We All Need This Type of Enthusiasm!

I hope you enjoy watching this video of a three-year-old boy conducting the fourth movement to Beethoven's Symphony No. 5. This shows just how music can stir the soul.  This little kid really knows this piece!

Enjoy:

Faculty Notes

Good Monday Morning!

Here are some important announcements and resources as we begin our final "normal" week before exams:

K-12 Faculty Meeting

There will be a brief K-12 faculty meeting this afternoon beginning at 3:40 in Willett Hall.  We will get a synopsis of our SAIS findings at this meeting.

Division Meeting

There will be no division meeting next Monday.  We will regroup when we return in January and will have a look at our recent test scores, as well as chart a course for the second semester.  Enjoy your afternoon next week!

Apple 1:1 Initiative

As you may now know, we have announced that our Apple 1:1 rollout will take place in grades seven and nine.  This means that our seventh grade teachers will have students attending class each day with a Macbook, and the rest of the secondary grades will quickly follow over the next few years.

As we prepare for this rollout, we will be providing many resources for you to utilize in your classrooms each day.  Here is one for starters - the Apple Education page.  Simply click the link to explore why we believe Apple to be on the cutting edge of education, and to get a look at what a 1:1 program looks like.

Stay tuned for more information and training, as well as some possible school visits.  It is an exciting time to be in education, and an exciting time to be at Trinity!

Have a great week!

Faculty Notes

Good Monday Morning!

Sorry for the late and brief post.  Lots of stuff going on this weekend!

The big announcement for us is that we have a K-12 faculty meeting this afternoon immediately after carpool.  The time is devoted to professional development, and you will receive CEUs for you time.

Some Important Upcoming Dates:

6th Grade Camp Cosby Trip - This Wednesday - Friday

Middle School Division Meeting - Next Monday, November 8

Veteran's Day Holiday - November 11

Congress Day - November 19

Middle School to Shakespeare to see Peter Pan - November 30

Have a great week!

Faculty Notes

Hello, All!  I hope everyone has enjoyed a relaxing weekend.

Here are just a few items as we head into the new week:

Faculty Meeting 

There is no faculty meeting Monday.  Some committees will be meeting, however, so check with the chairpersons of any on which you serve to see if you have a Monday afternoon commitment.

Important Upcoming Dates

The 7th grade Government field trip is this Friday, October 29.  Our 7th grade students and faculty (including myself) will be off campus for the entire day.

Congress Day is Friday, November 19.  More information is forthcoming from Rebecca Helms.

The Rule of Three

I discovered this great article in my leadership reading this week.  It discusses the Rule of Three and how this "rule" makes for more efficient meetings.  I believe the concept could also be applied to teaching a 50-minute class, so I hope you will take a few minutes to explore these ideas.

See you tomorrow!

Faculty Notes

Happy Weekend!

Thanks so much to those of you who came out to the "Minute to Win It" 5th Quarter event after the T. R. Miller game Friday night.  The kids behaved themselves beautifully and we all had a great time! (Be sure to ask Karen Harris about her dress, and you'll get an idea of what you missed if you didn't come!)

Here are some important upcoming events you'll want to be sure and mark on your calendar:

Our 7th Grade Government field trip is set for Friday, October 29.  The entire 7th grade will be off campus for the school day visiting our local and state government offices here in Montgomery and in Pike Road.  For further information, see Whittington McLemore.

Also, grades 6-8 will participate in congress Day on Friday, November 19.  See Rebecca Helms for more information about this event.

Part of my "thank you" for our stellar SAIS comments is an afternoon off this Monday.  NO FACULTY MEETING FOR THE MIDDLE SCHOOL DIVISION!  Enjoy - you deserve it!

Some of you are having students create comic strips to demonstrate that they understand material.  If this idea interests you, this link could be very helpful.

We have recently increased our web presence here in the middle school division.  This article discusses the importance of having such a presence in today's educational environment.

I'm looking forward to seeing each of you Monday!

Faculty Notes

Happy Saturday!

I hope you enjoyed a dress-down day yesterday.  You certainly earned it this week!

