10-Point Kids & Committees

10-Point Kids
Many of you have signed up for 10-Point Kids... Lots of teachers!  Not enough kids. To-date, I've been able to pair the several grown-ups with students. But a lot of you remain un-paired simply because we haven't got enough student-referrals to the program yet.  Remember: there's no agenda here.  Just a chance to partner with a kid in the school in order to help bring them along on the road to success, so they feel valued here and appreciated here by someone other than their homeroom teacher.

Got a kid that could benefit from a partnership with a teacher? Please use the referral form and submit the name of a kid who could use a little support now and then.  Remember to keep some kind of a log to verify the time you spent with your student.

Here are the teacher-student (homeroom) pairings thus far:
Coe: Edgar (Perkins)
Pagel: Renee (Hurley)
Pavich: Sam (Burgoon)
Paulsen: Tyler (Shaw)
Baker: Makayla (Wyres)
Hurley: Karl (Fisher)

School Committees
It's the second full week of school.  Probably time to think about getting our committees off-the-ground.  Below is a list of members for each committee based on your sign-ups.  If a date for a first meeting already exists, it's also indicated.  If an initial meeting date doesn't exist, please work together to establish a common time to meet for the first time.  Let me know when and where.  I will do my level-best to make it.

Site: (14 Sept) Coe, Koenig, Stern, Macias, Reasor, McFall
Arts: (14 Sept) Coe, Tillman, Ballard, Perkins, Pagel, Reasor, Onsae, Hadden
Science: (14 Sept) Coe, Kasch, Thompson, Bull, Paulsen, Fisher, Townsend, Hurley, Reasor, Pietropaulo
PTO: (14 Sept) Coe, Hulls, Yard, Bianco, McAllister, Shaw, Hurley, Reasor, Baker, Pietropaulo
Social (Flowers, RAK): Shaw, Yard, Field, LeMoyne, McCleskey, Bianco, Shaw, Hurley, Novak
PBS: Coe, Ballard, Stern, Pavich, Perkins, Fresquez, McKnight, McCleskey, Pagel, Macias, Gonzalez, Mattern, McQuaid
Technology: Kasch, Hulls, Shaddy, Grant, Bianco, Baker
Student Council: Onsae
Safety/Crisis: Coe, Ballard, Novak, Mattern, Pietropaulo
School/Academic Events: Koenig, Field, Bull, Fresquez, McQuaid, LeMoyne, Koenig, McKnight, Tillman, McFall, Thompson
School Improvement: Coe, Yard, Pavich, Bull, Paulsen, Grant, Gonzalez, Hadden, Pietropaulo
Class Of '85: Coe, Bianco, Townsend, Reasor, Novak, Mattern, LeMoyne, Shaddy

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Our First Foregone Faculty Meeting?

You know, somewhere in the world it's already Friday!  As you find yourself reading this, perhaps it is here now, too. However, as I write this, it's still Thursday... and I am officially running a bit late to our staff party...

Before we begin this looooong post, I just want you to know: I look with more than a bit of envy into your classrooms everyday.  And you are doing fine work! It's great to see all of you going about things with such vitality.  Your commitment shows.  Even in the short moments I spend at your door or in your room.  Thanks for the work you do!

Onward.

If you've looked at next week's Master Calendar (29 Aug. - 02 Sept.) you've noticed a few things that merit reminders:
  • 4-Sight Testing will begin. Joy and Jenny, along with Dean, will coordinate your test-taking and Computer Lab times with you. You should have your tests in hand by Friday.
  • There is a Faculty Meeting scheduled for Thursday morning.
However...

I would like us skip this meeting.  We can do that if everyone will read this post thoroughly and acknowledge it at the end.  Most of you have been great at doing this already.  But not all of you.  In order for us to skip Faculty Meetings we ALL need to read the blog.  Not kidding.  Too many important details.

