Conferences are often stressful for all of us, including parents and students. We are making judgements about each other and how we're doing. We judge students, students are judged by their teachers, parents and themselves. Parents often feel judged by teachers, while at the same time they are judging teachers and the school. All the judging and concern about how we're doing as parents, students and staff came together as parents and students sought me out to tell me how we're doing.
This year, more than ever before, I had a really difficult time getting out of the building at the end of the conference nights. That was because my head so large from all the compliments parents and students were making all night long to me as I roamed the halls and during the presentations we did for Title I. I have never encountered so many people, people who made it a point of seeking me out, telling me how happy they are to be part of our Cooper community.
Some told tales of teachers who are already making profound differences in their children's lives. Parents saying that the 7 Habits are changing their entire family thanks to Cooper. Some expressed they had reservations about coming to Cooper, but have found it to be, in one parent's assessment, "the best school I have ever imagined a school could be."
Students were talking about how they feel at Cooper. They used words such as valued, listened to, a real home, respected, cared about, wanted, and MY school. As one 5th grader who came to us from another district said to me in front of his mother and father, "Cooper is better than my old school because we're all working together at Cooper."
When we look at 21 Century Skills (go to http://www.skills21.org) and the research on what parents and business wants from schools, communication and collaboration are weaved throughout the needs. The 7 Habits are the foundation for achieving the skills parents and American businesses want for our students. Our students seem to be reporting that we are on our way to meeting their needs for increasing their leadership skills, and that we are winning the battle to become increasingly relevant to students and their families. Parents at Cooper Wednesday and Thursday were genuinely excited to be part of The Leader In Me process, and are proud of their students' involvement in and commitment to Cooper.
We have no Superbowl to achieve, no World Series, no kind of championship to gain in our business that people can look at and say, hey, that school, that staff, is the best. There are few measures of accomplishment over which we can all agree. But the responses of parents to our work toward values, toward inclusion, toward happy, productive students who love school and want to participate in what we're able to offer, needs to be celebrated. We are becoming a staff of success, and it's because we're a staff of value.
It's not trickling down. It's pouring down like sunshine, glimmering with the smiles of our students and their families. Celebrate our success! We are appreciated for all we're doing by the people who matter most! We have created a school where great happens!
"It had long since come to my attention that people of accomplishment rarely sat back and let things happen to them. They went out and happened to things." ~Leonardo da Vinci
BIG ROCKS
The number one big rock is Sarah having her baby boy and everyone being healthy and happy. As of this writing (Friday at noon), Sarah is still waiting, perhaps a little less patiently than earlier in the week. We will blast out the news as soon as we have some. Can't wait to find out this little boy's name!
- Robin sent you all the proposed spending with the new Title I money. Let us know your concerns as soon as possible. We are wanting to get the budget finalized as soon as well can.
- I've heard concerns about students wearing Yoga pants and tighter fitting pants with no cover to their legs. If you share that concern, please let me know We will be putting this on the Planning Team agenda for this week.
- New blinds to replace damaged and mis-installed blinds are expected at the end of this week. Check your ledges along the windows to see if you want to move breakables.
- We are still working on call buttons. Most rooms are all set, but not all are working. If you'd like, you can send us a test of your button check by toggling the button near your drop. If the office answers, you're all set. Just let them know which room you are. If they do not answer, please email me that result! Music room buttons are supposed to be installed this week. Cafe, gym, LMC, lounge, SACC, and conference rooms do not yet have call buttons and no plan for their installation at this time. We're still pushing for them ;)
- Please send and resend any renovation issues you see. We will keep working toward getting everything fixed!
- There are 12'x12' meeting-reading rugs available for your classrooms. We are storing them in room 304 for you to check to see if you'd like one. If you do, please let me know. These rugs should be in place of whatever else you are using for meeting-reading areas. If you use these, we are asking that you not have other rugs in your room. Do not take the rugs out of 304 at this time. They need some prep before they can be used in classrooms. See me if you have questions.
- Did you notice our new stove in the lounge? It's ready for us to use for melting rocks or cooking or baking treats for the principals!
- Angie and Victoria return this Wednesday! We owe a big thank you to Mark Franchi for his work with Victoria's fifth graders during the first marking period. Mark's last day will be Wednesday as he has his crossover time with Victoria. Angie will be helping in the office, and we're still getting to keep Rita to cover RCR students until Sarah's return in January. It will be great to have Victoria and Angie back at Cooper!
- You may be noticing sayings going up on walls around the school. If you have something you'd like to see, let Annette and Lauren know. We can help you make a saying to install outside your room or in your favorite hallway place!
- Our first Work-a-thon of the year is this Friday! We will be working on the building from 4-6:00 with students and families. Feel free to join us! It's time to get these white walls some color!
The Schedule for the Week:
Monday: 7:30 Breakfast with Randy (Terry)
8:00-9:30 Principals Advisory Meeting (CO, Terry)
1:30-3:00 Data Dig meeting (Hayes, Terry)
6:30 TOY reception (CO, Terry and Judy)
7:00 BOE meeting...
Tuesday: No Center IEP this week
3:45 Staff Lighthouse meeting
Parent Lighthouse meeting
Wednesday: 8:00 IST Meeting
3:45 Planning Team
Thursday: 8:00 Staff Meeting
6:30 Cooper PTA meeting
Friday: 8:00 Young Adult Book Club
4:00-6:00 Work-a-thon
There is surely more! Send me corrections and additions!
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