'Twas the Day Before Vacation

Twas the day before vacation, and all through the school

Energy was high, but no one was breaking a rule.

The bookbags were hung in the lockers without care,

With knowledge that the bell soon would be there.

The children in assembly; "Quiet down!" teachers said,

While visions of vacation danced through ALL of their heads.

Rafael with his trash can and Bo with his broom

Were just getting ready for the cleaning of this room.

When out from the hallway there arose such a clatter

Mrs. Pink jumped from her seat to see what was the matter.

Away to the hallway she flew like a dash

Pushed open the door and ran out with a flash.

The temporary shine on the newly waxed floors

Blinded her for a moment as she flung open the door.

And what to her concerning eyes did appear

But a teacher, in his coat, with all of his classroom gear.

With a laugh in his loud voice, his retirement a myth

She knew in a moment it must be Mr. Smith

His suspenders covered in Santas, his pants with the same,

His tie adorned with the jolly old man of that name.

“Now Ms. Pink, and Ms. Marchant

Now teachers and kids,

On paras, on secretaries,

Bring your friends, bring your sibs,

To the front of the school,

Please now follow my call,

Let’s dash away, dash away, dash away all!"

As free students, at the bell, out the door will they fly

But when met with detention (they try to get by),

Out the door he was heading, like the end of the day,

With the expectation of vacation not held at bay.

He was dressed in the spirit, from his head to his toe,

His suspenders, his tie, and even his pants below.

A bundle of toys he slung over his back,

Gifts from his students bundled in his pack.

His eyes – how they twinkled!  His laughter, how merry!

His hair a bit disheveled, his face slightly hairy.

His guilty little mouth tightened up like a bow,

And his foot did a scuffle, as if kicking snow.

The ring of his keys shook in his excited large hand,

The jingle like Santa, or like his own one man band,

He had a narrow face and a very skinny belly,

And a voice that reverberated in the halls like wobbly jelly.

He was trying to sneak out, but an hour too early

Ms. Pink laughed when she saw him, in a tone not TOO surly.

A wink of his eye and a twist of his head

A blush on his cheeks a deepening red.

He sprang out the door, to his team gave a wave

And jumped into his Mini Cooper, and started down the pave

But we heard him exclaim, as he drove out of sight,

"Happy Holidays to all!  Be they merry and bright!"

Special Thanks

Dear Coolidge Families,

On Wednesday, November 26, we had a wonderful Thanksgiving assembly at Coolidge, organized by Team Voyager with special contributions from the band and acapella group.  It was moving and fun, and I am so appreciative of those students and adults who so carefully planned for the assembly, the food drive, and the music!

During the assembly, I read my own list of thanks as a way to both share myself with the school as well as to encourage the students to take a moment to pause and to give thanks.  I hope they were able to do so!

Thankfulness, by Mrs. Marchant...

 ·          I am thankful for my immediate family, including my husband Dave, my son Taylor, my daughter Olivia, and my dog Teddy.

·         I am thankful for my parents, my brother, my sister, and their families.
·         I am thankful for my health and that of my family.
·         I am thankful for my friends, who remain my friends through thick and thin, through celebrations and challenges, and over distance and time.
·         I am thankful to have a home.
·         I am thankful to be able to provide for my family, such as food and heat and fun.
·         I am thankful for being provided an excellent education, and to always keep on learning no matter how old I get.
·         I am thankful for the community of Reading, which I share with most of you students, as it is a wonderful place to work and learn and grow.
·         I am thankful for the country I live in and for those who work hard to keep us safe.
·         I am thankful to have a job.
·         I am thankful to love my job.
·         I am thankful for my amazing colleagues, meaning the teachers and staff in this building, who love what they do and who are passionate about supporting and educating middle school students along their/ YOUR path in life.
·         I am thankful for all of you students, who are the heart of this school.  My life would not be the same without you!
·         I am thankful for our Community Core Values, which hold us strong at our foundation of who we are as a community.
·         I am thankful for laughter.
·         I am thankful for music.
·         I am thankful for sunsets. (Did you happen to see the one last night?)
·         I am thankful for exercise.
·         I am thankful for good books, movies, and TV shows that make me think, laugh, or cry, or just allow me to get lost in the stories.
·         And lastly, I am thankful for the teachers and students of Team Voyager for putting together such a wonderful assembly!

I hope you and your families had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Warmly,

Sarah Marchant

Coolidge Community Core Values Assembly

On the heels of our first all-school assembly, this seems the perfect time to write a blog post.

Whenever we come together as a school, 99% of the time, it is in celebration.  It seems almost strange that we haven't joined together as a school until this past Friday, but at the same time, it seemed perfect in the moment.

