Hampton Bays Middle School
Parent Express Bulletin #38
Learning Together!
Young Scientists!
Inspiring Presentations!
Schoolwork and Homework
As I write this, I am one hour away from taking our youngest son, to soccer tryouts for a travel league. It's times like these I can really relate to being a busy parent, like each of you. But, I also realize that at the beginning of this school year I made a commitment...that includes providing regular open communication to our middle school families and the parents of our middle school students. This is why I am making sure to write before I head out the door.
So the title of this week's communication is important. Because, on many levels, school work is important and homework is also important. But there's one more type of work that is important, and that is lifework. That's what parents do; parents of middle schoolers do lifework.
Back when I was a teacher, like so many dedicated teachers then and now, I devoted my Sunday afternoons to planning and preparing for the week to come. I wanted my students to be assured I was prepared to support their success in the classroom. And now, this weekly communication feels very much the same, only for our middle school families.
I was in a recent conversation with a middle school parent about an important topic: adolescents' use of social media and technology. This is a really, REALLY important topic, especially in middle school and especially in 2016.
So let's start learning together. But first, I'm going to assign willing parents some "homework"...which will become lifework.
If and when you have some time in the days, weeks, and month to come, please visit the following website: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/ . Common Sense Media is one of the leading reliable sources on kids' use of social media and technology today.
Pick an article. Or a video. Or something that makes you think. And share it. Share it with me, and let's start a conversation. Share it with a friend or a colleague, or with our PTO, and let's plan a bigger conversation. Or share it with your adolescent son or daughter. And start learning WITH and learning FROM him/her. I am reminded each and every day, we can learn so much from our kids, if we ask the right questions...and we are ready to LISTEN.
The more I think about it, learning more about the world our sons and daughters are part of are going to not only require us to do some schoolwork and some homework. It's going to make us do some lifework. And it's so reassuring to know that we have so many HBMS parents who see why this matters.
Thanks, as always, to our PTO for providing such inspiring opportunities to our students this year. Our middle school community is better, because you are part of it!
Sincerely,
Dennis
A Year in the Life: We Are HBMS!
Want to learn more about what's happening at HBMS?
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