Personal Reflections

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R Time is here!

It is indeed a blessing to have everyone back at school!  There’s a certain excitement in the air as we begin 2013 together.  Of course, children’s smiles, hugs, and “happy new year” sentiments ring clearly.  We are excited about this semester, new goals, and the educational opportunities before us.  As always, we will continue to do our best to ensure a safe, logo2caring learning environment with good communication and collaboration everyday.

There’s also another reason for excitement:  R Time is finally here!  R Time is a district and campus social education program we are implementing that is producing outstanding results in schools across the country.  R Time places the emphasis on effective, respectful, meaningful personal relationships achieved through random pairings.  R Time creates an educational environment supporting and enhancing positive relationships, good behavior, reduction of bullying, and strong citizenship.

Using common courtesy and good manners with each other becomes the norm (rather than the exception) once R Time is implemented.  Shy children find a voice and dominant children learn to negotiate and agree.  Bullies in particular discover a new way of reacting to classmates.  R Time makes a significant contribution in improving behavior, reducing bullying, building relationships, resolving conflict, building citizenship, nurturing emotional well-being, building trust, developing confidence, promoting decision-making, and improving communications skills for everyone.

There are six steps involved in each R Time lesson:  rule and instruction, random pairing of students, meeting and greeting, activity with pairing partner, processing and feedback, and conclusion with thanks.  These six steps are used in each lesson and become the foundation for all pairing interactions in R Time.

Greg Sampson, creator of R Time, uses his vast experience in working with children to focus on “old fashioned values and greater humanity” in the world today.  He states:  “Good behavior has its roots firmly established in healthy relationships; it is no surprise that a program designed to enable children to get along well with one another will reduce poor behavior dramatically.” Pete Harvey, promoter of the program, comments: “R Time enables children’s dormant relationships to blossom and flourish with greater confidence across gender divisions, religious and racial boundaries, and dominant or passive natures.”

LaRue Miller Elementary is proud to bring R Time and its transformative impact on relationships to our students, staff, and families.  Please check out www.rtime.info for more specific information or feel free to call our office at 972-775-4497 to speak with our counselor, Mrs. Stanley, our Assistant Principal, Mrs. Bass, or myself.  In the meantime, be listening for your child and classroom teacher to share some R Time experiences with you soon…and welcome back!  🙂

Note:  Speaking of goals, we are talking about college tomorrow, so let’s see that team spirit in college gear! 

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…and we’re back!

What a blessing to break bread and share experiences as an entire staff early in the LMEsnowmorning 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). 

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happynewyear2013It was a year of ups and downs; triumphs and trials; challenges and solutions…the same can be said about each year upon reflection.  What a blessing it is to walk the journey with our LaRue Miller Elementary learners, their classroom leaders, and our learning community!  In honor of the coming new calendar year, here’s a little reminder to us all about the ABCs of living with personal excellence:

  • Accept differences
  • Be kind
  • Count your blessings
  • Dream big
  • Express thanks
  • Forgive others and yourself
  • Give generously
  • Harm no one
  • Imagine more
  • JOYfully live
  • Keep confidences
  • Love truly and deeply
  • Master something with personal excellence
  • Nurture hope
  • Open your mind and heart
  • Pay it forward…always
  • Quell rumors with the truth
  • Reciprocate
  • Seek wisdom
  • Touch lives
  • Understand
  • Value truth and wisdom
  • Win graciously
  • eXcite others
  • Yearn for peace
  • Zealously support each other…

Blessings for a prosperous, successful 2013 to all!  😉

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‘Twas the Day after Christmas…

‘Twas the day after Christmas when all through the school, dayafterchristmasnot a creature was stirring with the hallways so cool.

Mrs. Van checked on things inside and out, while making her routine holiday safety walk-about.

When what to her wandering eye should appear but a teacher planning lessons, such a dedicated career!

With a building so cold, no lights did she use, she just wanted the comfort of her classroom muse.

Her house was quite crowded because all the relatives came; she wanted peace and control and no fussing to blame!