As the community is now aware, we have kicked off a new set of Core Values for our school community: Perseverance; Accountability; Respect; Teamwork.  The kick-off has included grade-level assemblies, advisory activities, and a culminating project in advisory groups.  These activities have taken time, and have been done with fidelity across the school.  Additional layers of our kick-off have included parent email updates, a presentation by myself, Mrs. Warren, and two students at the October 6 School Committee meeting, and many meetings of the school leadership team to create activities and plans surrounding the kick-off.

The assembly was a community effort, and in the end, it was fantastic.  The assembly included the following:

• An introduction and welcome from Principal Marchant.
• Five students from the Coolidge World of Difference program who were the "Emcees" for the assembly.
• A student-written explanation of the connection between A World of Difference and our new core values.
• A guest speaker, Mr. Jason Cross, who is the district METCO director.
• A slide show, created by the enrichment groups led by Ms. Steinhauser and Ms. Grant, that showcased the Core Values projects and students modeling core values.  And it had awesome music as well!
• A ticket drawing (gift cards to Zynga!) for two students per team who have already exemplified the new Core Values so far this year.
• An explanation of our new ticket system, which will continue to recognize students for exemplifying our core values.

I would like to further describe two aspects of the assembly that parents might appreciate following up on with their children:

Mr. Cross's Speech: We videotaped his speech and need a bit more time to get it properly formatted to share via the blog.  When we do, I will send it out so parents can hear it directly.  Mr Cross started his speech by changing the energy of the room, asking students to count down from 5 and to say "bang!" at the end.  It certainly did change the energy, and involved teamwork!  Mr. Cross then began his story with a powerful first line, stating that he was hanging with his friends in high school, answered his phone and leaned forward to better hear his girl on the other line.  By leaning forward, a bullet that went flying over his head missed him by centimeters.  At this moment, the students were silent.  An environment of guns and bullets is one that is, thankfully, not a familiar one for our students.  The bullet came not from a stranger or passer by, but from his friend, as Mr. Cross and his friends were hanging out, playing with their guns.  The bullet came from a friend, who had accidentally shot it; Mr. Cross would have lost his life had he not leaned forward in that moment.

Mr. Cross grew up on Boston and his life did not start easy.  He was part of a gang, he was involved with drug and alcohol abuse, and he did not value his education.

At one point, lost in this world of gangs and drugs, he came to the realization that this wasn't the life he wanted to live.  And it was up to him to be the impetus for change.  

• It took Perseverance to get out of the gang, to quit drugs and alcohol, and to keep that energy for change going.  He had to stand up to those doing wrong when trying to do right.
• It took Accountability, as he was accountable for his actions, positive or negative, so he had to be accountable for the changes that he wanted to happen.
• It took Respect.  To make change, Mr. Cross needed to respect himself first and foremost.  Secondly, rather than having an aggressive stance with those around him, he had to change his ways of thinking about those around him, and respect others as well.  As a result, he earned more respect from them.
• It took Teamwork, as Mr. Cross couldn't act alone in life.  He needed his family, he needed coaches, and he needed supports, in order to find his success in life.

So was he successful?  Absolutely.  He went to college (although it took seven tries).  He is now married with three beautiful children.  He is a METCO director, a motivational speaker, a father, a fitness coach, and an actor. (And as we all learned, he's a very good beat boxer as well!).

He shared a very powerful story, and everyone in the room was extremely riveted and moved.

What was the takeaway for our students?  It was to think about their story.  What will their story be when they leave middle school?  High school?  And beyond?  How will our core values impress upon a nd support their story?  Will they be proud of their story when they take pause in the future to share it? Mr. Cross's story was certainly a good reminder to all to appreciate all we have, and to always work to be our best selves, in all aspects of our community.

Ticket System: The message will continue, as will positive reinforcements in the form of tickets.  Please visit our foyer, where three trees have been painted by our students, and on these trees, tickets will be hung (like leaves) by students who exemplified the core values!  When the trees get full, we will come together again as a community to draw more names and to give more prizes!  A second phase of this ticket system will be to incorporate parents; you will be given the opportunity to also give tickets to students and teachers.  More to come!

Thanks to all of our students and staff for this tremendous kick-off!  We hope to keep this energy going through the months to come!

Principals Take the ALS Challenge, and Pass the Challenge On....

Click here to see their challenge! (homeroom teachers and others!)

Welcome to the 2014-2015 School Year!

And here we go!  What a positive, energy-filled, exciting two days we have had back at school!  Students have been so fun, respectful, kind, and ready to learn.  Teachers have started the school year with the mindset of engaging students in learning, supporting the whole child, having fun, and making connections with students.  The only negative thing about this week has been the heat... (insert quote from Elaine/Seinfeld here)!  Certainly it would have been a bit easier to ease into the school year if we had two solid days of rain, but the students (and teachers!) have persevered despite the hot classrooms.

