Random Acts of Kindness

November is finally here and next week we are going to be voting in a new President. It just seems with all the craziness of the election, there needs to be more kindness. One random act may just start a chain reaction that changes the world. Whether changing the world is the goal or just changing a moment, an act of kindness can mean the world for one individual. Pause to smile, laugh, or say hello to a passerby. Don’t let the election turmoil, start your holiday season off wrong. Kindness can always be an answer. Have a great weekend…Go Pups! (cue: New Sneakers – We’d like to Teach the World to Sing…better known as “In Perfect harmony” from the CocaCola Commercial).

Butterflies are Gone

Well opening day butterflies have flown away and Back to School Night has come and gone. It is now time to hit our pace. Students should all be placed and all classes should be into their curriculum. With that understanding, please remember that we all come to school with a back story. Reach out to understand the students in your class. Build the relationship bonds now that will pay big dividends in the Spring. I wish you all a great year…Go Pups! (cue: Beyonce – Move your Body)

Remember to Count

Well here we go.  Only 4 days remaining and the heat is truly on for all of us.  Busy is the operative word and at times, things just get crazy.  More than ever, we should remember to stop, count to ten, and breathe.  The end of the year is very stressful for everyone:  Teachers, Students, Staff, and Parents.  Everyone has their stress points.  That is why it is so important to support each other during this final push.  Encourage a student along the way, the words you deliver just may be the motivation that gets them through.  Enjoy your Memorial Day weekend.  See you Tuesday for the final push.  Go Pups! (cue: Europe – The Final Countdown)

Friday the 13th

With only 14 days remaining in the school year, we have reached Friday the 13^th.  Crazy how this day has such folklore.  Many of the tales are rooted in the middle ages when on Friday the 13^th, 1307, King Phillip IV of France called for the arrest and immediate conviction of all Knights Templar of the Masonic Order. The reaction of the Knights Templar was to seek refuge and hiding in adjacent countries concealing their wealth and continuing their vast banking networks in secret.  One day in history that gave birth to several legends that continue today.  Our mission today is parallel, though we are not convicting hundreds of innocent people.  We are however, trying to seize every moment with our students, attempting to set them on a path to legendary status.  That mission is daunting and worth the effort. Enjoy your weekend…Go Pups! (cue: Stevie Nicks – Edge of Seventeen)

Senioritis

We are into the final grading period, Senior Ethics has past, CAASPP testing is completed, and AP tests are on the horizon.  Yes, if looks and feels like the end of the 2015-16 school year is approaching very fast.  Before it gets here lets all work together to combat the senior-itis that infects so many this time of year.  Unfortunately, there isn’t a derivative of penicillin that will cure it and we certainly know it’s effects.  The only thing we can do is remind students that grades matter, stay in the game and focused, nix the bad habits, and make good decisions down the stretch.  Good advice may be the only thing we have to fight with and yet, it may be just what the doctor would order. Enjoy your weekend…Go Pups! (cue: Prince – Let’s Go Crazy)

Test Prep

Well Spring Break showed up quickly and Easter past just as fast.  Now we have the final push to the finish as we navigate through the season of testing. I was asked once why we spend so much time preparing for testing in high school and my answer came as a shock to them.  “It’s what we do”, I said.  We prepare students for the next level, whether college or career.  We prepare them by mirroring some of the things they will experience in a safer environment, such as high stakes testing.  We prepare students to be successful so when they take the certification exams for their career, they have taken big tests before.  We prepare students.  It’s what we do.  Enjoy your weekend of weather…Go Pups! (cue: The Cars - Magic)

Surrender

While ‘Spring Break’ doesn’t conjure up the same mental images it used to when we were in college, the sentiment is the same.  The crazy road trips some took as students to Matzatlan, Encenada Beach, or San Diego have been replaced with restful time with family, a book, or a drive to the coast.  Yes…age has it’s rewards.  Whatever your plans are, I wish you time.  Surrender the things that are troublesome and take some time to relax and enjoy the beautiful weather.  It will be glorious.  Enjoy your week…Go Pups! (cue: Cheap Trick – Surrender)

Spring is in the Air

We welcome March with warm weather and the promise of more rain.  Along with that allergies have set in as the tree blooms have beautified our landscape.  The Valley!  What a fantastic place to live.  Opportunities for outdoor activities are everywhere and just think, from the Central Valley we are only 12,500 miles from anywhere in the world! As great a Springtime is, it is a very stressful time with all that is going on around us.  All the more important to slow everything down.  Sounds like a great plan for a Friday.  Enjoy your weekend…Go Pups! (cue: Proclaimers – 500 Miles)

Illuminate the Light Bulbs

The Spring semester is in full bloom and filling with activities.  Testing, college applications, testing, scholarships, testing, letters of reference, testing, and a host of other activities.  Did I mention testing?  From benchmarks to State testing to AP testing, yes, there is a bunch of testing to come.  As you shepherd our students through lessons, remember that each of them has that internal light bulb.  With every lesson, we have the chance to pull that invisible string on their chin and illuminate the bulb. Once we do that, their drive to answer their own questions will come from within.  Spring is full of transformations.  Why not start one today?  Enjoy your weekend…Go Pups! (cue: Mozart – The Marriage of Figaro)

Winter Season is Done

It is crazy to think that we have almost come to the end of our Winter seasons.  Basketball, Soccer, and Wrestling have either had their Senior nights, or they are scheduled this next week.  Won’t be long before the weather warms, trees blossom, and allergy season arrives.  Until then, enjoy this great spring preview weather while it lasts and buckle down for the next round of El Nino.  Enjoy your restful three day weekend…Go Pups! (cue: Beethoven – Ode to Joy: Symphony No. 9 in D Minor)

Full Swing

Well the Spring semester is in full swing, activities are rolling along, and spirit on campus is riding high.  Today we were lucky enough to visit the Senior government classes to discuss the ‘Road to Graduation’.  That is always a great day to see the excitement and trepidation in the eyes of the students.  As we told the students, it won’t be long until may 27th is here and Senior grades have to be posted.  Hopefully, they will all finish strong, avoid the pitfalls that come with senioritis, and be there on graduation night. Enjoy your weekend…Go Pups! (cue: Eagles – Take It To The Limit)