Back to Our Regular Schedule!

It's hard to believe it's been nearly 3 months since I wrote on my blog!  The joy I get from writing is something I craved during the hectic months of June & July.  June was a whirlwind of summer school and professional learning, while July was filled with lots of traveling with family, playing with the newest member of our family, Addie, and moving.  Now that August 15 is here, it's time to prepare for the 2017-2018 school year, as professional learning kicks off this morning!  

At the end of school year, we welcomed the newest member of our family, Addie, a playful Golden Retriever!  Our summer has been busy adjusting to early mornings and lots of playing.  The best part of having this new member of the family is the joy she brings as she learns how to do life with all of us.  Addie loves to play, is a pro at napping and most of all, is a constant reminder of how the joy that comes from making others' smile!  

                     

During June, I worked with our 8th graders who needed to take the third round of STAAR testing.  It's been a couple of years since I've done this and I can honestly say I'm grateful I did it this summer.  My group of learners was comprised of learners from our districts 7 middle schools and various socio-economic levels.  I was most shocked when I asked each learner why they were at summer school.  About 90% replied with "Because I failed the STAAR test."  The few students I had from Room 27, were quick to respond, "Because I want to go to high school."  This one question served as both a reminder of the power of growth mindset, as well as positive thinking!  I knew our 2 weeks together may not yield the "required" test scores, however, I knew I could help guide this group of learners towards a growth mindset, where it's okay to make a mistake, as long as we are learning from it and moving towards our goal!  The change in their demeanor during our 10 days together was huge...in fact, learners were smiling and excited to be together each day!  

          

After summer school, I spent two weeks being a learner as I participated in the PAP Math Summer Institute at TCU and PBL professional learning with my fellow NRMS STEM teachers.  It was 2 weeks of lots of learning, reminders of why I am a teacher and most of all, provided much needed reassurance of how powerful intentional lesson design is for our learners.  

 July brought travels to the coast, Oklahoma and Arkansas,  learning how to drive as well as moving! Before our summer travels began, I presented at CAMT with Mollie Sheridan, a STEM Algebra teacher in GCISD.  We shared our passion about Socratic seminars in the math classroom.  I love being able to connect with my cross-district PLC buddy and share about our learning and growth as educators! 

After a quick trip to the coast, we took to the road to watch a few Drum Corp International (DCI) shows, in Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas.  All of our July adventures served as a reminder of how important it is to encourage others' when it comes to pursuing dreams.  We are our learners's biggest advocate!  

Watching a video of Carolina Crown, in 2013, soon led to David performing with the Guardians during the summer of 2015. Spending three weeks away from home, David’s love for DCI exploded! During his first live DCI performance, David was exposed to what skills and talents others brought to the world of music and was immediately hooked; hooked on the desire to be better each day, striving to be a member of a world-class Drum Corp, to become a member of Carolina Crown!  Countless hours of practice and commitment ensued over the next few months. David proved that he didn’t view obstacles as roadblocks, but as opportunities. Opportunities to reflect and improve as a musician; opportunities to grow as an individual; opportunities to pursue a dream! Last night brought the 2017 DCI tour to a close, with Carolina Crown placing third and earning the Jim Ott Memorial award for the top brass.  We're already looking forward to what next summer brings for David and his goals!  

 

Though summer wasn't a "typical" summer, I'm grateful for the time I shared with those who are important to me.  They filled my heart and reminded me of how important it is to support and encourage each other!  They reminded me of the importance of doing what is best for kids and how important it is for us to support each other.  Grateful to do life with my people and can't wait for what learning opportunities our upcoming school year holds for each of us! 

          

 

Stayed tuned for updates on life as a BISD learner, a learner at UTA and a STEM facilitator....

Utilizing Socratic Seminars in the Math Classroom

“Socratic Seminars are perfect for a math classroom!!!” 

-Socrates

On Monday, July 10, Mollie and I took our love of Socratic seminars on the road to downtown Fort Worth, where CAMT was taking place!  

