Can it already be May?

As we approach the end of April and turn the calendar to May, I want you to all really think about making the last days of school count instead of counting down the remaining days.  Students might have a countdown, but if we put a countdown on our whiteboard in our room, what are we saying to the kids?  Please continue to focus on engaging the students every day.  If you change your routine or expectations or rigor, that's when we'll start having more behavior problems.  Keep the focus on the impact you can have on the kids and that will help to keep the kids, and us, on track for a great end of the school year.

Great things I saw this week...
Robots in 5th grade
Roller skating in PE
Students teaching their classmates Algebra
Students sharing research with their classmates in Social Studies
Gaga ball pit in full action
Pallet to Project is underway
Students really focused on their math tests
I think it's Spring!  Recess was awesome.
Patrick is back, and he has a warning about snowblowers
More NJHS members helping out at Homework Club than students needing help!
Spikeball during PE
Continued collaboration to do what is best for our kids.

Calendar
Monday, April 30th
4:30  volleyball games @ Stone Bank

Tuesday, May 1st
Staff Appreciation Week starts (It's a different week than I told you all yesterday!)
2:30  Future Ready meeting in Brookfield
4:15  Homework Club

Wednesday, May 2nd
7:15  volleyball practice
9:00  PE interviews (all day)
Staff Appreciation Tailgate lunch

Thursday, May 3rd
grade level and specials meetings
4:15  Homework Club

Friday, May 4th
Star Wars Day (May the fourth be with you!)
11:45-1:00  Jennifer Neuman visit (our new School Board member)

Future Dates
Wednesday, May 2nd- NJHS field trip
Wednesday, May 2nd- PTO staff tailgate lunch
Monday, May 7th- PTO staff activity (2:30-3:30/ more to come!)
Friday, May 11th- Grandparents' Day
Monday, May 14th-Friday, May 18th- Scholastic Book Fair
Tuesday, May 22nd-Thursday, May 24th- 5th grade at camp
Thursday May 24th- Career Day (8:30-11:30)
Monday, May 28th- Memorial Day (No School)
Friday, June 1st- Celebration Day
Tuesday, June 5th- 8th grade Day Away and dance
Wednesday, June 6th- Awards assembly and 8th grade graduation
Thursday, June 7th- Last day of school (half day)

Tweets, quotes, and blogs

"The only thing people regret is that they didn't live boldly enough, that they didn't invest enough heart, didn't love enough.  Nothing else really counts at all."- Ted Hughes

What Matters to You?  An Exploration into #BeingTheChange (from Pernille Ripp)

There are two types of people: One strives to control his environment, the other strives not to let his environment control him.

George Carlin, comedian

They Myth of the "Laggard" (from George Couros)

Genius is often only the power of making continuous efforts.

Elbert Hubbard, writer

I Was Here On Time (from Jon Harper)

"Life moves pretty fast.  If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it."-

Ferris Bueller, American student, from the film Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986)

Leveraging Problems to Create Opportunities (from George Couros)

"Make the most of the best and the least of the worst."- Robert Louis Stevenson

It is good to have an end to journey towards; but it is the journey that matters, in the end.

Ursula K. Le Guin, writer

#mertonint on Twitter

#MertonProud on Twitter

Merton Intermediate Facebook page

Merton Intermediate Instagram page

Family smore for 4.27.18

Principals' Presentation to the Board from 4.23.18

If you are interested...

Back To School Grant from Meemic

As the title of this week's blog states, "Can it already be May?"  It's great that it's almost May, but good grief, it's almost May!  I have no idea how many days of the school year are left (and please don't tell me) but I know that there is so much more that I need to do for you and the kids and there is so much more for you to do for each other and the kids.  To quote High School Musical Jr., which was awesome, by the way- "We're all in this together!"
Be the one!
Jay
Take care of the kids.  Take care of each other.  Take care of yourself.- John Gunnell

You are amazing

As I reflect on the last two weeks, I must admit that you amaze me.  Despite changes for next year, you still come to school, every day, and give it your best effort.  The kids probably don't even know all of the things you are dealing with, personally and professionally, because you still are here every day for them, and for each other.  I appreciate all of you who have come to me with concerns or questions instead of feeding the rumors and assumptions.  One of our colleagues reminds me, often, what it really means when we assume things.  Please come to me with any concerns or questions that you have as we move forward with this school year and prepare for the next school year.  Thank you for your passion, your effort, and your desire to be here for our kids and each other.