Thank you so very much for everything you did to make our SAIS visit a success.  Several of you, along with some of our students, visited with team members, and others covered classes to make this possible.  However, most of all, you each do an outstanding job with our kids, and the visiting team took notice of that in a big way.

Our visitors this week had many nice things to say about our middle school program and about our professional TEAM of educators.  It was obvious to them that you love these children, and that you are passionate about what you do.  Please know that I deeply appreciate each of you and the hard work you do to make our middle school what it is!  Together, we will continue improving for the benefit of our kids.

Now for the announcements:

Please remember that we have standardized testing scheduled for next Tuesday and Wednesday, which includes a noon dismissal.  If you have any questions about your testing responsibilities, please see Becky Shepherd.

We work hard here at Trinity to provide you with as many "perks" as possible.  One of these is the abundant supply of copy paper as well as several ink jet and laser printers.  I am reminded of just how good we have it every time I buy copy paper for my wife to take to her public school job.  Yes, she has to buy her own.

To that end, please be careful with the number of color prints we make -- especially on the library printer.  Ink jet cartridges and laser printer toner tend to be quite expensive and we want to be good stewards of the resources God has entrusted to us.

Our YMCA student groups are putting together a social activity next Friday night following the TR Miller game from 9:15 - 11:15 in Willett Hall.  We need some teachers to assist with chaperoning this event, so please sign up in the copy room if you can help with this.  It promises to be a fun evening and you won't want to miss out!

As educators, we are always looking for ways to take our game to the next level.  I have found Google to be very helpful in my work, and you may want to explore the many ways it can be used to enhance your teaching.  This article shows us 100 ways Google can help the classroom teacher.  I hope you find some useful information!

Have a great weekend!

Faculty Notes

Happy Homecoming Friday!

We all seemed to have survived homecoming week! Now, I hope you'll take some time for yourself this weekend.

Here are a few things to keep in mind as we head out of here today:

SAIS Visit

Our SAIS visiting team will arrive on campus next Tuesday, and will be here through Thursday.  I have asked a few of you to visit with the team for about twenty minutes Wednesday afternoon.  Thank you for agreeing to help with this!  I will be in contact with other faculty members to make sure we can have classes covered for this time span as visiting team members chat with a representation of our faculty.

Thank you for the hard work you have put toward helping us be prepared for next week.  Several of you have served on committees, and have contributed long hours in the preparation of our self-study.  It goes without saying that we owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to Laura Williams, our accreditation coordinator, who has done an outstanding job of keeping everything on track for us.

Please remember that our K-12 faculty meeting has been moved from Monday to Thursday at 3:40 in Willett Hall.  The SAIS visiting team will present their findings to us at this meeting, so please make every effort to be there.

Please consult this week's Faculty and Staff Bulletin for detailed information regarding our SAIS visit.

Professional Development Resources

Here are a few links that I thought would be useful to you in your daily work here at Trinity:

This site offers tips on how to deal with technology glitches as they pop up in your day-to-day work.  With all of the technology we are adding, we could all use some help in this area!

Many of you are entering into the world of project-based learning more and more.  This site offers seven "essentials" for project-based learning.  I hope you can find some useful information there.

As we assign homework to our students, let's constantly ask ourselves if it is appropriate and enhancing the learning process.  This site gives five "hallmarks" of good homework, and is certainly worth a look.

Thank you, as always, for everything you do each and every day.  You are deeply appreciated!

Have a great weekend, and GO CATS!

Faculty Notes

Greetings!

As we approach the end of the work week, I would like to give you a couple of pats on the back as well as remind you of some important items.

First, I can't tell you how much I am enjoying visiting your classes each day!  It is exciting to see the many different things going on across our middle school program, and it is obvious that you care about what you do and pour yourselves into it each and every day.  Thank you!

Also, I am grateful for the way you are using 21st Century communication tools to connect with your students and parents.  This continues to pay big dividends, and ultimately benefits the children we are called to teach.  Way to go!

Please help us with a couple of items:

We continue to have students who are trying to eat their snacks each day in places other than Willett Hall.  Help us remind everyone that snacks are to be eaten in Willett Hall only, and that students are expected to clean up after themselves.