Conference for the Advancement of Mathematics Teaching (CAMT) is an annual Texas conference for K-12 mathematics teachers. The conference is sponsored jointly by the Texas Council of Teachers of Mathematics, the Texas Association of Supervisors of Mathematics, and the Texas Section of the Mathematical Association of America.  


Mollie submitted our registration during the summer of 2016.  We were both teaching at separate campuses in Grapevine-Colleyville ISD and had embraced a 21st century classroom!  With each unit we tried to implement a Socratic seminar and were continuously amazed at how much our learners grew in their mathematical knowledge and confidence in the classroom.  

In April 2017, we received our proposal acceptance stating that our session, "Utilizing Socratic Seminars in the Math Classroom," was chosen and that we'd be presenting in a room that held 100+ people.  To say we were excited was an understatement!  We couldn't wait to share the story of our learners and the impact on student learning that Socratic seminars provided.  

Our session description

We know what you’re thinking. Socrates did not say that. You are correct; however, Socratic seminars are an excellent way to get your students to use of academic language, think critically, and collaborate with others. Come see multiple ways of implementing Socratic seminars into math, brainstorm ideas with mathematical minds, and participate in an example seminar yourself!

As fellow educators entered the room, we shared this article, Teacher Collaboration: When Belief Systems Collide  We chose this article because it's vital that everyone understand and accept each other for what strengths we bring to our departments!  Educators began to annotate their texts, as well as ask questions about the session.  More specifically they wanted to know how this can be used in a math classroom.

We were excited with their enthusiasm, but wanted for each participate to experience a Socratic seminar from a learners' perspective.  It's vital that we understand how our learners' feel when it comes to implementing new instructional strategies.  

It took some coaching on our part to get everyone engaged and participating, but pretty soon, everyone was actively engaged!  The energy that came from this group of teachers served as a reminder of why we chose to "give up" a day of summer vacation and share our love of learning with others.  

 

Upon completing their first Socratic seminar we had learners reflect by doing a quick write, whether it was on Twitter or a notecard.  One participant was moved to tears due to receiving such positive feedback from the group at her table.  

How will you use what you learned during your summer professional learning to impact the learners of your classroom?  

PAP Math 2017 Summer Institute Day #1

Just after spring break, in the middle of STAAR testing season, I received an email about registering for AP Summer Institute.  As I scrolled through the email, I saw that this was a district requirement for those teaching PAP classes, but the more exciting part was that classes were being offered at TCU!  I jumped on the opportunity and quickly submitted my registration.

As the weeks inched closer to summer vacation, I was asked to teach STAAR Summer Academy, in addition to take a PBL course with my fellow STEM teachers.  My summer began to fill up with "work."  Work of preparing our learners for STAAR and work of preparing the NRMS teaching staff for the world of problem-based learning; it was all work that had meaning.

During the third week of June, I found myself just as excited about going to professional learning as I was when I first set foot on the campus of TCU.  My class was held in the same building that I spent countless hours in, learning about higher level mathematics, as well as learning the type of teacher I would become!  As I walked into the building, I found myself reminiscing about being in college and the dream of becoming a teacher.  I'll never forget the sense of accomplishment I had in the classrooms of Winton-Scott as I achieved what I felt was the impossible; the success of understanding higher level mathematics....after all I was taking courses with an engineering focus, while I was earning my Bachelor's of Science in elementary mathematics!

Walking down the halls of Winton-Scott was like having flashback to college, especially as I walked into our classroom and was met with 30 other educators, who were there for the same purpose; the purpose to learn about mathematics.

During our first day together, we began our time together by creating a Coat of Arms, similar to a coordinate plane.  We each chose a color of paper we wanted that had our template on it.  I, of course, chose purple! As we went around our classroom and introduced ourselves, I was amazed at how fixed we as educators were in our responses.  For example, many focused on having the worst school year, or students not having pencils in class.  Teaching accomplishments focused on test scores, rather than growth and opportunity.  Based on this one 30 minute discussion, I knew this week would be filled with many learning opportunities!

