Rolling Along...

"Beware the barrenness of a busy life."

Socrates

Socrates has always been one of my favorite philosophers. It's hard to imagine what daily life was like for him, but not hard to see and use his wisdom. Henry David Thoreau wrote about being busy, too. He asked that we be careful about being busy, for even ants are busy. Thoreau was careful to point out that it's more about what we're doing, what our focus keeps us busy doing, than that we stay busy. Socrates would have agreed. It all goes to being intentional, living within the Private Victory of the first three Habits, wherein the focus is on our person missions. Once again, we stay aware of the "Why" of what and how we live.

It's getting very busy at Cooper! Camp is next week, as is our first Open House/Curriculum Night. It's important that you communicate to your parents how you are providing information that evening. Many teachers do the curriculum presentations at 6:30 to allow parents the option of coming earlier or staying later to accommodate their family schedules. Also consider what you'd like them to do with their student who might be with them. WE've had issues in the past with students roaming unattended and disrupting other classroom presentations while their own parents are in a presentation with their parents. Let the parents know what their choices are for that time. If you have questions, of course, see one of us.

Staying busy as we do, we are sometimes forgetful about some things that make Cooper work better. We are still having issues during both lunch periods with noise in the halls. Please walk your students to the lunch line in a quiet line, and remind students that when they enter the school after their recess, their voices need to stop. Line behavior overall is wonderful except at lunch. We need everyone to help take charge of students, encouraging them to remember line behaviors even at lunch time. 

Camp is next week. Robin has been working furiously to get cabin and travel group assignments. We will be having camp meetings this week to speak with student and chaperones. We are almost ready! A huge thanks goes to Bill, Pam and Julie for all their work on Pizza Kits and Camperships. We have a lot of students in need, but more going to camp than most years. It's such a team effort to get camp to work! Thanks to everyone for helping! Remember, sixth grade teachers, to submit your team time plans prior to camp.

Bond renovations are still ongoing. While they seem never ending, there is light at the end of the tunnel. The punch lists are getting difficult to keep up on because so much is getting fixed! Please email items still not correct to me.

Tuesday LEAD Time is working in some ways, not in others. We need solutions to getting groups to the Cafe more quickly so we can start on time and end on time. Tuesday's assembly is on bullying and we have two videos we'd like to show. We will call the second group to the Cafe as a reminder, and it would help if the first group comes on their own, planning to be there as close to 8:45 as possible. This week, we'd like A lunch teachers at the first assembly with their accountability partner classes. B lunch and their accountability partners will be called to the second assembly.

We have a fired drill Monday morning right after announcements. This will be the last one until spring. We also have a lockdown drill at 9:15 on Thursday, using the same method for the drill as last time. It's a hide and wait drill. We will have one more lockdown drill later this year.

SO...Are we busy? Are we busy doing the things that matter? 

Calendar for the Week of October 6th:
Monday: Wear Blue for International Anti-Bullying Day!

               Fire drill at 8:50ish

Tuesday: LEAD time assemblies 8:45-9:35
                Volunteer Meeting for Family Fun Night, 6:00-8:00 in the Cafe

Wednesday: Camp Meetings, 1:30-2:15 for A lunch and 2:30-3:15 for B lunch

                      Chaperone Meeting, 6:00 in the Cafe

Thursday: District PD Day. All classroom teachers at Riley.

Friday: Staff meeting at 8:00 (Yes, it's on Friday)

            Lock Down Drill 9:15

            EPM (Yes, it's on Friday...) 1:00-4:30 at CO