October

Today ends our first full week in October.  I was able to visit a lot of classrooms beginning on Tuesday and got into more classrooms on Wednesday and Thursday.  It was so great to see you and the kids in action.  As I mentioned Wednesday morning, it's great to see you teaching our kids and learning with our kids.  Your impact on them is immeasurable.  Thanks for bringing your "A" game for the day every day.  You know your "A" game yesterday will be different than today.  Just keep bringing it!

Calendar

Friday, October 8th    PTO meeting 9:45AM

Monday, October 11th    Meet at 8:20 in the commons/ Merton Monday (wear Merton gear)

Wednesday, October 13th    District meeting 7:45AM

Monday, October 18th    8:20 meet up in the commons/ Merton Monday/ BLT meeting 4:15

Wednesday, October 20th    Workout Wednesday/ Content meetings 7:45AM/ PTO Culver's Night

Friday, October 22nd    PTO Fall Fest

Monday, October 25th    8:20 meet up in the commons/ Merton Monday/ Board meeting

Tuesday, October 26th    Conferences 4:30-8:15PM

Wednesday, October 27th    Grade level meetings 7:45AM

Thursday, October 28th    Professional Learning

Friday, October 29th    No School

Tweets, quotes, and blogs

"One of the greatest things you have in life is that no one has the authority to tell you what you want to be."

Jaime Escalante, educator

This might be a stretch, but when you don't know if you've made an impact on someone, this video may be something that will help you realize that you have.  You might not be able to time travel like in Dr. Who, but your impact on our kids is greater than you know.

"Our heads are round so thought can change direction."

Francis Picabia, artist

"Success is its own great reward, but failure is a great teacher too, and should not be feared."

Sonia Sotomayor

(from George Couros' blog)

"Be a propellor for your group, not an anchor."

AJ Sutter, educator

"Every moment is an organizing opportunity, every person a potential activist, every minute a chance to change the world."

Dolores Huerta, labor leader, civil rights activist

"Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant."

Robert Louis Stevenson, writer, poet, essayist

Need a guest teacher for less than a "full" half day?

If you have a "time off request" that is less than a "full" half day, please do not enter this in AESOP.  Please inform Jennifer Sevcik and me about the request and we will fulfill that time off request internally.  If we fulfill this request with an outside sub through AESOP, we are obligated to pay them for the "full" half day.

District Improvement Plan

Thanks for your time on Wednesday morning.  It was great to listen in on conversations and I appreciated your questions.  Please remember this is a "we" plan, not an "I" plan.  We'll continue to discuss this plan as a staff, in small groups, and at our BLT meetings.  What we do with our improvement plan will impact everyone, not just our Math and Language Arts teachers.  We need all of your voices in these conversations.  Decisions about instructional minutes and curriculum don't impact just a select few.  They impact all of us.  Please make sure that you have a voice in our discussions.

Assessing Student Work

Remember way back in August when we discussed assessing student work?  Well, Maria and I are looking forward to meeting with you to assess your next assessment.  Please let Maria and I know when you would like to meet as a content area for this first discussion.  If you have any questions, please let me know.

#GoodNewsCallOfTheDay

If any of you have names of students or staff who deserve a #GoodNewsCallOfTheDay, please get their information to me.  I've made two calls this year which can be found in this spreadsheet created by Jenny Matson.  If you make a call or send home a Mustang Mindset card, add the student name to this list and let me know so that I can congratulate the student, too.  Thanks for recognizing our kids and each other.

It's playoff season for Major League Baseball.  I'm a big Brewers fan, but I follow the Red Sox, too.  That goes back to the 1960s and chats with my grandfather.  What's awesome about the playoffs is that there are players who step up and perform that no one has heard about before.  I think about Craig Counsell, current Brewers manager and utility player in the Major Leagues.  Craig Counsell was a utility players.  A utility player can be put anywhere and will be adequate.  He lacks the talent of any starter at a position but he has the talent to play every position.  When he's in the game, there's always a chance that he'll make an impact.  He adjusts to the position he's playing that day and gives it his best.  Sometimes his best isn't good enough and other times it's better than anyone would think.  It's the effort that matters.  When I had the chance to see you all this week, I really noticed the effort.  Without effort there can be no success.  Thanks for bringing your best effort every day.

Jay

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