Quadrant I:  Something Others Don't Know about You
Quadrant II:  Something You Enjoy Doing in Your Spare Time
Quadrant III:  Teaching Accomplishments
Quadrant IV:  Biggest Pet Peeve
Ribbon:  Quote/Favorite Motto 

As we moved throughout our first morning together, we discussed the value and importance of vertical teaming within our departments.  Honestly, I was shocked by the number of teachers who didn't do this on their campus.  Most talked about "not having enough time," which I believe to be an excuse.  As an educator, it is our job to know where our learners are coming from and where they are headed in the world of mathematics.  Looking at our standards and knowing how to scaffold up or down to meet the needs of our learners is vital to their growth as mathematicians.  I knew in my heart that this week would serve as an opportunity to share about my experience with vertical teaming and the impact it has had on my instruction as well as my learners' success!

In table groups, we were given a strand of the equity and access.  Our table group, later named as The Fun Bunch, focused on communication as the key to confirming student thinking.  We drew an iphone and then had multiple folders on the home screen that contained vital information, such as a folder of apps, where kids could access any information they needed and the messaging icon so communication was open between all stake holders.

                      

We continued moving through the "why" piece of AP classes, as each group presented their strand of equity and access.  Several discussions evolved regarding the benefits of vertical teaming and how it benefits all learners.  Vertical Teaming moves educators from the phrase of "my kids" to "our kids" which I believe ensures success for all of our learners!

As a group, we kept coming back to the universal idea of backwards design.  Starting with our end goal and discussing what prior knowledge our learners brought with them from the previous grade and how we could bridge them to our grade level standards.

We began with this problem, which blew most classmates out of the water!  As we talked amongst our table groups, it was evident that we were already teaching standards at the middle school level that would enable our learners to be successful with an "AP Calculus AB" problem!  Some of these concepts included:  rate of change, multiplicative multiplier, inequalities, area of rectangles (integral), d=rt, midpoints, linear equations, multiple representations, and coordinate planes.  In fact all of these skills lead to "understanding" calculus!  I must admit I was quite impressed with The Fun Bunch as we talked through the solution to this problem :)

Discussions continued about how we can no longer teach in isolation, or as I like to call it, textbook teaching.  We must build upon the experiences that other teachers are providing and help create connections for our learners.



After our discussions, or about every 45 minutes, we took a "brain break."  These are mini-lessons or activities that promote a different type of thinking.  Our first brain break involved a rubber band, string and red solo cups.  Our goal was to work together and stack the cups.  It definitely wasn't as easy as we thought it would be!

                  

 

This activity showed commitment.  We did not give up, even when a cup was dropped.  We continued to encourage each other by communicating and supporting, rather than ridiculing.  We proved that by being committed, we were showing that equity and excellence is a goal for all learners! 

Our discussions continued on the benefits of collegiality and collaboration.  By being collegial, we are helping each other process the alignment of our curriculum, which in turn meets the needs of our learners.  It's very similar to the idea of of when another voice says something and the lightbulb clicks.  We need to continue modeling this behavior with our students!

As we approached the lunch hour, we were given another brain break activity.  These were some of my favorites!  We were given this statement:  # : S in US.  The solution was 50 states in the United States.

11 statements were put up on the board and we were given time to find the solution.  At first I was skeptical about the task but as the minutes ticked by, I found I was completely hooked!  We repeated this 3 times, with various problems, which became more and more challenging.

See if you can solve some!

90: D in a RA
200 : D for PG in M
# : P on a RT
# : FG
88: PK
13: S on the AF
32: DF at WF

Upon coming back from lunch, we began to "do" math!  I love how our instructor modeled instructional strategies as well as taught us "math."  Our first activity focused on placing graphs around the room.  She would read a scenario and we would walk to the graph we felt matched the scenario.  Again, great discussions evolved, which brought clarity for those not teaching a higher grade level.  We quickly moved into using the area of a figure to determine the area under the curve.

