What a blessing to break bread and share experiences as an entire staff early in the morning upon our return to campus…we surely enJOYed a wonderful start to 2013 here at LME today!  While our learners were still enJOYing a final holiday, we were designing and sharing ideas for the coming months.  During a session on R Time led by our own Mrs. Bass and Mrs. Stanley (more to come on this initiative soon), these powerful words of rememberance were shared:

Building self-esteem is probably the single most important thing we do for our students most days…

“I have come to a frightening conclusion.  I am the decisive element in the classroom.  It is my personal approach that creates the climate.  It is my daily mood that makes the classroom weather.  As a teacher, I possess tremendous power to make a child’s life hard or full of JOY.  I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration.  I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal.  In all situations, it is my response that decided whether a crisis will be escalated or de-escalated, and whether a child is dehuminized or humanized.  The work, if done properly, is overwhelming….” 

Teachers, classroom leaders and instructional aides, spend long hours at their calling.  They are expected to create individual plans and personal success for each child, regardless of ability.  We are so blessed to have a Miller staff who:

• believe in making learners THE priority in all decisions;
• believe in good communication and collaboration to build your trust;
• understand that everyone is a learner and can learn;
• create engaging, meaningful work through best practices to ensure student success; and
• place the highest priority on safety because it is critical to student success.

Be sure to take a moment and thank your child’s teacher this week as we go into 2013.  We are here to serve and we welcome your support, prayers, encouragement, and assistance along the journey.  A returning mom registering her children stopped me in office today to comment: “we’re so glad to be back at Miller!”  Here’s hoping you are too!  🙂

Note:  School resumes on Tuesday, January 8th @ 7:45 a.m.  College Day is Wed; Jan. 9th (show that college spirit).