Happy Friday!
I thought Open House went great last night! I'm grateful to you for being here (not that you really had a choice, I know), for being on time, for staying throughout, and for having such bright smiles and such great attitudes all evening long.
I really do love these opportunities to show y'all off. And, I'm here to tell you, having spoken to about a thousand people last night, that our parents are, really with only the rarest of exceptions, totally, thoroughly, completely stoked on all of you, on Marshall Magnet School, and on the new school year. So, well done, all y'all. And thanks!
Expect More
If, as I did, you grew up in the Valley watching The Wallace and Ladmo Show in the morning, I think you'll find this video both nostalgic and compelling. If you didn't grow up around here, I have a hunch you'll still "get the joke" and that you'll find yourself hoping, like me, that more of the "informed electorate" are able to hear the message of this video, too.
Stress
I noted in The Blue Note last week that I believe we're off to a good start around here, the best one yet during my time in this office (not taking the credit, just making the observation). And I continue to believe that. Nevertheless, we've encountered our share of stress-points in our second week as we've begun to get into the nuts-and-bolts of the school year.
Please remember:
- Beginning of the year stress is pretty darn normal given your new-class, new-challenges, new procedures, and potentially, for some, your new-assignment.
- Beginning of the year stress should not be taken to indicate that we, as a school community, will not to all that we can to alleviate your stress, as we are able, or that your stress points today will forever be stressful... sometimes, as we acclimate to new systems and people, stress abates organically, all on its own. Sometimes we're able to do something about it. Sometimes we just need to step back, take a breath, and let everything settle.
- When you're feeling stressed out and looking for someone to talk to, you should make every reasonable effort to convey your stress level to others using kind words and rational actions... venting is good; seeking collegial advice, even better; angry ad hominems are not so good. Be nice. Be patient. Remember: you're among friends.
We're off to a great start with our Positive Behavior Support program this year. Thanks to Dawn Edwards, PBS specialist, for providing reminders and materials about the various components of our program to all of our classroom teachers this week. Likewise, thanks to our teachers for reviewing each of these components with your classes. We're still in "the honeymoon" but, nevertheless, as far as behaviors go, we're off to a really nice start as far as I'm concerned.
Please, continue to hand out PBS tickets, at the rate of 2 or 3 a day.
If you desire additional information and resources regarding Tier 1 PBS, please have a look at this website.
Custodial
It's been suggested that, in order to help our excellent Pinnacle custodial personnel get through our building efficiently each night, our classroom teachers would be kind to consider doing the following:
- Crank closed your windows at the end of the day (this is also a security concern)
- Place your trashcans in the hallway next to your classroom door
- Have students pick up large pieces of trash from the floor as they prepare to leave at day's end
- Have students place chairs atop desks before leaving at dismissal
Committees
Yeah... Still need to get around to emailing each group to encourage you to establish a time and agenda for your initial meeting. But for the time being, here's the low-down on membership sing-ups:
- PTO: Bull, Reasor, Hulls, Shaw
- RAK: Bull, Ingols, Hadden, Shaw, Perkins
- Academic: White, Ingols, Hadden Macias, Grant
- Parent Involvement: Paulsen, Ronn
- Safety: Luxton, Reasor, Pavich, Ballard
- Tech: Coates, Heck, McA, Hulls, Kasch, Price, Bianco, Stern
- PBS: Alonso-Paez, White, Connell, Pagel, Luxton, Ronn, Pavich, Perkins, Hobson, Stern, Shaw
- Social: Pagel, Burgoon
- Science: Grimmett, Arnold, Reasor, Ingols, Paulsen, Thompson, Fisher, Kohl, Kasch, Price
- Site: Alonso-Paez, Koenig, McFall, Housholder, Macias
- Green: Arnold, Thompson, Fisher, Kohl, Burgoon
Remember: if you do more than one AM or PM duty per week you need only sign up for one committee. If you haven't signed up for a committee or two yet, please do so ASAP. At this time you can just email me directly with your committee choice rather than using the online sign-up form.
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