Friday, January 10, 2020

The Middle Update 1/10/19

As I walked around our school this week, I was paying attention to the body language of our students.  Did they appear to be jovial?  What types of things were they saying?  Was the tone positive?...With the adjustments we made to our master schedule to include more time each day to focus on connection and making our school a positive place for our students to learn and thrive, I think their body language and what they say will be a key part to pay attention to as we assess the effectiveness of this plan.  I would have to say that I was happy with my observations...students smiling and talking with each other with little negativity...Two 7th grade girls said, "I really like school."  "I like coming here."  These are positive signs, and as we are beginning our 2020 journey, our focus should be maintaining this culture and mentality...when the social-emotional learning side is in good shape, learning will thrive.

Resource of the Week
Another article this week from Dr. Matthew Arau.  He will be joining us in mid-March (last blog post I said late February...sorry about that).  His message is about the power of attitude, body language, and our messaging.  While the target audience is music teachers, the message is directly relevant for us all.  Give it a read, and I've highlighted great takeaway quotes from the article below.

"Upbeat!  Creating a Positive Culture in Music Ensembles" by Dr. Matthew Arau

"When we use words that inspire connection, such as “we,” “let’s,” “us,” and “together,” our cells literally get excited – our immune system elevates and our brain fires at a higher level."

 "This reminds me of the following words by leadership guru, John C. Maxwell: “It’s one thing to communicate to people because you believe you have something of value to say. It’s another to communicate with people because you believe they have value. People’s opinion of us has less to do with what they see in us than it does with what we can help them see in themselves.”

 “Ever wonder why it’s hard to resist smiling in the presence of happy children? Kids smile as often as four hundred times a day, but only 30 percent of adults smile more than twenty times a day, and 14 percent don’t crack a smile five times a day.” He also talks about the health benefits of smiling. “The act itself of smiling lifts your mood, boosts your immune system, decreases stress, lowers blood pressure, and reduces your risk of heart attack. One smile alone can provide the same level of brain stimulation as up to two thousand chocolate bars! Smiling is also associated with living longer.” Gutman also suggests that when we smile we not only appear more likable and courteous, we are also perceived to be more competent."

End of Quarter 2 Details
The last day of Quarter 2 is on Friday, January 17th.  Grades will be due by the morning of Thursday, January 23rd, and we'll review report cards with students in Homeroom on Friday, January 24th.  We will then have our End of Quarter Assembly on the afternoon of Friday, January 31st.  Mrs. Andringa and I met to start planning some of the events for the Assembly, and we are always welcome to new ideas and perspectives and what could be activities/contests/events that could be entertaining for the kids.  Let either of us know if you have some thoughts on this.

January Professional Development Day
On Monday, January 20th, we'll get the opportunity for professional development.  A more detailed schedule will be released soon, but we'll plan to meet as a district in the morning and then we'll meet as a Middle School team.  In the afternoon, we have some work sessions planned from 1:00 - 3:00.  As we meet in BW meetings in the next two weeks, we'll talk about your specific plan during this time.

Assembly January 31st
We are planning to have another Carelli Cup Competition during our Assembly on January 31st.  We will have a Musical Chairs competition, and we'll need one representative from each Homeroom to participate.  Between now and then, each Homeroom should determine how they will choose their rep.  You can have a local musical chairs competition, vote, or any other way you can think of to decide your representative.  The 31st is a Friday, so we will plan to execute Homeroom lessons during the morning homeroom times of 1/30 and 1/31.  

Pig Races
We will be having our Pig Races during an Assembly on February 19th.  I plan to handout pigs during our staff meeting on 1/20.  Each Homeroom will have to name their pig and dress it up prior to the big day, and we'll have a competition for the best name and outfit.  More details on this to come.

Construction Updates
It's an exciting time as we are nearing the start of construction on this campus.  I plan to provide an update when we meet as a staff on 1/20, and I will try to answer any questions that anyone may have when we meet during BW time, or any other time we can if you have questions.  Starting on March 20th, work will be done on the High School.  Our parking lot will be affected, as will the flow to the High School for entrance into the building.  Renovation construction will start in this building over the summer, and the Middle School Building will be closed all summer, except for the office area.  There are many moving questions out there, and we will work to communicate those plans as that time draws closer.  We will definitely be inconvenienced for some things this spring, but the payoff will be well worth it in the fall.

Hoops 4 Heart
A group of our fine Leadership Students are deep into the work of planning for our annual Hoops 4 Heart Staff vs. Students Basketball game.  Mark your calendars now for the event, Thursday, March 19th.

Upcoming Events
January 31st - End of Quarter 2 Assembly - Various Events and Carelli Cup Competition
February 19th - MS Assembly - Pig Races - More information to come about this process.
March 12th - Findorff/Construction Assembly - We'll be preparing students for how to navigate our campus with so much construction going on.