As you may or may not know, a team of teachers have worked hard to develop a new set of core values for the year ahead.  These values were built over the summer after asking for feedback/input from staff, students, and parents (thank you!).  Over the next four weeks, students will be participating in activities and a project in order to truly internalize, and thereby live by (ideally), our new Coolidge Community Core Values.  We are so excited about them, and expect that they will lay a strong foundation for our expectations of each other and for ourselves.  Another important improvement in the values is their title, which involves not just "Coolidge Core Values", but "Coolidge Community Core Values".  

What is a community?  As defined in the dictionary, it is "a feeling of fellowship with others, as a result of sharing common attitudes, interests, and goals."  Our attitudes/interests/goals here at Coolidge are shared through our care for our school (namely children!) and our Core Values.  And while you can't teach "feeling" per se, you can build feeling through the teaching of values, and through the rewards one receives by upholding and living by values, and maintaining consistency.  And so a community is built.

Our Coolidge parents are such an important part of our Coolidge community.  Staff and parents share responsibility for the well being of our students.  To that end, I hope that you feel a partnership with us when learning, living by, and modeling these values in matters relating to our students and Coolidge.  We hope that these can act as our "common ground" in the future.  The hope is that we hold ourselves, our students, and each other accountable.

And here they are!

COOLIDGE COMMUNITY CORE VALUES

ALL community members are “PART” of our values!

PERSEVERANCE

·              Always do your personal best

·              Stay committed to your goals

·              Practice consistently

·              Rebound and recover

·              Use various problem solving strategies

·              Take chances; go beyond your comfort zone

·              Advocate for yourself

ACCOUNTABILITY

·              Be honest in your work

·              Think before you act to make good choices

·              Take ownership of your actions

·              Be reflective

·              Honor your commitments

·              Strive to be organized

RESPECT

·              Be honest with yourself and others

·              Appreciate what you have to offer

·              Be kind, caring and courteous

·              Understand and accept differences

·              Use good manners

TEAMWORK

·              Present your most positive self

·              Be reliable

·              Be a good listener

·              Be inclusive

·              Stand up for others even when it’s uncomfortable

·              Solve problems collaboratively and peacefully

Super Cool Events

We have had two events this week that I am so very proud of on behalf of Coolidge:

DIFFERENCE DAY

The first was Difference Day, which happened on Tuesday.  It was a day run by students who are part of our A World of Difference program.  This event was student run, student initiated, student scheduled, with teacher support.  It was a real success, and it was student leadership at its best!  This was the first year that we did this at Coolidge, and I am so proud of all of the students who took on leadership roles, as well as all of the student participants, who were wonderfully supportive.  Special thanks to Mr. Bernard, who leads this year's World of Difference group.  Photos from the event can be found at:
https://plus.google.com/photos/109549052700801948974/albums/6026725206583223633?authkey=CJyj9bmphcyqaw

FIELD DAY

Today, we had Field Day, organized by Mr. Huizenga and Mrs. Schiavo.  The kids had a BLAST, were SO well behaved, and will remember this day forever!  Photos (All 200 of them!  Yikes!) can be seen here:
https://plus.google.com/photos/109549052700801948974/albums/6026720507399097873?authkey=CNDG3sjBjtfNwQE


I am so proud in these moments, when our school comes together and does something special, as it only reinforces the wonderful students and staff we have here.  The care teachers have for students is clear, and the investment students have in Coolidge is also evident as well.  As the year comes to an end, I am so grateful for our community of learners, teachers, and support.  As Coolidge is truly a special place!

June!

My apologies to those of you who are so good at following my weekly blog!  I accidentally missed two weeks as the blog update fell lower on the priority list.  I was advised that this would be a busy year as an administrator, and lo and behold, this has turned out to be true!  While we all look forward to the start of summer (in more ways than one!  Where's the sun today?), there seems to be much to do between now and June 25!

What has been keeping us so busy here, you ask?  First of all, we have been having lots of fun!  On the list of fun includes:

• Evening Open House (which was just a blast!  Thanks to all families who were able to attend!)
• Team Polaris trip to NYC (returning late last night)
• Team Polaris local fun for those who did not go to NYC
• 6th grade Greek Day
• Memorial Day Tribute

In addition, we have also been preparing for our fun end of year events, including:

• Band Concert
• Chorus Concert
• Kite Day
• Marionettes
• 7th grade Spanish field trip 
• Move-up Day (June 9)
• Field Day
• 8th Grade Promotion Ceremony and Dance

On more of the work end of things, I have been helping to:

• Complete the End of Year PARCC Math Assessment (two 8th grade groups), which has and will help to inform our students, school, district, and the state about this assessment.  We will also be sharing our feedback with the district and state.
• Interview candidates for positions for next year
• Create new 7th grade teams in preparation for move-up day
• Compile math data from 6th grade end of year assessments
• And the list goes on!

I think that come June 25, this building is going to seem strangely quiet and empty, which is not its natural or happy state.  I will continue to enjoy, support, and celebrate all of the energy it currently has, as the staff and students truly bring it to life!