Calendar
Monday, April 23rd
4:30  Volleyball games @ Stone Bank
6:30  School Board meeting

Tuesday, April 24th
IEP Power Day
4:15  Homework Club

Wednesday, April 25th
7:15  volleyball practice

Thursday, April 26th
Grade level and specials meetings
4:15  Homework Club

Friday, April 27th
7:15  volleyball practice

Important dates
May 11th- Grandparents Day
May 15th- concerts
May 24th- Half day career event
June 1st- Celebration Day
June 5th- 8th grade Day Away
June 6th- Awards assembly and 8th grade graduation


Great things I saw this week...
Robots in 5th grade.
Reading all over the building.
Snow piles, in April, and the kids having fun at recess.
Kids interested in their Social Studies projects.
Intramural volleyball during 7/8 lunch.
Dave having a blast with liquid nitrogen.  Ask the 7th graders about the onion.
The excitement of the kids in preparation for their first musical.
A guest teacher on Wednesday telling me how fantastic she thinks our school and students are.
More snow to make the snow piles even higher.
The kids did a nice job during the play, and the cast, crew, and directors of High School Musical Jr. were just plain awesome!
The "new" Kwik Trip up the street has 6 donuts for 99 cents!

Tweets, quotes, and blogs

Every "Best Practice" in Education Was Once an Innovation (from George Couros)

"Don't worry about failures, worry about the chances you miss when you don't even try."

Jack Canfield

"Chance favors only the prepared mind."- Louis Pasteur, 1822-1895, French chemist and biologist

True happiness consists not in the multitude of friends, but in the worth and choice.

Ben Jonson, playwright and poet

"Remember that happiness is a way of travel, not a destination."- Roy M. Goodman

Change your opinions, keep to your principles; change your leaves, keep intact your roots.

Victor Hugo, poet, novelist and dramatist

When I Realized I Would Be OK... (from Pernille Ripp)

"Don't persuade, defend, or interrupt.  Be curious., be conversational, be real.  And listen."-

Elizabeth Lesser

#mertonint on Twitter

#MertonProud on Twitter

Merton Intermediate Facebook page

Merton Intermediate Instagram page

Family smore for 4.20.18

Maybe you'd be interested in...
Summer Spark, a PD opportunity at University School of Milwaukee on June 11th and 12th.  I'm presenting, and I know someone who can get a deal for you on registration.  Please let me know if you are interested.

Enjoy the Spring weather this weekend.  Get outside, breathe in the fresh air, soak in the sun, and find family or friends to hang around with for a few hours.  You deserve some "away time" from school.
Be the one!
Jay
Take care of the kids.  Take care of each other.  Take care of yourself.- John Gunnell

Changes- none are easy

This week, each of our grade level teams was impacted by at least one change.  These changes are not easy and were not made impulsively.  Each move was made with a great deal of thought and reflection.  It's difficult to change teams as relationships have been built, but with these changes comes an opportunity for individuals and teams to get better.  We can't, however, forget about what comes before us the rest of this school year- our kids.  Your current team has the opportunity to finish strong for each other and the kids, and I encourage you to do all that you can for them and for each other.  Know that I will be there to support you through the rest of the year as well as through the transition that is soon to come.

Great things I saw this week...
The kids, and you, got right back to learning on Monday.
The seriousness of the kids doing their makeup Forward Exams.
Michael and his work with NJHS and the induction ceremony.
All staff who pitched in to help out with Homework Club and the NJHS ceremony.
The 5th graders creating golf holes for Spheros.
Brian V. joining in the 5th and 6th grade recess.
The band and jazz band during before and during the NJHS ceremony.
The choir singing the National Anthem at the NJHS ceremony. (Did anyone record that?  WOW!)
The behavior of the kids during the tornado drill.  John said he was highly impressed by our 8th graders and that they were the best he has seen for a drill.
Small group LA instruction in the Learning Lounge.
Barb being Barb with NJHS certificates and the fun we had on Tuesday.

Calendar
Monday, April 16th
7:15  volleyball practice
4:15  BLT meeting

Tuesday, April 17th
8:55-9:40  cover Brian F.
4:15  Homework Club
5:20  volleyball games at Lake Country

Wednesday, April 18th
12:22-1:03  Social Studies
4:00  Culver's Night (I'm serving from 6:00-8:00!)

Thursday, April 19th
Grade level/specials meetings
10:30  6th/7th/8th grade see HS Musical Jr. play
1:45  5th grade sees HS Musical Jr. play
4:15  Homework Club

Friday, April 20th
7:00  High School Musical Jr.

