CSA Lincoln Newsletter
Friday, November 8th
She was as tough as nails
Happy Friday!
A person does not get to define their legacy. Instead, it will be those around us, watching and listening, who will have the final say. In other words, our actions speak louder than words, so we would be best served to make them count. Rick Weinheimer shared this message with elementary principals at the beginning of this school year.
Rick's comments have stayed with me this week as I reflect on the life of my grandmother. One week ago, I left school early to say goodbye to the strongest woman I've ever known. At age 91, Martha Ann had lived through more than I can imagine. She grew up on a farm and married her high school sweetheart. My grandfather, Norman, passed away on their 70th wedding anniversary. I have vivid memories of her picking us up after school to ride along as she drove a 1-ton manual transmission grain truck to the Trafalgar Co-op. Unload, drive home, reload, and back again. She never forgot to pack a snack and a thermos of hot chocolate for us to share while we waited to unload. Life on the farm wasn't glamorous. She would also have found time to clean the house, make meals, and raise four sons. Those four sons resulted in nine grandchildren and sixteen great-grandchildren. She did all of those things and beat breast cancer.
She did not have a larger than life personality, but those who knew her can attest to the overwhelming generosity and compassion she showed others. She volunteered for much of her life at a clothing pantry in downtown Franklin. She also believed in life lessons and the importance of learning from our mistakes, even if it meant learning it the hard way.
I'll never forget the time I thought it would be a good idea to turn her living room into an obstacle course. I'm guessing that I was in 3rd or 4th grade at the time. The objective was to jump between the couch, chair, and coffee table without touching the floor. She quickly told me that I better stop and if I didn't, I was going to get hurt. Naturally, I tested her, and soon enough was lying on the floor with a severely sprained ankle. She loaded me into the car and spent the 30-minute drive to the hospital, recapping the lesson I had just learned.
That's not the end of the story. It could have been, but not with her. My grandmother, who never weighed more than 100 lbs in her life, proceeded to carry me from the parking lot to the emergency room. I'm telling you, she was as tough as nails. Even when we screwed up and made mistakes, while she was disappointed in our actions, she was always there for us in the end.
She taught me a valuable lesson that I use at school and at home. Our children will make mistakes. Sometimes a quick redirection is enough. Sometimes they may need to learn it the hard way for it to sink in. I learned most of life's lessons the hard way. While the result often ended in pain or hurt pride, I know those experiences helped shape me into the person I am today. Life isn't all daisies and sugar plums. Our children may not like the consequences that come as a result of their actions, but if our response is genuine, they will understand that while we are disappointed, we will always love them. This is her legacy.
- Please put the BCSF Stars vs. Harlem Wizards basketball game on your schedule! It is Sunday, November 10th, from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm. Doors open at 1:00 pm. I will be representing CSA Lincoln in the game. You can buy tickets online. It is only $10 for general admission. I promise to shoot the ball at least once and hope to end the game without injury.
- Our Veterans Day Convocation (Agenda) will be held Monday, November 11th, at 8:00 a.m. As has been done in the past, we invite our student's family members who served or are currently serving in the military to join us. Coffee and donuts will be available for them. We would like to recognize our honored guests at the convocation. I've included a form that we are asking you to fill out if they plan to attend. Please let me know if you have any questions.
- We had three classroom transformations this week. Miss Fenske, Mrs. George, and Miss Busack all participated. I love it when our teachers think outside the box and are willing to take risks and mix it up for their students!
- Our basketball teams will play tomorrow at Richards Elementary. The first game will start at 9:00 a.m. Good luck, Huskies!
Have a great weekend,
Brett
Important Upcoming Dates and Notes
Please mark these dates on your calendar!
- 11/9- Basketball vs. Richards @ Richards 9:00 a.m. start
- 11/11- Veterans Day Convocation 8:00 a.m.
- 11/20- Basketball vs. Clifty Creek @ Central 5:30 p.m. start
- 11/26- Wear Husky Gear (more details coming)
Husky Gram Winners
Charlie Kriesant
Chaplin Reid
Lily Barbercheck
Emma Wright
Emerson Ley
McKenna Biehle
Alek Devidze
Megan Hiday
Karly Monteleone
Sylas Shelton
Nick Sharpe
Isaiah Carrigan
Carter Patterson
Nolan Ley
PTO Update
Mark your calendars for our PTO Family Restaurant Night/November Meeting! Take the night off from cooking and join us at Chuck E Cheese on National Rd on Thursday, November 21st from 4 pm-9 pm for pizza, games, and fun! This is the same night as our monthly PTO meeting so take this opportunity to sit in on the meeting from 6-7 at on location at Chuck E Cheese while the kids play!
**A percentage of our profits from this event will go towards supporting Mr. & Mrs. Findley as they compete in Dancing with the Stars Columbus Style in early 2020!**
If you have ideas, comments, or questions OR you want to join the PTO email list to receive info and opportunities in your inbox you can always reach us at ptocsalincoln@gmail.com
Upcoming events
Family Restaurant Night - Chuck E Cheese - Thursday, November 21st
PTO Meeting - Thursday, November 21st, 6:00-7:00 pm (On Location)
CSA Lincoln on Instagram/Facebook/Twitter
Instagram: CSA_Lincoln
Facebook: CSA Lincoln Community
Twitter: @csaprincipal
Brett Findley
Feel free to contact me if you have any questions!
Email: findleyb@bcsc.k12.in.us
Website: http://www.bcsc.k12.in.us/site/default.aspx?DomainID=788
Location: Columbus Signature Academy Lincoln Campus, 5th Street, Columbus, IN, United States
Phone: 812-376-4447
Facebook: facebook.com/CSALincoln
Twitter: @csaprincipal