Happy Holidays

This is probably the shortest nuts and bolts of the year, but I meant for it to be.  No best things I noticed section.  Limited tweets, quotes, and blogs.  The basic calendar.  No Name it, claim it, explain it.  Just a couple of things to reflect upon before break starts for us all at about 4:00 this afternoon.

Below is something from Sam Parker, the founder of Inspire Your People.  Although I know it says Christmas in the title, in my mind it's more about the holiday season and being thankful for what people have done for us. I hope that you have felt the holiday spirit this week.

Calendar

Please continue to review the Intermediate Special Events Calendar at our weekly grade level and specials meetings, too.

Friday, December 20th
Polar Express Pajama Day!
Raffle day!  (You will get a raffle ticket for each day that you participate in a dress up day!  The more you participate the better your chances!)

Saturday, December 21st- Wednesday, January 1st
Winter Break

Thursday, January 2nd
School resumes!

Tweets, quotes, and blogs

If fifty million people say a foolish thing, it is still a foolish thing.

Anatole France, writer, journalist, Nobel Prize winner

from Teacher2Teacher

#mertonint on Twitter

#MertonProud on Twitter

Merton Intermediate School Facebook page

mertonint on Instagram
BLT notes from 12.16.19
Principals' Presentation from the Board Meeting 12.16.19
Family smore from 12.20.19

In case you wanted to know...

Here is the recipe for the beef we had at lunch on Thursday.

MISSISSIPPI POT ROAST

3 to 4 lb Chuck, roast

1 tbsp Pepperoncini, juice

1 packet Au jus gravy mix

6 Pepperoncini peppers, jarred

1 packet Ranch salad dressing mix

Half stick of Butter

Cook in crock pot 7-8 hours OR bake in oven roaster at 275 degrees about 5 -6 hours.  Shred and serve on Kings Hawaiian rolls or over mashed potatoes.

It's like the old McDonald's add, "You deserve a break today", but more...
Here's the classic from 1982, the year I graduated from high school.

Here's the more.  I encourage you to take a break from school during our Winter Break.  You determine the days and the times, but take a break.  Do something that you like alone or with family and friends.  I promise, unless there's something really important, to not send you an email until Friday, December 27th.  That's one week from today.

It is my honor, privilege, and joy to go to school with you all every day.

Happy Holidays!

Jay

#JustInspire

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

Potential

The potential that our kids have is amazing.  You all do many things to try to find that potential.  In listening to the speakers and participants at SLATE this week, I realized quickly the amazing opportunities you provide all of our students.  Your potential is amazing, too.  I only hope that we can continue to build the culture and climate in Merton that allows your potential to be maximized which in turn will maximize the potential of our students.  Let me know what I can do to help you realize your own potential.  I'm here to support you and encourage you.  Thanks for being willing to learn and grow every day!

Great things I saw this week...
Our NJHS kids setting up the gym for this week's concerts
5th grade team stepping up to help out when there was no guest teacher on Monday
The support you give our students throughout the day
Getting to see you on Wednesday afternoon when I returned from SLATE
The comments I heard about the concerts on Tuesday
The amazing things our kids are doing in electives
Great conversations about kids
The potato bar on Thursday
The gifts in the office
The PTO decorations in the lounge
The student volunteers and Carey, Becky, and Dan at the 8th grade girls basketball tournament
Matthew winning the Patriot's Pen Award.  You have all had an amazing impact on him!

Name it.  Claim it.  Explain it.
Thanks to Holly and the 6th grade team for playing along.

Calendar

Please continue to review the Intermediate Special Events Calendar at our weekly grade level and specials meetings, too.

Friday, December 13th
Packers Day
Giving Tree gifts due

Monday, December 16th
Merry Red and Green Day
School board meeting  7PM

Tuesday, December 17th
Holiday/Ugly Sweater Day
PTO gift wrap and brunch

Wednesday, December 18th
Holiday Hat Day

Thursday, December 19th
Flannels and Fuzzy Socks Day!
Lunch on Jen and Jay!

Friday, December 20th
Polar Express Pajama Day!
Raffle day!  (You will get a raffle ticket for each day that you participate in a dress up day!  The more you participate the better your chances!)

Saturday, December 21st- Wednesday, January 1st
Winter Break

Thursday, January 2nd
School resumes!

Name it.  Claim it.  Explain it.
Thanks to Holly and the 6th grade team for playing along!

Tweets, quotes, and blogs

Learning to Learn Beyond the Test (from George Couros)

Inspiration is a guest that does not willingly visit the lazy.

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, composer

We must be willing to let go of the life we have planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us.

E.M. Forster, writer

On the Path to "Purpose" (from George Couros)

The more I do, the more frightened I get. But that is essential. Otherwise why would I go on doing it?

Dame Judi Dench, actress

5 Strategies for Improving Mental and Physical Health (from George Couros)

I think you should take your job seriously, but not yourself -- that is the best combination.

Dame Judi Dench, actress

Change obstacles into challenges. You might have to step back and go a different direction, but you can achieve.

Raye Montague, naval engineer who revolutionized the design process for naval ships, and US Navy's first female program manager of ships

Take Care of You (from Jon Harper)

What I didn't understand, all those years when I was waiting for my life to start, was that it had already started.

