Shine Your Light

My goal every year is to find ways for you, as faculty and staff, to feel a sense of accomplishment and success. We know our purpose as teachers is to help meet students where they are and take them as far as they can go, with the idea of at least one year of growth.  

Growth in education can be difficult to measure unlike the business/private sector.  There are a lot of ways to determine growth in the business world, mostly through analyzing data and profit margins, but in education it is so messy!   While we do look at our quantitative outcomes a lot, in our jobs where we work with human beings and children, our success cannot be analyzed in a typical, business world fashion.  Students grow and mature at different rates, go through bad and good times and to each one, success looks different.  My mom was a kindergarten teacher for many, many years and we would talk about students a lot.  She couldn't BELIEVE the successes of some of our students.  "But when I had them, they couldn't read!"  or "When I had them they cried the first week of school!"  or "When I had them, they couldn't sit still for a second!" she would say over and over.  She would also ALWAYS end with the comment, "That is why you never give up on any of them!"

She is so right.  We are so blessed to have a team of faculty and staff who believe whole heartedly in our students and never give up on them.  All of you go the extra mile everyday.  While sometimes our quantitative measurements like ILEARN, SAT, AP exams, etc. don't always give us the results we hope for (and quite frankly are not good measures of success), we know that the qualitative measurements such as work ethic, kindness, love, community involvement always prevail.  

For me, one of the things that brings me the most joy is looking at our senior class and seeing the success and future goals for each student.  We know how they entered into junior-high (some of them we remember more than others) and to see how far they have come is heartwarming and satisfying. I hope all of you can feel that pride as we say good bye to the Class of 2022.  Below is a link to their class bios that will be shared in the Perry County News.  Take time to read them and their future goals and know that their success is because of you!  The Senior Class Moto is, "Shine Your Light".  Thank you for being a light to all of them.

Senior Bios

Important Information: 

* Senior Walk Through - The Senior Walk-Through will begin around 9:30 a.m. on Monday morning.  Here is the path:  Senior Walk Path:   Start at HS Commons - down high school hall into elementary - go upstairs in 2 story - down back steps through lower elementary - then back up to elementary commons past 5th and 6th grades - back up through high school hall - senior hall is last then out the front doors.  We will stop at the front of the steps for a class picture.   

We will make an announcement when we would like you to ask your students to step in the halls. We will be on the south and north side halls only - so please move everyone down so we can fill them up! This is a fun time for students and faculty/staff. (If you have an extra Kleenex this year, I may need it!!)

* Finals - Remember that final exams will be Monday: 2,4,6 and Tuesday: 1,3,5,7

* Last Teacher Day:  Wednesday, May 25th is the last teacher day.  We will start with a retirement breakfast at 8:00 in the cafeteria.  The rest of the day will be yours to work.  I will send an email with a final list of things to do, but here is a rough draft!  :-)  

      * Grades - Please have grades finalized by the time you leave.  It is important we have grades finished as soon as possible for seniors.  If you have a special circumstance, please let the office know.  Please make sure students do not have incompletes!

      * Dual Credits - Please do not forget to put grades in the Ivy Tech system if you are teaching a dual credit class.  Also, please print a copy of your Ivy Tech grades before hitting submit and hand them into Dana.  This helps ensure our records are accurate on transcripts. 

      * Power Standards - Remember, we would like you to please make a list of your power standards (or reporting topics) and provide a percentage of students who earned a 3 or higher on each reporting topic.  HERE is a link to the document if you want to print one off.  Please do this for each different subject area you teach. 

     * Remember we will be cleaning classrooms, so please leave your room in a way that can be easily moved.  (Desks cleaned off, tables cleared, etc.)   

Graduation:  Graduation is Sunday, May 29th at 2:00 in the high school gym.  We will have a small section reserved for teachers on the south side of the gym by the stage.  It is always great to see teachers there to support students as they end their high school careers.   

Professional Development Dates: (I will email everyone this summer as well)

June 16 - English Team

June 29 - Math Team

June 30 - Science Team

July 27 - Social Studies Team

TBD: CTE Team/ Special Education

August 4 - Back to School Cookout!!

End of the Year!

End of the Year Teacher Memes

We are almost there!  I thought you would enjoy these funny end of the year memes!  Keep smiling!  

Important Information: 

Surprise and Delight -  "It's CRUNCH time!"   Please visit the high school office on Monday to pick up a snack that crunches and helps you get through the rest of the week!!!   Also, I think this week calls for jeans!  

Faculty Meeting - We will have a Faculty Meeting on Tuesday, May 17 at 7:30 a.m. in the high school library.  A light breakfast will be served. 

Feedback - As we end the school year, we are continuing to look for feedback.  This time, if you have had special education assistants in your classroom, we would like to you fill out the survey below.  This survey is not about individual people, but about the system itself.  What are strengths and weaknesses of our current system for assistants.  If you could fill it out by Wednesday, that would be SUPER. (This is for teachers only.)  