Along that line, when you have lunch duty, please help us get the tables clean on top and below.  Randy and I are going to begin announcements at 12:20pm each day in order to allow for more clean-up time.  Students should not be dismissed from the lunchroom until their areas are completely clean.  Thanks for your help with this.

Homecoming is next week!  Let's all encourage our students to get into the Trinity Wildcat spirit!  Talk up the themes each day and encourage their participation.  It looks like it is going to be a fun-filled week!

Here is some interesting reading that I hope will get us all thinking less about tests and grades, and more about teaching and learning.  Enjoy!

Have a great weekend!

Faculty Notes

Happy Friday!

I have thoroughly enjoyed visiting your classes this week.  It is nice to see so many exciting and innovative things going on in our middle school.  Keep up the good work!

Here are some important announcements and resources as we head into the weekend:

Student Council Election Results

Thanks so much to Whittington McLemore for putting together and running our student council election process this week.  The kids did an outstanding job on their speeches, and we have elected a fine slate of officers for this school year.

Student Council 2010-2011

President - Carter Vance

Vice President - Jarrett Moseley

Secretary - Betsy Byrne

Treasurer - Anna Lee Curles

8th Grade Representative - Madison Cornett

7th Grade Representative - Wilson Shanahan

6th Grade Representative - Will Windham

Congratulations Stan Milton!

Congratulations to Stan and Misty Milton on the birth this week of their daughter, Mary Mason.  She weighed in at 7 lbs. 2 oz. and was 19 1/2" long.  Mother and baby are both doing well.

Techie Tuesdays

Ever get frustrated with all of this new technology?  Remember that we have "Techie Tuesdays" after school each Tuesday afternoon in Willett Hall.  Pete McCoy has but together a blog which includes answers to his most frequently asked questions.  The blog may be found here, and will also be displayed on the sidebar of this blog for easy reference.  Be sure to check out the "Labels" section on the upper right-hand corner of Pete's blog for categories such as SmartBoards, MacBooks, etc.

Project-Based Learning

Many of you are exploring the exciting world of project-based learning in your classrooms.  Tech and Learning provides a great resource of ten project-based learning websites that are full of great ideas that you can put to use right away.  You may access the link by clicking here.

Faculty Blogs and Wikis

Thanks so much for the great job you have done in getting your blogs and wikis out there for the parents and students to view.  I spoke with our 7th grade parents at a luncheon Wednesday, and they were blown away by the wonderful job you are doing.  Keep up the good work!

Remember, you may look at any of our blogs by checking out the tab on my parent blog.  It may be found by clicking here.  If you don't see your site on the list, or if your link is broken, please send me the correct url in an email and I will post it.

Thanks for who you are and what you do each and every day.  You are deeply appreciated!

Have a great weekend!

Faculty Notes

Happy Friday!

I hope you have enjoyed a great, four-day week!

Here are some important reminders as we head into the weekend:

I hope you can make plans to attend the Middle School Blast this coming Monday immediately following the Trinity vs. Montgomery Academy middle school football game.  Our PTO has put this social event together and we are hoping you can drop by even if for just a few minutes.  Pizza and cake will be served from 6:00-7:00pm.  Hope to see you there!

We are going to have a very brief division meeting right after carpool Monday in Whittington McLemore's room.  I will send an agenda via email so you will know what to expect at the meeting.

Please remember that we are scheduled to have a chapel next Wednesday for Common Ground Ministries.  We will be on activity schedule that day.

You might want to check out these great resources on formulating critical thinking questions.  Some of our teachers have used these products in the past with excellent results.

If you have some time this weekend, you might want to read this brief blog article outlining the top 10 social networks for educators.  There is a great deal of sharing and collaboration going on among educators and you might want to get in on the conversation.

Thanks for the outstanding job you are doing each day.  I hope you have a fabulous weekend!

Faculty Notes

Happy Labor Day!

I hope everyone has enjoyed a relaxing three-day weekend!  You certainly deserve the break.

Here are a few announcements as we move into a new week:

Requests for PTO funds are due to Mr. Neu by this Friday.

Please remember that requests for assistance with technology should be addressed to Jackson-Thornton via the information given to you earlier. If you do not have one of their cards, please see me.  Additionally, maintenance requests should be made by using the maintenance email.