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The Middle Update 1/10/19

As I walked around our school this week, I was paying attention to the body language of our students.  Did they appear to be jovial?  What types of things were they saying?  Was the tone positive?...With the adjustments we made to our master schedule to include more time each day to focus on connection and making our school a positive place for our students to learn and thrive, I think their body language and what they say will be a key part to pay attention to as we assess the effectiveness of this plan.  I would have to say that I was happy with my observations...students smiling and talking with each other with little negativity...Two 7th grade girls said, "I really like school."  "I like coming here."  These are positive signs, and as we are beginning our 2020 journey, our focus should be maintaining this culture and mentality...when the social-emotional learning side is in good shape, learning will thrive.

Resource of the Week
Another article this week from Dr. Matthew Arau.  He will be joining us in mid-March (last blog post I said late February...sorry about that).  His message is about the power of attitude, body language, and our messaging.  While the target audience is music teachers, the message is directly relevant for us all.  Give it a read, and I've highlighted great takeaway quotes from the article below.

"Upbeat!  Creating a Positive Culture in Music Ensembles" by Dr. Matthew Arau

"When we use words that inspire connection, such as “we,” “let’s,” “us,” and “together,” our cells literally get excited – our immune system elevates and our brain fires at a higher level."

 "This reminds me of the following words by leadership guru, John C. Maxwell: “It’s one thing to communicate to people because you believe you have something of value to say. It’s another to communicate with people because you believe they have value. People’s opinion of us has less to do with what they see in us than it does with what we can help them see in themselves.”

 “Ever wonder why it’s hard to resist smiling in the presence of happy children? Kids smile as often as four hundred times a day, but only 30 percent of adults smile more than twenty times a day, and 14 percent don’t crack a smile five times a day.” He also talks about the health benefits of smiling. “The act itself of smiling lifts your mood, boosts your immune system, decreases stress, lowers blood pressure, and reduces your risk of heart attack. One smile alone can provide the same level of brain stimulation as up to two thousand chocolate bars! Smiling is also associated with living longer.” Gutman also suggests that when we smile we not only appear more likable and courteous, we are also perceived to be more competent."

End of Quarter 2 Details
The last day of Quarter 2 is on Friday, January 17th.  Grades will be due by the morning of Thursday, January 23rd, and we'll review report cards with students in Homeroom on Friday, January 24th.  We will then have our End of Quarter Assembly on the afternoon of Friday, January 31st.  Mrs. Andringa and I met to start planning some of the events for the Assembly, and we are always welcome to new ideas and perspectives and what could be activities/contests/events that could be entertaining for the kids.  Let either of us know if you have some thoughts on this.

January Professional Development Day
On Monday, January 20th, we'll get the opportunity for professional development.  A more detailed schedule will be released soon, but we'll plan to meet as a district in the morning and then we'll meet as a Middle School team.  In the afternoon, we have some work sessions planned from 1:00 - 3:00.  As we meet in BW meetings in the next two weeks, we'll talk about your specific plan during this time.

Assembly January 31st
We are planning to have another Carelli Cup Competition during our Assembly on January 31st.  We will have a Musical Chairs competition, and we'll need one representative from each Homeroom to participate.  Between now and then, each Homeroom should determine how they will choose their rep.  You can have a local musical chairs competition, vote, or any other way you can think of to decide your representative.  The 31st is a Friday, so we will plan to execute Homeroom lessons during the morning homeroom times of 1/30 and 1/31.  

Pig Races
We will be having our Pig Races during an Assembly on February 19th.  I plan to handout pigs during our staff meeting on 1/20.  Each Homeroom will have to name their pig and dress it up prior to the big day, and we'll have a competition for the best name and outfit.  More details on this to come.

Construction Updates
It's an exciting time as we are nearing the start of construction on this campus.  I plan to provide an update when we meet as a staff on 1/20, and I will try to answer any questions that anyone may have when we meet during BW time, or any other time we can if you have questions.  Starting on March 20th, work will be done on the High School.  Our parking lot will be affected, as will the flow to the High School for entrance into the building.  Renovation construction will start in this building over the summer, and the Middle School Building will be closed all summer, except for the office area.  There are many moving questions out there, and we will work to communicate those plans as that time draws closer.  We will definitely be inconvenienced for some things this spring, but the payoff will be well worth it in the fall.

Hoops 4 Heart
A group of our fine Leadership Students are deep into the work of planning for our annual Hoops 4 Heart Staff vs. Students Basketball game.  Mark your calendars now for the event, Thursday, March 19th.

Upcoming Events
January 31st - End of Quarter 2 Assembly - Various Events and Carelli Cup Competition
February 19th - MS Assembly - Pig Races - More information to come about this process.
March 12th - Findorff/Construction Assembly - We'll be preparing students for how to navigate our campus with so much construction going on.