Memorial Day Tribute:

Greek Day Fun:

Fun Videos!

Cool videos from the week!

Special Olympics Return/Celebration #1:

Special Olympics Return/Celebration #2:

Make Way for Ducklings:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhgkJqfgQ4I&list=UUs1y8rjGAS7v2uqBz7QrJiw 

Teacher Appreciation

As you know, this past week was Teacher Appreciation Week.  At Coolidge, we appreciated each other as we shared a lunch on Wednesday and then had a "Staff Sharing Hour", where teachers shared interesting teachings or technologies they were using in their classrooms, things they have experienced or learned elsewhere, as well as things they were thinking of for the future.  It was a wonderful time together!

I would like to take this moment to thank the teachers of Coolidge, who put their hearts and souls in their work with students, and who make Coolidge the wonderful place it is for students to be their most comfortable and to work to their best potential.

To further acknowledge teachers, I thought I would use this blog post to share the blogs/wikis/online work of some of our teachers (and their students)!

Mrs. Anderson, ELA teacher:
Personal Teaching Blog: makeitinthemiddle.blogspot.com
Twitter: @jennaleeA

Mrs, Doane, Art teacher:
Instagram: To follow her, type: coolige_art
Coolidge Art Facebook Page (click "like"!): https://www.facebook.com/pages/Coolidge-Art-Room/292357114255201

Mrs. Warren, ELA teacher:
Blog that shares student work: : http://finewarren.edublogs.org/

Mrs. Steinhauser, Library Media Specialist:
Coolidge Library Twitter: https://twitter.com/MrsSteinhauser

Celebrating the Styles of Learning

This week at Cooldige, we had the pleasure of welcoming Gianna Hitsos, a senior at Dunstable-Groton High School who happens to be autistic.  Gianna has grown to understand her disability, her learning style, and has learned, celebrated, and built upon her strengths.  Next year, she will be a freshman at Gordon College, where she will study music and performing arts, and will be able to continue to develop her singing talent!

While I don't have all of Gianna's presentation on video, I do have two clips to share:

In any classroom on any typical day at Coolidge, there are students of many different strengths.  Teachers keep this in mind as they develop their lessons, activities, and assessments, and as they engage with students on a daily basis.  It is our hope that every student feels that their strengths are recognized and celebrated, and that they are allowed to share their knowledge in a manner that works with their learning style.  As every student is different, so the profile of every class is different every year, then this is a new challenge for teachers to learn about their population and to meet their needs.  This is an ongoing area of development for all of our teachers and staff, given its importance in our school and society.

While I can speak of my own perspectives on learning styles, I want to take this opportunity to share with you a TED talk by Temple Grandin.  Temple is autistic and is a famous face and voice for the autistic community.  Beyond speaking of autism, this TED talk speaks about the diversity of learners in our communities, and how we need all of these learners in order to make the world a better place today and in the future.  I invite you to watch her talk, along with six others on the topic of autism, by clicking here.  

These assemblies, these videos, and our intellectually diverse mix of students are themselves a good reminder to celebrate each other in all of our forms, as our differences make our school, and our community, a richer place!

"Dis"connecting

With all my talk about "connections", I am now going to go against the grain and talk about DISconnecting.  I don't mean that I now have a new philosophy about our school and community, or expect each individual to act without consideration or alignment with others.  Rather, I am reflecting on the use of technology in our lives.

The Reading district prides itself in the use of using technology to enhance the classroom.  I am also not talking about this in this blog.  I believe strongly that technology can be a wonderful tool in the classroom.  That is for another blog post!

What I am talking about today is our personal dependency, as adults and young adults, to OVER-depend on  personal technology in our everyday lives.  So many things in life feel so important, and we need to know them, and deal with them, right away.  New work emails.  Phone calls from relatives.  Facebook updates.  The dinging of the phone as another text comes in ("come read me!  right now!" that sound cries).  The fact that we are always with technology creates an environment for always being reachable, and always being able to reach who and what we want, when we want it.  It's often a good thing.  Yet it's often a detrimental thing as well.

As adults, we can reflect back and can remember our first computers, our first email accounts, our first cell phones.  For me, personal technology began in high school, where I had a Brother typewriter with a small screen that allowed me to type my writing assignments on the screen prior to hitting the "print" button, at which point the typewriter portion of the device would go into action, slapping my words onto the paper.  If I wanted to use a computer, I went to the school library with my hard disk, where I could use the (new!) Apple computers to word process.  Mind you, I went to a top-notch high school that had everything to offer to its students.  But not yet the internet, not yet cell phones, not yet email.  And while I'm starting to feel old, that wasn't too very long ago!

Throughout my college years, technology grew rapidly; I got my first computer (it had its problems) with my first Ethernet cable and email by my senior year.  While word processing got easier, and the ability to email friends was so exciting, we made most of our plans, and shared information, by phone or face, in dining halls, classes, and on the sports fields.  To find each other we often went for walks around the small college town, as we didn't yet have cell phones.

