Webster lists a variety of definitions for the word suite. For our purpose here, I like "a piece of music that is made up of many short pieces that are taken from a larger work" because I believe that God is using each of us to compose a beautiful musical movement. With God's wisdom, guidance and conducting, we can be used to develop our children and grow those little ones into Him. Or...perhaps I read the wrong line and we're matching furniture.... ;)
From all of my work hats and from the bottom of my heart--> THANK YOU for all of the extra effort, planning and work you have poured into making Makers Week 2016 a huge success. I admire your adventurous spirit, desire to continue learning and willingness to continue growing in this art, craft and profession of educating our future. I firmly believe that experiences like makers week, in balance with direction instruction and skill building, creates learners who will flourish in their future! As you always do, you have glorified God with your work!
Parents have been so grateful for the inspiration and continued learning their children have taken home with them each day. Take a look at just a few comments from the avalanche of communication that was sent this week:
Thank You Lunch
The parent team would like to thank you for your hard work this week as well. They are providing lunch on Wednesday, March 2. We will NOT go hungry thanks to Makers Week. Crazy maybe. But not hungry!
Financial Planning
A financial planner has been visiting each campus over the past few weeks. He has asked if he can visit us to help clarify any programs or answer any questions. Please make note that he will be visiting South Side during the lunch hour and a bit longer if we do have questions for him on Monday, March 7.
MACUL
If you would like to attend the MACUL conference on March 10th and 11th in Grand Rapids (innovative learning and ideas for implementing new pedagogy, infusing technology meaningfully) please let me know by the end of the school day on Monday, February 29. We'll get your class covered ASAP.
Thank you for being willing to learn and always seek balance in the education we are providing for our children.
Tomorrow's Assembly
I will introduce the activities to the students with some photos in the gym. Please drop off your students at 8:45. They will be familiar with their 11 choices by 9:00. At 9:00 the HS robotics team will take over until 9:30. At 9:30 I hope and expect that you will be able to take your students back to your classroom to begin the sign up process.
There is a golden rod colored paper in your mailbox with the "code word" assigned for each session. If we all stick with these code words in the sign up document, the class lists will populate correctly for each day. Please don't sweat it if there's an error. We can certainly fix and correct lists as needed.
From your class, please sign up two kids per class for each day. So, if Amanda asks her kids how many would like to participate in Sphero, she can accept 8 kids and assign two for Monday, two for Tuesday, two for Wednesday and two for Thursday. If children feel badly that they will not have an opportunity to participate in their favorite sessions, please reassure them that these activities will be available in our Makers Space throughout the remainder of the year.
Makers Week Timing
As we did last year, your "home room" students will come to you at 8:15 for attendance and lunch choices. They can begin to walk to their session (please see golden rod sheet for locations) at 8:30. I will help the kindergarteners find their way around. Your "make" students will come to you between 8:30-8:40. It might be nice to activate prior knowledge, introduce one another and/or participate in an ice breaker type of activity. Recess will take place at 9:45. We'll ring the bell to come in at 10:00. You may pass out the snack before or after recess. By providing a snack, we eliminate the need for students to go back to their locker after or before recess, dig through their desks or try to coordinate snack times. We will have 30 more minutes to spend together. At 10:30, please begin to send children back to their "homeroom" teacher. It may be necessary to set aside time before 10:30 for clean up.
Sharing Kits
We will share tubs with Snap Circuits, Spheros, Ozobots and Marble Rollercoaster with Pine Ridge. By 11:00 I will bring the 4 tubs over to the teachers at Pine Ridge for charging and setting out. At the close of each day, Tim will bring those four kits to South Side for charging and prepping if need be.
Snack for Makers Week
Please let parents know in your blog that we will be providing snacks for the kids.
How about that! We pulled off an actual staff meeting in 2016!
Thank you for plugging along through so much. And, ladies, you're too much. Thank you for the birthday treat and gift. God has assembled such a loving team of people here at South Side and I'm truly grateful every day to be part of this team of servants. YOU are a gift to me every. day.
I'm looking forward to working and growing with each of you tomorrow and I'm so grateful that you will also be able to enjoy a long, well-deserved break in this loooong winter month. Happy Valentine's Day to each of you. We have a lot of love in our lives to celebrate and be grateful for.
MACUL
Take a peek at their site for more details. Please let me know by next Friday, February 19, if you would be interested in attending.
Makers/Robotics Assembly
Just to clarify, please bring your students to the gym on Thursday, February 18 by 8:45 for a Makers Week explanation and intro. Our high school robotics team will then showcase their robot for our kids. By 9:30 we should be able to bring our students back to the classroom. This link has our student sign up spreadsheet.
