Wednesday MM - Day "F"

Good Morning!

Please watch this STEM Fair video with your students at a convenient time today! 

Go to the K: drive

• 2013-14
• STEM PICS and VIDEO
• STEM Fair

Thanks to Mrs. Swanson and our students for channeling their STEM fair enthusiasm into this 3 minute montage. 

Also please make plans with your Mix-it-up buddy class to share and view class projects next week as our school will be stocked with amazing learning opportunities!

No PD today as we have a faculty meeting next Wednesday and STEM Fair next Thursday.

Subs:

Catharine Lowe for Michelle

No sub for Deb Gray

James Reams for Tonya L. 

Tuesday MM - Day "E"

Good Morning!

We want to balance the joy and excitement of the season with the academic "press" that is our main objective.  To this end let's be sure to schedule our Holiday classroom celebrations for the afternoon on one of the last two or three days of this year. 
(Wednesday-Friday, December 18, 19 or 20)

If your celebration keeps you from the lunch room, I am SURE you have already informed our cafeteria manager.  If that has not occurred, please do so ASAP.

We do not have any holiday assembly planned for the last week of school so PLEASE encourage ALL families to attend the PTA STEM FAIR event and holiday program by the 4th and 5th grades on December 19th.

I am at the Joint Principals meeting today and will return near noon.  the agenda is posted in the "Blog documents" folder on the Staff Shared Drive.

Subs:
Deb Gray for Trish
Rosemary Hazy for Darcy

Re-COG-nition for STAFF

• I am grateful for Scott Houston who makes the media center able to have many activities running concurrently
• Mrs. Anderson - thank you so much for the kind words in the hall the other day on how I have been doing.  It helped make my day!
• Michelle, I really admire the ability you have to make such an incredible difference in the lives of your students.  You make such a positive impact on them all!  you take such care to recognize each child's needs and find such creative and inspiring ways to help them grow, not only in knowledge but in character
• Mrs. Mason's Smile and flexibility is appreciated DAILY!
• Props go to Stacy Swanson,  AWESOME job with Technology
• I am grateful for Silvia!  She is the smiling "glue" that is at once caring, organized and persistent in keeping us rolling along as smoothly as possible
• Lisa, thanks you for teaching touch math to all of the 4th graders
• Mrs Ray, HANG TOUGH!  you are Awesome
• Paige, I am lucky to have such a fun and supportive partner in crime
• Jenny - Wise beyond her years, helpful and caring
• Debbie Gray - you have a keen sense of each student's needs and you know just what to do
• Mrs. Fidali thinks about the students first in everything she does
• Janet Gauss is a wonderful friend who is supportive and encouraging - a good person and a talented teacher
• I am thankful that Donna McNatt is very organized and great to work with!
• Mrs. Catstello - thanks for the vibrant energy that you bring to our school

Monday MM - Day "D"

Good Morning!

We have Asked, We have Imagined, We have PLANNED...Today We CREATE.

Subs:
Emma Pitts for Nancy

Michelle Hart for Demarie

(Andy and Demarie are at a PBIS coach meeting today and will return after lunch)

Here are the remainder of the Appreciation cards that identify Multiple staff members.
Individual recognition's will be sprinkled in the remainder of this weeks blog posts.