We were given the problem:  Anna wants to plant a flower garden this summer.  She has an extra large yard that gives her lots of possibilities for the shape of her garden.  She knows she wants to use a rectangle and has enough room to make her garden have a perimeter of 24 feet.  You are going to draw a sketch of the possible gardens Anna can have and help her make some conclusions about the garden that will be best for her.  

As a table group, we worked through finding the solutions, using multiple representations.  The moment where it all came together for me, was when we graphed our solutions.  

Using three different colors allowed us to graph the base (orange), height (green) and area (blue).  This visual allowed our entire group to understand the relationship between the base and the height and the impact on the area of the garden.  I love how a challenging problem was simplified for all learners to be successful!  

Our day concluded with the discussion of how we were able to be successful with a challenging problem, tying it back to vertical alignment.  When a child says they aren't good at higher level math, we must take it back to the foundational skills and build forward.  Day 1 provided the reassurance that we are moving in the right direction as a math team.  We must continue to collaborate and encourage each other, as we all bring strengths to the table.  I loved leaving campus today feeling like we had accomplished so much!  


As I walked to my car, after our first day of learning, I was excited about what we had done and what all we would accomplish during the next few days together!  

Ron Clark Academy

On June 1st, our last day of the 2016-2017 school year, the four of us boarded our flight to Atlanta, Georgia, to attend a fast and furious few days of professional learning at the Ron Clark Academy! While our school was being prepped for demolition, we were about to embark on the beginning of our 2017-2018 learning journey.  Sure I had read Ron Clark's book, The Essential 55, as well as Move Your Bus, but nothing compares to being at Ron Clark Academy, learning from the teachers, students and parents who make up this learning community!  

                        

We traveled in groups to various parts of the school, learning about what makes this place special.  As we sat in Ron Clark's classroom, we saw a 5th grade math lesson.  This wasn't your typical classroom of students sitting in rows, with teachers standing around the room observing.  It was an active learning environment, where students worked in collaborative groups, higher level thinking was encouraged and most of all, learners were held accountable.  

     

 

Mr. Clark referred to his Essential 5 for the classroom.

*Tracking:  All learners should follow, with their eyes, the speaker.  

*Stand up when sharing answer & justification 

*Class/House points.  

*Higher level questioning for each lesson/standard 

*Self reflection (If I looked through your window what would I see?)

As he spoke about the essential 5 listed above, he shared some "advice" for all teachers.  Be intentional with your time; don't waste it!  We must look at how we learn and adjust our learning/teaching speed.  As an educator, it is vital that you always face your audience. Our feet should always face the audience, even when writing on the board!  One of my goals for this year, based on Mr. Clark's advice is to allow ample wait time for learners to help answer questions.

Mr. Clark shared the story of Ron Clark Academy.  It's a process; not one that just evolved overnight.  He strongly believes in the motto, "if you build it, they will come."  It's taken 10 years for RCA to be where it is today.  With that being said, it's an evolving finished product.  He focuses on creating the moment!  Besides having a structure, you must build your learning community.  Mr. Clark reached out to the families of RCA by making home visits.  This showed families that their story was an integral part of RCA.  Parents and siblings are part of each learner's story...it's vital we reach out to them!

Within the walls of RCA, all learners are members of a House family.  This provides much needed support for all stakeholders, while creating a competitive atmosphere!  Our school utilizes the house system for our Falcon Way time.  I've also seen teachers have house competitions amongst their classes, based on behavior and class performance.

Officially Slide Certified

As part of the "initiation" into the houses, all learners at RCA become slide certified.  At the end of our first day, all of the educators went down the spiral slide in the main entrance of the building.  With all of the cheering and music, who couldn't help but feel a part of the RCA family!