Here's what I would be telling you if we were to meet face-to-face on Thursday:
  • Sir Ken Robinson: Congrats to Fisher, Reasor, Hulls, Gonzalez, and Koenig who will be attending on 30 Sept. Be sure to get your subs ASAP!
  • Teacher Evaluations: The district will soon be forming a committee to create a new teacher evaluation instrument(s?) to comply with the new state law (SB 1040).  There's a process for us to go through to make sure we select our two Marshall representatives in this process fairly.  Stay tuned. Be aware. I think this one's going to be a big deal...
  • Mini Family Food Drive: Our awesome Parenting AZ rep, Ellen Allen, would like to stock her cabinets for our many families-in-need. She will be placing a food donation box in the workroom beginning 30 August.  If you have canned food to spare, please consider donating it.  This short term, teachers-only event does not replace the Food Drive we will have nearer the holiday season.  It's just to help give Ellen some much-needed resources to give away to Marshall families who need a little help.
  • Social Studies Materials Adoption: Sue Pierce is seeking elementary-level members for a new Social Studies curriculum adoption committee.  Contact her directly if you're interested in serving.
  • Content Area Specialists: Gretchen Markiewicz is seeking elementary-level members for the ongoing Content Specialists committee in Math and Social Studies.  These individuals will work with small district-wide groups to write and revise Common Assessments.  There is a $2000.00 stipend for this committee which requires 8 hours of additional work per month.  Please contact her directly if you're interested.
  • Willow Bend: Sign up in the workroom for times on Monday, 12 Sept., or Wednesday, 2 Nov.  Questions? Contact Chris LeMoyne.
  • Library & Computer Lab: The Library and Computer Lab schedule is online.  If you would like Connie Chensky to coordinate Media Center services with you, please print-out and complete this form and return it to her mailbox in the workroom.  You will also find it in the Important Stuff sidebar on the blog.
  • Genesis: Online attendance and lunch-count begins this Monday, 29 August.  Are you ready?  I have the list of your students who owe Food Services for meals.  I will hand it to you personally on Friday morning. Remember, the word on choices is as follows:
    • "There will be 5 menu choices; Pizza will be one choice only.  The kitchen will prepare cheese and pepperoni pizzas.   Choice 1 will be the 1st item on the menu.  Choice 2 will be the second item on the menu.  If the second choice is Pizza, pizza will remain choice 2.  Choice 3 will be the sandwich of the day.  Choice 4 will be the salad.  Choice 5 will be the Alternative meal (sunbutter sandwich, fresh fruit, vegetable and white milk)."
  • Classroom Management Plans: Nick Cathey, our new Positive Behavioral Support guy, will be visiting with each of you over the course of the next few weeks to help you put together a simple classroom management plan based on a Google form he and I are working on.  It will help me understand how you intend to create a positive learning environment in your classroom.  Likewise, it will be helpful when he and I are working with your students and their parents to encourage positive behaviors at school.  Thanks in advance for your time and attention to this.
  • Kindergarten Playground: Please remember, when you're on morning duty on the playground that the Kindergarten playground needs your attention, too.  Likewise, if/when you're using the Kindergarten playground, please remember that the wheelchair swing is only to be used by our special needs children. Able-bodied children should use the other equipment exclusively.
  • FUSD-mandated meeting: We will all attend a mandatory FUSD Finance & Budget meeting at Sechrist School on 07 October.  We will meet with FUSD Finance Director, Ken Garland, and others from 1:00-2:00.  You are required to attend this meeting. It's on the Master Calendar, but you should probably make a note of it elsewhere, too.
  • FitKids of AZ: Please contact Sara Pinson [928-214-3537] if you would like to schedule a time for her to bring her nutrition education program into your classroom.
  • Flag High Reading Buddies: If you are interested in working with Karen Moeller's 9th grade Flagstaff High School special needs students as reading buddies in your classroom, please contact her via email or at 928-255-3644.
  • Arizona Diamondbacks Fundraiser: The PTO has organized an official Marshall Magnet School Night with the Arizona Diamondbacks baseball team on Saturday, 24 Sept.  Malinda will be selling tickets for this event beginning Monday morning, 29 August.  Flyers will be sent home with students early in the week.  All -You-Can-Eat seating in section 223.  $35.00 for adults, $33.00 for kids. A portion of each ticket sale goes to our school.  Questions: contact Dexter Albert [928-814-8221].
  • One Last Thing: Please click a response in the poll below to help me deliver the Blue Note Blog to you in the way most of you prefer...

[poll graphic removed]

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Avery Back-To-School Get-Together

You're invited!  It's tomorrow: Thursday.  4:00 PM.  See below for the deets:



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Sir Ken Straw Draw

Sir Ken's coming in about a month!

However, we've been asked to keep our sub demands to a minimum on Sir Ken Day, Sept. 30, since, I guess, the whole district has been invited. So, in order to do that, while choosing fairly among you, I had to come up with some way of making a random selection of attendees from those of you who expressed an interest in seeing him.