      Survey Found Here

Community Service Day - Junior High Community Service Day will be Friday, May 20th.  If you are a teacher helping with this project and need coverage for part of your day - please email me with the periods you need help with coverage by Wednesday.  I am afraid I will forget someone!  Thank you!

End of The Year Reminders: 

          * We will pick up computers for junior high students and seniors on Friday, May 19th.  Rest of the students will turn in their computers by Friday, May 20th.  A detailed schedule will be shared soon.

         * Finals - Monday: Periods 2,4,6    Tuesday: Periods 1,3,5,7    Please have meaningful work for all students during these assigned times.  Please do not "finish" the year early - if you do, have meaningful work.  

        * Ivy Tech Grades - If you haven't already, please make sure you follow all deadlines for Ivy Tech when submitting your grades on-line.  If you need help with this, please let us know. 

        * Data Review - At the faculty meeting on Tuesday, I will pass out a data sheet, asking you to submit your power standard data.  Reflecting on learning at the end of the school year is powerful for learning and moving forward.  You can celebrate success and reflect on strengths and weaknesses from the school year!  Details to follow on Tuesday!

        * SFS Goals - Do not forget to go into the SFS system and upload information about your professional goals that we set at the beginning of the school year.  This is necessary for us to have in order to give you a final evaluation score!

On-Line Students - If you have students planning to take classes this summer, they will turn in their computers according to the schedule.  If we have time, we will re-issue them their computers by the end of the day on Tuesday.  If not, they can pick them up over the summer.  

Seniors Schedule:  Wednesday - Last Internship Day/  Friday - Senior Trip to Holiday World/  Monday - 9:30 a.m. Senior Walk through/Graduation Practice

Feedback

“When you shut down vulnerability you shut down opportunity.”  - Brene Brown

We know that good, honest feedback is the only way to grow and learn in any profession.  That is why I am asking for yours!  Below is a link to a survey about how effective I am at guiding and supporting you as the teacher and our school.  Asking for feedback is very nerve wracking, but I know that when we are vulnerable and open we can find opportunity to grow.   I don't know if there is another school in our area that has such strong, caring and wonderful teachers like all of you - so there is nothing more important to me than ensuring that I am moving in a direction that is supportive to you and our school.

Please use the link here to provide feedback by Wednesday.  This survey will not collect any emails or identifying information, so please be honest.  https://forms.gle/AMZsTmWzeeK7aCXV6                                      

Jennifer Gonazalez author of the Cult of Pedagogy blog stated, "No one likes criticism. It's in our nature as humans to avoid it, sometimes at all costs. Still, hearing what you need to work on is one of the only ways you get better." So, in the spirit of 'getting better,' I yearn for your feedback. I teach my own children to always try to be 'the best version of yourself' and this is one way to accomplish it!"

Important Information:

Open House:  This week our Construction and Marketing students will be celebrating the Container Home with an Open House on May 12^th!   They hope that some of our sponsors will attend and YOU!  We will have pizza down in front of the container home from 11:30 – 12:25 if you want to take your lunch, eat pizza with them and check out the container home.  Josh Craney and his crew have been working feverishly to finish the home.  It looks great!  Hope to see you there.  (Teachers, please make sure you still pull students during WIN and assistants, please cover your WIN groups like normal.)

Commodore Pride:  The Commodore Pride committee has a great line up for Friday, May 13^th (Ignore that it is Friday the 13^th).  Commodore Pride will be 3^rd and 4^th periods.  Please see details below:

      Grades 9-12:  Will be released to the high school gym after we take attendance 3^rd period.  Students will sit on the north side of the gym (by the coke machines) by grade level. 9^th grade on the visitor’s bench side and seniors on the home bench.    Be ready to be entertained and many of our student groups will be recognized. At the end of 4^th period, students will be released to WIN (but I think the wiffle ball tourney will have their championship at this time – then students can go to lunch).  Students will return to their 5^th period classes for the rest of the regular school day.  (Theme for the day is Careers.  We are asking all teachers to wear their Early College shirts!)

   Grades 7-8:  Grades 7-8 will report to their 3^rd period classes.  You can find a coverage plan HERE. (Assistants, please look at the plan because you will be helping during this time.)   Junior high teachers who want to attend Commodore Pride, should leave sub plans for their 3^rd period class and follow the coverage plan.   Students will stay in their 3^rd period classes for an extended time – at 10:45, students will be released to the football field (home bleachers) for their academic awards program.  We are asking that all junior high teachers please be present for this unless it is a special circumstance.  We will hand out student awards during this time.  Once this is finished, students will be released to lunch.  If you need some certificates printed, please let the office know and we are happy to help!

Please help ensure students have meaningful work periods 5-7 on Friday.  It will help our students make it through the rest of the day with fewer behaviors! 

