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Matt Sanders’ Day!

StuCoSBMEach January, we pause to express our appreciation for a very special group of volunteers: the Midlothian ISD School Board of Trustees. The 2014-2015 Board members are Todd Hemphill (president), Keith Hitt (vice-president), Matt Sanders (secretary), Duke Burge, Jim Mentzel, Tom Moore, and Carl Smith (trustees).  We were especially proud to honor Matt Sanders this morning during our weekly Miller Rally to recognize and celebrate his work!

Usually, we don’t think of school board members as school volunteers, but they do, in fact, volunteer to serve.  School board members give their time, energy, and counsel to the school district without pay.  They take on the job of governing the district – making the best decisions they can for our children – with the full understanding they will receive only the satisfaction of their contribution.

Their contributions, however, should not be understated.  The volunteer efforts of the school board members have the potential for tremendous benefit to the community as a whole and to the lives of the students individually.  By serving the district in this important governance role, school board members lay the foundation for the future.

The men and women who make the time to generously provide this important public service do so because they care.  One StuCo member noted, “They care about their our education, they care about the schools being the best they can be, and they care about the next generation–ME– and my future in this community!”  Yes, it is the selfless act of accepting SBRM-2015responsibility for the educational process that helps our children grow into successful, productive citizens.  Board service is truly “a work of heart.”

Thank you, MISD Board Members!  Here’s hoping you join us in celebrating School Board Recognition Month in January, and take a moment to express your appreciation for the volunteer efforts of our MISD School Board Members!

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The Power of Self-Talk!

self-talkWhile visiting classrooms today I noticed a friend working alone and talking quietly into a whisper phone.  I asked, “How are things going today?”  The response, “Well, it’s taking a lot of self-talk to get this day started.”  🙂

I remember some powerful advice my saintly husband, Michael, gave me years ago when I questioned him about why he loved running marathons and how he did it so successfully:  “I’ve learned to talk to myself instead of just listening to myself.”  WHAT?  “If I listen to myself, all I hear are excuses and reasons why I should give up and not keep moving forward.  When I talk to myself, I give encouragement and words I need to keep running in order to cross that finish line.”

This is life, especially in teaching and learning in our self-talk2classrooms!  Too often we listen to ourselves (and others) and hear complaints, self-doubt, fear, or negativity; we allow the energy vampires (thank you, Jon Gordon) to suck us dry!  What we need to choose to do is feed ourselves with our positive voice so we fuel our words, thoughts, beliefs, and actions into motion!  Just like my little friend on the whisper phone this morning, the positive talk gives strength and power to overcome the challenges of the day in order to experience personal greatness.

As we start second semester at LME, may we all keep running forward, staying positive, and learning to talk to ourselves.  Here’s hoping we all follow the power of self-talk…and don’t forget to raise your hands into the air in JOYful celebration when you cross the beautiful finish line of this school year!  🙂

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STAAR light; STAAR bright; STAAR Parent Night!

Have you wondered…staar

  • What STAAR tests will my child take this year?
  • What is the correlation between the STAAR Test and the State Curriculum (TEKS)?
  • When will I see scores?
  • What is SSI and which students are involved?
  • What can I do to help my child be prepared for testing days?

These are ALL great questions and we’d love to have the opportunity to share the answers with you in person!  Please join the MISD Elementary School administrators for a Parent Informational Meeting about STAAR on Tuesday, January 27th at 6:30 p.m. at the MISD Boardroom at LA Mills Administration Building for this informational meeting.  Bring your questions and your smiles. We hope to see you there!

Karena Blackwell, Longbranch Elementary Principal

Kyle Chambers, JA Vitovsky Elementary Principal

Shannon Thompson, JR Irvin Elementary Principal

Beth Van Amburgh, Larue Miller Elementary Principal

Karen Childers, Mt. Peak Elementary Principal

Courtney Carpenter, TE Baxter Elementary Principal

 

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The DIY child…

DIY-KIDS1A young little friend informed me, “I do it myself!”  As the adult just trying to assist with the zippering of the coat before braving the strong north wind, I was immediately struck by this child’s need to overcome this particular obstacle on her own.  What I needed to remember in this vivid moment was to not overrule but to support her desire to complete the task alone.  She wasn’t willing to give up on doing it herself, so why was I trying to make her?

I started PONDERing (my one word goal this school year) about children and self-sufficiency.  All parents want their children to be self-sufficient, right?  It’s hard to grasp the reality how one of our main jobs as parents (and educators) raising children is to give them the tools to help them not need us eventually.  As a dear friend reminded me years ago, “You are raising these precious babes to leave you.”  What?!?

As an empty-nester with children in the “real world” now, I can completely vouch for the need for self-sufficiency.  From learning to walk and talk to tying shoes or packing lunches to driving a vehicle (oh my stars!) to paying tuition and bills on time, these outward expressions of important independence compound through the years.  It takes confidence to master new tasks; the more you succeed, the more capable you feel to move forward.  Yes, it’s tricky to know when to back off (especially when “saving” feels nurturing and may even save time), but consider the alternative . . .