And so that pattern continued through graduate school and my early adulthood, with hard-wired phones being the mode of communication and the internet developing in leaps and bounds.  I did much of my research in libraries and with real texts.  Professors provided handouts and binders with information to read.  I called my parents, siblings, and friends at least weekly from my home phone.

It has been seventeen years since I left graduate school (I realize I am dating myself here).... fast forward to the vacation week that we are just finishing.  I am reflecting on my own use of technology over this week, as well as that of my children.  And I am wondering if the rest of you reflect on this as well.  How dependent were you on technology?  How dependent were your children?  Those 7th graders who attended Prindle Pond did not bring cell phones and did not call home during their 4.5 days away from home; there were no gaming devices or computers.  How did they handle that when they first heard of it?  How did it feel for them?  How did it feel for you?  While it probably made intellectual sense (let the kids immerse themselves in the experience), in reality it was probably a challenge for many.  But did it enhance the experience?  Certainly.  Did it allow them to focus on face to face communication, relationships, and real-life connections?  Absolutely.  So for that experience, the LACK of technology allowed enhancement of connections.  This is one example about the importance of face to face experiences, not just technology, for making connections with people.

As for my vacation week, I really struggled with dis-connecting.  I purposefully went away in order to separate myself from my home and all the projects that I would do if I was in my home space.  I also felt it healthy to separate from work, emails, phone calls, and the list of work things to do, as the list is never ending.  I packed a great book, exercise clothing, and a list of (fun!) things I wanted to do on vacation.  Yet I still also packed my work computer and of course my cell phone.  As for my children, while they brought their iPods and iPad devices (which were certainly useful during travel), theu also packed books, snorkels, cards, and beach games.  My husband, who wasn't officially on vacation but thankfully took a few days off, rightfully brought his work computer and cell phone.

How did we do with my intention for us to dis-connect?  I give the my son and me about a C, while my daughter and husband earned a B.  While I only did one of the three projects on my mind this vacation (which is good that I restrained myself), I did check work email (on my phone) on many occasions, including while on the beach (which seems contradictory to the point of being on the beach, doesn't it?), at the pool, and out to dinner.  While my response rate wasn't as great or lengthy as normal, I hadn't set an "on vacation" default set, so felt that I should address any issues that wanted (not even needed) my attention.

My son struggled more with the concept of "relaxing" in a new setting.  To relax, to him, means to veg out watching Sports Center or a comedy show.  It was hard for him to find the beach relaxing, or kayaking, or anything that didn't involve DOING sports or interacting with technology in the form of a TV, iPad, or gaming device.  He did find some time to read during the day as a relaxing activity, which was good.  But I often found him technologically connected rather than immersing himself in his new environment.

As for my daughter and husband, they were better at enjoying the location, not picking up devices with any regularity, and focusing more on the environment.  They were able to sit quietly, enjoy the sun and beach activities, and be in the moment.  Their ability to do so allowed them to better immerse themselves in the experience.

This is a challenge I know many of us face, not just on vacations, but in our daily lives.  How do we use technology when we need it, but make good decisions and limit our use during times of wanting rather than needing?  And are we good about really differentiating the difference?  I personally know I need to work more on being present with those who are with me, to pay attention to what they are doing, saying, asking.  At work, am I making time to have face to face conversations, or if someone stops in my office, am I detaching from what I was doing on the computer to be actively present?  At home, more importantly, am I separating work and home, and technology and face time, to be present with my family?  Am I modeling for my children the example I want to be?

In an age where technology allows many connections beyond our smaller, more personal worlds, it should never interrupt or substitute for having real world experiences, making real-life connections, and building face to face relationships.  So while I continue to work on my communication with staff and parents, and utilize technology to help with that, I am also reminded to balance that with face to face connections.  I invite you to reflect on your balance, and to share your thoughts as to creating a balance between appropriate technology use and living life "present".

A "Brief" Note

Greetings, Coolidge Families!

The week ahead will be a brief one!  Students will be released for the vacation at 11:00 on Wednesday, as the staff has a two-day conference on Wednesday afternoon and all day Thursday.  I wish all families well as we head into our spring vacation!  Once we return, spring should officially be with us, and the end of the year will be in sight.

