Happy New Year

Happy New Year!!! Well, 2017 has arrived and with it many resolutions for change. As we are all aware, hope is not a strategy, so we have to work hard to reach our goals. If in 2017 you have set new goals for yourself, I encourage you on your journey. As Chinese philosopher Lao once said “even the longest and most difficult ventures have a starting point.” Sometimes just starting is the hardest part. The Law of Inertia states that an object at rest stays at rest and an object in motion stays in motion unless acted upon by an unbalanced force. In other words, the first step is sometimes the toughest. Have a great 3-day weekend…Go Pups! (cue: Michael Jackson – Man in the Mirror)

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)