Collegiate Academy Heartbeat
Sunday, April 19, 2020
From the Heart
Team,
Well, to borrow a term from old Laurel and Hardy movies from the 30s - 50's; in some form or variation Hardy would say, "here's another nice (sarcasm) mess you've gotten me into." The closing of the school building for the rest of the year, even though we knew it was coming, was sad, disappointing and feels like a nice mess. I thought we had finally grown past the days of "what/how do we do this?", and we were finally at a normal pace of what's working/what do we need to retool? Now we are in the midst of nothing we have ever done before or even thought about. For the rest of April and during the month of May, let's focus on our students social/emotional health. This can't be an easy time for them, if I'm struggling, oh how a teenager must be confused, angry, sad, scared,....you can keep adding adjectives of anxiety. A teenager's world for most part, is somewhere outside their home. It is with their peers, it is going places, it is getting a chance to make their own decisions and determine what they think is right or wrong. That is the life of a teenager in America. Now, they are stuck at home and even in the best situations they don't find it enjoyable. They are stripped of any decision making capabilities. While not getting to make choices for socialization, many are trying to provide for their families by continuing to work essential jobs. Those jobs are scary because those are the people most likely to contract the virus. Some of our students are in horrible situations and living conditions. Life as they knew it has been changed and many can't see tomorrow, that's not how they think. Plan your lessons, give them feedback, but most importantly, give them hope!
Also, I would encourage you to take time for yourself. Where are you in your life plan? Where are you going? What is really important to you? This is a great time to retool your life. Get rid of the unnecessary and focus on what is really important. I hope when you do that you see Collegiate Academy as a career not a job. You see yourself as a facilitator, teacher, encourager, coach, mentor and you can't wait for August to begin to help change lives together! I am more convinced than ever, that with the right team, we can see students achieve greatness that they (the student) never dreamed was possible for them. When you are in the right seat on the bus, then your work is joy not a burden. I for one can't wait to get back on the bus in August! I hope you are excited, too.
Thank you Jessica for the picture art and for the Talent Show! Let's continue to think of ways of celebrating our students, our school and each other. If you haven't signed up for Happy Times at 5:30pm on Wednesday, it's not too late. I have sent the invite, but would love to add you. Shoot me an email and I will send you an invite. You can stay 5 minutes or the whole hour! Let's let happiness run through us!
Finally, if you have not had your summative, make sure you get me your Domain 4 reflection (google form) and T TESS End of Year Goals Refection, at least two days before your meeting, so I can do your rating. I have enjoyed the ones I've already completed and can't wait to visit with the rest of you this week.
See you tomorrow at 10:20am for CA staff meeting!
Stay Well!
Always Grateful,
Bobbe
The courage to love unconditionally breaks all barriers.
#PhoenixFierce
Together we will make a difference!
Servant Leadership
1. Don't take yourself seriously
2. A leader doesn't simply order people around
3. Know that coalitions are vital
4. There are smarter people out there
5. A pat on the back is all you need
I will never be the leader he was...you know winning Europe and all...but I believe his 5 lessons can help us all be better educators next year. Over the next 5 weeks, I am going to share a lesson each week on his values. Next week we will start at Don't take yourself seriously. We will use this study for Professional Learning the last week in May.
Together we can serve the students and families of Collegiate Academy in ways we never could imagine! Bring on the 2020/2021 school year! It is going to be the year of Ultimate Success for ALL students! #CollegiateAcademyUSS
BK
Lauren's Learnings
Happy Sunday!
We are doing an amazing job of keeping our checklists simple and easy to use! This week in PLC we will look at the design of our checklist templates with an aim to engage more students by having a more accessible checklist (less clicks to get from content to turn in). We have five weeks of instruction remaining. How can we move kids from getting by to getting better in their learning during school closure?
Pathways teachers - please make sure to check on students early this week to to see if they need to drop a course. Freshmen and sophomore drops will be housed in this spreadsheet for Riley to have easy access to. Please try to have this list completed (for the most part) prior to Freshmen PLC on Tuesday as Riley will give us more information regarding drops that day.
See you tomorrow!
Lauren
GCISD NEWS
Mandatory Seizure Training
Earlier this Spring, GCISD sent out information on two required trainings. The first is cybersecurity training for all staff and the second is seizure training for everyone who has regular interaction with students. This includes::
- Campus Professional
- Campus Paraprofessional
- ECDC
- KidzU
- Swim Center
- Transportation
- Special Services
Please complete the training by May 31 by clicking here.
Employee Assistance Program
Deer Oaks EAP Services is a free, confidential benefit offering short-term counseling, resources and referrals for you and your dependents. Please make sure to utilize this service if needed.
Deer Oaks EAP Helpline - (866) 327-2400
Email: eap@deeroaks.com
Website: www.deeroaks.com