Who is your "go to"?

 As we're closing in on the end of our 5th week, I need to let you know that I'm so impressed by you.  You are there for the kids and each other every day, but how are you doing?  I  have found that I am really connecting with a select few who will listen, not judge, and let me just talk through how I'm feeling.  Jen is normally my first communication, but sometimes I need to reach out to my educator PLN.  It took me a while to reach out because I thought I could just handle things on my own but that is not the case at all.  I need others to talk to, to connect with, and to just listen.  And I honestly need to find time to talk with each of you more often, too.  I don't need to be your "go to" person.  In fact, I'm sure that some of you would rather talk to someone else other than me.  But we all need that "go to" person or people.  So here's a rhetorical question- Who is your "go to"?  And more importantly, when was the last time that you talked with them?  Maybe you should make some time for that today.  I know that I will.

Calendar

Tuesday, October 6th    Flu shots

Wednesday, October 7th    Staff meeting 7:45AM

Thursday, October 8th    Picture retake day/Virtual materials to office by 4PM/ CPI training 7:30AM and 4:15PM

Friday, October 9th    Material pickup

Tuesday, October 13th    5th grade invitation conferences

Wednesday, October 14th    Staff meeting 7:45AM

Thursday, October 15th    Virtual materials to office by 4PM/ CPI training 7:30AM and 4:15PM/ 6th grade invitation conferences

Friday, October 16th    Material pickup

Monday, October 19th    BLT meeting 4:15PM

Tuesday, October 20th    Virtual materials to office by 4PM/7th and 8th grade invitation conferences

Wednesday, October 21st    Staff meeting 7:45AM/ Material pickup

Thursday, October 22nd    No School

Friday, October 23rd    No School

Monday, October 26th    School board meeting 6PM

Wednesday, October 28th    Staff meeting 7:45AM

Thursday, October 29th    Virtual materials to office by 4PM

Friday, October 30th    Material pickup

Reminders

Please live our mantra- Wear your mask.  Stay 6 feet apart.  Wash your hands- all the time when you're in school.  The kids are watching our every move, even when we don't think they are watching.  Living our mantra is what will help to keep us face to face with our kids.

Take care of yourself...

"Stand and Deliver", movie about a high school Math teacher who set the bar really high for his students, was on Wednesday night.  I normally would have been involved in a chat on the Twitters on a Wednesday night, but my wife encouraged me to put my Chromebook and my phone away.  And by encouraged, I mean she told me to put my Chromebook and my phone away.  So I did.  She is my number one "go to" person so I listen to her advice and comply very often.  If you've seen the movie, you know the main character, Jaime Escalante (played by Edward James Olmos) goes above and beyond for his kids.  He gave his all to his students and in turn his students gave them their all, and they succeeded, but it wasn't because of the content he taught.  It was because of the relationships that he built.  The one relationship that stands out to me is the one with Angel Guzman, played by Lou Diamond Phillips.  Here's a short scene from the movie.

(Fandango movie clip)

I see so much of Jaime Escalante in each of you.  You have an amazing passion for our kids.  But you don't need to be Jaime Escalante.  He had no balance in his life.  He put his all into school and had nothing left for his family, his friends, or himself.  I took Wednesday off from school work once I got home.  And you know what?  I had a pretty darn good Thursday.  Can you find one day next week to take off from school?  I know that you can, but I would honestly start by taking off on Saturday.  All day.  You can do it.  And if you do take off Saturday, I'll bet you'll have a pretty darn good Sunday.

Jay

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