• Mrs. Hailstock and Mrs. Kiger were very helpful and supportive of me coming into their classrooms a their new assistant
• Bridget and Deb, It's fun being your class big buddies!  Excited for the rest of the year.
• To all specialists; Thanks you for all the wonderful lessons you provide to our whole school.  Classroom teachers appreciate the time you give us to plan.
• Joel, Stephanie, Michelle, Marcella, Jennifer, James, Cindy and Tanya - I appreciate your vision initiative and inspiration as you create Little-Free-Libraries for our community.
• Thanks to Mrs cook and Davis whom are willing to help any and everybody
• Thanks to all of the assistants for their hard work they put in daily
• To the whole Brunson Staff;  Thanks you for sharing your love, nuturance and profession with me, the students, their families and each other.  I love you and I love working with you!
• Thanks to all the people who get pushed and pulled in a thousand directions at a time and try to do it with a smile (that's not always easy)
• I want to thank the entire staff for being my support system these past couple of years! 
• I am grateful and thankful for the professionalism and kindness everyone has shown this year.
• Thanks you to our assistants who work hard and try to help teachers as much as possible
• Thanks to our administrators for letting us teach the way we think is a great fit for our kids (as long as we are doing it right)
• I am thankful for Donna McGee and Sara Davis who have been supportive and who always share their perspectives in a professional manner
• To Jeff, Andy and Kathy; Thank you for always being supportive and upbeat.  It's refreshing to our atmosphere and makes teaching fun!
• Joel, Jeff, James, Mr. Kirby, Scott and Willie - thanks for participating in Movember. Men's physical health and mental wellness are often not discussed openly.  You are renegades with sketchy facial hair.  Bravo!
• I am thankful for the continual support i feel from the administration.  I am given the freedom to make decisions about what is best for my own class.
• I am thankful for a strong specials team that work so well together integrating their own curriculum w/ those of the other subjects and grades as well!  yeah
•  Specialists, Thanks for welcoming me with open arms and minds this year. You all have truly made my transition to a new school smooth with little stress.
• Every single person at Brunson has affected me in different ways and I am grateful for a warm-welcome and open minded attitude.  Foreigners have the power to make others afraid of them yet also generate curiosity, interest, develop kindness love compassion and patience.  You have been such a great blessing to me!

Friday MM - Day "C"

Good Morning!

Thank you for all the well wishes that I received after my two days out sick.  I truly sensed that my presence was missed, and it felt good to be appreciated, thanks!

I had a great conversation with a colleague last night about kindness.  When we, the leaders of all these children, demonstrate kindness it has a multiplicative effect on our students.  I believe most of our negativity is reactive and can become our default method of dealing with "issues."  Let's train ourselves to respond with love to challenging situations and model kindness for all.

Thanks for the support during our tours today.  I am proud of the work we do to create a "home" for our students and their families.  It was very gratifying to see a parent who chaperoned the Thunderbird trip re-connect with students in ALL five fifth grade classes.  Breaking down barriers and celebrating diversity!

Subs:
Rizwana Khan for Marcella
James Reams for Jessie
Rosemary for Kyrie

Thursday MM - Day "B"

Good Morning!

Did you miss the blog yesterday?  I am considering a weekly format with daily sub updates and would like some feedback on your receptive communication style.  We can accomplish this at our faculty meeting on December 18th.  Also on that day we will elect our Teacher of the Year.  Allison has been an excellent representative and it is time for her to pass the torch. 

We have two tours today - 8:30 and 12:00.  Be prepared for visitors as we enter the magnet recruitment, followed by zone choice and subsequently HAG scores for 2nd graders.  January dates are on our calendar.

Subs:
Patty Perrin for Venice
Beverly Baldwin for Paige
Catharine Lowe for Suzette

Tuesday MM - Day "F"

Good Morning!

SIT meeting today at 3:30 in the Art room.  

Lots of subs as we have a differentiation workshop for our HAG staff.

Lina Lopez-Bernal for Marcella
Dana Marcus for Darcy
Camesia Goldsmith for Lara 
David Koerner for Tonya G.
Rosemary for Kyrie
Vickie Jones for Sara D.
Kelly Litner for Brenda
Shelly Kirley for Demarie
Robin Phelps for Donna McGee

Monday MM - Day "E"

Good Morning!

I am thankful for the responsibility of education!  I am thankful for the 15 days we have until the holiday break as I plan to be productive with my time.  I am thankful for you as we travel this path together.

Our penultimate PD session for verbal de-escalation will be Wednesday from 3:25-4:30.

Our district is being evaluated this week for the Broad Prize.  Click the link to see more info and let me know if you have been asked to sit on a focus group.

Subs:
Rosemary Hazy for Kyrie