Instructing on 9/11: A school-wide project of thanks

For adults, the memories of 9/11/01 are flash-bulb memories.  We know where we were, who we were with, what we felt.  In the world of education, the years after we're met with challenges and reflection.  As a high school psychology teacher, I spoke with my students about how large events leave vivid memories, but remembering what you had for dinner last week isn't as strong.  There as an academic and social connection, and always an acknowledgment of the day.

Now, being principal of a preK through 8th grade school, there is a new challenge: How do we teach and share recent, scary history for students who have no memories of the actual event.  Our answer was clear last year, as we worked in the context of our year-long theme of "the power of our words." Last year, we delivered over 300 thank you notes to our local first reponders.  We were also to share a few very important lessons with our students.  This year, we did the same.  Why?  Because saying thank you is a powerful tool and an act of kindness we cannot teach enough!

We are part of a larger system
The war on terror isn't really an age-appropriate topic for our,younger students.  As a former school counselor, the idea of striking terror in our smallest brains is something I am keenly aware of.  The idea that we are part of a larger society, where we depend on each other is not only an moorland lesson learned post-9/11, but also for preparing students for a global society.

Careers are callings
When we hear the word vocation, the association is usually priests or nuns in our Catholic schools.  A vocation is a career we are called to.  For teachers to police to military, jobs that we are passionate about and feel is our God-given path, are vocations.  Sometimes these vocations comes with danger, low pay, stress, and other problems.  Sharing with students that we are all called to use our gifts and talents and to be kind, loving and an example to others captures the feelings of unity and solidarity many of us felt in the days after 9/11/01.  Remember the flood of blood donations and military sign-ups?  We are called.....

We are not powerless
Even our 4 year old students know and are learning the power of words like "please" and "thank you."  There is a power in saying thank you to those who keep us safe.

So, on behalf of the students, teachers, and parents at The Academy of Saint Matthias the Apostle, thank you to our first responders who keep us safe everyday.

The cycles that are school years: Part 1

I have worked my entire life in jobs that are "seasonal."  They have a start and a finish, whether it was a 12-week summer swim season, a August-June office job in college, or now, in education, where, even when working 12 months, there is a finite start and finish to each school year.
I am the only member of my family who works in education, and this time of year, when all is shiny, bright and new it is easy to reflect on the advantages of this vocation.

Right now, all of the members of our school communities, from parents to students to teachers, gets a fresh start.  Student have new supplies, new desks, new classrooms, teachers, routines, and hopes and dreams!  Teachers, in the same way have a new set of expectations, goals, and hopes for the year.  The woes of the end of the last year, and the ever-unfinished to-do lists are still sitting in the back of their minds, but have no been transformed into action plans to make this year the best year ever.  All is shiny and bright- like the excitement of Christmas morning.

This is a time to reflect on this special attribute to our professions as a positive.  It is truly unique and, just like the start of football season, last year's records and victories or losses are still brought up, it is a new season.  We stand at the start of a wonderful year, full of expectations, excitement, and most of all, hope.

The Power of a Schedule- Preparing for Back-to-School

Can you hear it?  It's that rush of excitement and fear coming upon us like a tidal wave: back-to-school.
If you plan on setting your first alarm clock that first day of school, we're all in trouble.  While the joy and anticipation of day one may take your child through the day, it won't last. 

1.  Start moving your schedule now.  If you are a long way off from where you need to be, move it gradually, but start adjusting waking and sleeping times to better reflect your school year schedule.  Sleepy children do not learn as well.  Make sure they are getting enough sleep!

(from Parents.com)

2.  Practice routines.  Will your student be in charge of packing a lunch or putting out their school clothes?  Start building those routines into their day now.  Make sure your child has chores and responsibilities!  Here are some sample chores: http://www.child-behavior-guide.com/chores-list.html

3. Discuss any upcoming changes with your student, and more than once.  Will someone different be picking them up? Will they have siblings coming with them to school?  Did a sibling graduate and is now going to a different school?  Start talking about how this year will look different.

As educators, we need your help in making sure students are rested and ready to start the year.  With some planning, you can get this school year off to a great start!

Power of Our Words

Our theme for this year is "The Power of Our Words."  I had a chance to share some words (a book) with 3rd and 1st grades last week.  It was so exciting to spend time reading to them.  Recently, a consultant from an educational consulting firm toured our building.  She remarked "you are a school that READS!"  And we do.

Reading is all around us.  Don't forget to reinforce this skill throughout your family life- trips to the grocery store (lists, finding products, reading the numbers for weight or price), making dinner (recipes, amounts, serving size), going on a trip (street signs, maps): the possibilities are truly endless.

If your child is not reading at the level you would expect, or if after looking at their testing scores you are concerned, please contact Ms. Kucevich and we can come up with a plan to help.

Back to School Night

While I will be sharing this same message with our middle school parents next week, I did not want to delay in sharing my speech from last night's back to school night.

Good evening and welcome. Those of you who I have not met yet, I am that stranger waving to you in the parking lot in the morning. My name is Abigail Greer and I am excited to be joining you as your new principal for this new school year.