           

Advice given to a new teacher, can also be followed by us experienced teachers!  Remember to take a breath and go for your goals.  Have no fear and look at the bumps in the road as part of your story, not roadblocks that hinder success.  Change is an opportunity for us to become step out of comfort zone and embrace new ideas.  Flexibility is key to achieving success.  We must continue to challenge ourselves to be creative, especially when it comes to creating a meaningful learning environment for our school community! As we embrace change and flexibility in our learning community, we must find balance between home and school (a hard lesson for all of us!)  It's time to embrace the excitement of our learning journeys!  

As we end one year and start preparing for our upcoming year, it's time to remember why we are teachers.  We are teachers because of the impact made on others, as well as ourselves.  We must make each individual feel special.  Adam Dovico spoke with our group about how to make others feel special, by using the following acronym:  

S-shake hands 

P-posture 

E-eye contact 

C-charm (smile)

I-introduce yourself 

A-ask a question 

L-listen & lean 

As the first days of school approach, it's important to know each child's name.  I can speak from experience how much this matters to both the learners in our rooms, as well as their families.  Back in 1989, my parents sat in a parent conference with my science teacher.  After 60+ days of instruction, the teacher could not remember my name; she had no idea who I was.  Just because I was a quiet child and did as I was told, did not mean I didn't have a story to tell.  The feeling of shock and dismay resonated with my parents and impacted who I am as a teacher today.  It is my goal to know each child's name within the first week of school, as well as a bit about who they are.  It's time to be intentional and invest in our leaners!  

I began and ended my time at Ron Clark Academy in Kim Bearden's classroom.  She served as a reminder of why we are teachers, despite when things seem way out of our control and making the most of every opportunity!  During our last session, we split into grade level groups and talked about issues we faced.  From K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12 and administrators we began collaborating.  To be completely honest, these breakout sessions served as a reminder of how different teachers are and where we are in the process of becoming 21st century facilitators.

One of the most talked about topics was discipline.  I was amazed at how many became fired up when this was brought up.  Most believed the best solution was to send the child to the office.  I wondered how many paid attention to our two days of learning, where building relationships with all stakeholders is vital to the success of the learning environment.  As a solution, it was suggested to have scenarios (based on the previous year's discipline referral data) for teachers to look at during the week of professional learning, leading up to the first day of school.  This would allow teachers to listen to each other and become like minded in their approach to handling various situations.

Questions arose about how to get parent support, especially as kids get older.  Just because kids get older doesn't mean parents don't want to be involved in their child's education!  Our group shared ideas about hosting parents workshops.  I immediately thought of the power of hosting various technology workshops for our parents such as one on Google classroom and Skyward.  One school brought up the importance of having parent conferences.  I had to chime in on the power of our digital goal setting conferences when it came to building relationships with our parents.  One mom even told me, "You are a breath of fresh air!"  Why you ask?  Because I was open to guiding parents through the process of embracing technology rather than looking at them as unknowing.  We must remember, we are all life long learners!  

As each groups shared out about their discussion, Kim shared her advice on coping with life, when things don't seem to be going well.

• Remember that you write the pages of your stories...don't allow outside factors to define who you are!
• Empower others, as the exponential effect goes on forever!  
• Lifting others up only lifts you up; you have significance!  
• Seek significance (being someone), not achievements (things)! 

A glimpse into a few of the classrooms, I had the pleasure of visiting while at RCA!

View from a 6th grade history class that was girls only!  Today's lesson focused on Tupac and his music

Summit Attack...great review...team of 3-4. Teacher reads problem, no WKSH. After 1st completion, 10 seconds to ensure  everyone knows the process...error analysis. Roll dice. If 6, group 6, call on member to explain answer. If correct, Place 3 xs on board. Continue play!

Advice to first year teacher, use Class Flow and be FLEXIBLE!

