This week is our debut week! It's the week we have "Meet the Teacher". That moment we get to share our campus with the community and families for the first time for this school year. I. Can't. Wait.
I am so excited to open our doors and to have the hall filled with children again. The school just doesn't quite feel the same without it. Over the last week it was wonderful to get our staff family back together. To hear the laugher and see the smiles during our first day back with the Goose Chase around town. To watch the lightbulbs go off in the "Talk, Read. Talk, Write" training. To hear stories from some of the Home Visits all teams completed. To see teams coming together with incredible plans for the year. I could just go on and on.
And thank you to all who were able to attend our community walk on Saturday! I always love that moment to get out and just see some families on a Saturday morning!
This week is going to be another fast and furious week as we place last minute touches on our campus to make it just perfect!
Week at a Glance
Monday - District Convocation, 8:30am - Brosig Auditorium (wear your new Webb Shirt)
Staff Events - After Convocation until 3:30pm
Tuesday - T-TESS Training (all certified teachers) - 8:00am-11:00am, Webb Gym
11:00am-4:00pm - Work in rooms
PreK-Kinder Meet the Teacher - 5:30-6:30pm
Wednesday - K-2 STEMscopes, 8:30am-12:00pm
3-5 STEMscopes (science teachers), 1:00pm-3:30pm
Thursday - RCA Team Meeting, 8:30am, TP Room
Work in Rooms
1st-5th Meet the Teacher - 6:00-7:30pm
Friday - Work in Rooms - 8am
Faculty Meeting - 1:00pm
Colbert Baby Shower - 3pm
Reminders:
1. Please bring your strength finders test PRINTED OUT for our meeting on Monday.
2. Teachers, please make sure you've completed the items on your "Teacher To-Do List"
3. All handbook forms, technology forms, and teacher certifications should have been turned in on Friday.
4. Home Visit paperwork should have been turned in Friday.
5. "What Am I Reading?" should have been updated Friday.
6. Letters to students should have been mailed out last week.
7. You ALL should have already filled out THIS staff information document.
Birthdays
August 22 - Jessica Schutzenhofer
August 23 - Doris Banks
August 25 - Sarah Martin
August 27 - Olivia Aguinaga
Meet the Teacher
Our Meet the Teacher is coming fast! I met with Team Leaders last week to relay some information but I wanted to go ahead and put a few reminders here too....
1. Every classroom teacher must have a sign in sheet. I need a copy of it by 8:30am the next morning.
2. Meet the Teacher is an opportunity to meet you, but also to meet a few others (like our camp Teachers).
3. Encourage families to stop by the Gym. We will be having some tables of different groups in there (PTO, Bus, Girl/Boy Scouts, etc).
4. This is our DEBUT to families. Smile big, show excitement, rock it out!
5. Our theme this year is "Hollywood: Where Everyone Is a Star". We've hired a party planner who will be transforming the front foyer! Super excited! Dress code is: Professional **but go all out with the hollywood theme!
Kids Deserve It
This last week we interviewed author/educator Trevor Muir who wrote, "The Epic Classroom".
Sparks in the Dark
Last week, after being incredibly moved by what happened in Charlottesville, my friend Travis Crowder and I organized a diverse panel to have an open and honest conversation about racism, diversity, and empathy. It's lengthy, but I wanted to share regardless. We have to have more of these conversations if we expect things to change. (You can also listen through iTunes if you prefer just audio HERE.)
Blogs/Articles
In Closing...
There is a lot of hurt going on around us. There is a lot of hurt going on within our own lives. It's important that every day we interact with others that we take that into account. Everyone is fighting a secret battle.
As I've seen events unfold over the last week in our country, and as I spoke with some of my friends who come from backgrounds far more diverse than mine, I've been reminded of the work that is still to be done. The injustices that exists. The prejudices that are present that we are aware of and those ones we're not.
We can't put our head in the sand. We can't allow ourselves to be ignorant. We can't sweep it under the rug. We need to have open, honest, heartfelt conversations. And we need to be teaching our kids about empathy through rich, diverse characters that look nothing and sound nothing like them.
I love this image and little story from my friend Brad Montague that he share last week.
Dear kids of the world,
It's not supposed to be like this.
Hate is an ugly thing. Do not believe it.
There is beauty within you and all around you. You'll forget sometimes or you'll see people forget that. Love helps us remember.
We need each other.
Us grown ups are quick to tell you how things should be (share, be kind, love everybody), but not always great at modeling it. May you stay childlike in a world that can be so childish. Love love love love love love love. ALWAYS. When things seem crazy and you don't know what to do? Love like crazy. Always. There's more to say, but even more to actually do. Fight for love. Rebel joyfully.
Sincerely,
A grown up who still believes
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