Speaking of spring, I want to address "brief briefs".  Last week at school, we spoke with all of our girls about proper dress now that the weather is warmer.  As a mother of a young girl, I know that the shopping options are limited when it comes to shorts, and that skimpy styles are "in".  We do ask that you please help your daughter to make conserative choices when dressing for school.  If you or she has to think twice about whether something is appropriate, it probably isn't.  And while many girls are just dressing with trends in mind, please try to help them to realize that there is style and beauty in dressing in a way that doesn't reveal their entire body shape.  To be more specific, shorts and skirts should cover all aspects of the bottom and uppermost thighs (both when standing and bending over at a locker), while shirts should cover the particulars of the top including the chest. Other shirts to avoid are off the shoulder, cropped, and low V-cut.  There has also been discussion about tight leggings.  While these are not part of our dress code, we find some pants leaving little to the imagination.  We leave these legging decisions up to families, but figure it is worth mentioning to factor into your discussions.  If a girls is dressed in a manner that is truly revealing and distracting to others, we will ask her to call home for additional layers or an alternative.  We would love to prevent this from happening!

Thank you for your attention to this matter!  And most of all, enjoy the warmer weather, and have a safe and restful vacation!

Removing Masks

I am writing this blog post on a Friday rather than Sunday, as I want to share today's assembly experience while it's fresh in my mind and heart.

For those of you who attended last night's performance by Michael Fowlin, you know what I'm talking about (or trying to put into words).  For those who were unable to attend, I will try to share with you what happened in today's performance at Coolidge, as it was extremely moving, and likely had a strong impact on all who saw it.

Michael Fowlin started his show with a poem by Langston Hughes:

Still Here

been scared and battered.
My hopes the wind done scattered.
Snow has friz me,
Sun has baked me,

Looks like between 'em they done
Tried to make me

Stop laughin', stop lovin', stop livin' --
But I don't care!
I'm still here!


From there, Michael started to take on different characters.  He was able to flow from one character to another in such a believable manner that the audience was left wondering what pieces of each character were actually him.  He began as a kindergartener with ADD, transformed into a black, gay football player, then to Jewish Korean student; a feminist; and a boy with cerebral palsy.  With each character, their mask was taken off and their truth was unveiled.  They were each beautiful for their differences.  He made the students then say, "I am beautiful," and then to someone near them, "You are beautiful."

While the show was filled with characters, it really wasn't about those characters.  It was about the audience.  By identifying with aspects of different characters, the audience was able to start to identify who each of them are under their own masks, what they truly struggle with , and what they share about themselves to be truth.  It was about getting us to admit to ourselves that our true selves are beautiful and we should wear this truth with pride.

Reading students wearing masks, you ask?  In this suburban, upper middle class community of good intent, high achievement, empathy, athleticism, and kindness, we are wearing masks?  Absolutely.  Michael noted (at last night's community presentation) that when he told a story to the high schoolers that often begets a laugh, they were quiet, which showed great emotional intelligence.  Yet in a community of students with high emotional intelligence, there are also risks, as this often means that the population doesn't connect with the fact that they are wearing masks.  In that case, the act of opening up, and exposing their individuality, is even more of a challenge in these situations.

So how did Michael challenge us to expose ourselves?  He kept coming back to the phrase, "There is a difference between what you are supposed to do and what you need to do."  This means don't just be a bystander in life.  Don't just let things happen and don't just try to go along with the "norm".   Instead, stand up for what you believe, identify who you are, and celebrate it.  Make a lasting difference.  Celebrate what makes each person different rather than conforming.  Don't be a "zebra", much less a lion that might attack a zebra.  The lions are obviously aggressive (bullies).  But when a zebra is attacked, what do the other zebras do?  Turn and run?  No, they stand and stare.  Don't be a zebra.

Michael asked a moving question: Who are you right now?  If your life were to end right now, what is your legacy?  Are you leaving behind a life you are proud of, something that can last positively beyond you, and because of you?

The room was silent.  So often we talk with children about their futures, and who they want to be, and what they want their life to be.  But who are they now?  What are they doing in the moment to define themselves, and to make the world a better place?  Are they making the people around them feel better after meeting them then before they met them?  Are they able to define who they are and to celebrate that?

A survey question asked an elderly population about what three things they would do differently if they could live life again.  The three top answers?
1) Reflect more.
2) Risk more.
3) Do more things that would live on after they pass on.

I encourage our families to do this together.  Reflect together about your challenges, both individual and as a family.  How do they impact you?  How do they define you?  Who are you, both individually and as a family?  Define who you are and own it.  Celebrate it. Take risks together.  And set goals as to what little things you can each do to make the world a better place.  They don't have to be big things; little things can make a big impact.  Find the truth each other, the people behind the masks, and give that truth power, both individually and together.  "We are far more powerful together than we are alone."

At the end of the assembly, I was on stage and I asked the audience to thank Dr. Fowlin one more time.  They began to clap.  And then they began to stand.  Within moments, all students and teachers were on their feet, clapping with thanks, some smiling, some crying.  It was the most powerful moment I have experienced in my nine years at Coolidge.  I knew that the students really felt the message of acceptance, owned the message, and were willing to stand up in support of it.  I was all teary and admitted that to the students.

