At the end of the school-year tunnel is the light of summer. This year has been a strange one because of renovations and the changes in testing times. That makes the light at the end of the tunnel a year a pinpoint, but there is a pinpoint of light that shows the end is coming. And it's coming faster than we might like! There is so much still to complete this year before we leave.
Students have a lot to complete, too. We've been experiencing student behaviors that seem more like the ones we'd see in the last week of school. We still have the better part of four weeks to finish everything. I urge you to create a calendar and post it in your classroom that shows all the days left and all the things students still have to complete. Field day and field trips, other classroom and school activities, as well as all the curriculum you are covering. Label each day, include your students in the amount of work still to go. Students need to know they are still accountable for the rest of school year just as their principal is still accountable for the rest of the year, even though he's retiring.
We have a lot of fun coming our way to finish the year. Put all that fun right on your calendars; show the kids that we're moving toward fun. First, though, comes the work. Help the students put first things first by getting the calendar to show the end in mind. Students who are slowing the process can use the incentive to help the class achieve its goals. We don't have to tie the fun staff as the reward for completing our work. We can, however, make it clear to students that the expectation is that they have the work to complete before we can move to the fun. The work and the fun are Big Rocks, but even Big Rocks have to be scheduled and prioritized.
We will walk this journey in the dark together, moving always toward the light. The pinpoint will get brighter. In the meantime, let's walk together and get the students to walk with us. Most of them see better in the dark than we do.
"I feel I should be trying to complete my life, whatever 'completing a life' means." ~Oliver Sacks
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Big Rocks:
- The hallways are becoming dangerous. Students are not paying attention to using the right side of the hall much less to walking in quiet lines. Even on the way to lunch (or especially on the way to lunch), the halls are too loud for any class to focus on work. The office literally has to stop during these passing times. Please go over the line rules with your students and help reinforce the use of quiet, safe lines. Start right off in the mornings. Wait for other classes to leave if they are being loud and gang-style walking in the halls. Then ask your class to be the hallway leaders we need them to be.
- A BIG thanks to Bill for a wonderful Variety Show. He worked very hard, many nights, to make the show a reality.
- I want to thank Sue K. and Judy's daughter, Jacky, for the song dedicated to me. I was so touched I was speechless.
- Have you noticed the changes in the LMC? Judy has gotten ideas form the students, Jeff has put them into place, and Judy's son Zach and friends did much of the work. The LMC is coming along well. Take a tour of the new changes!
- Thanks to Mary Ann and Michelle S. for al the work getting our tour guides together and creating a wonderful 4th grade visit again this year. The 4th graders were polite and genuinely interested in our school. The tour guides did a great job! Thanks, Mary Ann and Michelle!!
Our Schedule for the Week of May 18, 2015
Monday: 6th Grade M-Step continues all week!
8:30 SIP Meeting (Sarah and Robin) CO
Tuesday: Evaluation meetings with principals (check GoogleDoc)
9:15 Sally video recording for ELA
Wednesday: 3:45 Planning Team
4:15 ERC Pilot meeting (Hayes)
Thursday: 9:30 Middle School support mtg (Sarah and Terry) Cooper
3:45 Extended Staff meeting
6:00 PTA Board mtg
6:30 PTA meeting
Friday: Terry off
SIP due to CO
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