The Monday Message
Office of the Principal; Monday, October 17, 2016
2016-17 Work Plan Goals
Quote for the Week!
Duty Roster
Click here for the Duty Roster
Monday - I Group on Duty - Major-Murphy (Stewart), Smiley PM Duty
Tuesday - R Group on Duty - Hutto, Jones, PM Duty
Wednesday - M Group on Duty - Jackson, Mays Fowler, PM Duty
Thursday - O Group on Duty - Sava, Thur, PM Duty
Friday - I Group on Duty, Hutto, Major-Murphy, PM Duty
Everyone is asked to report to duty when scheduled.
The Week Ahead
Monday 10/17/16 - International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, Math Coaching with Tina Pateracki, Admin Mtg (9:00am, Cafe'), Department Chair Mtg (3:50pm, TBA), G20 Mtg (3:50pm, Jen Cook's Classroom)
Tuesday 10/18/16 - Department Planning Mtgs (During Planning Periods), Department Meetings (3:50pm, Designated Locations), C-Team Volleyball Game @ Chapin Middle (5:30pm, CMS), SIC/PTO Mtg (5:30pm, FCR)
Wednesday 10/19/16 - Global Dignity Day, PSAT (8th Grade ELA Classes, 8:30am), Principal's Mtg (12:00-4:00pm, DO Board Room), Fall Pep Rally (PM, Gymnasium), C-Team Football Game (H) vs Dutch Fork Middle (5:30pm, WC Hawkins Stadium)
Thursday 10/20/16 - World Statistics Day, Health Screenings, Clerical Team Meeting (9:00am, FCR), C-Team Volleyball PAC Tournament)
Friday 10/21/16 - VC Sumner Field Study, IMIG Pro Magnet Recruitment Filming (All Day)
Email: rsjackso@lexrich5.org
Website: http://www.lexrich5.org/IrmoMS.cfm
Location: Columbia, SC
Phone: 803-476-3600
Facebook: facebook.com/irmomiddleschool
Twitter: @irmomiddle
October Staff Birthdays
Haley Calore, Oct. 3
Kelly Williams, Oct. 3
Sheila Inabinet, Oct. 5
Deborah Burkett, Oct. 14
Karen Mejia, Oct. 18
Tonya Scicere, Oct. 21
Clare Bellucci, Oct. 22
Yvonne Baxter, Oct. 30
Please join me in wishing these amazing IMS staff members a Happy Birthday!
2. Glenn Hutto, Andrew Williams, Floyd Geiger, and Phillip Doyle (from Mrs. Jennifer Cook) - Mrs. Cook would like to give a shout out to Mr. Hutto, Mr. Andrew Williams, Floyd Geiger, and Phillip for helping to load up the recyclable materials collected into the back of Mr. Hutto's truck. A special shout out goes to Mr. Hutto who drove all of the recyclables to the Broad River road recycling facility. I am so thankful for these men and their service to our school. The district is hoping to work out a deal with Sonoco soon, but in the meantime, I am grateful for these men stepping up and helping us out.
2. Email Signature - As a MSAP School, we are all supposed to have an email signature that markets our theme to students, parents, and families. In an audit of our emails, it has been discovered that this still needs to be completed by all IMS employees. By 10/19/16, please add the following (using these instructions):
Your Name Irmo Middle School International Academic Magnet **You may have other things there, but these three need to be there.**
Closing Thoughts
Our closing thoughts this week anchors the last element in Brene' Brown's Anatomy of Trust. We have engaged in this work over the past seven weeks. This week's concept is Generosity. Using Dr. Brown's formula, we learn that generosity is when a person extends the most generous interpretation possible to the intentions, words and actions of others. In our language (derived from our norms), we know this to mean "Assume Best Intent."
In my weekend reading, I ran across an article (The Powerful 3-Word Phrase That Makes Me a Better Person) that I felt compelled to use in this summary below.
Assume Best Intent - I’ve used this phrase when someone has done something that leaves my inner social justice warrior ranting and raving. I’ve used it when someone has done something mind-bogglingly violating. I’ve used it when I’ve encountered those all-too-easy-to-escalate misunderstandings. I’ve used it with certain people who have behaved with less-than-OK integrity. I’ve also used it to negotiate periods of deep self-judgement.
Assuming the best is not the same as pretending something hasn’t happened. It’s not gratitude through gritted teeth. We can assume the best and still acknowledge that we don’t accept certain behaviors. Rather, it’s about being as generous as we can with our interpretations about why someone behaved in a certain way.
One of the most helpful things about assuming the best is that it defuses potentially high-drama situations. It’s all too easy to take that unanswered email, that colleague who forgot our birthday, or that tone of voice, and make it all about us.
They must not have answered that email because they don’t like me.
She must have forgotten my birthday because she doesn’t care as much as I do.
They must have spoken to me like that because I did something wrong…
We’re wired to look for potential threats and negative happenings in life. Historically, this mindset has helped us survive. Emotionally, it can lead us to have a victim mentality and be just a teensy bit self-involved.
Assuming best intent helps us step out of the “mememe” frame of mind and look at the other alternatives. For instance, the person who didn’t answer your email might have received 300 other emails that day before yours. The friend who forgot your birthday might have been dealing with a sudden work or family crisis and left school drained and empty at 10pm. The person who used that tone of voice might have eaten an awful sandwich for lunch.
Assuming the best doesn’t excuse icky behaviour. Nor is it a license for people to treat us poorly; I believe healthy boundaries is the ultimate form of kindness, to ourselves and others.
Instead, assuming the best is as much for our own benefit as it is for the other person’s. It’s a chance for us to say no to the drama. It’s a chance to practice compassion with everyone (including ourselves). It’s a chance to extend an olive branch in our most important relationships. It’s a chance to be a better person in our daily dealings with other people. And, whatever the situation, it’s a chance to wish other people well on their journey as we move forward with ours.
To the Next Level,
Robert S. Jackson, Ed.S., Principal