I was raised in the Church of the Resurrection in Burtonsville, MD where, along with my two younger sisters, I sang in church choir and taught CCD. I began my post-secondary education at University of Maryland, College Park (GO TERPS!), where I earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology, minority in education. Upon graduation I began teaching at Bishop McNamara High School, where I first learned to Love educating “hearts and minds”, a key component of the educational philosophy of the congregation of Holy Cross. My strong beliefs in the holistic approach to education inspired me to peruse a new role in my field. at the George Washington University, I earned a Master’s Degree in Education and Human development in School Counseling and became a national board certified counselor. Upon completion of this degree I took a position at St. Mary’s of the Mills Catholic School in Laurel, where I created their first ever school counseling curriculum. The implementation of school-wide initiatives, from study skills to character education to anti bullying programs laid the foundation for my current role. I had the privilege of creating the first ever high school learning center fair for the archdiocese of Washington and, again, found myself in an educational setting that truly embraced the whole child and the power of a positive learning environment. My influence was present in the building, but limited by my role. In short, I knew I had more of my God-given gifts to share than my role was allowing me to.
It was this calling that lead me to seek the position of Principal of St. Matthias. The reputation of this institution is something I am familiar with and proud to now be associated with. Our new name, the academy of saint Matthias the apostle, is not a departure from our history, but rather a re- commitment to our enduring legacy as a powerful educational institution. I bring to you, this evening, my pledge to continue the legacy.

How will I continue this legacy? By listening, and by aggressively seeking out ways to improve our school.  Last spring, many of you participated in a survey about St. Matthias. You overwhelmingly reported that your child’s learning was being assessed in multiple ways, and that school was a safe, uninterrupted learning environment.

The areas of greatest concern were Curriculum, Communication, and Technology in our school. These areas are ones where, over the last six months, we have made strides already, and continue to look for new ways to improve.

In regards to the school’s Curriculum, the main areas of concern were foreign language and science and math. As a parent of a one year old, the concept of communication as power is not lost on me. I understand the importance of educating our children not only for our local community but also as citizens within the global society in which we live. I am excited that we have implemented a foreign language curriculum for all grades with Mrs. Laura Guzman joining our staff as our Spanish teacher. Her wealth of language knowledge and Puerto Rican culture are great assets to our community.   We have opened a new science laboratory space, accessible to all grades for hands-on learning.  Mrs. McQuillan, in taking on her new role as art and technology teacher, is implementing a technology curriculum, to keep our students up to date in our fast-paced global age.  We have also prepared for a new testing model, to better assess student learning throughout the year, and a new student and family information system, to allow for more and different communications between home and school.  How we communicate is rapidly changing around us. You may have noticed our weekly bridges newsletter has taken on a new format.  My goal for this year is to have Bridges emailed out to those families who access information best in a digital format.  Information is also accessible through our Facebook page and twitter. Please know that these new means of communication will never take the places of the important face-to-face contact.  Continue to call, or set up meetings if you have concerns. 

You’ll notice these areas of improvement are all intertwined, and are ongoing.  No single classroom space, or new machine will magically make this school a better place.  We are all in this together, and as I told some of our middle school students today, I want to remind you that I can only solve problems that I am aware of. 

This week I had the privilege of being a part of an education luncheon, hosted by the Antidefimation League on the important topic of bullying.  The piece of that very informative dialogue that I wish to share with you tonight ties into our improvements, our ongoing direction, and our overall school: the important role of parents as teachers.  You have come here this evening to learn from those adults who are the formal instructors of your children.  As we are now gathered together as a whole group, let us remember your key role.  You are your child’s role model.  We, at St. Matthias, not just value, but expect respect in our dynamics, responsibility from everyone who sets foot in our building, and an overall importance of the whole person.  As you go about your day, remember the model you are for your child.  The words you use, the way you follow rule, the flexibility to show when things do not go as planned, these are all skills you are teaching your children by example.  Thank you for the powerful role you play, and the huge responsibility that parenting is in this day and age. 

I have enjoyed my first few weeks working at Saint Matthias immensely. I love walking the halls, and the school grounds looking not only on what is, but thinking about what has been, and where we together will bring this school. Thank you for entrusting me with your most valued possessions, and I look forward to this being the first of many wonderful school years together. 

 

Alumni Survey

Alumni families are asked to fill out this survey so we can work to set up our alumni database.
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/S7Z8XZR

Thank you for passing this link along!

The Power of Routines

Sean Covey's book "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teens" was one of my favorite to teach to middle school students when I taught study skills.  This was a selfish move on my part, because, while the student did get a great deal out of the course, our work in this book was some of the most self-reflective time I had throughout the year.  Habits are powerful.

The book opens with a poem, called "Who Am I?"

I am your constant companion. I am
your greatest helper or heaviest burden.
I will push you onward or drag you down
to failure. I am completely at your command.
Half the things I do you might as well
turn over to me and I will be able to do
them quickly and correctly.

I am easily managed - you must merely
be firm with me. Show me exactly how you
want something done and after a few
lessons I will do it automatically. I am the
servant of all great individuals and, alas, of
all failures as well. Those who are great, I
have made great. Those who are failures,
I have made failures.

I am not a machine, though I work
with all the precision of a machine plus
the intelligence of a human. You may run
me for profit or run me for ruin - it
makes no difference to me.

Take me, train me, be firm with me,
and I will place the world at your feet. Be
easy with me and I will destroy you.

Who am I?

I am Habit.

As we enjoy our last bit of summer this long weekend, please remember the habits and routines that your students need to have in place in order to succeed.  Consistency is key.  Bed time, bed routine, morning routine, punishments, rewards.. it is all so much to keep track of! 

Please firm up your morning and afternoon routines, as getting to school on time is necessary for a successful start to the day.  If your house is like mine, and your child will be awake and ready for your undivided attention well before 7am all long weekend, remember this is going to help your Tuesday morning be a great transition back to the second week of school.