building relationships with all of you and I know that I will need your help.  Thanks in advance!

Are you able to unplug?

Adam Welcome, one of my friends from the Twitters, Voxer, and Google hangouts, as well as one of the co-authors of "Kids Deserve It", mentions in the book that he went on a family vacation for 5 days and left his phone at home.  I think I get hives just thinking about doing that, but I'm going to give it a try from Sunday through Tuesday.  If I need to take a picture, I'll use my old iPod instead of my phone.  I can post things later.  My challenge to you is to try to do the same thing- stay unplugged for two days during Winter Break.  I've chosen Christmas Eve and Christmas Day but you can choose any days you'd like.  I will promise you this- you will definitely not receive any emails from me on those two days nor will you see any tweets or Facebook posts.  That can wait until December 26th, and I'll be back to connecting and learning with you and the rest of my PLN.

Calendar
Nothing until Tuesday, January 2nd!  I'll email a blog post New Year's Day in the afternoon with a calendar for the week.  No emails from me until then unless there is some sort of emergency!

Tweets, quotes, and blogs

(from MindShift)

(from George Couros)

Every now and then a man's mind is stretched by a new idea or sensation, and never shrinks back to its former dimensions.

Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr., physician and writer

(Do all of our students and colleagues know this?-from @sylviaduckworth)

When you get into a tight place, and everything goes against you till it seems as if you couldn't hold on a minute longer, never give up then, for that's just the place and time that the tide'll turn.

Harriet Beecher Stowe, abolitionist and writer

Sticky teaching (from Ben Gilpin- There are a few other great links, too!)
7 Questions on Relationships and Lifelong Learning in Education (from George Couros)

#mertonint on Twitter

#MertonProud on Twitter

Merton Intermediate Facebook page

Merton Intermediate Instagram page
Principals' Report for board meeting 12.18.17

Family smore for 12.22.17

I hope that you have enjoyed the 12 days before Winter Break and the fun we've had with our dress up days.  It sure was fun for me!  Now please make sure to relax, refresh, and reflect the next week or so.  I'll see you all later today.  Safe travels and enjoy your family and friends.
Be the one!
Jay
Take care of the kids.  Take care of each other.  Take care of yourself.- John Gunnell

#ChooseKind

Wednesday morning we had an assembly.  I have had a number of assemblies in my over 10 year journey as principal at Merton Intermediate School, but this one made me the most nervous.  I needed to send a message to all of our students about the importance of choosing kind.  It may not seem like a difficult message to send.  After all, who doesn't feel great when they are treated kindly?  I appreciate you all coming in at the end of the assembly to hear our challenge to be kind all the time, every day.  I really think that the videos and my personal stories had an impact on the students, but did the impact end once the students left the gym.  That's where you come in.  Please help keep the #ChooseKind focus in our students and each other.

Calendar
Monday, December 18th
Lunch on Jay and Jen (And you know Jen does all of the work)
8:50-10:15  cover Colleen and Michelle
4:15-5:15  BLT meeting
7:00  Board meeting
Tuesday, December 19th
2:00  Future Ready Google hangout
4:15-5:15  Homework Club
Wednesday, December 20th
PTO brunch and gift wrapping
I'll be visiting classrooms all day!
Thursday, December 21st
Grade level and specials meetings
4:15-5:15  Homework Club
Friday, December 22nd
I'll be visiting classrooms all day!

Great things I saw this week...
The learning continues, every day, in every classroom.  (Keep the kids engaged and hold them accountable and they'll come through for all of us!)
Kids doing Google expeditions, and hearing their oohs and ahhs.
The concerts on Tuesday.
The standing ovation on Wednesday.
The kids during our Wednesday assembly.
Staff celebration of the great work you've all done.


Tweets, quotes, and blogs
3 Ideas for Taking Care of Yourself Before the Break (from George Couros)

On Student Talk and What to Look For (from Pernille Ripp)

Wherever there is a human being, there is an opportunity for a kindness.

Seneca, philosopher

(from Pinterest- Harness your inner Michael Corleone for next week!)

Moving From Obstacle to Advantage (from George Couros)

#mertonint on Twitter

#MertonProud on Twitter

Merton Intermediate Facebook page

Merton Intermediate Instagram page
Presentation for #ChooseKind assembly

Family smore for 12.15.17

Although I want you all to take a break from school, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to share this with you.  It's a chance to do a some professional learning over Winter Break.  It's called the "Ditch That Textbook Summit" and was in an email from Dave Burgess.  If you are interested, it's easy to sign up and you can choose which of the modules you'd like to learn about.  Here is the link.  Maybe I'll see you in a couple of modules over break.