As we begin the 2017-2018 school year, I am encouraged to be intentional with all opportunities that I encounter.  It's vital to remember that I am a teacher for all learners, not just the students in room 1215.  Intentionality will serve as my guide as to who I surround myself with.  It's important to fuel my soul with positive energy and life-long learners, listen to others and remember it is me who brings magic to our classroom, not things. It's the love & believing in our learners that makes our classrooms a safe place for learning, where learners are willing to take risks as they reach for their goals!   

It's time to change the perception of school...especially on social media...it's time to tell OUR story!   

What Being a Teacher is All About

It's hard to believe it's the last day of the 2016-2017 school year!  It feels like I just unpacked my belongings, transforming a room into a family.  It's been a year filled with growth and reflection; a year filled with changes; a year filled with 21st century learning!  

This morning, I received this email:  

Walking into eighth grade; I had high expectations, joyful hopes and prayers, and no idea what was ahead of me! Eighth grade year was the hardest year of middle school, but also the most rewarding.

Starting the school year, I didn't have Ms. Pauley or room 27 to lean on. I had a teacher that was very sweet, but there was always challenges when I spent hours doing one IXL, but it was because I wasn't taught in a way that was effective for me. I take my school work a little too seriously, and always try to go beyond what is expected. I get anxious if I don't understand the material fully and completely. I started getting so worried that I talked to Ms. Taylor, my seventh grade math teacher, for help and tutorials. One day, I walked in and she simply told me not to worry about it, and she was really excited for what was coming.

The next day, I was doing my daily skyward check, and noticed Ms. Pauley's name as my Algebra teacher! That's when I first figured out she would be my upcoming teacher, and what Ms. Taylor was talking about. 

Our first day of class with Ms. Pauley, I was super prepared! I knew she was going to teach me on the level I was willing to take, and give me the challenges I was ready to face. I remember on the first day her explaining how we would start goal setting, and I remember thinking first test grade will be a breeze for me! I've been setting goals for myself for as long as I can remember, and consider myself a natural goal setter! We started our goal setting process by scheduling a time. I scheduled my time for the first spot I was available! November 3rd to be exact. I remember this day like it was yesterday. This day is probably the most memorable day of middle school for me.

November 3rd comes, and I was not having a good morning at all! I barely got any sleep because I was up all night throwing up from food poisoning, and felt like complete trash. The only reason I came to school that day was because I didn't feel like finding another day to fit in a goal setting conference with my packed schedule. 

I walked in, and there were already students in there ready to state their future plans and aspirations. Ms. Pauley started by asking me what my eighth grade goals were- I showed her my goal check list, and she was very pleased with what I showed her. She asked where I wanted to go to college, and what I wanted to be when I grow up. My answer was, and still is I don't know. I started listing some things that I might be interested in, one of them being a teacher.  As soon as I said that her eyes lit up, and told me that I was going to join morning duty with her, and start lessons on how to be a teacher. That changed my hectic morning into a phenomenal day!

As the days went by, I'd open up to Ms. Pauley more and more. She would calm me when I was overwhelmed with emotions, and give me advice that would change my way of thinking. Ms. Pauley would make me want to come to school, and became way more than a teacher to me; she became a role model, hero, therapist, friend, an unlimited supply of food and hugs, and a second mom! 

I've learned many many lessons from Ms. Pauley that I will keep in the back of my life for the rest of my life! One of them being always appreciate your momma! Ms. Pauley really helped me learn to be more grateful for my mom, and realize how much she truly does for me. She taught me if you're going to take notes, teacher pens are the go to! My note taking skills are 10/10 this year with all the paper folding and colorful pens. When people would be rude to me, she helped me learn how to stop wasting my time and energy on people not worth it, and how to work with those I did not see eye to eye with.  Ms. Pauley taught me how to find joy in each and every day! She showed me to better invest in people because not doing so could lead to heartbreak. Most importantly she taught me to always go for my goals, and know that I'm capable of far more than I think I am!  She helped me reach my full potential.  

