The Least Shall Be The Greatest

GOOD MORNING AND HAPPY FRIDAY THURSDAY!  One sixth of the school year is complete…graduation is around the corner!

Homecoming Activities for Today and Tomorrow:

• Homecoming Pep Rally- 2:20 today at Newton Field
• Homecoming Parade & Bonfire- 6:45 departure from GHS- see the post (pinned to the top) on the district Facebook page for more details. The bonfire will be held at the GHS Baseball/Softball complex.
• Lady Blues Beat Burkburnett at 5:30 pm
• Steers Beat Big Spring at 7:30 pm

Lady Blues Volleyball- BIG game against a very good Burkburnett- I encourage you to be at the GHS Gym at 5:30 to support the team.

Graham Steer Football-  Last non-district game. Homecoming crowd. Finally some Fall weather. A great night for a VICTORY! Get after ‘em Steers!!!

Student Holidays/Teacher Workdays- Friday, September 30 and Monday, October 3.

Make Your Voice Heard- REGISTER TO VOTE! We have approximately 40 days until we have the opportunity to head to the polls to cast our votes. Registering is easy. Just go to the VOTETEXAS.GOV website to register or to check to see if you are registered.

THE LEAST SHALL BE THE GREATEST

(paraphrased from a story shared by a colleague)

Consider a very small west Texas community in the 1950s and 1960s. Everyday could have literally been a Leave It To Beaver episode! When the boys reached high school age, they became rabid about sports. Because it was Texas, football was the primary thing that interested them and seemed to bind everyone in the community together, young and old.

Fielding an eleven man football team was never difficult, but having enough bodies for a robust practice was always challenging. In fact, it was a common practice for the coaches to suit out to scrimmage with the players during practice. Fortunately, only relatively young men coached football during those years!

One summer a family moved to town that completely changed the football team and the way the group of teenaged boys in a small west Texas town perceived the game. The Lutheran church gained a new minister. With the minister came a wife and several children – four boys and three girls. The family had spent many years serving as foreign missionaries in Africa.

Three of the boys were high school aged, and on the first day of two-a-day football practice all three of them reported. Of course, none of them had ever played a game of football in their lives, but the coaches were happy to have the extra players. By just counting the heads that first day, they knew there were enough players to scrimmage, so they would not have to suit up that year!

The oldest of the brothers was a senior. He was 6’3” tall and weighed 235 pounds. He was the biggest body on the team, and everyone knew that he was going to play somewhere. Sure enough, he turned out to be a wonderful athlete and started on the offensive line and as a strong safety on defense. He was not only big, he could run like a deer. The next brother was a junior. He was of slight stature, very quiet, and meek. In an athletic world where all of us wanted to be “bigger, faster, and stronger,” he was “smaller, slower, and weaker.” Also, he was not a big fan of contact. The youngest of the three brothers was a freshman. Even as a freshman, he was bigger than the middle brother, and he became an asset to the team.

During two-a-days none of us knew it, but that season was going to be one to remember for that little town. The first game was upon them. After a long bus ride, the players were ready for battle. They were brimming with the confidence a new season can bring. After a hard fought contest, the team was on the short end of the scoreboard, 13-12. They missed both extra point tries. On the bus ride home, the coach informed everyone that we would find a place kicker before the next contest!

Monday’s practice began with everyone, and I mean everyone on the team, getting a try at kicking extra points. Regretfully, not many had any kicking talent. The last player to try kicking an extra point was the “new” boy with the meek and mild demeanor. Being game for the opportunity to contribute, he stood behind the holder, and it was all the rest of the players could do to keep from laughing. Poor fellow, he didn’t even know how to line up to kick an extra point. He was standing at an angle to the ball instead of directly behind it. But, the center snapped the ball, the holder placed it on the tee, and the lad boomed it through the goal posts and out of our stadium. Someone had to run outside the gate to the parking lot to retrieve the ball so that he could try again. Another try, another good kick, another trip to the parking lot to get the ball. Eventually, Coach placed someone in the parking lot to speed up practice. The coach kept backing him up further and further to see how far this young man could kick a football. Eventually we stopped when he kicked a fifty yard field goal!

The Bulldogs had found a kicker! That season our team did not miss another extra point, and we did not lose another game all year. One player made all of the difference in our team and in our success! Our kicker was a novelty; the first soccer-style kicker many had ever seen. So, the player that looked the least like a football player became the Most Valuable Player. He went on to receive a four year scholarship to kick for the SMU Mustangs!

