The Friday Memo

Greetings from the "Mile High City!"

As I compose this post, I can look out my 15th floor window and see a sunset view of the Denver skyline, with lights twinkling in the windows of the buildings, and activity on the 16th Street Mall as the Friday night life gets underway. All of this is shrouded by the beautiful, snow-capped Rocky Mountains.  And to top it all off, the weather has been beautiful!  Would you believe that I waited on the tarmac in Montgomery while the wings of my airplane were de-iced, only to arrive to 72-degree sunny weather on the ground in Denver?  Needless to say, I got in a little sight-seeing after settling into my room Wednesday afternoon!

I can't wait to share with you the many things that I have learned at this conference.  So far, I have attended clinics on time management and organization, brain research as it relates to middle school kids, writing across the curriculum, how to conduct meaningful classroom observations, integration of technology into the curriculum, and how to make any needed cultural changes in a school.  All of this, and I have three more classes tomorrow before the closing session.

The highlight so far was getting to hear Jim Collins, author of Good to Great, talk about how to move a middle school into the "great" category.  We have so much going for us, I know that we can be absolutely stellar!

Folks, I can't tell you how thankful I am and how thankful we all should be that we are at Trinity.  Many of the teachers and administrators I have been around this week are in very difficult circumstances.  Sometimes, their difficulties are caused by overbearing government regulations, standards, and incessant testing.  Other times there are socioeconomic factors that complicate the teaching process.  Classroom management is tough for many, and most feel as though the parents don't really care.

I have spoken to principals who were so frustrated about their lack of technology that I felt embarrassed when I had to honestly answer their questions by telling them we have fifty SmartBoards on our campus.  For most of these people, an Apple Mobile Laptop Cart is a pipe dream.  And, quite frankly, 90% of the people I have met would drop dead of shock if they saw how well behaved our students are.

This weekend, take a few moments to pause, clear your head, and thank the Good Lord that He has placed you at Trinity, given you wonderful facilities and resources, supportive teammates, and great kids.  When parents want to know about the progress of their children, be thankful that they are interested and work with them.  Then come back refreshed Monday morning ready to make a difference in some lives.

Do I sound pumped?  You bet!  And I have good reason.  There is nothing like getting away for a few days only to realize that there is nothing standing in the way of your school being absolutely OUTSTANDING. Let's make it happen!

You guys are THE BEST!  I'm looking forward to seeing you again Monday morning!

Have a great weekend!

PS: You can see a TeacherTube report on the opening day of this conference by clicking here.

The Friday Memo

Happy Friday!

Be sure to congratulate the following art students who received awards last night from the Montgomery Advertiser’s “Design an Ad” contest: Madison Cornett won 2nd place in the 4-6th grade category for her ad designed for McPhillips and Shinbaum, LLP, of Montgomery. Mary Elizabeth Newman won 3rd place in the 7-9th grade category for her ad for Hardee’s Restaurants. Both students received US Savings Bonds as a prize.

Of the 1,202 students who entered the contest, 150 were from Trinity. Considering these numbers, we should be very proud of Mrs. Bricken and these two talented students!

I should also mention that Josey Aughtman, a 5th grader in our Lower School, had her ad selected for publication by Southern School and Medical Uniforms. Way to go Josey!

You can access a full article detailing the “Design an Ad” contest by clicking here.

Here are a few important reminders as we go into the weekend:

1. Please remember to check attendance each period. If a student is missing and is not listed as absent, please press the call button in your room and notify the front office.
2. I hope to have a State Course of Study ready for each of you by Tuesday. When you get these, please begin using them as a reference for the content of your courses. Also, please remember that we agreed to begin turning in lesson plans as of the second semester. It is important to begin thinking in that direction even now.
3. Classroom visits by department chairs and myself are well underway. Some will be quick drop-ins, while others will last longer.
4. Please remember that we will have a joint chapel service with Eastwood School on October 30. The schedule will be posted throughout the school.
5. I will be out of town next Wednesday – Friday attending the National Middle School Association Conference in Denver. I look forward to sharing many exciting things with you when I return!
6. Please remember our K-12 faculty meeting immediately following carpool this coming Monday. This meeting will be held in Willett Hall.
7. Remember to make sure that you clear any field trips with the administration prior to giving out any information regarding the trip. If any middle school students are involved, I need to be informed ahead of time. I may be aware of potential conflicts that are unknown to you.
8. Please remember to cut off your SMART Board projectors if you are going to be out of the room for an extended period of time. These bulbs are very expensive, and we need to make them last as long as possible.
9. Thank you for your feedback concerning hall passes. The faculty is pretty much evenly split on this issue. We will keep things as they are now, and I’ll share an idea with you when we get a chance to meet together as a division in a couple of weeks.
10. For your information: Students may distribute birthday invitations at school ONLY if they are giving one to everyone in their grade. Please help me keep an eye on this one!

Thanks once again for a great job this week! Have a wonderful weekend!

Blog Examples

Good Afternoon!

Here is a site that might inspire you if you've ever thought of hosting a blog site. In any event, it is always fun to see what others are doing in the field of education.

Have a great day!

PS - Thanks to Dr. Frank Buck for passing this site along!!

The Friday Memo

Happy Friday!

Thanks so much for your professionalism and cooperation as we administered our battery of standardized tests this week. We will be using the data obtained from these assessments to drive our second semester curriculum and to shore up our academic weaknesses. More information on how we will go about doing that later.

Here are a few important reminders as we go into the weekend:

1. Please remember to check attendance each period. If a student is missing and is not listed as absent, please press the call button in your room and notify the front office.
2. Your State Course of Study books should be here soon. When you get these, please begin using them as a reference for the content of your courses. Also, please remember that we agreed to begin turning in lesson plans as of the second semester. It is important to begin thinking in that direction even now.
3. Please be prepared for classroom visits by your department chair as well as myself. I will be making frequent visits to your classroom throughout the year, and at times I will only stay for a minute or two. These visits serve to help me keep my finger on the pulse of the school, and provide assistance to you as needed. They are not in any way intended to be “gotcha” visits, so there is no reason for concern or alarm.
4. Although we have made the decision to have our own Middle School chapel services, we will, from time to time, participate in joint services with Eastwood School. One such occasion will occur on October 30. Mr. Yohn has already emailed a class schedule for that day.
5. Remember to make sure that you clear any field trips with the administration prior to giving out any information regarding the trip. If any middle school students are involved, I need to be informed ahead of time. I may be aware of potential conflicts that are unknown to you.
6. If a parent approaches you about taking tests early in order to accommodate a check out, please remind them that they must clear all “family trip” absences and check-outs through my office at least one week prior to the absence.

Thanks once again for a great job this week! Have a wonderful weekend!

The Friday Memo

Happy Friday!

I know everyone is looking forward to our three-day weekend, so enjoy!

Please remember that we start the week with testing, so double-check your assignments.

See you Tuesday!

The Friday Memo

Happy Homecoming Friday!

First of all, a very big THANK YOU for helping us navigate the craziness that is Homecoming week!!! I appreciate your patience and good school spirit.

Just a few things:

1. Please plan on a Middle School faculty meeting Monday immediately following carpool in Kathy Pirtle's room. We have only a few things to discuss, so I'll do everything possible to keep the meeting brief.

2. Keep in mind a few upcoming events: 1) Members of our choral department (including myself) will be traveling to Atlanta on a field trip next Thursday. We will be gone the entire day. 2) October 13 is a school holiday. 3) Testing will begin upon our return to school Tuesday, October 14. Please begin emphasizing the importance of standardized testing as we go through next week.

3. Plan on a k-12 faculty meeting on Monday, October 20.

4. I am ordering a State Course of Study for each of you. We will discuss these, along with some other curriculum items, when we meet Monday.

Please keep the lines of communication open, and continue to let me know how I can help you.

Thanks, as always, for your dedication, professionalism, and friendship!

Have a great weekend!