I conducted a random Straw Drawing in my office this afternoon. Based on the first 10 responses to my initial blog post, Ballard, Fisher, Kasch, Macias, Reasor, Hulls, Bull, Tillman, Gonzalez, and Koenig were entered into the drawing. To find out who won (long straws win, natch), please watch a recording of the live drawing below.



Please schedule your subs ASAP. As in tomorrow. Thanks!
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Updates & Reminders -- Aug. 22, 2011

Good morning, everyone!  Hope your weekend went well.

Just a few reminders before we get started on our first full-week of school. Most of this stuff went out in the Blue Note on Friday, so no sign in required today.
  • I will be going to Admin. Council today at 1:00. I should be back before dismissal.
  • Please get me your recess schedules as soon as you've got them together. Paper or email; either is fine.
  • FUSD Activity Cards are in the office.  They're free!
  • Let me know if you're interested in being on a hiring committee for the SPED or K aide positions we're hoping t hire soon.
  • Back-To-School Mixer at Annette Avery's this Thursday, Aug. 25, 4:00-6:00. You are asked to RSVP by email or phone [928-779-4363].
  • Kids' Day at the County Fair is Sept. 2. All kids get in free that day!  Sept. 2 is also Dollar Day at the fair with many vendors offering discounted food for $1.00.  More info.

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Meet Fynn Burgoon [UPDATED]

UPDATE: Fynn, not Flynn.
Baby-girl Burgoon: 7 lbs 2 oz & 21.5 inches
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To Put It In Writing

[Reminders below. Don't forget to sign the Acknowledgement. Thanks!]

Lots to say, but, in the interest of time and the economy of language, I'd just like to reiterate, in writing, the one comment I'd like you to carry away from our training session today. And that is this:

Thank you! For an exciting two days. But more-to-the-point, for being-there, for being who you are as people and, likewise, for being who you are collectively as a staff.

Over the course of the last two days, whenever I turned around to face a need, another unexpected situation, a blip, or an new bump in the road: You were there. Already. Doing what needed to be done. Giving up your time, lending your expertise, chipping in as necessary in-the-moment.

I can't thank you enough for this spirit of willingness and solidarity. I know, together, we'll not only make it through the year successfully... we are going to shine! Well done Marshall staff. Thank you again!

Reminders:
  • Paulsen Party at 4:00 today!

  • I need your recess schedules

  • There are FUSD Activity Cards in the office; come 'n get 'em!

  • Avery Welcome Back Staff gathering: August 25

  • We're hiring new aides in SPED and K. If you're interested in being on an interview committee, please let me know ASAP.


Genesis Update:
  • Pat will put printed FUSD monthly lunch calendars in your mailboxes. Any changes will be announced day-of, as needed, via intercom, Genesis, or email. We'll settle on one-way when we figure out which way works best.

  • We will do paper attendance and lunch count for the first 10 days of school. After that, everyone must do both attendance and lunch online via Genesis. Follow-up with Gwen or Steve if you have trouble.



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Updates: for Thursday, 18 August 2011

It was great watching you all get ready for tomorrow... way to hustle!  Thanks, especially to Mable Lew and our entire K-Team for rallying around our new kindergarten teacher, Jessica Hurley!

For tomorrow:
  • RTI + Art on duty AM & PM.
  • Early release schedule for Kindergarten classes: lunch (10:20) and dismissal (12:25)
  • Standard weekday schedule for everyone else
  • Special classes (Art, Music, PE) will begin tomorrow for classes scheduled after lunchtime
  • Non-classroom teachers & staff, please consider popping into the office in the AM, if you can find the time, to see if help is needed
  • Tomorrow AM: if it's super-urgent: grab me. If it can wait: send me an email. I promise to follow-up with you the moment I can.
Please don't forget to acknowledge your receipt of this message below. Thanks!

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John Kuhn Speech

I don't know about you, but my reaction to John Kuhn's speech at the Save Our Schools rally in Washington D.C. this past July is pretty simple. I think it rates, for us teachers, as our professional version of King's I Have A Dream speech.  I think it's very cool Superintendent Hickman shared it with us today.

I wanted you to have a link to it.  You'll find a transcript of his speech below the video.


Let me speak for all public school educators when I say, unequivocally: We will!” We say: Send us your poor. Send us your homeless. Send us your kids who don’t speak Spanish [speaks a phrase in Spanish]. Send us your special needs children: we will not send them away! But I tell you today, public school teacher: you will fail to take the shattered children of poverty and turn them into the polished products of the private schools–you will be unacceptable, public school teacher, and I say: that is your badge of honor!