It is most important that tests for the following week are posted on the board in the teacher workroom by noon each Friday.  I publish these to parents on my middle school blog, and the information needs to accurate.

Please continue to help us with dress code issues.  Questions about uniform items (such as shoes) should be addressed to Randy Ragsdale.  Sensitive issues regarding our young ladies and their uniform attire should be addressed to Becky Shepherd.  Becky handles such matters discretely, and parents have told us how much they appreciate such discretion in potentially embarrassing situations involving their children.

We are using a rotation system for administering make-up tests once again this year.  This rotation was communicated to parents Friday, and is as follows:

Monday - Electives/Bible

Tuesday - English

Wednesday - Science

Thursday - Social Studies

Friday - Math

Check out these alternatives to YouTube for use in the classroom.  These suggestions come courtesy of Free Technology for Teachers, a fantastic blog worthy of inclusion on your subscription list.

See you Tuesday!

Faculty Notes

I hope everyone had a great week!

Please be prepared to attend a division meeting immediately after carpool Monday.  We will be starting off in Whittington McLemore's room and then dividing into two groups using the classrooms in that pod.  Please bring your Mac to this meeting as there will be a professional development component to our time together.  CEUs will be provided.

As we continue to implement more and more technology in our classrooms, I would like to remind you not to forget the powerful tool that is iTunes U.  iTunes U recently surpassed the 300-million-download milestone.  These downloads are from major colleges and universities from around the world, and I am sure there is plenty of useful material there if we're willing to look for it.  This article discusses the many uses of iTunes U.

I hope you have a great weekend, and I'll see you Monday!

Friday Notes

Happy Friday!  We have officially survived the first FULL week of school!

We have several announcements this week, so here goes:

Please mark your calendars for a couple of upcoming important dates:

August 30 - We will have a division meeting at 3:40pm.  Our regular meeting rotation will begin the Tuesday after Labor Day with a K-12 faculty meeting in Willett Hall.  Division meetings will fall the second Monday of every month.  If we are out on a Monday, the meetings will be held on Tuesday.

September 13 - We are planning a parent/student/teacher get-together immediately following the middle school football game against MA.  Please try to drop by even if for just a few minutes.  Also, please try to keep this event in mind when scheduling tests and projects for the 14th.

Please post some grades to Edline by August 30.  Our commitment to parents is that we will post grades every 2nd and 4th Monday of the month.  Proactive communication with our parents is of paramount importance here at Trinity.

Please remember our PTO Back to School Night next Tuesday, August 24.  Parents will be coming to your classes to meet you after a brief program in Willett Hall.  The schedule for the evening is as follows:

7:00 - Parent Meeting - Willett Hall
1st Period     7:30-7:37
2nd Period    7:42-7:49
3rd Period     7:54-8:01
4th Period     8:06-8:13
5th Period     8:18-8:25
6th Period     8:30-8:37
7the Period   8:42-8:49

We will have our first chapel of the year next Wednesday, August 25, in Willett Hall.  We will be following activity schedule.

We will follow a pep rally schedule next Friday, August 27 as we have the first pep rally of the year.

Each year, Beloit College publishes their "Mindset List."  The list consists of facts concerning the incoming freshman class (college class of 2014).  I thought you might find it entertaining.  The "Mindset List" for this year may be found here.  

Have a great weekend!

Great First Week!

Hats off to each of you for making this a great first week back in the saddle!  Things are running smoothly, and that is because of your hard work and professionalism.  Thank you!

Just a couple of reminders as we head into our first full week of school:

We have a K-12 faculty meeting Monday afternoon in Willett Hall.  We should begin at about 3:40pm.  Our topic will be the accreditation process and what to expect when our visiting team arrives in October.

Our end of quarter dates for this academic year are as follows:

1st Quarter - October 8
2nd Quater - December 17
3rd Quarter - March 4
4th Quarter - May 19

Please remember that our Pyramid of Success Character Education Program begins Monday.  You may pick up the first block of your pyramid from Kelly Long.  Next week's theme is "Industriousness," about which Coach Wooden said, "Success travels in the company of very hard work. There is no trick, no easy way."