Lee Smith, writer

Try the Door: Overcoming Groupthink (from Dave Burgess)

#mertonint on Twitter

#MertonProud on Twitter

Merton Intermediate School Facebook page

mertonint on Instagram
Family smore from 12.13.19

My 3
In my email on Tuesday morning, I shared a video from Joe Sanfelippo.  Here it is again.  Some of you shared your 3 with me.  Some of you had your students share their 3 with you.  If you wanted to know my 3, and even if you didn't, here they are.
1.  Connecting with students and staff
2.  Making Jen laugh
3.  Stretching my thinking
I'd love to know what your 3 are.

Another 3
In reflecting on SLATE, I have 3 takeaways
1.  Being able to connect with Tom Murray in person was an incredible opportunity.  When you have a chance to connect with someone who makes you reflect on what you do and how you do it, you become a better person.
2.  Realize that someone is always listening and watching, even if you don't realize it.  Ask me about the sprinkles story if you want to learn more.
3.  I get to go to school nearly every day with the best educators, and people, that I could ever come in contact with.  I knew that you had everything under control and can't thank you enough for taking over the ship while I was gone.

Have a great weekend, and we've got this.  Just take it one day at a time.
#JustInspire
Jay
Take care of the kids.  Take care of each other.  Take care of yourself.- John Gunnell

It's the hap, happiest time of the year

I love this time of the year in school.  There is excitement for the upcoming holidays, but I also just love getting into your classrooms to see what's going on.  This week I started by having an almost No Office Day (I had a couple of meetings) on Monday but for the most part I was in classrooms.  It was great to see you get right back into the swing of things with the kids.  There were reviews, and quizzes, and sharing, and reading, and active students in PE.  The kids genuinely seemed to be happy to be back to school, too.  I also noticed that our Giving Tree in the lobby had few remaining gift tags.  We are so lucky to live and work in such a caring community.  Every day that I come to school, I'm happy, but these few weeks before our Winter Holiday are always the happiest for me.

Great things I saw this week...
Kids getting a great workout in PE doing circuit training
Conferring with students about their writing or Math
The choir and jazz band at the tree lighting
Jeopardy in Social Studies (ask Carey)
The excitement the Kahoot music brought to some 6th graders
Getting to meet with teams again
Shoutouts during our staff meeting on Wednesday
Staff wearing new spiritwear items
The kids during our assembly, and some of the lollipop moments I heard about
The 7th graders all dressed up for their field trip, and the report of great behavior when they returned
Matt and Dave playing a little 2 on 2 basketball with some 7th graders after the field trip


Calendar

Please continue to review the Intermediate Special Events Calendar at our weekly grade level and specials meetings, too.

Monday, December 9th
Jay at SLATE conference after lunch
8th grade girls basketball tournament at Merton Primary

Tuesday, December 10th
Jay at SLATE conference (I could use someone to cover 7/8 lunch and recess- GOOSE pass!)
Dress up for Holiday concerts
Choir concert 5:30/ Band concert 7:00

Wednesday, December 11th
Jay at SLATE conference (I could use someone to cover 7/8 lunch and recess- GOOSE pass!)
Flannel and Fuzzy Socks Day!
8th grade girls basketball tournament at Merton Intermediate

Thursday, December 12th
6th grade Potato bar!
8th grade girls basketball tournament at Merton Intermediate

Friday, December 13th
Packers Day
Giving Tree gifts due

Monday, December 16th
Merry Red and Green Day
School board meeting  7PM

Tuesday, December 17th
Holiday/Ugly Sweater Day
PTO gift wrap and brunch

Wednesday, December 18th
Holiday Hat Day

Thursday, December 19th
Flannels and Fuzzy Socks Day!
Lunch on Jen and Jay!

Friday, December 20th
Polar Express Pajama Day!
Raffle day!  (You will get a raffle ticket for each day that you participate in a dress up day!  The more you participate the better your chances!)

Name it.  Claim it.  Explain it.

Tweets, quotes, and blogs
The Willingness to Start (from George Couros)

What seems today inconceivable will appear one day, from a higher stand point, quite simple and harmonious.

Max Planck, theoretical physicist, Nobel Prize winner who discovered energy quanta

(from School Leadership 2.0)

It is better to look ahead and prepare than to look back and regret.

Jackie Joyner-Kersee, track and field athlete, Olympic medal winner

(from AJ Juliani- I found this interesting.  We should try to find activities in the zone of adaptation.)

I believe there is nothing more disturbing than a sharp image of a fuzzy concept!

Ansel Adams, landscape photographer, environmentalist

#mertonint on Twitter

#MertonProud on Twitter

Merton Intermediate School Facebook page

mertonint on Instagram
Lollipop moments assembly presentation
Family smore from 12.6.19

Holiday staff brunch and gift wrap

Once again, our amazing PTO is providing a brunch for us on Tuesday, December 17th.  Not only that, but they are also doing our gift wrap for us.  If you're like me, if the PTO doesn't wrap my gifts, wrapping isn't going to happen.

We've got two more weeks of learning before our Winter Break.  Keep on engaging the kids.  Keep smiling.  Keep encouraging one another.  Keep finding time for your family and friends.  Keep finding time for yourself.  Have a little fun with the next two weeks as we dress up and eat way too much.  We've got this!
#JustInspire
Jay
Take care of the kids.  Take care of each other.  Take care of yourself.- John Gunnell