Happy Thanksgiving!

The short week comes at just the right time.  I need a chance to step away from school for a few days and focus on myself and my family.  Yes, that's the right order.  I encourage you to do the same.  After today, I'll only be sending out emails if there is something urgent.  If you need anything at all, don't hesitate to reach out.

Calendar

Wednesday, November 24th-Sunday, November 28th    No School- Thanksgiving Break

Monday, November 29th    Board meeting 6PM

Tuesday, November 30th    Merton Tree Lighting 7PM

Wednesday, December 1st    Building meeting 7:45AM (Forward Focus)/ Community Open House 5:00-7:30PM

Tuesday, December 7th    Winter Concerts

Wednesday, December 8th    District meeting 7:45AM

Wednesday, December 15th    Grade level meetings 7:45AM/ PTO Culver's Night

Monday, December 20th    Board meeting 6PM

Tweets, quotes, and blogs

"Time is the most valuable thing you have -- and I'm not just talking about the minutes for which you are paid."

Eli Broad, entrepreneur, businessman, philanthropist

(from Inspiring Quotes)

"Being positive does not mean ignoring the negative.  Being positive means overcoming the negative.  There is a big difference between the two."

Marc and Angel (from George Couros' blog)

(from Mind/Shift)

"Be brave and fearless to know that even if you do make a wrong decision, you're making it for a good reason."

Adele, singer, songwriter

(from Inspiring Quotes)

I may not tell you all enough, but I am grateful for you every day.  You come to school every day with the desire to do what is best for our kids and each other.  You are reflective.  You are inquisitive.  You are creative.  You are always in pursuit of finding a new way to reach your students or a student.  You are collaborative.  You are there for one another.  Thank you for all that you do for our kids and each other.  Happy Thanksgiving!

Jay

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

Our focus moving forward

As I reflect on the week, I realized that my focus was in constant movement.  It started on Monday with the power outage before some professional learning.  It then moved on to all of you at school and our BLT discussion about our schedule.  Tuesday started with our discussion about our school and district report cards before I was able to visit many of your classes.  Wednesday morning had a focus on what we can do now to make an impact on our students.  Thursday was a day for MAP testing.  As I have gotten older, I reflect more.  I have started a habit of writing a paragraph to summarize the day.  I reflect when I run.  I reflect after conversations.  I reflect after group meetings.  With all of these reflections I'm trying to find that one thing that I might be able to do better next time.  I shared that in our announcements the last couple of days.  My reflections this week take me to this one idea- what can I do better tomorrow than I did today that will have a positive impact on you and our kids.  Whatever it is, I promise that will be my focus moving forward that day.

Calendar

Tuesday, November 23rd    Half day (Morning classes)

Wednesday, November 24th-Sunday, November 28th    No School- Thanksgiving Break

Monday, November 29th    Board meeting 6PM

Tuesday, November 30th    Merton Tree Lighting 5PM

Wednesday, December 1st    Building meeting 7:45AM (Forward Focus)/ Community Open House 5:00-7:30PM

Tuesday, December 7th    Winter Concerts

Wednesday, December 8th    District meeting 7:45AM

Wednesday, December 15th    Grade level meetings 7:45AM/ PTO Culver's Night

Monday, December 20th    Board meeting 6PM

Tweets, quotes, and blogs

"You never know what you can do until you try, and very few try unless they have to."

C.S. Lewis, writer

5 Lessons For Teachers From Ted Lasso (from techlearning.com)

"All shall be done, but it may be harder than you think."

C.S. Lewis, writer

(Just thought I'd throw in a random sunset picture.)

Celebrating People Across the Hallway (from George Couros)

"I have not failed.  I have found 10,000 ways that won't work."

Thomas Edison

(Thanks for sharing, Dan!)

"I have dreamt in my life, dreams that have stayed with me ever after, and changed my ideas..."

Emily Bronte, writer, poet

December 1st building meeting

As a culminating experience from this Wednesday, we'll be meeting in the Learning Lounge (that's the upstairs lounge) to share our Forward Focus with our colleagues.  Sharing our ideas and our goals is a really great way to better understand what each of us is doing.  You don't need a formal presentation but you do need to be prepared to stand proud of your focus, whether a personal focus or the focus of a group.  Please make sure to share these with me in advance of our meeting as the deadline is 7:45AM, Wednesday, December 1st.

It's the last full week of November.  Where did the time go?  I have always found that when I'm busy doing something productive that the time goes by pretty quickly.  You have all been productive.  You have built community in your classroom.  You have built structure in your classroom.  You have been giving an incredible effort teaching and encouraging and assessing our students.  And you're doing that every day.  This weekend is a time to relax, put school aside for a good chunk of the day, put your feet up, and do something for yourself.  If that involves your family and friends, that's great.  If it doesn't, that's great, too.  Have a great weekend!

Jay

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

Thanks for a great week!

Thanks for a great week.  I really enjoyed our discussions on Wednesday morning about the next steps after analyzing our Forward data.  Don't forget to celebrate the good things as we look to make some adjustments to correct those things we noticed need some support.  Please let me know how I might be able to support you as we work to be just a little bit better tomorrow than we were today.  I appreciate your communication and relationship-building during conferences on Thursday night.  If any of the families you invited didn't stop in at either night of conferences, please let me know so that I can reach out to them or cover your class so that you can call them.  You know I love having a chance to teach every once in a while, and I promise not to do anything to alter your classroom management.  I'll even follow your lesson plans!