Coach Wooden believed Industriousness to be one of the chief cornerstones of success, hence, we begin with that block.  We will then move on to Enthusiasm, which serves as the second cornerstone of the pyramid.  From that point, we will fill in the bottom, then move up.

Remember that our plan is to simply look for ways throughout the week where it is appropriate to discuss or reinforce the theme.  I will prepare a devotional for Monday's lunch announcements which will serve as an introduction for each week.

In encourage you to visit Coach Wooden's Official Website and learn more about him and his teaching philosophy.  It is important to note that Coach Wooden was a high school English teacher for many years, and considered himself a "basketball teacher" rather than a coach.  There is much to be learned from this well-lived 99 year life.

I hope you and your family enjoy a wonderful weekend.  See you Monday!

A Tribute to My Teacher

Dr. Harry Begian 1921-2010

Yesterday, I received some very sad news.  Although I knew it was coming sooner rather than later, it was still a bit of a shock, and cast a pall over my day.  Dr. Harry Begian, my friend, conducting teacher, and mentor, died at the age of 89.

During my college years at Troy State, Dr. Begian would spend the summer with us, sharing his wisdom and forming close friendships with many of us.  He was very dedicated, especially considering the fact that he was giving up his summer vacation in the north woods of Michigan where he had a beautiful lake house, to endure the thick, humid heat of Troy, Alabama.

Dr. Begian was a band director's band director.  His programs at Cass Technical High School in Detroit, Michigan State University, and the University of Illinois set the standard to which all other bands aspired.  He was a marvelous conductor and a master teacher.

With Dr. Begian at his Hall of Fame induction - 1994

Harry Begian was hired by Dr. Johnny Long to teach graduate conducting classes at Troy and to co-direct the summer band.  However, on any given day, you could find him hanging out with the undergraduates such as myself.  He enjoyed going through music in the library with us, and we eventually got to the point that we met for breakfast each morning at McDonald's.  He allowed me to sit in on his graduate level classes, and gave me private conducting lessons daily at no charge.  One summer, after returning to Michigan, Dr. Begian sent me two conducting batons that he made in his wood working shop along with a nice, handwritten personal note.  Needless to say, they are among my prized possessions today.

Harry Begian was my teacher, and he made a significant impact on my life because I knew that he genuinely cared about me.  He didn't have to say so - he simply lived it.  My life was better for having known him.

Dr. Begian was always teaching.

As we prepare to begin another year in the classroom, please remember that your students will be watching you each day.  Keep in mind that who you are shows through, and small actions that demonstrate love are absorbed and remembered for a lifetime.

My biggest regret today is that I didn't pick up the phone over the last few months and give Dr. Begian a call.  Most of your students won't either.  But that doesn't mean you don't make a difference - you do; and you were placed in your position at Trinity to do just that.

Enjoy the remainder of your summer vacation.  Let's make this year the best yet!

Great Meeting Today!

Thanks so much to those of you who were able to attend our middle school division meeting today.  I appreciate your input and look forward to a GREAT YEAR!

Greetings from Philly!

Hello, All!

Just a reminder that we have a middle school division meeting scheduled for next Thursday, July 22. You should have received an email regarding this. Please RSVP by replying to the email, so we can prepare for lunch. If you didn't receive the email or can't find it, please let me know and I'll re-send.

I have been attending a great ISM conference in Philadelphia entitled "Leading Today's Changing Middle School." I am looking forward to sharing with you many exciting things from this intensive, six-day event.

I hope your summer is going well, and I look forward to seeing each of you very soon!

Faculty Notes

Happy Friday!

How many days until we're out? I bet you know the answer to that one!

Please remember to get with me for your end of year conference. You can do this via email, or you may certainly stop by my office and we'll find a date on the calendar.

Also, it is important that we work with department heads to get accurate supply lists in so we can publish those this summer. Take some time and see what, if any, changes you wish to make in your lists for next year.

Take a Class at Harvard

The headmaster at Mt. Vernon Presbyterian School recently posted a set of links to some fascinating university lectures that are published online. I took some time to watch a philosophy lecture at Harvard, and enjoyed it immensely. You may read his post, and explore the links, by clicking here.

Have a great weekend!

Faculty Notes

Good Afternoon!

