Teachers Deserve It Too!

A few years ago, our staff read a book called Kids Deserve It by Adam Welcome and Todd Nesloney.  It talked a lot about why we do the things that we do, because kids deserve our very best day in and day out.  There were many good take away's from it and I think that the staff took something from it as well.

Over the Christmas break, I wanted to work on a little project for the teachers.  The entire time I have been here, the area designated as the "teachers lounge" was not very nice.  The walls were 2 different shades of cream/white, mismatched furniture dating back to the 1960's, a variety of random items that didn't appear to move from August to May.  It was a room I avoided most of the time.  There were a few brave souls that would eat lunch in the room and go grab an afternoon soda, but it just didn't have a good vibe.  So I asked our PTO (Parent Teacher Organization) and the superintendent if I could take this on as a surprise for the teachers when they came back from break.  With their blessing, I got to work devising a plan that was rather simple, but hopefully would make a dramatic difference.  Bless the heart of our maintenance man, Rodger because he worked like mad to help out.  He was even working away on the morning of Christmas Eve.  With his help, we were able to replace all the light bulbs and put in new tile flooring and carpet.  Between those changes and fresh paint on the wall, the room was already drastically different!

As break went on and more pieces fell into place, including the arrival of some new furniture, my stomach bounced with excitement.  I couldn't wait for the teachers to see the transformation.  I just hoped that it would be a place that all the Freeman staff would enjoy and feel like they wanted to spend some time in.  Teachers work hard and they too deserve a place to call their own and escape to from time to time.  Imagine the place where you work and if there wasn't a space you could just walk into for 5 minutes and breathe, or go grab a fresh cup of coffee? 

This room wouldn't have been possible without the help of the PTO, Rodger and Rex, the Havelka's, and my husband who helped me paint.  I think it turned out pretty great!

A freshly painted shelf with coffee and some paper products for food.  Around the room are some fun pieces of artwork as well!

New cozy space to relax, work on a puzzle, catch up with colleagues or breathe!  New carpet too!

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite times of year.  It comes at a time when I am needing a little more downtime and a few extra days at home to recharge and get organized.  I also LOVE pie.  The turkey is good as leftover sandwiches, but the pie is really my favorite.  There are so many, but I could just spend the day being thankful and eating pie!

What I don't like about Thanksgiving, is that it seems to be the most overlooked holiday.  Each year Christmas arrives sooner and sooner giving the feeling that we go from Halloween to Christmas, jack-o-lanterns to trees!  All of the holidays seem to be so commercialized that it has seems to have lost it's value.

As we get ready to celebrate a season of Thanksgiving, let's remember that every day we should offer thanks.  On the hardest days, there are still reasons to be thankful.  I truly feel like education is the best place to be and I am so thankful that every day I get to be immersed in it.  I love to learn, I love to see children's eyes light up when they finally "get it," I love to provide opportunities for others to grow, and I love the environment that schools provide every day.

In a world that is so busy to get on to the next thing or the next holiday, let's take some time this week to pause and give thanks.  Happy Thanksgiving!

Activities for Our Kids

Kids are so busy these days.  School can sometimes feel like an extra-curricular activity instead of a priority.  By the end of the week, kids are really dragging at school and you can tell that they haven't gotten enough sleep.  They may also be spending so much time after school and in the evenings on activities that they aren't practicing math facts and reading.  In order to excel, students need to practice outside of the school day to. 

Don't get me wrong, having activities is great for kids.  Exposing them to a variety of activities or crafts is good for development.  However, there can be a point when kids have too much going on.  This report came across my desk recently and I think it is worth the time to read.  In a world where everything is instant and we are go, go, go, it's important that we also take time for ourselves and rest.  It's ok for kids to be bored, or have a weekend with "nothing" to do!

This report is produced from the National Association of Elementary School Principals and is intended to be shared with parents.