I stand before you today bearing proudly the label of unacceptable, because I educate the children they will NOT educate! Day after day, I take children, broken by the poverty our leaders are afraid to confront, and I GLUE their pieces back together! And at the end of my life, you can say: those children were better for passing through my sphere of influence. I am unacceptable, and Proud Of It!

The poorest Americans need equity, but our nation offers them accountability instead. They need bread, but we give them a stone. We address the soft bigotry of low expectations so that we may ignore the hard racism of inequity! Standardized tests are a poor substitute for justice!

So I say to Arne Duncan and to President Obama: go ahead and label me. I will march head-on into the teeth of your horrific blame machine and I will educate these kids. You give me my scarlet letter, and I will wear it proudly! Because I will never cull the children who need education the most so my precious test scores will rise! I will NOT race to the top! I will stop, like the good Samaritan, and lift hurting children out of the dark.

Let me lose your race, because I am not in it for the accolades! I’m not in it for the money! I’m in this because it’s RIGHT!!! I am in it because the children of Perrin, Texas need somebody like me in their lives!

Our achievement gap is an opportunity gap. Our education problem is a poverty problem. Test scores don’t scream ‘bad teaching!’ They scream about our nation’s systematic neglect of children who live in the wrong zip codes! Listen to me, Arne Duncan! It’s poverty, stupid!! And that’s not an excuse! That’s not an excuse! It’s a diagnosis! We must as a nation stop assuaging the symptoms and start treating the disease!

Let me ask you a simple question. Where is adequate yearly progress for the politician? Will we have 100% employment by 2014? Will all the children have decent health care and roofs over their heads by the deadline? But wait! They don’t HAVE a deadline! They aren’t racing anywhere, are they?! When will our leaders ensure that every American community offers our children libraries and Little Leagues instead of drugs and delinquency?!

Lawmakers send you into congressional districts that are rife with poverty, rife with crime, drug abuse and poor health care, but lawmakers will never take on the label of legislatively unacceptable because they do no share the courage of the common school teacher. I say, I say, let us label lawmakers like they label teachers! Let us have a hard look at their data! Let us have merit pay in Congress!

Understand, politicians, if you want our children to grow lush, stop firing the gardeners and start paying the water bill! Politician! Your fingerprints are on these children: what have you done to help them pass their tests? President Obama: why don’t you come and join me in the crucible of accountability? We have talked enough about the speck in our teachers’ eyes: let’s talk about the plank in yours!

Thank you!
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What did you say?

Thanks, everyone, for today!  I really enjoyed meeting with all of you.  You really are an incredible bunch!  Thanks, as well, for taking a few minutes to respond to the reflection questions.

Here are your unedited responses:

So, then, why do you stick with it?  Why do you still teach?

Children and their families. "It's in my blood." Surrounded by the most incrediable collegues.

Because even on my worst day...There is no other job I would rather do. 

I'm still teaching  because I am ready to have some fun working academically with a new group of students.

Teaching is in my blood!!!! I have worked in many different fields but....I am my authentic self with teaching!

Opportunity to do what is right!!

Kids are kids and they deserve to be taught, however crazy the bureaucratic stuff gets.

Kids still need good teachers who deeply care about them and will try to give them the best possible school experience. 

making a difference no matter big or small with children

I feel I owe my community this service

For the same reason I wanted to be a teacher back then.  I honestly feel like it is necessary to make a difference in the lives of children.  

I enjoy working with kids as much as I ever have, sometimes even more.  I like the challenge of finding new learning strategies through my interactions with them. I also enjoy working with our staff.  They share the same passion.  It is a 'job' I look forward to each day.

Because as an educator I have the responsibility to give children an education that is not only a "human right" but an "obligation" to the world community! "For I believe that education can fix every problem in the world." 

To make a difference (in the lives of the students, in the ed. system, in this community).

My life purpose is to help children, not just with their academics but the Whole Child!!!  I can promote things like self-worth, self-confidence, a feeling of being successful, unfortunantly, the people making the policies and evaluating me don't take into consideration all I put into my job.  My test scores may not be high, but my children are learning and growing in so many ways.  

I teach because I am hooked by the response I get from students as they learn. They are little sponges and it is just the best feeling when a child realizes he/she can now master a skill. When a child realizes he/she can read, it is so life changing for them. I teach to help those children who struggle to find the key to help them overcome their weakness in an academic area and become successful. 