Please remember to stop by or drop me an email so we can schedule your end of year meeting. I am looking forward to visiting with each of you over the next couple of weeks.

Pay careful to the events listed on the Faculty Staff Bulletin. We have several things going on which will alter our daily schedule in the coming weeks.

I thought it would be different to end the week with some plain spoken wisdom from one of my favorite authors and humorists, Mark Twain.

Always do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest. -- Mark Twain

Doing right is sometimes very difficult. We certainly want to teach our students to do the right and honorable thing, even when it could set them up for rejection. Perhaps we could encourage our kids with these Paradoxical Commandments by Dr. Kent Keith. You may find some inspiration here as well:

1. People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered. Love them anyway.

2. If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives. Do good anyway.

3. If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies. Succeed anyway.

4. The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway.

5. Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable. Be honest and frank anyway.

6. The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds. Think big anyway.

7. People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs. Fight for a few underdogs anyway.

8. What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight. Build anyway.

9. People really need help but may attack you if you do help them. Help people anyway.

10. Give the world the best you have and you'll get kicked in the teeth. Give the world the best you have anyway.

Have a great weekend!

Faculty Notes

Good Evening!

I hope you've enjoyed this spectacular weekend!

Please remember that we have a brief K-12 faculty meeting tomorrow afternoon (with some GOOD NEWS!) just before our professional development workshops. If you haven't signed up for a session just yet, I encourage you to do so sometime during the day tomorrow. You will find the sign up sheet in the teacher's lounge.

I invite you to take a couple of minutes to read this thought provoking article on formative assessment. In fact, the entire blog is filled with great stuff for teachers!

I hope you have an outstanding week!

Using Google Earth in the Science Classroom

Tech and Learning recently sent me a great article about how science teachers can use Google Earth in the classroom. You may access the article by clicking here.

You Make the Difference

Teachers,

Here is a friendly reminder of the difference you can make each day. Thank you for who you are and what you do for the students at Trinity!

It's Up to Me

by Haim Ginott

I've come to the frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element in the classroom. It's my daily mood that makes the weather. As a teacher, I possess a tremendous power to make a child's life miserable or joyous. 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 decides whether a crisis will be escalated or de-escalated and a child humanized or de-humanized.

Have a Terrific Thursday!

Maps for Bible Class

Those of you who teach Christian Studies courses will want to check out this great web resource which includes maps of Paul's missionary journeys, the travels of Jesus, and a map of places mentioned in the book of Revelation, among others.

Enjoy!

Faculty Notes

Happy Friday!

I hope this has been a great week for you. We've had a lot going on, and things will really be heating up as we head into this final stretch of the school year. Hang in there! We're almost done!

Here are a few important reminders as we enter the weekend:

1. There will be a middle school division meeting Monday afternoon at 3:40 in Kathy Pirtle's room. We will be discussing, among other things, the roll out of our Apple laptop computers in a few weeks. Hopefully, you will gain a better understanding of why we are moving in this direction.

2. Please remember that our parents expect Edline to be updated at least every other Monday (the second and fourth Monday of the month, specifically). This becomes even more important as we approach the end of the school year.

3. Proactive communication is paramount in our effort to foster a healthy relationship between parents and teachers. Please remember to be prompt when returning emails and phone calls. Better yet, make the effort to contact parents at the first sign of trouble, or when a child is showing marked improvement.

I encourage you to check out this story in the The New York Times having to do with refining Google searches. It is amazing what all Google can do!

I leave you this week with a story which was passed on to me by Dr. Allen Clark, the chairman of the Trinity Board of Trustees. I hope it helps you realize just how important you are!

WHAT DO TEACHERS MAKE?

The dinner guests were sitting around the table discussing life.

One man, a CEO, decided to explain the problem with education. He argued, "What's a kid going to learn from someone who decided his best option in life was to become a teacher?"

To stress his point he said to another guest; "You're a teacher, Barbara . Be honest. What do you make?"

Barbara, who had a reputation for honesty and frankness replied, "You want to know what I make? (She paused for a second, then began...)

"Well, I make kids work harder than they ever thought they could.

I make a C+ feel like the Congressional Medal of Honor winner.