Audrey met her goal of being the valedictorian of her 8th grade class! 

Ms. Pauley and I are members of the hot mess express (#HME) running on lattes and goals. We shared our thoughts, dreams, goals, ideas, moments, and everything in between. She was patient with my craziness, prayerful for my stress, and joyful for my accomplishments! Leaving middle school, the memories I have made with her will continue on to high school. And we will continue to make more.  She will witness my theatre productions, my sport games, and me walking across the stage in the year of 2021. She will continue to be one of my biggest cheerleaders and supporters!  

As I walk to high school for the next chapter of my life, I will cherish and remember the moments I made with Ms. Pauley. She made a huge impact on me that is helping shape me into the woman I'm becoming. Forever thankful for such an unexpected blessing like her to show up in my last year at middle school!  

To the class of 2021, remember to pursue your goals, viewing obstacles and learning opportunities.  I am so excited for all that you accomplish!  

A Celebration of OUR Story

It's hard to believe the end of our year is coming to an end!  It's been a year of growing and reflecting as we've been thrown many curveballs.  One of the most exciting chapters of learning during the 2016-2017 school year, was earning our STEM certification.

Beginning in December 2016, we spent countless hours working during PLC, over coffee on a Saturday morning and even some nights after school!  There were times when the end seem so far away but with the help of each other, we all achieve what seemed to be the impossible...our STEM certification.

Sure we spent time watching videos and submitting our digital reflections, but it was the impromptu conversations we had during our school day and over text during the weekend.  The conversations that brought reassurance that we are all a team working towards one common goal....student success!  You could often find us talking with each other about certain indicators that we struggled with or indicators that brought success.  Celebrations occurred as we each received the infamous "firework" email stating we had completed our certification process! 

 

I couldn't be more proud of our teachers.  Over the past six months, a change in mindset began to unfold in the hallways of NRMS.  A change from teacher-led instruction to student-centered classrooms. A change from pencil and paper tasks to inquiry-based activities.  Teachers began to step out of their comfort zones and try new ideas that we learned about during the certification process.  We began to lean on each other in ways we never thought possible.  

As a department, we have common goals for our upcoming year.  Those of having the same group roles for our learners to truly implementing interactive notebooks, where learners are reflecting on their learning.  

Yesterday, all of the 6th & 7th Falcons and NRMS staff members, came together to celebrate becoming the first nationally STEM certified middle school.  Hearing words from our district leadership team, as well as Dr. Judy Zimney, from National Institute of STEM Education, were truly inspiring.  We have so many supporting our STEM journey!  

                

As Dr. Clarence Simmons spoke to our Falcons, he left them with the question of, "What will your legacy be?"  It is so imperative that we all think towards the future and what impact we have on each others' success.  As we move into our new building, our 7th graders will be the first to graduate from NRMS.  They will set the tone for our year together.  I'm excited to be apart of their legacy and hope to help them achieve their goals!  

Dr. Zimny followed Dr. Simmons by encouraging our school community to think like scientists during the summer and beyond.  In order to think like a scientist, we must be a learner.  Look at all situations as learning opportunities, rather than obstacles.  They more we know, the more we can do!  She encouraged us to be strong and have an I can mindset; to be the best we can be.  Dr. Zimny's final point was to be resilient.  We must not allow failures to define us.  By following these three guidelines, nothing will hold us back!  

Our day of celebration continued that evening with a dinner hosted by curriculum and instruction.  Our science department chair, Karen Sanchez, and myself were asked to share about STEM experiences, which was an incredible honor.  I love sharing about how proud I am of our department and their desire to be the best for our learners!  

Hearing the excitement during these last days of May, from both each other and our leadership team, make this next chapter in our learning journey that much more exciting!  We are preparing our learners to be 21st century learners, which alleviates the chaos of packing and moving into our new building more bearable.  

Stay tuned as we turn the page in the story of NRMS...