Have you ever seen the light bulb come on as a 6 year old independently decodes his/her first word?  Have you nurtured a child, whose mother just died, through a successful school year?  The rewards and gratification are too great to describe. 

The children change my life daily. I feel they give more to me than I do to them. I have met some wonderful people, especially the families of the children, that perhaps I would never had touch my life if I had not taught these children.  I feel my life has been enriched by these children and hope that I have enriched their lives also.  

As a teacher at Marshall, where do you feel your obligations lie?  What is your job? What is your role here?

making sure my students LOVE school, are engaged and making social and academic progress, My role is coach to not only students but parents. Also a collaborator with my peers.

To ensure to academic achievement of all students, to make them feel welcomed, loved, and supported. And to make all staff members feel supported and to have a little fun as well. :-)
Be invitational and cheerful with every and any student I encounter daily and to teach them core standards and HOW to learn in the future.

Facilitator, Collaborator, Nurturer.

Support.  Do what is necessary;then do what is possible; the impossible will follow
My obligations are to the students well being and growth, both educationally and socially.
(see above) To care deeply for children and give them the best possible school experience.
my obligation is to help guide,nurture,instruct,and organize students so that they are prepared for the next phase of their education.

I have many hats at Marshall and I'm proud to be a part of the NEW venture.  I do feel this can make a big difference in the way schools operate! However, I know my REAL job is to TEACH! I'm so very lucky!!!!

My job is to teach and nurture the students to the best of my ability.  My obligations lie in the area of meeting the expectations of the school and the district.  I hope to help strengthen the science part of our magnet school and help Marshall be a strong part of FUSD.


Helping students become lifelong, curious learners and helping them discover how to continually grow as into young adults who care about others is an important role for me.  I also enjoy sharing strategies I've developed or discovered with other staff members, as well as learning about their successes.

My job here at Marshall is to work as a team and advance the ideas/philosophy of the school which ultimately benefits the students and families of our school community. My role here is to give a quality education which prepares students for the world and make myself available as a resource to whoever needs help, guidance or vision in their lives. 

To help us all (staff, students, parents) bring Marshall to the next level!

My job is to teach my students to the best of my ability.  It is imperative that I teach them where they are at, not where a curriculum map tells me they should be.  I need to be an advocate for my students and prepare them for what is awaiting them in the world socially, emotionally, as well as academically.  I am an individual teacher who is part of a bigger purpose and that is working with my colleagues to not only enable my kids to be successful but all kids at Marshall.    

"My job is to take Billy Bob to the next level in his academic and social development.
My goal is to guide and nurture each student in my class and provide them with the skills to move forward academically."

My obligations are to each child. They need genuine success, nurturance, and guidance as he/she learns how to be a learner.  My job is to teach skills and the love of learning while providing a safe, predictable environment.

I view my role as a teacher as the same as any other teacher. I determine the level where the children are functioning and give the instruction and provide the opportunities for guided practice and independent work that will take each to the next developmental step. I also feel that along with instruction of my students, it is equally important that I teach tolerance and acceptance to the rest of the school (students and staff) of anyone that is different (and of course that means everyone, since we are ALL different!)


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REMINDERS & An Agenda For Our *Second* Faculty Meeting

Hope you're all having a lovely last-weekend.

Don't forget: Your 301 Day is tomorrow.

Also don't forget: this Tuesday morning is the all-FUSD Convocation at Coconino High School, 8:00.  Afterward, we'll all head back to Marshall for our first faculty meeting together at 10:00.  The agenda for that meeting is still available online. We should be done by lunch.

Last of all: I didn't want to do this, but I'm afraid it's just got to be: we're going to need to meet for a little bit on Wednesday morning, August 17, too. Our EIS/RTI team has a lot of valuable stuff to review with you about PLCs, and data, and intervention, and PBS, and stuff like that. I really don't think there will be time enough to get through all of my stuff and all of their stuff (honestly, it's really all our stuff, anyway, isn't it?) on Tuesday without wearing everyone out.

So: Wednesday morning it is. Bright and early, 8:00-9:00 AM.  Then you can all have the balance of the day to do all that you still need to do.

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No way! Sir Ken? No Kidding.

Remember this video? We watched it together at the end of our last school year.



The mellifluous voice in the video is that of Sir Ken Robinson.  He's a very well-known, world-renown educational theorist and philosopher, and he speaks often, around the world, before large crowds of very influential people.  Some of his best talks are available online through the TED innovative ideas network. They have each been viewed millions of times.