I make kids sit through 40 minutes of class time when their parents can't make them sit for 5 without an I Pod, Game Cube or movie rental.

You want to know what I make? (She paused again and looked at each and every person at the table)

I make kids wonder.

I make them question.

I make them apologize and mean it.

I make them have respect and take responsibility for their actions.

I teach them to write and then I make them write. Keyboarding isn't 
everything.

I make them read, read, read.

I make them show all their work in math. They use their God given brain, not the man-made calculator.

I make my students from other countries learn everything they need to know about English while preserving their unique cultural identity.

I make my classroom a place where all my students feel safe.

I make my students stand, placing their hand over their heart to say the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag, One Nation Under God, because we live in the United States of America.

Finally, I make them understand that if they use the gifts they were given, work hard, and follow their hearts, they can succeed in life ( Barbara paused one last time and then continued.)

Then, when people try to judge me by what I make, with me knowing money isn't everything, I can hold my head up high and pay no attention because they are ignorant.

You want to know what I make?

I MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

What do you make Mr. CEO?

His jaw dropped, he went silent.

A profound answer!!!

Have a Great Weekend!

A Cup of Cold Water

Teachers,

I have posted a video on my parent blog which shows the well our students funded in Africa. Click here to check it out.

Many thanks to Kristin Barringer for heading this up!

I hope you are having a fantastic day!

Taking Google to the Next Level

Teachers,

The folks over at Free Technology for Teachers have posted a set of instructions on how to use the many features of Google in your classroom. You may access the post here.

Stay tuned for our regular weekly posting later today.

Faculty Notes

Good Monday Morning!

I hope everyone enjoyed a wonderful spring weekend!

When you have a minute, I would like for you to read the blog post I wrote this week for our parents. It has to do with raising children in the home, but we could surely adapt this wisdom for our classrooms. You may access the post here.

Best wishes for a fantastic week!

Embedding Google Maps Into Your Wiki

The folks over at Free Technology for Teachers have posted an instructional video for those of you who may need to embed Google Maps into your wiki. You may access the post here.

Faculty Notes

Happy Friday!

I hope yours has been a good week! Hang in there - just one more week to go before Spring Break!

Here are a couple of important announcements:

1. We will have a brief faculty meeting Monday afternoon in Kathy Pirtle's room.

2. Please remember that we have invested in an important webinar on bullying. You may view this webinar anytime next week. Login information is available in the Upper School section of this week's Faculty Bulletin.

3. We will have a middle school chapel service Wednesday, March 10, and will be on Activity Schedule for that day. Our guest speaker will be Stuart Davidson, a Trinity graduate who is now minister to students at First Baptist Church Montgomery.

You might want to take some time to check out some of these resources over the weekend. In the coming weeks, I will work to give you more from the educational blogs I read.

Have a great weekend!

Faculty Notes

I hope you have enjoyed your weekend. Just think, only two more weeks until Spring Break!

Please remember to be consistent with respect to our discipline plan, the posting of grades, and communication with parents. As we enter the spring, it is more important than ever that we follow procedures and present a united front when dealing with our students. Taking care of business on our end will make things run more smoothly for all involved.

Those of you who have lunch duty, please help each day by clearing the Willett Hall lobby and the restrooms when we begin our announcements. We have some students who are hanging out in those places until the bell rings, and they need to hear any announcements that Coach Ragsdale or I may have.

I hope you find the following tips helpful as we enter a new week. See you in the morning!

10 Resolutions for a Great School Year

Resolution No. 1: I will learn a new technology to enhance my teaching. Resolution No. 2: I will not teach my lessons the same way I did last year. Resolution No. 3: I will only take papers or lesson planning home with me on designated weeknights. I will leave some nights and weekends just to enjoy my personal life free from schoolwork. Resolution No. 4: I will collaborate more with colleagues in my school and in other schools around the world. Resolution No. 5: I will not eat my lunch alone in my room every day. Resolution No. 6: I will give every student a clean slate, regardless of what other students, parents, or school staff have told me. Resolution No. 7: I will be a positive light—even if I'm surrounded in negativity. Resolution No. 8: I will try to improve my school, not just my class. Resolution No. 9: I will do my best to provide for my students. Resolution No. 10: I will learn at least one new skill this year outside my comfort zone.