I am so proud of them.  And now, moving forward, the adults in the school hope to support them as they speak their truth, as they own their lives, and as they take off their masks, and as they help to make the world a better place.  For some it won't be easy.  For some they are already doing it.  But to think that this experience can help to foster a celebration of diversity and individuality and difference.... how powerful.

Students, parents, Coolidge Community.... You are beautiful!

Hoops for Heart

 

 

Friday was an extremely fun day at Coolidge, with students raising money for heart health via Hoops for Heart!  Tournament play lasted for an hour and a half for each grade,with two teams per grade and gender moving on to the end of the day playoffs.

The last hour and a half of the day included the final games and honors, but it was also a time for other awards as well as a guest speaker.  One highly-coveted award was for Sportsmanship at each level.  In additoin, there was an award for the best uniforms, which is always fun!  This year's team uniforms included: suspenders, superman socks, bling, body art, Ninja Turtles, superheroes, suits, ties, funky tights (on boys as well as girls), and so much more!  We also had the pleasure of welcoming this year's highlighted visitor, 7-year-old, Zach, who had open heart surgery at the age of one day in order to put his improperly-developed arteries back into their proper places.  There he stood, as healthy as could be! He and his two sisters were some of the cutest guests we have ever had at an assembly!  Another highlight of the assembly was to  undestand that money raised for heart health not only benefits people beyond our walls, but it includes many within our community as well.  A couple of students and staff members were also celebrated at the assembly, which was a moving tribute!

Thanks to Mr. Huizenga and Mrs. Schiavo for organizing the event as well as to all of you who donated or supported this event.  Memories were certainly made!

MCAS, Illness, and Anxiety

The week at Coolidge was a busy one!  I will share two items from the week:

ELA MCAS

First of all, I was so proud with how the students did during the ELA MCAS!  They worked diligently, took it seriously, took their time, and handled the stress of standardized testing extremely well.  We appreciate the support from parents in terms of sending your students fed and rested and ready to test.  We also appreciate how you help your students balance the need to take the test seriously, yet not to the point of feeling tremendous stress.  This is a difficult balance for many students.  We saw a few signs of this stress at school, with students in tears when they didn't know all of the answers even though trying their best.  We reassured them that their effort is what counts!

ILLNESS

Secondly, I am not sure if the MCAS reduced the immune system of our students or if it was just a coincidence, but we had 31 students out on Friday with either a stomach bug or a fever/cough virus.  I am sitting with my own Coolidge child who now has the fever.  From his 6th grade perspective, I see that being sick is causing him anxiety.  He has homework he doesn't feel well enough to do (nor should he).  He knows that when absent tomorrow, he will miss more work and will have more homework.  All that work can be an overwhelming feeling for any student, especially if they feel too sick to do it.  I thought it might be timely to remind parents of what to do when your child is absent.

Absence Suggestions:
-First of all, I  want to remind parents that if your son/daughter is absent, you have the ability to request work when you call the absence in to the office.  If there is work that can be done at home without the student being present in class that day, the teacher will send the assignment home.  If there was learning in class that was critical in order to successfully complete an assignment, the teacher will often wait until the student returns in order to explain the material.  A parent can call the office at the end of the day to ask if work had been sent to the office, and if it has, it will be available for pickup.  If a student remains too sick to do that work, feel free to just let the teachers know in the form of an email or note.  Teachers are extremely understanding, yet communication is extremely helpful!
-Some teams have set up a defined expectation as to what to do if absent.  In 6th grade, the teachers have created forms for students to fill out to help them collect information as to work missed and to create a plan for making it up. The goal is to teach students how to advocate for themselves to collect work, and to support them with creating a plan for making up the work.
-In the higher grades, the responsibility of seeing teachers for missed work shifts to the student.  The #1 thing a student should remember is that it is the student's responsibility to see the teachers for what they missed.  This contact means a LOT to teachers, as it shows that the student cares about the work missed.  Teachers should not have to be the ones chasing the students about missed work.
-It also helps if a student come in a few minutes early to school when returning, as that gives the teachers time to focus on the student and the work rather than being asked during class.
-If a student says "Did I miss anything?", that is a bit frustrating for a teacher.  Of course something was missed!  :)  We try to coach them with this!
-In any grade or situation, it is important that the students know that their teams of teachers care about helping them structure their work, to be successful with the work, and to give the time they need to get it done properly.  While the extra work can be very stressful, the teachers are very reasonable as to giving time to get the work done.
-The worst thing a student can do is to ignore the days/work missed and to not see their teachers.  This means that the work will build up over time or will not earn any credit.  Those things are both much more stressful in the long run!
-Parents, feel free to let the team know if a student is feeling anxious, or if they need extra time or help on something due to an absence.  This type of communication is extremely helpful in coordination with the student seeing his/her teachers.

If you ever have any questions about missed work, feel free to contact the teachers and/or team leaders about policies, procedures, and expectations!

Stay healthy this week, Coolidge Community!  Perhaps if it ever warms up, and we get outdoors a bit more, these germs will clear out!

