Spartan Scoop #34
May 15, 2016
Thought for the Week:
A focus on the work of Stephen Covey:
This week we will focus on "Sharpen the Saw":
Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw
Habit 7 is about looking after yourself. You are the greatest asset you have and we have to learn to take time to look after ourselves. Stephen Covey suggests we pay attention to four areas in our lives:
Physical: Exercise, Nutrition, Stress Management
Spiritual: Value Clarification and Commitment, Study and Meditation
Mental: Reading, Visualizing, Planning, Writing
Social/Emotional: Service, Empathy, Synergy, Intrinsic Security.
When I work with someone who has experienced extreme stress to the point of 'breakdown' we often find that their lives have been narrowly focused on work and home. They go to work (often working overtime) and go home simply to eat and sleep so they can go to work again! Is this you? The most important thing you can start doing now is looking after yourself by focusing on the four areas above.
Stephen Covey tells the story of meeting someone who has been sawing down a tree for more than 5 hours. When you suggest that they take a break and sharpen their saw so the job might go faster they tell you they don't have time to sharpen the saw because they're too busy sawing!
It's so easy to get caught up in the demands of life, or even developing the Habits, that we forget to look after ourselves.
In reality it's very unlikely that anyone else is going to step in and do it for you. Covey writes "We are the instruments of our own performance, and to be effective, we need to recognize the importance of taking time regularly to sharpen the saw in all four ways".
All four dimensions of renewal are thoroughly investigated and Stephen Covey ends this chapter with a discussion about the importance of renewal in our lives, and thinking of this as an upward spiral of growth, change, and continuous improvement.
Find out more about work life balance.
Personal and Professional Change
The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People is a powerful book containing effective principles for personal change and for leading change in organizations.
By Mark Connelly, Copyright 2008-2016 Change-Management-Coach.com
Building Items:
All final paperwork you have to turn in can be placed in the office in the files Melissa has set up for teachers to drop off paperwork. Do not forget to get initials next to certain check off areas that are required. Refer to your end of the year checklist. The checklist will be the final document you turn in when Dave or I check you out on Thursday.
End of the year items:
1. Teacher End of the Year Checklist
2. Classroom Inventory Sheet-- ONLY the 1 from CO
3. Maintenance Survey
4. Committee List Survey-- can be done as a team or individual
**If you did not get the forms listed above check the workroom-- they are in alphabetical order in the file organizer on the counter closest to the copier. Please grab one.
Retention Reminders;
Lighter's Scale and Checklist are due to me at the end of the year. Make sure that your forms are completed correctly.
Calendar Items:
Daily we will call down different Student Advisory Team members to do the End of the Day Announcements! (These may vary with the day to day events.)
Monday, 5/16
- Big Smiles Dental at GBE all day
- PBS Success Groups go to Fox Park
- 12:40 5th Grade Recognition Practice in the Gym
- 1:45 Seniors Walk the Hall-- we will line up outside of classroom doors for the walk @ 1:40-- We will make an announcement when you can start lining up. Go over with your students that we are giving high fives, but are not grabbing the Seniors as they walk by us.
- 6:00 pm 5th Grade Recognition in the Gym
Tuesday, 5/17
- Grades Due in SIS by 9 am
- 4A PBS Success at Fox Park
- Mr. Howen's Class competes in the Special Olympics Torch Run at 12:00
- 2:50 5th Grade's Award Assembly for April and May in the Gym
Wednesday, 5/18
- 7:45 Sped Staffing Meeting
- 5th Grade PBS Success at Fox Park
- 3:45 Talent Show Practice for Staff!
Thursday, 5/19-- wear active wear or jeans
- Last Day of School-- 1/2 Day for Students
- Summer School Letters and Hang Tags go home to car riders
- Bus Routes and Summer School Teachers are posted
- GBE Literacy Team mtg at 7:45 in the Library
- GBE Talent Show at 9:00 in the Gym-- all dancing wear Neon or Bright Colors :)
- Staff Carry In
- Hungry Hungry Hippo Competition approximately ten minutes after students leave
- Angie and Dave will begin Check out of teachers quickly after students leave campus; we will announce when and where we are starting.
Friday 5/20 and/or Monday 5/23
Summer School Work hours for teachers-- Logs will be given to you in your mailboxes
**Please check the Google Calendar and your email for updates from Mr. Samuel on Emergency Drills. He will be adding some to our calendar.
Thank you!
Vision Items:
CLT- Teams meet @ 8 a.m.
Meet in the Music Room-- Standards Work that was started at CWG Shared and continued by teams; Data Walls completed; Grades Completed to be printed and turned in -- Grades due Tuesday at 9 am
Assessment Items:
CWG Data is due to Sheila Thurman and myself by the end of the year for our 5th Data point for CWG. Please send me a copy of what you have shared with Sheila. This must be done in order for our Grant money to be received.
Staff Birthdays:
May
Carrie Thompson - 3rd
Emily Custer- 3rd
Amy Gilmore-4th
Becky Mann - 12th
Beth Sander-27th
Jessica Mountain-28th
Emily Seiner 30h
June
Kimber Greene - 2nd
Laura Quesal- 11th
Barbara Thomas-14th
Dave Samuel-28th
July
Debi Swetnam - 2nd
Sam Martin- 16th
Stephanie Mefford-16th
Vicky Snodgrass- 16th
Ashley Buxton-22nd
Angie Doss-24th
Krystal Taulbee - 27th
Carrie Baysinger-28th
Megan Lucas-31st
August
Della Cochran-4th
Gabe Burris- 5th
Miranda Easley- 8th
Janene Mathis- 11th
April Messer-20th
Julie Wood - 22nd
Katelyn Wright-28th
Lollipop Moments:
Kristin Bell-- for organizing and creating Field Day-- You Rock!!
Meghan Dutton-- we are blessed to have you with us and have appreciated how professional you are as our nurse! You go above and beyond for our kids!
All GBE Teachers and Staff-- Thank you for continuing to make each day with our kids a day of learning down the last day! This is what is best for our students!
Thoughts to End the Year: "Why Do I Teach?"
"A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops." ~Henry Adams
A Professional Development Challenge for next year--
Angie