Post date: Aug 18, 2012 8:20:22 AM
Happy Final Friday of Summer Vacation!
During most of this week I've been easing myself back into the school environment and mindset, and enjoying it! Despite common sense, my room has been getting more and more messy. I'm eager to get help from some of you during the work day tomorrow. Errands and tasks abound! By Monday evening (Middle School Mixer), it should be back in better, and hopefully better than it was before I began the unrealistic journey towards a room-remodel!
Since my last email, few more of responses to my online survey have been submitted, bringing the total to 42 -- more than half way there! If you haven't done it yet, please put it on your to-do list (unless you are opposed). The responses are very helpful for me to know more about your student, your views, and your preferences.
I know that many of you have been viewing the 8th grade supply list and heading out for the big (and possibly all-too-costly) hunt. My wife, kids, and I have been doing the same for each of their classes, and after a few hours of fairly frustrating shopping I went online and took out quite a few items/parameters off of my classroom list! Bottom line... I do have many supplies in my room (at the beginning of the year at least) and can certainly provide whatever your kid needs for my class if they don't have it. That may not be true later in the year when the pencils get stubby, paper is scarce, and the pens have dried up, but for now things look good. So, if shopping is creating family stress or cramping your style, I say relax and wait until the crowds go down and the after-back-to-school-sales kick in. By the way, I'm not speaking for my grade-level colleagues, here!
On Monday morning the three 8th grade teachers will meet with the classroom coordinators to discuss how to best utilize parents in our classrooms in a way that benefits the kids the most, accommodates your schedules, and utilizes your talents. Since the students' schedules involve a 4-teacher rotation all morning, we are hoping to loosen the tether between parent and their student's homeroom. There will also, hopefully, be some variation from the traditional weekly 2 hour shift if it works for all parents, teachers, and programs. As is often the case at DCS, we are hoping to thing outside the box and consider a variety of scenarios and solutions. For anyone interested, the parents page of my site lists jobs from previous years (as well as the perpetual to-do list)
Also on Monday is the Middle School Mixer, during which I get to meet my homeroom! Each class will do an introduction activity in their homeroom for the first half of the evening, and then play some games outside as a grade level. For me, the start-of-school jitters have been creeping up for a week or so, and I'm a bit nervous but even more excited. Our 181 days together are extremely valuable and it is important to me that we make the best of each, right from the start.
Homeroom 25: I have an idea for a (voluntary) class gathering on the evening of Thursday, September 27th. Check your calendar and let me know if the date is unavailable for you and/or your child. Details to follow -- this is just a "save the date" request. :)
Thank you for your time and I hope that these last few days of vacation are fruitful for you!