Enjoy the weekend, and #GoPackGo!
Be the one!
Jay
Take care of the kids.  Take care of each other.  Take care of yourself.- John Gunnell

Wonder Effects

Did you notice any changes this week after we saw the movie "Wonder"?  I have noticed a couple of things, like more students helping one another in the halls and a variety of "Wonder" related postings on doors, windows, and bulletin boards.  There is a Wednesday assembly next week and I'll be focusing our time on the theme of #ChooseKind.  If you finish your learning in time, please join us in the gym.  I've got some videos and a story or two that will hopefully have an impact on our students, and maybe on you, too.

Great things I saw this week...

Staff stepping up, again, to help one another out with unexpected situations.  This is becoming a habit, and I love it!

Staff sharing pictures via Twitter while I was at SLATE.  Thanks!

Teamwork in a variety of classes.

The true collaboration and open discussions during grade level and specials meetings.

Kim doing the announcements, with her own little challenge for the Giving Tree.  All of the tags were gone before lunch yesterday!

I just love watching the kids do Google Expeditions.

A wonderful report from the teachers about the behavior of our 7th graders on their field trip on Thursday.

Merton Theater team working concessions for the 5th grade girls basketball tournament.  And Jim and Dan did their "normal" exceptional work keeping the tournament running smoothly.

Calendar

Monday, December 11th

It's a great day for me to be hanging out in classrooms!  Invite me in for some learning!

Tuesday, December 12th

4:15  Homework Club

5:30  Band concert

7:00  Choir concert

*I hope you can stop in for one of the concerts.  Jonathon, Michael, and the kids would appreciate it, and so would I!

Wednesday, December 13th

8:00-9:15  WIN (What I Need) Wednesday

1:15  A-team meeting

Thursday, December 14th

Grade level/Specials meetings

2:00  New family tour

4:15  Homework Club

Friday, December 15th

It's a great day for me to be hanging out in classrooms!  Invite me in for some learning!

Tweets, quotes, and blogs

High, Mid, and Low (from George Couros)

Instruction does much, but encouragement everything.

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, writer and statesman

(from Pinterest)

Excuse Me While I "Just" Go Innovate (from Pernille Ripp)

Catch them doing something wrong or lead them to do something amazing (from George Couros)

(from @laffinteach)

You will succeed if you persevere, and you will find a joy in overcoming obstacles, a delight in climbing rugged paths, which you would perhaps never know if you did not sometime slip backward.

Helen Keller, writer and activist

Desire is this absurdity that holds open the infinity of possibility.

Wendy Farley, theologian

Building Resilience, Preventing Burnout (from Edutopia)

Your time is your life. Period. How you spend it ends up being what your life is.

Henry Cloud, psychologist and leadership consultant

#mertonint on Twitter

#MertonProud on Twitter

Merton Intermediate Facebook page

Merton Intermediate Instagram page

Family smore for 12.8.17

We have two full weeks of school left.  Keep the expectations and engagement high, for the kids and yourself, and we'll have another great week of school.  I know that there might be a time where you get frustrated with a student.  Remember they're probably just as excited, or nervous, about the upcoming holiday break.  We will all be losing our normal regiment, and that can be really difficult.  Take a deep breath, count to 5, or 500, so that you don't speak out in anger, even if you are angry.  And if you don't think that your interactions, any of them, have an impact on our kids, just watch this.

Be the one!

Jay

Take care of the kids.  Take care of each other.  Take care of yourself.- John Gunnell

Never Stop Moving Forward

It’s a few weeks until Winter Break.  What’s a #principalsinaction leader supposed to do to keep the learning going, both for our students and our staff?  Now is not the time to change up the procedures and routines.  Now is the time to review them and make sure to keep learning at the forefront in our schools.

