We Have High Purpose!

“In the best of times, our days are numbered anyway. So it would be a crime against nature for any generation to take the world crisis so solemnly that it put off enjoying those things for which we were designed in the first place: the opportunity to do good work, to enjoy friends, to fall in love, to hit a ball, and to bounce a baby.” ~Alistair Cooke, 1908-2004

Cooke lived through more than a dozen world crises, so he knew what he was talking about. It’s easy to get caught up in the immediacy of a crisis. We have them all the time both at school and at home. Our students and their families are also having crises. Out jobs are to ameliorate the issues as best we can, make sure we’re not adding to their issues, and help our students and each other learn how to manage our crises better. We want our students and each other to have every opportunity to do those things Cooke says we are designed to do. In order to do that, we have to help our students respect themselves and each other by expecting the best in them.

A substitute came to Cooper last Thursday to work in a music room. She said she was new to our district and had not come to Cooper before because she had heard things were pretty tough here. She subbed in Garden City and Wayne-Westland, but was not sure she could handle the issues she was hearing about in our classrooms. She asked the office what the discipline plan is at Cooper, how she was to handle students when they misbehaved. She thought there must be a standardized system in place as she experiences in other schools where she works; such as a card flip system in place in every room.

 Pam told her there is no system, that our students are great leaders in their classrooms. She told the substitute she wouldn’t have any issues with students at Cooper because they are leaders.

At the end of the day, the substitute returned to the office to turn in her key. She went on and on about how well the day went and how great the students at Cooper behaved. She says she’s be back, and she will tell her friends who also have been avoiding our school that our kids are fun to teach.

This kind of attitude toward our students is the self-fulfilling prophecy about which we so often hear. The sub was set up to look for the good behaviors rather than bad ones. Her focus all day was to look for the leadership potential of our students. The sub got to experience the students doing good work, enjoying their time at music, just as Cooke wrote we should do.

Life is not about one bad thing after the other, not about catching people doing the wrong things at work, and not about finding the faults. It’s about all the good we do everyday for our kids, their families, and each other.

“If you were all alone in the universe with no one to talk to, no one with which to share the beauty of the stars, to laugh with, to touch, what would be your purpose in life? It is other life; it is love, which gives your life meaning. This is harmony. We must discover the joy of each other, the joy of challenge, the joy of growth.”

~ Mitsugi Saotome, 1937-present

Needed thanks:

·      A big thank you to Karen and Melodie for their hard work creating Seussical the Musical. They brought out the best in our fifth graders. The sowing last week was outstanding!

·      Thanks also goes to Bill and Lauren for their hard work with our Variety Show participants. They are providing opportunities for students to shine!

·      Thanks to Pam and Colleen for being our ambassadors to everyone who walks in the door, especially our substitute teachers who need a helping hand to have the right attitude to enjoy our students all day. And thanks to Pam for the story in this week's update.

·      Thanks to our Lighthouse Team. What a dedicated group of people! They meet every week and plan so many of our activities. Their leadership is inspiring!

Big Rocks:

·      Report Cards are due electronically by midnight Monday. The third marking period comments are so important for families as it’s the last chance to make changes to help their students for the end of the year.

·      Our staff meeting this week is Tuesday morning at 8:00. Randy and Andrea will be here to present to us.

·      The music choices for fifth graders going to sixth grade will be presented to parents Tuesday night. The choices for these students will be the same as in previous years. However, fifth graders for next year will not have music choices for the first time since we’ve been Cooper 5/6.

·      Our numbers for next year continue to change. As of Friday, we are looking at 335 fifth graders and 350 sixth graders for next year. That puts us on the edge between 23 and 24 regular ed classrooms. Our RCR student numbers look lower for next year. We will continue to update you as the numbers change.

·      String Fling is Wednesday night at Stevenson High School! We will hear our sixth grade orchestra students in their joint concert with other 5/6 schools.

·      Also on Wednesday is the Staff v. Students Floor Hockey Game.

·      Leadership Day Committees should be working this week. Watch your email for times to get together with your groups.

Schedule this week:

Monday:       7:45 Meeting with Randy (Terry) at CO

                        Midnight reports cards are due

Tuesday:      8:00 Staff meeting in the library

                        8:45 IST

                        9:15 Title I meeting

                        After school clubs

                        6:00 Parent Music meeting in Café

Wednesday: 8:00 Center EPT

                        Staff v. Student hockey game

                        Sports Club

7:00 pm String Fling

Thursday:    No staff meeting this day

                        3:40 Tennis Club

Friday:          Report Cards go home

                        Terry to CO at 8:00 for meeting re: PD hours

Whew! I’m tired already!!! Let’s help everyone through it!!!