Our Conscious Selves

As the end of the school year approaches, we all start to feel the pinch!  Testing, athletic events, end of the year celebrations and the list goes on and on!  It can honestly cause me to get into the stress mode of my brain, which is not always the best place to be when working with students.  I found myself there on Friday with a student. 

A student had been sent out of a classroom that had a guest speaker for the day.  This student wasn't  new to this type of behavior.  After speaking to the teacher, I was honestly just ready to throw him in ISS.  (Because that would fix it!  Insert eye-roll towards me here.)  I asked the student to come in my office and asked him what happened.  He immediately started blaming the teacher and didn't want to take any responsibility.  We told him he was just going to hang out in ISS and he refused to go.  It was a tense and stressful situation at the time.  After a moment of silence and me just looking at the student for a minute, I took a deep breath.  The student was right, a day of ISS wasn't exactly going to fix the situation and my own attitude wasn't helping teach him how to meet our              expectations. 

Instead of continuing down this negative road, I took a deep breath, and asked the student if he wanted to start over.  I calmly talked to him about the importance of owning up to our part of the mistake and how he is representing himself and others in the classroom - especially with a guest speaker.  I could see the body language of the student change from a stress-filled, angry human-being to a calmer version of himself.  He did admit that he could have handled the situation better and was able to tell me what he would do differently next time.  Instead of hammering him in ISS, I remembered that Ross Greene tells us that we should make plans with students and that "kids do well if they can."  I told the student that I appreciated his honesty and reflection and that I was sorry for my tense moments.  We then talked about consequences and we made that plan together - because there are consequences for getting sent out of the classroom.  He agreed and we all went on our day! 

My training with Conscious Discipline saved me a relationship with that student.  I caught myself in a moment where I was in my Emotional Brain State hijacked my executive functioning.  Conscious Discipline empowers us to maintain a sense of connection during upsetting situations, therefore strengthening relationships instead of damaging them with our constant power struggles, which transforms difficult moments into life lessons.  It helps our students fell safe and loved. 

Here is to a few more deep breaths this week!  :-) 

Important Information: 

ISTEP Testing - This week, we will begin ISTEP testing for 10th grade students.  You can find a copy of the test schedule with the link provided HERE.    Some of the testing sessions are over 48 minutes, so students may be a few minutes late to class.  We appreciate your flexibility.  Math testing will be this week and English next.  Thanks to all of our teachers for preparing our students so well for this test! 

Junior High Choosing Ceremony - Modeled after the Ron Clark Academy, this week our junior high teachers are going to have a little fun with our students!  On Thursday, April 18th, PC will have a "Choosing Ceremony" for students in the 7th and 8th grade!  Students will be put on teams that will be competing on Commodore Pride Day, May 10th.  Thanks to Mary Jo Hagedorn for working with the Junior High Student Council.  The students are VERY EXCITED about the opportunity! I know you are going to see some fun pictures as we make the event enjoyable!  More detailed information will be sent out this week. Please note that junior high students will not be available to code out during WIN on Thursday. 

Art Show - Congratulations to Mrs. Poehlein's class on a WONDERFUL Art Show!  Their work is simply amazing!   Hope you can catch Alice and Wonderland this week before it ends! 

Ivy Spark - On Thursday, April 18th, Craig Jefferson from Ivy Tech will be speaking to senior students who could possibly be looking for employment after high school and would be interested in some free class at Ivy Tech that would help them "skill-up" for the job.  The meeting will be from 9:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.  More information will be forthcoming. 

PC Visitors - We had a great visit with John Weschler and Mick Hetman this week.  Our teachers prepared our students so well!  They were very impressed and we will continue to partner with these two gentlemen in the future.  Also, this week on Tuesday, Commodore Manufacturing will be hosting George Washington Community High School from Indianapolis this Tuesday.  This is an IPS school.  We are very proud of all of our students and staff.

Important Dates: 

Monday, April 15 - Varsity Baseball @ Home vs. Cannelton 4:30 p.m./ Varsity Softball @ Forest Park 5:00 p.m./ Varsity Golf @ Lucas Oil 4:15 p.m.

Tuesday, April 16 -  First day of ISTEP/ Varsity Baseball @ Home vs. Boonville 6:00 p.m./ Girls Varsity Track @ Home vs. SV/Dubois 4:15 p.m.

Wednesday, April 17 -  Jody will be out to a meeting in Indy/ Varsity Baseball @ Orleans 5:00 p.m.

Thursday, April 18 - Junior High Choosing Ceremony - WIN/ Varsity Softball @ Home vs. Southridge 5:00 p.m./ Varsity Track Boys @ H vs. Tell City 4:30/ Varsity Track Girls Away 4:30 p.m./ Varsity Golf @ Christmas Lake 4:30 p.m. 

Friday, April 19th - NO SCHOOL  Happy Good Friday!/ Varsity Softball @ Home 5:00 p.m./ Varsity Baseball @ Mitchell 4:30 p.m.

Monday, April 22 - NO SCHOOL

Upcoming Summer Dates - Mark Your Calendars! 

PowerED Up - June 4th
Back To School Retreat - July 31, August 1st 
Back to School Cook-Out - August 1st