So Many Celebrations!

I would like to focus this week's blog post on two major events that happened in our community this week, of which I am extremely proud.

Celebration #1: Secretary of Education Arne Duncan Visits Coolidge!

On Wednesday, March 12, Coolidge was honored to host a visit from the Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan.  As he arrived at Coolidge, he participated in a "Meet and Greet" with two Coolidge student representatives and various district and community leaders.  He then visited an 8th grade math class taught by Chris Friberg, where he engaged with students as they worked to complete a challenging math problem.  He then moved to the library where he was greeted by district teachers, administrators, community members, parents, school committee members, and students.  He then participated in a roundtable discussion, including special visitors such as the Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education Mitchell Chester, Commissioner of Early Education and Care (and Reading resident) Tom Weber, and MTA President Paul Toner.  ELA teacher Laura Warren represented Coolidge at the round table, while Chris Friberg was asked some questions about math from her seat in the audience.  Secretary Duncan wanted to learn about Reading's educational initiatives as well as the challenges and successes we are facing in implementing those initiatives. The initiatives discussed included the implementation of the new math and literacy curriculum frameworks as well as how we need to teach students perseverance and "grit".  He commended Reading on being a place where collaboration and teamwork are the norm, where teachers are encouraged to try new things, and where students are supported in their learning.

Just as the district and community is extremely honored to have been hosting a visit from the Secretary of Education, Coolidge is also proud to have been chosen by the Secretary as the school to be visited.  An important takeaway for the entire school population has been a feeling of pride, as the Secretary's choice to visit Coolidge and Reading reflects on all of the excellent work that is being done by our educators and students.  We are all part of a school and a district that is considered at the forefront of education in a time when education is going through some rich and important changes.  As Secretary Duncan said in his parting words, it is sometimes difficult to be pioneers at the front of change.  Yet he thanked our district for being in that position, as it not only benefits our own student population, but it will benefit many students in many communities as they learn from our successes and challenges.

Celebration #2: Coolidge Science Olympiad Team Wins the State Tournament!

If I felt like a proud parent of 30 at the Science Olympiad Awards Ceremony (even though I wasn't actually the real parent of any of them!), I can only imagine how proud the actual parents of the students felt as the Coolidge team was announced as the MA Olympiad Champs!  Head Coach Karawan Meade was also extremely proud, and should feel that way of her own success as well.  Of the 23 events, Coolidge regulars earned eight 1st place awards, five 2nd place awards, and three 3rd place awards.  In addition, the alternate team won six 1st place awards, four 2nd place awards, and seven 3rd place awards.

As many of you know, being part of the Science Olympiad Team takes extreme time and dedication.  Early in the year, students commit to their team and their events.  Throughout the year, they work hard and have fun.  By putting in such time, effort, and passion, they rose to the top of what was the most well-attended MA Science Olympiad State Tournament in history!  The team requires tremendous support from coaches and parents.  Special thanks to parents Liz Rogers and Sergio Rotstein, who have organized the parent board in support of the team.  And thank you to the many coaches who help to guide and structure the learning, building, and modeling along the way.

The hard work and dedication continues as the team now focuses its attention on the 30th Annual National Olympiad Tournament, which will be held on May 16 & 17 at the University of Central Florida in Orlando!

Of special note, the team missed John McCarthy at this year's state tournament, who was home with an ailing back.  It was the first state tournament he missed in 22 years!  We look forward to having him back next year.  The students wrapped their first place trophy in a t-shirt that read "McCarthy Strong", which was extremely touching!

Memories Made? Check!

Well, Mother Nature sure likes to keep us on our toes this year!  And this past week's storm prior to the scheduled Olympiad Day was more of the same.  But in the end, she was unable to interrupt our day on Friday, and the Olympiad Day went off without a hitch!

This wonderful event could not have been possible without:

• John McCarthy and Jillian Schiavo, who organized the event on the school/teacher side, including all schedules, handouts, etc.,
• The teachers, who in many cases spend hours preparing for their event, and who this time had to really be flexible and accommodating, given the last-minute setup following the storm,
• Parent volunteers, who assist teachers with all that each even entails,
• PTO board member Jeanette Vigorito, who procured all of the supplies (and boiled dozens of eggs!), and who helped to organize parent volunteers,
• Support, office and custodial staff, who are busy working with students, organizing volunteers, setting up, breaking down, cleaning up, etc.
• The STUDENTS!  They were amazing!  They were cooperative, energetic, fun, and well behaved.  

One wonderful highlight was to have John McCarthy, beloved science teacher who has been on a medical leave, back in the building.  He was his usual self, radiating energy for this day, care for the students, and being helpful to all!  Team Gemini surprised him with by all wearing "McCarthy Strong" t-shirts.  It was a moving tribute to a man who has been organizing this event for years!

Below are some photographs that provide examples of what the day was like!