New School Year!

Although it is still summer according to the calendar, in many parts of the country, the new school year is getting underway.  Teachers are busy writing up lesson plans and becoming familiar with standards and resources, custodians are waxing floors and preparing buildings, bus drivers are checking maps, parents are stocking up on school supplies, and students are struggling with the mixed emotions of an end to summer and the start of a new adventure.

While January 1^st is the official start to the new year, for those who live and work in schools, August is the true beginning of a new year for us.  And like all new beginnings, we set goals and resolutions. So this has caused me to revisit the intentions I set for the year, as encompassed in three key words and how they can be applied to the new school year.

CONTRIBUTION

How can I make positive contributions each day? How can I contribute to my students’ growth, my classroom atmosphere, my colleagues’ day?  What can I do to make sure that the support staff that do so much for us, know that they are appreciated?

CONNECTIONS

What things can I do each day to strengthen the relationships I have with my students? With my administrators, colleagues, support staff, parents, and everyone who shows up at our school?

CONTENTMENT

What small things can I do to enhance my own sense of peace and joy? What strategies will help me mange stress in ways that do not allow it to overpower my contentment?

Wishing all the teachers and students out there a fabulous start to this new school year.