Thanksgiving in May…

It is during this time of the year when I reflect, give thanks, and share the great things that are happening at school. I am blessed to be working in such an incredibly compassionate and benevolent school. This time of year can be hurried, rushed, and frantic, which often creates anxiety and angst for everyone. However as we end the school year at Francis Howell Middle, we've set aside time to celebrate and give thanks.

Earlier this month the #TMSHawkchat (Timberview Middle School in Keller, TX) topic was “Why do we need to celebration and end the year on a positive note?” I mention this as it is evident that schools across the nation take time near the end of the school year to celebrate the great things that happened during the school year.  It is vital that we celebrate and end our school year in an affirmative manner.  

Thursday (May 23^rd) we celebrated the school year with our students, staff, and families. A day-long event which included team activities, an extended lunch (with Kona Ice), grade level celebration assemblies, and an All-School Celebration Assembly that culminated in a Flash Mob (compliments of our Drama Teacher Mrs. G.). It was truly a wonderful way to spend the day at school.

Today (May 28^th) after the school day concludes we will celebrate with staff and friends. We will honor our colleagues who will be concluding their educational careers and beginning a new and exciting time during their retirement years.  To Cheryl B., Keiren G., Kay W., and Molly L.– thank you for giving of your time, energy, creativity and countless hours to make a difference in the lives of our students throughout the years! We will miss your leadership presence here at Francis Howell Middle.

So even though it is still six months until Thanksgiving, it is always a good time of the year to stop and give thanks. I am so thankful for the incredible staff of teachers we have a FHMS. I am thankful for the dedicated parents who are involved in the lives of their children and our school as volunteers. I am thankful for the great students we have here at FHMS – as they truly know how to lead the way.  It’s a great day and a great year to be a Junior Viking! Happy Thanksgiving everyone. So, what are you thankful for?

Do PLNs really work?

It continues to amaze me as to “how powerful” the twitterverse can be. We often take for granted the scope of its impact as we skim, scan, and scurry through our tweets, retweets, and favorites. Just last night, during the #moedchat on Multi-tasking, I was looking at my Evernote app and I was trying to figure out “What’s all the hype over Evernote and this little green app?” Back in February I attended METC13 and learned about the amazing benefits of Evernote (among several other excellent apps, programs, and devices).  So, I jumped in on the Evernote bandwagon.

Today, nearly three months after first taking on the task of discovering and working to understand the mystique and magic of Evernote, I am still baffled about its popularity. Well, who comes to my rescue? My PLN of course. I posed an off the topic question (as I was multitasking during the chat), to see if anyone could help me with Evernote. Instantaneously several members of my cohort jumped in with advise, suggestions, and ideas for me to implement. One colleague quickly posted a link for LiveBinders on Evernote tutorials (ow.ly/kT74h).  It was even suggested that we start an “Evernote user group”. Excellent idea. Can’t wait.

Only via Social Media can you get such depth and breadth of energy, enthusiasm, and mentoring. In the span of just over an hour, colleagues from across Missouri and the country gathered to share ideas. My big “take away” tonight is… “I can rely on my PLN to help me with a question, topic, or issue. I can learn from my colleagues no matter where they are (in MO or across the US).

Yes, PLNs work for me. Do they work for you?