 

7^th Grade Field Trip:  Thursday, May 12^th, all 7^th grade students will be attending a field trip at the 4-H Fair Grounds.  Thanks to Stephanie for organizing the trip. 

 

Academic Awards Banquet:  May 11^th is our Academic Awards Banquet!  Please stop in and see Sheila this week to check you awards.   The awards program will begin at 6:30 p.m.  Teachers will have a special section to sit on the south side of the gym.  Again, this year, we will ask each department to come up together and help each other present awards.  We will have pins and awards out on the table for you.   Please let us know if you have any questions.  A BIG thank you to Sheila for organizing this special event!

 

Testing:  Thanks to everyone who helped with ILEARN.  It was a great success.  We have just a handful of students that need to finish and I hope to get that finished on Monday.  I think I read where we will get test results in 12 days. . . so we may have them soon.

      AP Exams:  Dana sent lists of students who will be testing on Monday and Wednesday for their AP Calculus and AP Language tests. 

     Biology ECA:  This week, Jill and Jill will be giving the Biology ECA on Tuesday and Wednesday.  Students will test during their Biology period plus one extra period.  So, 2^nd period Biology students will test 1^st and 2^nd period for example.  You can find a copy of the schedule HERE.  Be mindful that this will affect several 9^th and 10^th grade students. You can see the list of students on the last tab of the document. 

House Meeting – If you lead a junior high House team, we will have a meeting Wednesday morning at 7:30 a.m. to finalize plans for our Community Service Day.  Please meet in the library for this important meeting!

Seniors – I wanted to share the plan for seniors.  Senior’s last normal day of school will be May 19^th.  They will have their senior class trip to Holiday World on May 20^th and we will have the senior walk through and graduation practice on Monday, May 23^rd.  (I may need some help on this day – not sure about having a senior!!!!  I cry during the walk through when they are not my own kids!)  They are getting excited about their last few days of school.  Thank you for keeping them engaged in meaningful work!

Congratulations to Tim Ball for being recognized for CTE Program of the Year for our region!  He will be recognized at a banquet in Indianapolis on Tuesday, May 10^th.  Also, Vivian Galey won the top CTE student spot!  She will also be recognized.   It is a testament to all of our programs here at PC!

 

 

 

 

Teacher Appreciation

 Last week, Vivian Galey and I were invited to the Dubois County Junior Achievement Banquet by Brenda Stallings.  Brenda is the founder and CEO of Matrix Integration and was inducted into the Business Hall of Fame.  We have grown to know Brenda as she has partnered with our students at Perry Central and actually funded Vivan's entrepreneurial project last summer.  

At the banquet, one of the speakers talked about Junior Achievement.  Junior Achievement's motto is "Empowering Young People to their Own Economic Success."   That statement got me thinking.  Not only does Junior Achievement strive for this kind of success for our students, but so do all of you.  Ensuring students have opportunity for a high quality of life, including helping students connect to careers that give them purpose and economic success is the bread and butter of your work! 

This week is Teacher Appreciation Week.  As you look forward to some great treats this week, I hope you can look at each student and realize the influence you really have on each of their lives.  Even though many of the kids do not realize it yet, they will.  You give them the foundation, encouragement and hope that drives them do great things after leaving your classroom.  

Just like Brenda Stallings has poured into Vivian, you are pouring into your students.  Thank you from the bottom of my heart, not only as a principal, but as a mom and community member who cares about the future of our community and world.  The work you do makes the world go around - I hope you don't forget how important you really are.  :-)  

Important Information: 

Teacher Appreciation Week - You received a post card from Janet with all of the goodies for the week.  We are entering the last few weeks of the school year!  Hope you have a SUPER FANTASTIC week!

ILEARN - I can't express enough to all of you how hard the 7th and 8th grade students worked on ILEARN.  Even some of our students that have been struggling in 8th period to get their work completed put their heart and soul into the test.  Thank you to all of our junior high teachers for preparing our students.  This week, we will be testing math on Tuesday (periods 1-3) and Wednesday (Periods 2-3).   HERE is the ILEARN schedule.  All locations are the same.  

Administrative Assistant Day - Last week, our office celebrated Janet and Sheila for Administrative Assistant day.  We are so blessed to have two wonderful ladies with smiling faces welcome all of our people from the outside and take care of all of the student's needs - and OUR NEEDS!  Thanks, Janet and Sheila!

Spring Calendar - Please find the Spring Calendar HERE for an up-to-date list of activities/testing dates.  We are entering AP exams and Biology ECA exam time as well as other fun activities. 

Keeping Focus - We are in the end of the fourth quarter, the game is tied, and every shot counts!!  Time to dig deep, team!!!!  This is an important time to create fun, engaging lessons that are outside of the box!  Share your favorite past time with them, find a way to give back to the community, play educational games, provide fun labs/learning experiences, have fun with them!!  We all need to come to school focused and ready to work each day so our students will keep up the expectation as well.