It's definitely Winter

Winter is here.  The snow.  The bitter cold.  The windchills.  Indoor recess.  Sometimes we get what we asked for.  I admit I was sick of the brown grass, hard ground, and uncertainty of whether to wear my snowpants at recess.  This week there was no uncertainty.  What was interesting is that the conversations I heard weren't about the joy of missing school.  The conversations that I heard were that you were missing out on our kids, and they were missing out on you.  The routine of school is one thing, and sometimes the routine can be too much.  The real part of school that is most important is the relationships.  As I look at the upcoming weather, I doesn't look like there's another snow day in our future.  We will get back into the routine of 5 day weeks with a normal bell schedule, but don't take for granted the importance of fostering the relationships we have with our students and one another.

Great things I saw this week...
The focus of you and the kids on Tuesday, even knowing that there was an impending deep freeze.
Table ball in PE.
Stitching in Art.
A limited number of emails from me to you, except for yesterday.

Calendar
Intermediate School Special Events

*Don't forget to schedule your mid-year SLO/PPG with me as soon as you have your mid-year results (MAP tests completed or other in class assessment that was used)

Monday, February 4th
BLT meeting 4:15PM

Wednesday, February 6th
Group yearbook pictures in the AM
Jay leaves for AWSA after lunch

Thursday, February 7th
Jay at AWSA all day (GOOSE pass for those covering lunch duties)

Friday, February 8th
Jay at AWSA until after lunch (GOOSE pass for those covering lunch duties)

Wednesday, February 13th
WIN Wednesday

Friday, February 15th
PD day

Thursday, February 21st
Invitation conferences

Friday, February 22nd
NJHS induction ceremony

Tweets, quotes, and blogs
Four Ways to Support Colleagues who are Supporting Students in Crisis (from Allyson Apsey)

(from staff bathroom at Fred Lynn Middle School, Hamish Brewers' school)

Creating an Environment Where Innovative Teaching and Learning Flourish (from AJ Juliani)

(In case you missed it.  Mike and I need singing lessons, Michael!)

4 Thoughts to Help You Move Beyond Harsh Self-Criticism (from George Couros)

(One of my all time favorite videos- Lollipop moments)

(from Kristine Klodowski, a family friend)

#mertonint on Twitter

#MertonProud on Twitter

Merton Intermediate School Facebook page

mertonint on Instagram

Family smore from 2.1.19

Cold Day Reading Challenge

This was fun, and some of my PLN joined in on the fun, too.

It's been a weird week.  I don't remember a week like this in my 32 years as an educator.  Make today a great day, and don't try to fit Wednesday and Thursday into Friday.  It might be a good idea to go over procedures and expectations again today.  It may help, but I think outdoor recess will help the most.  Don't forget to wear your blue, and we have soup for lunch, too.

Be the spark!

Jay

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