SPARK
Please take note that SPARK events will be taking place on Wednesday, February 17. It's a week earlier than usual because of Makers Week.
MLK Jr. Simulation Ideas
Let's keep dreaming of engaging students' emotions in meaningful ways on that day...
I remember a little tidbit I learned in Bible class in high school. You may have heard this somewhere along the way as well. In Biblical times people, both Christian and non-Christian, were afraid of deep water. All you have to do is watch an episode of River Monster to understand why. Deep water is teeming with strange and amazing creatures. Some soft and gentle, others a little less than gentle:
To live during a time with no scuba diving gear, no submersibles and pre-Jacque Cousteau era...I would be a bit concerned about dipping my foot in deep water where guys like this one and his buddies make their home as well!
Fisherman, like Peter and many of the disciples, spent most of their time dropping nets in waters that were relatively shallow. Plenty of fish swim in 12 feet or less depths of water, nets are effective when they reach to the floor of the lake and the fisherman do not need to spend time in the deep water, which was viewed as chaotic and fear-inducing.
Bearing this in mind, I find it interesting to note Jesus' words when he begins to call his disciples found in Luke 5:4 "When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into the deep water, and let down the nets for a catch". And, as you know, catch they did! Hmmm....why were they told to venture first into the chaos and fearful section of the lake?
Look again at the well-known story of Jesus walking on the water. The disciples were "a considerable distance from the shore" we read in Matthew 14:24. And, it's out in that deep, scary part of the water that Jesus calls Peter to step out and "Come" to him.
Jesus does call us out into deep water. We are walking with families who are dear to us through a time in life that is seemingly chaotic and fear-inducing. But, Jesus is here with us. He has called us to be here. As in the stories from the Bible, Jesus reaches out and holds us up. We have children across the seas. God is there. We have a sister, a mother, a dear friend undergoing treatment and beyond treatment. God is here. He calls us to trust. He comforts us with strength. He calls us here and we find Him.
Peggy undergoes surgery tomorrow morning at 10:30. Please pray with me that the procedure will be successful. Please pray boldly and humbly for a miracle. Her life is chaotic. She doesn't want to be in this deep water. Let's pray for and with her and her family.
Those of you on our team also in deep water, we pray with you and for you. We ask every day for strength, patience and we trust in God's immeasurable grace and peace that passes our understanding. Let's help each other put our trust in Him.
Lia, thank you for the sensitive and timely devotional this week. If I may, I'd like to share the verse you read to us found in 1 Corinthians 1:3-6:
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer.
Staff Meeting
We will have a staff meeting on Thursday, February 11 from 11:45-12:30.
Robotics Team
The high school and middle school robotics team is excited about our Makers Week endeavor. They asked me if they could present their robots to our students. If you would like to participate with your class in this presentation all our invited to the gym on Thursday, February 18 at 9:00. I anticipate perhaps a 20-25 minute presentation. The middle school robot is apparently kid friendly. They have offered to "tour" classrooms with this robot from 9:30-10:00. If you would NOT like to be interrupted with this robot, please let me know. Otherwise, they will travel from class to class from 9:30-10:00 allowing kids to try out their robot.
Walk for Warmth
Our running club has run a cumulative 55 miles just on Wednesday's lunch recess. If you could encourage your students to find 55 cents at home to donate, we'll have a nice amount to put toward a family struggling with a shut-off notice at home.
PD Details
Breakfast is served on main street from 8:00-8:30
Lunch from 11:45-12:30
Snacks provided
Our day should close at 3:00
We'll work on the Biblical narrative and entering information into Rubicon. I hope that you find the day a productive one!
Makers Week Supplies
I have been placing orders and will go mega-shopping next week. However, if you need items that I cannot purchase such as cardboard boxes or paper towel tubes, would you please advertise this need in your classroom blog? My concern about asking for toilet paper tubes in the elementary all-school blog is we'll be crushed under the weight of toilet paper tubes. If you ask and do not receive from your parents or if you wonder what materials you should ask for, please don't hesitate to talk with me. I'll help you navigate the material-gathering conundrum. Thank you for once again embarking on this important and alternative week with our students. I know it add "one more thing" and this is a biggie! I hope and expect another awesome learning experience for our students this year!
Dutch Village End of Year Shin Dig?
Let's think about this in advance and touch base at our staff meeting. Are we interested in overtaking Dutch Village for an end-of-the-year celebration with our students? If so, let's pick a date!
