This weekend I'll be running the Oklahoma City Marathon. I'm going to run with Adam Welcome (Kids Deserve It and Run Like a Pirate author) and Kas Nelson, a principal from Oklahoma. Adam and I have done multiple marathons while this will be Kas' first. I am so excited to run with Adam and Kas. Some of you know this, but I have never met Adam or Kas face to face. But I feel like I've met them before. That's the power of social media connections, especially with people who share your passion.
I was talking with some people about how I approach a marathon. I like to break it into chunks of varying lengths- four 5 mile chunks and then two 3 mile chunks. That's my plan, but it doesn't always work out that way. Sometimes those two 3 mile chunks become three 2 mile chunks or, when I'm not feeling that well, six 1 mile chunks. Why am I telling you this? I think a marathon is like the school year. Some of us chunk our school year, too. I'd say the 20 mile mark of a marathon, what some runners call "the wall", is a lot like getting to the month of May. Is May a series of days or weeks for you? How about for the kids? Some of us and the kids see 4 weeks and some see 22 days and some see one day at a time or one class at a time. What can we do to make May the best month of the year for our kids and for each other? I don't want to give you my answer, but I'd love to hear yours.
Great things I saw this week...
Lori with our instructional assistants discussing executive functioning skills. Great stuff for me and for our parents.
Seeing Julie sitting in the hallway working with a student on Math.
Having former students visit after hours and catching up on their softball teams.
Seeing the continued effort on Forward Exams during makeup sessions.
The pride the students are taking in their poetry unit in Language Arts.
The bands playing Seven Nation Army. Ask the kids, especially those playing the low notes!
Cast and crew getting to see their Mary Poppins Jr. performance.
Volleyball practices and teams are in full swing.
8th grade college visits.
Calendar
Intermediate School Special Events
Monday, April 29th
BLT meeting 4:15PM
School board meeting 7PM
Tuesday, April 30th
Forward testing makeups at 9AM (24 students left!)
Wednesday, May 1st
NJHS field trip
Wednesday, May 8th
WIN Wednesday- final assembly
Thursday, May 9th
PTO meeting 2:30PM
Friday, May 10th
Grandparents Day
Monday, May 13th-Friday, May 17th
MAP testing week
Tuesday, May 14th
Spring concerts
Wednesday, May 15th
Culver's Night
Monday, May 20th-Friday, May 24th
MAP testing makeup week
Monday, May 27th
Memorial Day- No School
Friday, May 31st
Celebration Day
Wednesday, June 5th
8th grade Day Away
Culver's Night
8th grade dance
Thursday, June 6th
8th grade graduation 7PM
Friday, June 7th
Last day of school- Half day
Tweets, quotes, and blogs
| Remember that the happiest people are not those getting more, but those giving more. |
| H. Jackson Brown Jr., author |
(from Orton Gillingham Online Academy)
| The effect of one good-hearted person is incalculable. |
| Oscar Arias, politician and Nobel Peace Prize winner |
| No one has made it through life without someone else's help. |
| Heather French Henry, veterans advocate, fashion designer and former Miss America |
(from George Couros)
| Do your little bit of good where you are; it's those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world. |
| Desmond Tutu, theologian and human rights activist |
A Letter to Teachers From "That Kid" (from WeAreTeachers)
| Go into the world and do well. But more importantly, go into the world and do good. |
| Minor Myers Jr., scholar and university president |
| Happiest are the people who give most happiness to others. |
| Denis Diderot, philosopher |
Family smore from 4.25.19
Homework Club, anyone?
Jen and I are going to the Pink concert next Thursday night (May 2nd) and we'd like to get down to Milwaukee a little early. Could anyone help out with Homework Club from 4:15-5:15 for me? You are compensated with actual money. Thanks for your consideration.
I'm looking forward to an awesome morning. Jackie and Mary have done an incredible job getting everything ready for our guests and our students. I know that it disrupts a "normal" day, but the benefit to the kids is immeasurable. Thanks to all of you for making this a great day for our guests and our students.
Have a great weekend, and if you'd like to follow me during my marathon, my bib number is 755. (The first staff member to contact me about the importance of the number 755 will get a souvenir from the marathon.)
Be the spark!
Jay
Take care of the kids. Take care of each other. Take care of yourself.- John Gunnell
Homework Club, anyone?
Jen and I are going to the Pink concert next Thursday night (May 2nd) and we'd like to get down to Milwaukee a little early. Could anyone help out with Homework Club from 4:15-5:15 for me? You are compensated with actual money. Thanks for your consideration.
I'm looking forward to an awesome morning. Jackie and Mary have done an incredible job getting everything ready for our guests and our students. I know that it disrupts a "normal" day, but the benefit to the kids is immeasurable. Thanks to all of you for making this a great day for our guests and our students.
Have a great weekend, and if you'd like to follow me during my marathon, my bib number is 755. (The first staff member to contact me about the importance of the number 755 will get a souvenir from the marathon.)
Be the spark!
Jay
Take care of the kids. Take care of each other. Take care of yourself.- John Gunnell