“Just give me a few quiet minutes, Mrs. Van, then I promise to leave; I’ll go back to the eating and drama and do my best to retrieve…my sanity, a level of comfort, and some quiet all alone; and get through this vacation week with some rest of my own.”

As she smiled, gave a gentle hug to assure this great teacher too; Mrs. Van said, “you’ll get through this holiday, but before you do…try to focus on the fact you need this time away; you need time for family, friends, fellowship, and play.”

So here’s to a few days down and several more to go; school days will be with us before we know…

EnJOY your time away; stay safe and have fun!  Happy winter break Miller learners and leaders; you’re always #1!  🙂

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Blessings and Thanks…

christmas-spiritAs Charles Dickens noted:  “It is good to be children sometimes, and never better than at Christmas…”  Today was a great day to be a child at LME!  Between the train whistles, the crafts, the cocoa, the stories, prizes, and festive PJ fun, there was never a dull moment on the Miller Express.  Did I mention we were in PJs all day too?!  🙂

Mr. Dickens also challenged all of us with this famous thought:  “I will honor Christmas in my heart and try to keep it all the year.”  So here’s your final question:  “How will you and your family honor the spirit of the season throughout 2013?”  As you go through your routines over the holiday break, take a moment to reflect and revisit on the previous year.  Share these thoughts with your child as well.  Perhaps you can write down goals for the coming year to share with each other.  In the meantime, here’s hoping this season and the new year bring blessings of peace, hope, JOY, and love to you and those you hold dear!  Blessings and thanks for sharing your most valuable resource with us at LME everyday!   🙂

Note:  While we are on break December 22 – January 8, there may not be a daily post on our blog.  Please know we will greet the new year and our second semester with the same “zeal and zest for educational quests” you have come to expect of our campus.  Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from all of us at LaRue Miller Elementary!  EnJOY!  🙂 

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Wintery hat fun and mustaches too…

It’s Winter Hat Day at LME and there are some interesting stylesmustache5 being shared across campus today.  We couldn’t have ordered better weather for the day–it’s blustery cold and wearing a hat keeps the warmth inside!

During morning walkabout, I stumbled upon this observation:

  • Child:  Did you know hats keep your brain warm, Mrs. Van?
  • Me:  Well, when I wear one, I know I keep the cold out of my ears and off my head.
  • Child:  You need to give us hat day everyday so our brains stay on fire all the time!   🙂

mustacheAs noted from the conversation after this observation, hats are just one article of clothing we use for protection from the elements.  Thus, the inspiration for today’s question was given by my friend, Austin:  “What special holiday article of clothing or ‘look’ do you always want to wear and why is it so special to you?” 

We will enJOY another Miller tradition tomorrow when we all board the Miller Express with our annual Pajama and Slipper day.  You can expect to hear a train whistle or two and share in some hot cocoa during special story times throughout the day.  It’s also Mrs. Miller birthday, so we’ll send some special wishes her way as well.  In them meantime, here’s hoping you find your way to wintery hat fun soon!

Note:  MISD continues to make campus safety the top priority.  School is being conducted as usual today and tomorrow.  The Midlothian Police Department, in an effort to provide the best security possible, will continue to post additional security at each campus for the duration of this week during crucial times for the security of the all MISD students and staff. 

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Go, fight, win, Ethan!

Excellence is doing ordinary things extraordinarily well…  While there’s nothing ordinary about kicking cancer, Eethan1than is showing us how to do it extraordinarily well.  Our learners, classroom leaders, and several community members were involved in a special Miller Rally to send off our own 4th grade friend, Ethan, as he starts his next ethan10course of treatment at MD Anderson in Houston right after the holidays.  Ethan was able to join us today in person with his family (quite a treat indeed).  He was surprised by the Midlothian Fire Department early this morning who arrived to drive his family to school in true style—flashing lights and all!  Several of his MYFL football team members and coaches were present as were our own Panther Football Readers (who also cameethan6 at 7:15 a.m. to help us unload cars today).  Ethanethan9‘s 4th grade class (and Ms. Williams) helped on the back porch by forming a special tunnel for Ethan’s arrival and to personally escort their classmate into the gym where the entire campus cheered him.  Once in the gym, Ethan took the seat of honor in a sea of green (his favorite color), yellow (childhood cancer), and black (our special Ethan shirts) and was treated to everything from a KC Club presentation of joke books from each ethan3classroom ethan2to ethan7his MVP status announcement to some special Miller Moves with his favorite songs.  It was truly a celebration rally for a treasured young guy who shines brilliantly in spite of his intense fight to kick cancer.  Here’s hoping we all find Ethan’s great courage and bravery in our everyday lives!  We love you, Ethan…go, fight, win!  🙂