Saturday, April 21st
2:00  High School Musical Jr.
7:00  High School Musical Jr.

Important dates
May 11th- Grandparents Day
May 15th- concerts
May 24th- Half day career event
June 1st- Celebration Day
June 5th- 8th grade Day Away
June 6th- Awards assembly and 8th grade graduation

Tweets, quotes, and blogs

There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.

Edith Wharton, writer

Can you follow this "learning norm"? (from George Couros)

The fear of becoming a "has been" keeps some people from becoming anything.

Eric Hoffer, writer and social critic

Hold Your Tongue (from Pernille Ripp)

"How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world."- Anne Frank, 1929-1945, Dutch diarist

"Isn't it nice to think that is a new day with no mistakes in it yet?" — L.M. Montgomery

A Way Out (from Pernille Ripp)

Invention, strictly speaking, is little more than a new combination of those images which have been previously gathered and deposited in the memory; nothing can come of nothing.

Joshua Reynolds, artist

The "Push" That Comes With Being Valued (from George Couros)

It has been quite a week.  I was impressed by two things.  One was the professionalism that you all showed during our discussions on Wednesday.  The other was the kids, both on the "stage" and in the bleachers, during our NJHS assembly yesterday.  Thank you for Wednesday and for being with our kids yesterday.  When we raise our expectations for the kids, they can step up to them, without a doubt.  Keep those expectations high for the next seven plus weeks, and the kids will come through.  I just know that they will.

Have a fantastic Friday and a wonderful weekend.

Be the one!

Jay

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

Morning's on break

I truly hope that you had a relaxing break and that you are ready to be back together for the kids.  Jen, Lauren, and I have enjoyed our time in Florida but I'm ready for a return to school.  I was able to spend time reading, running, and reflecting on the school year so far.  That also allowed me to contemplate our final quarter of the school year, celebrate the things we have done well and try to determine ways to do some things better.  I look forward to seeing you all on Monday morning.  Let's meet the kids outside and welcome them back!

Calendar
Monday, April 9th
7:15  volleyball practice

Tuesday, April 10th
8:55  cover Brian F.
4:15  Homework Club
4:30  volleyball games at Merton

Wednesday, April 11th
8:00  All staff meeting
8:45  Student assembly
1:15  A-team meeting

Thursday, April 12th
Grade level meetings
2:00  National Junior Honor Society induction
4:15  Homework Club

Friday, April 13th
7:15  volleyball practice at Primary School
1:30  Future Ready Schools in Brookfield

Tweets, quotes, and blogs
Empowering Purpose (from George Couros)

(from @woodard_julie)

Back to School Meemic grant application
The 30-Second Book Talk (from Pernille Ripp)
First, Learn Their Story (from Jon Harper)

The Process is the Product (from George Couros)

Learning without thought is labor lost; thought without learning is perilous.

Confucius, philosopher and teacher

Who Keeps You In Line? (from Pernille Ripp)
Innovation Does Not Happen in Isolation (from George Couros)

Every individual matters. Every individual has a role to play. Every individual makes a difference.

Jane Goodall, primatologist and anthropologist

#mertonint on Twitter

#MertonProud on Twitter

Merton Intermediate Facebook page

Merton Intermediate Instagram page

I was fortunate to spend an entire week with Jen and Lauren in Florida.  The weather was awesome but the chance to be together was even more important.  I also was able to read a couple of books while getting sunburned on the beach.  The favorite book I read was The Operator by Robert O'Neill.  Mr. O'Neill is the Navy SEAL who fired the shot that killed Osama bin Laden.  That story was only one chapter of the book.  The rest of the book is the reason I loved the book.  It is the story of someone who has an undying desire to do his best, all of the time.  He relies on his own intestinal fortitude and never give up attitude as well as the belief that his father has in him to be the best.  One line sticks out in the book that reminds me of our work together.  It was "stolen" by Mr. O'Neill from one of his troop's commanders- "Nobody ever worked for me.  They worked with me."  The Navy SEALs rely on each other to accomplish their mission.  No one person is more important in any mission.  If one SEAL fails in their part of the mission, another SEAL must step up or the mission will fail.  The same is true of our work with each student we come in contact with every day.  Remember that.  Our students rely on us on our good days and bad days and on their good days and bad days.    The work you do with our kids and each other cannot go underestimated or underappreciated.  Thank you for working with me every day to make our school and district the best it can be for our kids.

Be the one!
Jay
Take care of the kids.  Take care of each other.  Take care of yourself.- John Gunnell