Faculty Notes

Hello, All!

I hope everyone enjoyed the beautiful weekend we just had!

Please remember that we have an important professional development opportunity tomorrow regarding the integration of technology into the curriculum. As a part of the training, I will show you how I made the DC videos that were so popular with our parents. In fact, here is the latest:

Please also remember to keep Edline updated, and make sure that you sign up for tests on the board in the teacher workroom.

See you tomorrow!

Happy Long Weekend

Due to the long weekend, we will deal with announcements, etc, when we return to school next Tuesday. For now, enjoy the snow and get some rest!

See you all next week!

DC Bound!

Well, some of us are headed to Washington, D. C. tomorrow morning, so keep us in your prayers. We're looking forward to a great trip!

I encourage you to check out my parent blog at www.tpsmiddle.blogspot.com where you will find a daily YouTube video of our adventures. It should look much like the one below which features our civics field trip to state government buildings back in the fall.

Enjoy, and I'll see you next week!

Faculty Notes

I hope everyone has enjoyed a relaxing weekend!

Here is a photo of our administrative team in San Francisco earlier this week. We had the opportunity to visit the corporate headquarters of Apple Computers. Two days of briefings were designed especially for our school's unique needs. I came away from the conference more excited than ever before to be in the field of education, especially here at Trinity.

As we enter a new week, please make sure you have updated grades on Edline. Our parents are expecting this every other Monday, and we want to do our part to keep the lines of communication open.

Thanks for encouraging our students to support the relief effort in Haiti. As of Friday afternoon, we have raised right around $3,000.

Please welcome Connie Cantey to our staff. She will serve as our 7th grade English teacher for the remainder of the year. Becky Faulkner will take over Connie's tutoring duties.

See you tomorrow!

Faculty Notes

Happy Friday!

Thanks for another great week here at Trinity! It is wonderful to walk the halls and see and hear the great instruction going on in the classroom each day. We seem to be back into a routine now that the second semester has started, and you are doing a fabulous job.

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

1. Please remember to sign up for test days on the sheets in the teacher workroom. This information is posted to my parent blog each Friday and our parents rely on it to help their children prepare for the week ahead. We should have no more than two tests per day in any grade, and there should be no test surprises.

2. I will be in San Fransisco through Thursday of next week attending an executive briefing at the Apple corporate headquarters. We have been invited to the west coast to see the latest in Apple educational products as well as those in development. We will also have the opportunity to advise Apple officials as to what we would like to see in the classroom. I am hoping to come back with some great information. Randy Ragsdale will be acting middle school principal in my absence.

3. Please remember to keep Edline updated regularly. Our commitment to parents is that grades will be posted the second and fourth Monday of each month. It is most important that we maintain this schedule.

4. Parental contact is very important. Be sure to let parents know of any concerns you have regarding their students. But also remember to send a quick email or make a phone call when students are caught doing something well. Many times our parents only hear of the bad things their kids do, when there is plenty of good also. As I said in faculty meeting Monday, let's love these kids and show them that love each day.

5. We are going back to uniform attire for outer wear beginning next week. I will remind students at lunch today in addition to announcing it in the parent blog. Be on the lookout for non-uniform jackets next week.

Thank you for everything you do to make Trinity such a special place. We are truly blessed to have each of you here!

Have a great weekend!

Faculty Notes

I hope this blog post finds you enjoying a great weekend!

Thanks for making our first week back a tremendous success. We began the week with an outstanding presentation on organization by Dr. Frank Buck, and we ended with a late morning just in time for those of us who stayed up late to watch the BCS National Championship. (Someone told me they saw Kathy Pirtle cruising up and down the Atlanta Highway Thursday night yelling ROLL TIDE! - do you really think she'd do that??)

Anyway, not much to report here - I'll save everything for the faculty meeting scheduled for Monday afternoon. Don't complain - remember, we're the only division that didn't have one Monday!

Have a great weekend!

Cool Math Resources

in a recent blog post, Damien Riley over at Dynamite Lesson Plan offers up some great resources for math teachers of all grade levels. If you teach math, check these out and see if they could be useful in your classroom.

Best wishes for a great semester!