I got an exciting email late yesterday afternoon from an associate dean at NAU:

Good afternoon Mr. Coe:

I would like to give you and a team of teachers from your campus the opportunity to meet and interact with Sir Ken Robinson, a leading educational consultant known world-wide for his innovative approaches to creativity in the K-12 classroom, on Friday, September 30 at Ardrey Auditorium on the NAU campus.  Sir Ken will speak from 10 – 11:30; we would then like to invite you and your teachers to join us for lunch and an afternoon workshop with Sir Ken, faculty from NAU’s various education programs in Art, English, History, Languages, Music, Math, Science, Physical Education and Elementary Education, and a select group of NAU education students. 
For more information on this wonderful opportunity, please see the attached. 

I'm going! For sure. I'd love for some of you to go, too. I'll go so far as to say I think some of you need to go with me.  NAU says I can bring 4-5 others.  I thought about asking some of you personally, but I didn't want anyone who really wanted to have the chance to see Sir Ken to miss out on this chance.  This  truly is an unexpected, rare, and exciting opportunity to see one of the great, innovative minds of our time in our field speak to us personally.  I expect it to be a formative professional experience for all who attend.

Wanna go?  Good.  Send me an email.  If I get more than five I'll do my best to work it out.
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An Agenda for our First Faculty Meeting

Good morning everyone. Below you will find the official agenda for our First Faculty Meeting, August 16 at 10:00.  Feel free to set a bookmark on this spot so you can refer back to this information at any time. Please remember to bring your laptop to our meeting.


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Addendum and Errata

Hello everyone. Thanks for checking in on your school-faculty blog!  Very little new information in this post, but many important reminders.  And a few important changes, too.  Please, read on...

August 16 Changes and Reminders:
  • The FUSD opening-day convocation meeting is from 8:00-9:00 AM on 16 August at COCONINO High School auditorium, NOT at Flagstaff High School as previously reported.
  • We will meet as a faculty on August 16 from 10:00-12:00 (mas o menos) in the Conference Room.  Please bring your laptop to this meeting.  We will be covering a lot of material, most of which has already been posted online for your convenience.
  • After our faculty meeting on August 16, lunch will be provided by the PTO.
  • I will be available in the afternoon on August 16 to show anyone who's interested in maintaining a classroom blog (see: coesclass.blogspot.com) how to get started on blogger.com.  If you're interested, let's meet in the Conference Room from 2:00-3:00.  Get started now if you like. Log-in at blogger.com with your regular google.com password (or create a new google account here) and follow the steps to create your blog.  Play around a bit.  You can't really mess it up.  We'll answer any/all questions you might have when we meet.
  • Cheryl Paulsen has invited everyone over to her house after-hours on the 16th for a relaxing welcome-back get together starting at 4:30. Hope you all can come.  
Other Reminders:
  • Don't forget to sign up for the Monday, August 15, 301 Day.  Time is running out.  Be sure to get in on this paid professional development opportunity if at-all possible.  Sign up ASAP on ERO.
  • You should have time to work in your classrooms on Tuesday, August 16, after lunch (or after blogger training), and most, if not all, of the day on Wednesday, August 17.  I may need to meet with small groups of you about this-and-that on the 17th, but I will contact you directly about that as-needed.
  • Genesis (our new online attendance & lunch-count application) training will take place on Friday, August 19, at 1:00 in the Conference Room.  Probably a good idea to bring your laptop to this meeting, too.

Thanks for reading!   

In closing, I'd like to let you know: seeing so many of you in the building this summer, and hearing so much sincere encouragement from you as well, has made my first month in this office an unexpectedly uplifting and enjoyable experience.  I'm blessed to work with all of you.  You're awesome! 

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Have you watched Dalton?

Dalton is a kid who lives in Dallas. Goes to the public schools there.  A couple of years ago, when he was a fifth-grader, he spoke in front of an assembly of Dallas school teachers at their opening-day convocation. The resulting video has gone moderately viral since, gathering over three-quarters of a million hits.

It's shown a lot to teachers at conferences and such. And it's getting shared around the Facebook again of-late, as happens toward the end of summer the past few years.  Perhaps you seen it before? I had.  If you have, consider watching it again. I just did.  At just under 9 minutes in length, it's worth reviewing.

But, if you haven't seen it yet, enjoy. At it's core, the message is a good one for us all to remember.

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