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The Blessing of Music

The chords are so grand they send shivers down the back of your neck.  You hear the familiar strains of a holiday melody filling the air and instantly feel wrapped in the glorious blessing of music…

BRAVOS to our Frank Seale Middle School Band friends band2who serenaded us today with several Christmas carols and holiday tunes in what was a JOYous occasion indeed!  With so many of our former LME learners sitting in the first chair of each instrument section, it does our Miller hearts proud to know our learners are leaders in all areas, including music!

Many of my Christmas memories are stored away within the refrains of beloved carols and songs.  We begin as small children (like our youngest Head Start friends) learning these wonderful songs.  Each year, we are given the gift of dusting them off, tuning them up, and sharing them with others.  Like a fine antique, this music becomes priceless with the passing of time (especially as I get older each year!).  So here’s your question today:  “Other than carols or songs, what other things do you bring out at Christmas time, dust off, and share with others to enhance the holidays?”

So…turn on your favorite tune, close your eyes, and allow the music to move you beyond the hustle and bustle of the daily rush.  Here’s hoping you are blessed with the wonderful gift of music now and throughout the coming year!  🙂

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STARTing the day with sweet carolers…

The halls were alive with the sounds of the season today!  carolers1Our Head Start friends caroled their way across campus to spread some holiday cheer and what a blessing it was indeed.  My thanks to our HS Team of educators who ensured JOY was a focus on this Monday.

Hearing these youngest of voices while answering multiple phone calls and emails from concerned parents seeking assurance confirmed a few things:

  • Children thrive on daily routines and expectations; they gain security from the predictability of school.
  • Being active listeners to a child’s fears and concerns is important–validate the fear by saying it’s natural to feel fear, but finish with, “I’m going to do everything I can to keep you safe.”
  • Students believe the world is a good place, but there are people who make bad choices and do bad things.
  • Building strong connections and relationships with our learners and their families is critical to our overall success; we are so grateful for the support of our LME families!

It’s the little things (like these little voices sharing JOY this morning with us) that start the slow process of healing.  May you find hope, healing, peace, and love in the little things this holiday.  Remember to “sing loud and proud” like our Head Start friends say!  🙂

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Safety first…

Of course, our thoughts turn to Connecticut…to the victims, the grieving families, and an overwhelmed community in light of recent tragic events.  A letter from Dr. Stewart, MISD Superintendent, and a reminder note from Miller are coming home with your child today.  Please read both and don’t hesitate to contact our school office should you have additional questions or concerns.

My mind never shut down this past weekend.  We all know a safe, caring learning environment is critical to success everyday.  We make safety our first priority and follow procedures and specific measures to ensure we are doing everything we can to keep each person safe while on campus.  We have strong working relationships with and the support of our community first responders who spend countless hours training and preparing us.  We practice our safety drills (lockdown, shelter-in-place, and evacuation) and our crisis plan with our entire campus.  Our staff participates in table-top sessions and other safety exercises conducted by experts in the field.  Is it enough?  Are we ever fully prepared for every single scenario?

Please know this:  We will do everything we can to keep every person safe in our school.

Safety comes first.  We always appreciate everything you do to follow our protocols and assist in our learning environment when you visit us on campus.  Unfortunately, this tragedy (and so many others) reminds us all to be keenly aware of our surroundings and to report unusual people or situations to the proper authorities, regardless of the setting you find yourself in at the time.

Here’s hoping you can rest a little easier remembering we believe in safety first…