So...what ideas do you have to keep this going?  Mark, Ryan, and I suggest the following:

• Get Out Of Your Office! (If you need a reminder, send Jay a DM on Twitter and he’ll send you a #principalsinaction bracelet!) You can only be a principal In action if you're in the hallways, classrooms, cafeteria, out front, and on the playground interacting with others.
• Be intentional with your classroom visits. Make sure you're getting into classes, participating with students, and seeing the great things happening. There are a lot of fun things to see between Thanksgiving and winter break.
• Maintain communication with families about the importance of attendance all the way to Winter Break. We can only be effective and build relationships with students when they're present.
• Maintain your meeting schedules (all staff or teams) to keep the focus on their learning and student learning. Staff, as well as students, like structure and routines. Many schools take on service projects at this time of year with their communities. It is also a great time to do a staff service project.
• Don’t use the “it can wait until after Winter Break” excuse. You've already got full days after break so don't overload those.
• Have fun with your staff and show appreciation and thanks. Plan some "12 Days of Christmas" or "10 Days Until Winter Break" activities to put smiles on adult faces. Send Mark a DM and he'll share what other principals are doing.
• Look for opportunities to take over a class for a teacher and give the gift of time for them. Being a principal in action, means that you have to be ready for anything. Surprising a teacher with the gift of time, keeps moods positive and the climate is upbeat.
• Build Relationships: Write a letter that can be sent to students via snail mail over break. There is nothing like receiving mail. You can also send a letter, card, or note to your staff members during winter break.
• Ryan took ten minutes at his last staff meeting to have all staff members write letters to students to be mailed over winter break. Building a strong community must be intentional and sincere. Once you have the community anything is possible.

We look at the weeks before winter break as opportunities to continue learning, strengthen relationships, and have fun. So, find ways to connect, smile, and get out of your office!

Why wait?

Today we get to see the movie "Wonder" as a school.  There are a number of our colleagues in different cities and states who are jealous about the opportunity we are providing our students.  Thanks to Heidi for working with me on this since August.  We were hopeful you would think it was a good idea and I'm glad that you agreed.  So why the title, "Why wait?"  Here is the reason, and it goes to my the saying on my new favorite sweatshirt- CHOOSE KIND.  Why would we wait until seeing the movie to choose kind?  Why should we wait until seeing the movie to remind our students to choose kind?  We should choose kind all of the time.  Why?  Here are a few reasons.

• Choosing kind is so much better than the alternative.
• When we choose kind, we showcase the way we should always treat one another.
• Choosing kind is contagious.
• Choosing kind just makes you feel better about yourself.

Great things I saw this week...

It seemed like you and the students got right back to learning without a hitch, despite being out of school for 5 straight days.

Conferring in Language Arts, Math, Science, and Social Studies to make sure that the students really understood what they were doing.

Students getting to reading in less than 5 seconds as I covered a class so some teachers could finish up an important meeting.

Staff continuing to step in and help out another staff member, often without even being asked but just because they knew it needed to be done.

Students behaving well for our guest teachers with all of Wednesday's meetings.

7th and 8th grade basketball playoffs in the gym.

Presentations in 5th grade Science.

Students helping out classmates in the hallway when they dropped some of their materials (This happens multiple times every day.),

Our custodians taking over demolition for our new Learning Lounge (This is going to be really cool!).

Calendar
Monday, December 4th
SLATE conference all day
Tuesday, December 5th
SLATE conference all day (Could someone please take care of Homework Club for me?)
Tree Lighting 7:00PM
Wednesday, December 6th
SLATE conference until 1:00
Thursday, December 7th
Grade level and Specials meetings
4:15  Homework Club
Friday, December 8th
IEP Power Day

Tweets, quotes, and blogs

How to Make a Teacher Smile (from Jon Harper)

I love deadlines. I love the whooshing noise they make as they go by.

Douglas Adams, writer

(from Pinterest)

2 Ways to Brighten Your Day (from George Couros)

People will always try to stop you doing the right thing if it is unconventional.

Warren Buffett, investor

3 Articles for Student Discussion on "Success" (from George Couros)

Some fish love to swim upstream. Some people love to overcome challenges.

Amit Ray, writer and spiritual teacher

Positive Words Go a Long Way (from Edutopia)

More Obi-Wan, Less Darth (from Jon Harper)

#mertonint on Twitter

#MertonProud on Twitter

Merton Intermediate Facebook page

Merton Intermediate Instagram page
Board presentation from 11.27.17

Family smore for 12.1.17

Thanks for a great full week back!  I enjoyed being in your classrooms this week.  You got the kids back into the swing so quickly after Thanksgiving Break.  Next week, I'll need you to send me pictures or tweets so that I can see you and the kids hard at the work of learning.  I'm excited to attend the SLATE conference but I'll miss being around you and the kids.  I know that Ron and Mike will be around to help out so don't be surprised if they stop into your classes to see the great things you do with and for our kids and each other.
Be The One!
Jay
Take care of the kids.  Take care of each other.  Take care of yourself.- John Gunnell