A 2012 study published in Family Relations Journal found that young adults who have been “overparented” in childhood were more likely to have depression, anxiety, and a strong sense of entitlement.  “Behavior problems will show up at school, in friendships, and later down the line at work and with life partners,” notes Dr. Marti Erickson, of the series Mom Enough.  “There’s often an inability to handle tasks without a great deal of direction and support, which wears other people out.”  This is strong observation for those who only have the best intentions behind their constant coddling.  The reality is our children are wired to wriggle out of our grasp and are truly made to be self-sufficient as they grow.  Basically what we need to remember is not to overcome all the obstacles for them; if we don’t allow them to “do it myself,” they will eventually give up.

In reading Sheri Noga’s book Have The Guts To Do It Right:  Raising Grateful and Responsible Children In An Era Of Indulgence, she points out that, at our core, we simply don’t want to see our children suffer for even a second!  “Most parents know what their children are capable of, but step in too soon to save them or to make things easier for them immediately; long term benefits, though, should always trump momentary discomfort every time.”

So ask yourself these questions before you rush right in with help on task:

  1. Is my child in any real danger?
  2. Can I live with the outcome?
  3. What’s the best-and-worst-case scenario?
  4. Does my child have the necessary skills to do this?

If there is no real danger and the child has the skills, then back away and be the secure base so your child can venture out; she knows you are there in case of serious trouble.  🙂

We will continue to PONDER this idea of our DIY children.  When raising children the days are really long sometimes, but the years are far too short…especially when you hear the words, “I do it myself!”  🙂

Note:  We enJOYed 2015 seconds of uninterrupted reading today as we “Warmed Up To Reading in 2015!”  Thanks for sending so many books!

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Parent Lesson Plan…

organizeDuring a phone conversation today with a parent, the mom asked, “Mrs. Van, my One Word this year is ‘organize.’  I’m not all that organized and remain a work in progress, but I really want to start 2015 by helping my seven-year-old son stay organized and on track each day with school work and more.  Do you have any tips I could implement at home?”  Here’s a Baker’s Half-Dozen as a parent lesson plan:

1.  Children are truly creatures of habit.  They like consistency, routine, procedures, and expectations.  Even if you’re not organized, most likely the classroom teacher is and each classroom follows a system each day at school.  Talk with your child’s teacher about the current classroom routines for ideas to mimic at home.

2.  At school, each child has a place for a backpack; give him or her the same at home–by the door you enter/leave each day (maybe on a hook or bench) for quick referral and retrieval.  Spend a minute every day cleaning out the backpack, checking for homework or notes, signing folders or assignment books, and organizing for the next day.  This will help you greatly in the morning.

3.  Choose one uncluttered place to designate as the “homework spot,” just like your child’s assigned seat in the classroom.  Viewing this space as “where I do my work” makes it easier to concentrate.  Just like the teacher has a place for supplies, it’s also helpful to stock this homework area neatly with supplies like crayons, pencils, other writing tools, a ruler, notebook paper, etc.–everything is at the ready.  You can find fun storage containers at the dollar store and other places.

4.  Study the family schedule and build in a consistent homework time as part of the daily routine each week–no exceptions.

5.  Use the assignment book and cross off or check off each task when completed (this is empowering for everyone!).

6.  If homework is online (in a program like Edmodo or Google Drive), set up a folder on the computer and a system for access.  This is also a great time to talk about cyber expectations and safety with your child.

7.  For graded work sent back home from the teacher (and to prevent additional clutter), use a banker’s box and toss in anything the child wants to save as he empties the backpack, then recycle the rest (our bins out back take recycled papers).  Celebrate successes!

You can add much to this basic list and please consider yourself invited to do so!  Little ideas like these go a long way in the daily hustle and bustle of school-to-home-to-school.   As always, thanks for being our partners and participating members in our learning community.  Welcome back, LME; Happy 2015!

Note:  School starts again on Tuesday, January 6th @ 7:45 a.m.  Wear your jeans and favorite college shirts tomorrow!

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STOP in 2015…

Happy-New-Year-2015-balloons-Heart-shapeA group of fifth grade writers meet monthly to ponder life, share ideas, and enJOY general conversation about all manner of topics.  We sat down before the holiday break to reflect on our new resolutions, one word goals, and more…our chance to start fresh, leave the past behind, and move forward in a positive way.  The interesting consensus of the group during this discussion was how a new year takes great courage, strong conviction, and a growth mindset to move forward because the best is yet to come!

During the course of our conversation, we also noted how Happy New Year 2015. 3dimportant it is to STOP doing things no longer in our best interest.  Here are a few of their thoughts to STOP in 2015:

1.  Stop telling everyone everything on social media.  Leave some things to chance and imagination.

2.  Stop comparing yourself to others and worrying about what others think.  March to your own drummer and the positive path you create.

3.  Stop focusing on self and more on others; help others and be good to each other…kindness matters! (#LoveServeCare)  🙂

4.  Stop making everything a competition in life.  Compete with your best self and not with others.  Make your choices, accept responsibly, and deal with the consequences (good and bad) of your choices.

