Monday Memo
January 2nd - 6th
To handle yourself, use your head; to handle others, use your heart. -Eleanor Roosevelt
Just as we began our break with sad news, we return with even more heartbreak. Elizabeth Lanning, a first grader student in Laura Garro's class, unexpectedly lost her mother on Christmas day. Even more tragic, her mother was due to deliver her baby sister in just a few weeks, and baby Isabella died as well. On a personal level, this unimaginable tragedy serves as another harsh reminder of how fragile life is, the importance of never missing an opportunity to tell those you care about how much you love and appreciate them, and the need to make each day we are given mean something. As teachers, it also serves as a reminder of the importance of our role in the lives of our students. Given that we spend more time interacting with our students each day than any other adult in their life, supporting Elizabeth and the countless other children in our building who have encountered grief and/or trauma greater than any child should ever experienced is quite a profound responsibility.
While Elizabeth may never remember the specifics of anything she learned in first grade, she will always remember how Laura loved and cared for her during the worst time of her life. She will also remember how wonderful it was to come to school, be a normal kid, and forget about the sadness of her circumstances. She will be grateful leaving her mother's funeral and looking up to see her Kindergarten teacher's face and understanding at a much deeper level what Mrs. Peterson meant when she would say, "Once a Purple Peep, always a Purple Peep."
These things were not taught to us in college, nor will you ever find them on a job description. However, we face these situations daily. We have other students who have lost parents and siblings. Some children are homeless, neglected or have experienced emotional and physical abuse. Some children are caught up in nasty divorce situations or have parents struggling with substance abuse. While their situations vary, our role does not. When we consider the importance of our relationships with our students, planning the best and most engaging lessons possible, maintaining consistency, and how we spend each minute of our school day, think about Elizabeth and the countless others who are suffering more than any child should, and ask yourself if they deserve anything less.
Make today count,
JL
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Professional Learning Communities
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January 2nd PD
Warm-Up Wednesdays
Fairness
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Shoparoo
I know that many of you have already joined, but if you haven't, it is not too late. Simply go to www.shoparoo.com to create your account. If you use veft4467 as a referral code, McGowen will earn money for you just signing up. Please feel free to push this information out to your parents as well. Once you sign up, Shoparoo will give you a referral code for your parents to use when they sign up. Schools with just 40 supporters are earning an average of $1,000 every year.
Congratulations to Shana Prugh for being in the top three this week! Beginning next week, I will give the three highest scoring staff members a jeans pass instead of limiting it to those in the top three.
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Focus for 2016 - 2017
In order to help every child their personal best, McGowen teachers and staff will:
- Knowledgeably speak about our current practices that contribute to McGowen becoming a Level 1 Certified High Reliability School.
- Actively participate in grade level and content Professional Learning Communities.
- Engage in collaborative team planning and lesson design that addresses the four essential questions of a PLC.
- Present lessons in such a way that students understand and can speak knowledgeably about posted learning and language targets.
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Remind for Staff
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Happy Birthday!
January
Laura Garro - 10th
Renata Sanchez - 10th
Trent South - 10th
Martha Gordon - 15th
Lisa Pedersen - 15th
Jean Possehl - 16th
Holly Bianchetta - 19th
Stacie Bullock - 19th
Krystina Ticehurst - 24th
Shani Beeman - 30th
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McKinney ISD's Vision, Mission and Beliefs
Any time we have an idea, concern, solution and/or comment, this is the filter through which we should speak. Let's help each other live up to our vision, mission, and beliefs.
Vision:
We are a cohesive, diverse community providing engaging learning experiences for all.
We will provide engaging learning experiences so students can become effective communicators, quality contributors and socially responsible citizens.
Beliefs:
- Partnerships between students, parents, community members and staff are foundational to educational success.
- Positive school culture and a safe environment foster growth.
- Everyone has inherent value and deserves to be treated with dignity and respect.
- Learning is an active process requiring engaging tasks and engaging minds.
- Relevant and authentic experiences ignite continuous, deeper learning.
- Meaningful relationships enrich learning.
- Confidence fuels risk taking and higher achievement.
- Financial stewardship ensures a tomorrow for education.