Calendar

Friday, November 12th    Jeans for Troops Day ($5 donation to our Veterans if you wear jeans)/ PTO meeting 9:45AM/ SLO or SPO is due (See me if you have questions.  The form is not in the Educator Effectiveness classroom as it was shared with you at our professional learning day on October 28th.)

Monday, November 15th    BLT meeting 4:15PM

Tuesday, November 16th    Staff meeting at 8:15AM (School report card)/ District MLSS meeting 4:15PM

Wednesday, November 17th    Workout Wednesday/ PTO Culver's Night

Tuesday, November 23rd    Half day (Morning classes)

Wednesday, November 24th-Sunday, November 28th    No School- Thanksgiving Break

Monday, November 29th    Board meeting 6PM

Tweets, quotes, and blogs

Prioritizing Teachers' Mental Health in the Age of COVID (from teachthought.com)

"Not everything that is faced can be changed; but nothing can be changed until it is faced."

James Baldwin, American novelist and activist

(from George Couros)

"Imagine this: What would happen if we were all brave enough to be a little bit more ambitious?  I think the world would change."

Reese Witherspoon, actor, producer, entrepreneur

(from Todd Nesloney)

A-team update

• Discussion of 2022-2023 District Calendar- Dates added to the document (conference dates, concert dates, etc.) Arrowhead's calendar has been approved.
• Mitigation discussion for December concerts- We will move forward with families honoring their choice to make decisions.  We will not plan mitigation efforts for families.
• Positions available in Merton will be sent to staff members in an email when posted.
• Jay, Becca, Ron and Maria will be attending professional learning on Monday, November 15th (Jay and Ron in the morning, Becca and Maria in the afternoon).  Please reach out to administration in the district if needed.
• State Report Cards releasesd publicly on Tuesday, November 16th.  The meeting for staff that morning at 8:15 in the gym will provide talking points and discussion.
• Discussion on technology renewal at the conclusion of this year for 5K and 1st grade.

Although the weather may have changed, at least for the weekend, I'm hopeful that you can find some time to get outside even if only for a half an hour here or there.  Working inside as we do doesn't allow us to be outside very often during the week.  Getting outside provides fresh air, the opportunity to be in nature, and a chance to add some steps to your fitbit or other fitness tracker.  Make sure to take some time for yourself, reconnect with your family and friends, and get some rest.

Have a great weekend!

Jay

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

It's the end of the first quarter

When the school year started, I can honestly say I didn't know what to expect.  There were many unknowns- our new schedule, our new classrooms, COVID.  But as we end the first quarter, I knew there was one thing that wouldn't be unexpected- the effort you would make for our kids and each other.  Thank you for always putting our kids first!

Calendar

Friday, November 5th    End of 1st quarter/ Jay attends WSPRA conference

Wednesday, November 10th    District meeting 7:45AM

Thursday, November 11th    Quarter grades are due at 8AM/ Conferences 4:30-8:15PM

Friday, November 12th    PTO meeting 9:45AM/ SLO or SPO is due (see me if you have questions)

Monday, November 15th    BLT meeting 4:15PM

Tuesday, November 16th    District MLSS meeting 4:15PM

Wednesday, November 17th    Workout Wednesday/ PTO Culver's Night

Tuesday, November 23rd    Half day (Morning classes)

Wednesday, November 24th-Sunday, November 28th    No School- Thanksgiving Break

Monday, November 29th    Board meeting 6PM

Tweets, quotes, and blogs

(from Inspiring Quotes)

"Practice does not make perfect.  Practice makes permanence."

Eric Thomas

(from Inspiring Quotes)

Juggling by Tara Martin (It's not titled Juggling, but that's the message you should all read!)

Ernie Johnson

Those of you who know NBA basketball know of Ernie Johnson.  His son, Michael, died last Friday at the age of 33.  I saw a post on Twitter about his son and thought I would share it with you.  Have a Kleenex handy as you hear about why Mr. Johnson says "There's value in everyone."

Upcoming half day on November 23rd

This half day will consist of only morning classes, the last of which will end at 12:00.  It is an A day.  If you're one to look way ahead, the half day on January 21st is a B day so the second quarter will be equally impacted by half days.  All half days will be our morning classes.

Grades are due on Thursday, November 11th at 8AM

All quarter grades are due at 8AM on Thursday, November 11th.  Please don't provide a narrative of what happened during the quarter in the comments section.  Instead, please use the drop down menu of options or write your own individual comments for each student.  If you would like Dawn to add to the list of comments, please let her know what you'd like to have added.  Any questions or concerns, please see me.

As I prepare for the second day of the WSPRA conference, I'm more keenly aware of the incredible people that I get to go to school with every day.  You provide the structure and environment and expectations for our students and each other.  I look forward to be back with you this afternoon.  Don't worry.  I'm not bringing anything back to add to your plates.  This time away was learning for my improvement, not to add more to you.  I'll see you all soon.

Jay

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