5.  Stop being like others; own who you are, where you are, and tell YOUR story in a caring manner.  There is only one “YOUnique” you…  🙂

6.  Stop fearing failure; no one has it all figured out because nothing in life is perfect, especially on the first time.  Failures bring powerful clarity and change in the most positive way; embrace failure to find personal success.

I think they’re on to something grand as we close out 2014 and move boldly forward in 2015 at LME!  Here’s hoping you create your own STOP list as the new year begins.  Happy New Year!  🙂

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Always be HopeFULL…

hopeWhile walking a silent building in the early morning frost today, a small note caught my eye:  “To have hope in your life is exactly what it’s like for a December night to have stars in the sky, especially THE star leading the way reminding me to always be hopeFULL…”  Talk about an inspiring, uplifting, JOYous moment to experience!  This season may be the time for good tidings of great JOY, loved ones and friends gathered together, favorite songs, and twinkling lights, but it’s also a time for deep reflection, gratitude, giving thanks, sharing with others, and building hope for the future.  So to my little author friend, I wish you:

An abundance of JOY;

Feelings warming your world to make you smile;

Friends and loved ones by your side;

People who treasure every memory they get to make with you;

Wonderful surprises in your life;

Beautiful sunrises in your days;

Opportunities coming your way;

Chances you’ve hoped for and goals you’re striving to reach;

Changes you want to make;

Songs in your heart;

Wishes coming true; and most especially,

Reminders of how much nicer this world is because of you!

…so…may all our LME learning community family and friends “always be HopeFULL!”  🙂

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The Gift of Words…

I had the great JOY of sharing a special moment with some truly thoughtful 4th grade friends in Mrs. Kids’ class who chose to share gift of wordsthe Gift of Words with each other this year.  They opened brightly colored packages containing a poem, quote, book, or song to share with one another.  As one friend noted, “We all get stuff but we rarely spend time sharing thoughts and words together with each other.”  So in the spirit of sharing this blessing of WORDS as we close down our campus for the next two weeks of holiday break, enJOY this little poem written in 1943:

The lights are dim, but atop the tree a star is shining bright;

For in spite of closing darkness, it’s Christmas Eve night.

Small hands clasp at a doll’s soft curl, and small eyes open wide;

And a small heart thrills with happiness at the presents side by side.

But dear little one, the things you have are more than those you see;

The gifts at this Christmastime are not placed upon the tree.

A family close in love and JOY, the care that they each give;

The promise you shall always have, this country in which you live.

Each may have some presents, but yours are more precious dear;

For you give love and hope anew by simply being here.

May we always share the gifts we are given, the JOY of this season of giving, and the blessing of sharing words with each other…  Merry Christmas to all!

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JOY and more!

It’s no secret my favorite word is JOY…our learners know it because it’s something we talk about during morning message—finding our own JOY in simple, everyday ways.  We see the word all over the JOYplace during this time of year; you can find it on ornaments, in greetings, on wrapping paper, or even on the smiling young faces of little learners whose eyes sparkle and marvel at the wonder of the season (and there was great JOY on the beautiful faces of our third grade friends who shared their holiday spirit during “North Pole Diaries” last week!).

Additionally there was great JOY on the face of our own Mrs. Griffin-Loftis this afternoon as we celebrated her 21 years of educational excellence in MISD.  Mrs. Griffin-Loftis is retiring from our campus at the end of this month.  Thanks to the staff, fellow colleagues, former students, and others who stopped by to wish her the best.  Well done our great, faithful, JOYous leader of learners!

Yes, JOY surrounds us, but we must teach our little ones the way to find it for themselves and how to share it with others, thus leading me to a couple of challenging questions for today:  How do you share JOY with those you hold dear during this JOYous season?  How do you convey JOY to little ones who look to you for guidance in finding it within themselves?  Perhaps these are tough questions to ponder as you prepare for the coming days ahead…but, as always, may great hope, peace, JOY, and love surround you and those you hold dear!

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Christmas spending…

A group of writers were conversing this morning in a small group about how they spend Christmas.  They were creating a list of ideas to share from the recent poll they conducted in their grade level.  The conversation turned to the way they spend it rather than how much is spent (on things).  I know… my mind was blown!

Of course, I had to share the story of President Andrew Jackson who loved to spend Christmas having a snowball fight with his relatives and the children from the local orphanage or playing games.  Since his wife died early in their marriage, he always shared his home (including the White House) with friends and others.  He would spend time with them versus buying lots of gifts for Christmas (although I feel certain there were gifts too).  He made sure everyone was a part of the big celebration.

One student pointed out one of my favorite animated series, charliebrown1the Peanuts Gang (the Christmas episode in particular), where Linus helps Charlie Brown learn the way to spend Christmas versus how much to spend.  Of course, this leads to our question for you today:  “In what way(s) do you spend Christmas and with whom?”

I believe it was Thoreau (while pondering life on Walden Pond) who noted, “The way you spend Christmas is far more important than how much.”  The group this morning has officially adopted this as their holiday mantra…here’s hoping you will consider it as well.  🙂