We are Family

Here we are at the end of of August.  Back to School night has past, the first football game is behind us, and the heat is still here.  Soon the heat will fade, the long days of September will pass, and we will be carving pumpkins again.  During these days it is ever so important to take the time to share some kindness with your colleagues.  To draw from our Football team motto, “We are family”.  We are all part of the Bullpup family.  That means we support each other on the tough days and celebrate the great ones.  Let’s teach our students that being part of HHS comes with the pride of being part of an extended family.  As we shape their experiences, we can also teach them compassion for their classmates that may just last a lifetime (cue We Are Family – Sister Sledge).  Have a great weekend…Go Pups!

Time to settle in...

Time to settle in for the year.  The symbolic start to school of Labor Day will be here soon and then it is a race to the symbolic finish of Memorial Day.  Interesting how back to school is ‘labored’ and the end of school is ‘remembered’.  I know those days weren’t created for us educators, but they seem to fit.  We work hard to welcome our students back from the summer off and hope that the ‘summer slide’ hasn’t effected them too much.  When I think about my days in school, I can remember the start (the day after the Jerry Lewis Telethon) and finishing with the anticipation of summer activities.  Let’s continue to help our students make memories they’ll draw on for the rest of their lives (cue You’ll Never Walk Alone – Jerry Lewis).  Have an extravagant weekend…Go Pups!

Not Yet...

Welcome back!!! The feeling of the first day of school never gets old. As we settle in to our daily routines, let’s always keep in mind the power we have to influence. We have the opportunity to create adversaries or allies with our students. Let us all remember how good it feels to achieve and every student that enters your class begins with that goal. Also give consideration to the fact that grades can be demotivating or uplifting for a student. Though we don’t use the following scale, we can certainly keep it in our minds:
A = Excellent
B = Above Average
C = Average
NY = Not Yet
Whether the student learns in the first week or last week, they still learned. The difference between ‘Not Yet’ and ‘Fail’ is the difference between ‘Possible chance’ and ‘Certain defeat’ in the mind of a student that is trying. However measured, the feeling of success is a great motivator. Let’s make this year the best ever for our students (cue The Best is Yet to Come - Frank Sinatra). Enjoy your weekend…Go Pups!