A little better tomorrow

I will be better today than I was yesterday.

No matter who or what comes my way, I'll do my best.

It's not the situation that you're faced with but how you face the situation.

When I say these things, it sounds easy.  But it isn't easy.  It's downright hard.  Every day it's hard.  The words are easy but the action is tough.  I come to school every day with the belief that I am going to do my best, and I do.  Sometimes, though, it's the best I can do at that moment, and that's alright.  No one comes to school wanting to do their worst.  We all come to school wanting to do our best.  As we continue the school year, I encourage you to get into the habit of reflecting on your day and finding the bright spots.  Those are the ones that matter and make your day, and probably someone else's day, too.  As I reflect on yesterday, I have found more than one bright spot, and that bright spot is going to help me be just a little better tomorrow.

Calendar

Monday, February 15th    Professional Development Day (Team time/ curriculum time/ planning time/ staffing and schedule discussion)

Monday, February 15th-Sunday, February 21st    Merton Culver's Week

Monday, February 22nd    Board meeting

Thursday, February 25th    Conferences

Wednesday, March 3rd    Intermediate staff meeting

Thursday, March 4th    Conferences

Friday, March 5th    Half day

Wednesday, March 10th    All staff meeting (Chapter 10 of Onward)

Wednesday, March 17th    Team and personal planning

Thursday, March 18th    Network Photography new student photos and classroom candids

Wednesday, March 24th    Team and personal planning

Saturday, March 27th-Monday, April 5th    Spring Break

Tweets, quotes, and blogs

"Let's try not to get downhearted, we will get through this, whatever is thrown at us and together we can ensure that tomorrow will be a good day."-

Captain Thomas Moore, Veteran who raised more than $45 million for the UK's NHS by walking circles in his garden at the age of 100

(Just something to make you think.)

"Your optimism will never be as powerful as it is in that exact moment when you want to give it up."-

Amanda Gorman, poet, first National Youth Poet Laureate

(Just something else to make you think.)

"Sometimes you can have the smallest role in the smallest production and still make a big impact."-

Neil Patrick Harris, actor, singer, comedian, writer, producer

(from George Couros)

4 Questions to Support a Student's Path to Personalized Success (from George Couros)

"When you clench your fist, no one can put anything in your hand, nor can your hand pick up anything."-

Alex Haley, writer

"Sometimes it's not the rejected stone that's the problem, it's about the tools that we use."-

Akil Ross, keynoter, principal of Chapin High School

"Anytime you see a turtle up on top of a fence post, you know he had some help."-

Alex Haley, writer

Ditch That Textbook

If you don't know Matt Miller, I hope that you will check out his website.  There is some amazing stuff there, and I've also signed up for his weekly email.  He shares some amazing things.  Maybe there's something in there that will spark an idea for you, or for our kids.

A little fun...(second request)

If you would humor me, I'd love to have you share a picture of yourself from when you were younger.  It doesn't have to be a baby picture, just a picture when you were a youngster (I just sounded like my dad.).  Anyway, the reason for the request is that I'd like to put these up in the showcase to see if kids, and each of us, might be able to figure out who is who.  We'll keep them up until the last week in February when we'll put up one of your current pictures.  If you are interested, please put your picture (no names on them) in my mailbox.  Thanks for playing along!

I'll see you all in just over an hour in the gym.  I look forward to sharing our schedule with you, knowing that it will still need to be tweaked just a bit (SEL time needs to be added).  I look forward to talking to you about your kids and conferences.  Our morning has some meetings, but you still have some time to work on your own or with your colleagues, whether it's on curriculum or on grade level things.  Our afternoon has more time for individual work, and I'll be available after lunch except for a new family tour that starts around 2:15.

See you all soon!

Jay

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