This school year there will be two big events in which educators must become involved. First, Texas schools must create a culture of voting among educators. If there is an election, Texas educators must vote. Those elected to the Texas legislature have the greatest influence on the working conditions of educators than any other group in our state! Second, during the legislative session, do not hesitate to contact your representative and senator with your opinion of legislation that is before them. I have read that the only time many of our elected officials stand up to the lobbyists who are helping to finance their campaigns is when they have to say, “My folks back home won’t stand for my support of your bill.” The only way legislators know what the “folks back home” want is for the “folks back home” to tell them. Do not be too meek to speak up!

I know that there are lots of reasons for inactivity: you are busy people; your interest is in educating children, not influencing legislation; many are uncomfortable before legislators. However, if one small, meek, and mild sixteen year old can change the course of a football season for one high school team, just think what over 600,000 public school professionals working in unison can do for our state!!

CORNY JOKE OF THE DAY:

What is the difference between a poorly dressed man on a tricycle and a well dressed men on a bicycle? (scroll down for the answer)

Attire!

Shoulder to the Wheel

Good Morning and Happy Friday!

Congrats to the Steer CC team!  They finished 6th at the Glen Rose invitational. Will Walton won a medal while running his best time of the year (17:21), and finished 9th.

Jake Lanham (26th) and Sam Perkins(33rd) both ran strong races as well.

Graham Steer and Lady Blues tennis defeated Hirschi this past week 10-9.

Graham was losing 7-9 with 3 matches still on the court.  Will Reger and Kaylea Wright won their matches in a close tiebreaker and Adri Ustick won her singles match in straight sets giving Graham a 10-9 victory.  Every kid played hard and competed extremely well.  On Tuesday we lost to a very good Vernon team. On the bright side our mixed doubles team of Marcus Montfort and Sabryna Adrianson won again and are undefeated this year with a record of 8-0.  Marcus Montfort also won his singles match against Vernon.

The Lady Blues open district play this evening at home versus Hirschi.  GOOD LUCK LADIES!

The Graham Steers are on the road against Stephenville.  Safe travels and GO STEERS!

Items for the Weekly Message- Feel free to email me things and people to celebrate in the weekly message.  Please get me the items by Wednesday evening.

Shoulder to the Wheel

Some people exhibit an almost miraculous resolve in waiting for someone else to come along and do their work for them.  This Aesop fable may help remind us that we must first begin by attempting to help ourselves.

A wagoner was driving his team along a muddy lane with a full load behind them, when the wheel of his wagon sank so deep in the muck that no efforts of his horses could move them. As he stood there, looking helplessly and calling loudly upon Hercules for assistance, the god himself appeared and said to him, “Put your shoulder to the wheel and goad on your horses and then you may call on Hercules to assist you.  If you won’t lift a finger to help yourself, you can’t expect Hercules or anyone else to come to your aid.”

Heaven helps those who help themselves!

Have a great day, unless you have made other plans.

Corny Joke of the Day:

What has given Mr. Bubbles nightmares since elementary school? (scroll down for the answer)

Pop quizzes!

The Game of Tens

GOOD MORNING AND HAPPY FRIDAY!

• Congrats to the Graham Steer and Lady Blues tennis team! They won 19-0 over Mineral Wells this week.  The entire team played great.  Our mixed doubles team of Marcus Monfort and Sabrina Adrianson continued their winning streak-- they have a 6-0 record this season. Best of luck competing at WF Hirschi this Saturday.
• Our Lady Blues volleyball teams play this evening at Millsap.  Good luck girls!
• Good luck to our Graham Steer football team this evening at Burkburnett.
• Good luck and safe travels for our GJHS volleyball and cross-country athletes competing in Jacksboro.
• Flu Shots
• United Pharmacy will be setting up a Flu Shot Clinic for each campus for employees only. They will go to each school on October 10th and be there for about an hour. United will file Aetna school insurance only. There will not be any out-of-pocket expenses or co-pays.
• Jordan's Pharmacy provides free flu shots - for the whole family.  You just have to go to the pharmacy.  They have the shots in stock and there is no cost to any family member covered by AETNA insurance.
• “SHOUT OUT” to Stacy Lewis and Stephanie Talbott for providing Trail of Breadcrumbs training for our administrative team!!!

THE GAME OF TENS

Many famous writers, researchers, artists, etc. have stated that we all have at least one teacher who changes our lives. Here are a few famous quotes to celebrate these inspiring mentors:

“Teachers can change lives with just the right mix of chalk and challenges.”                  ― Joyce Meyer.

“The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.” ― William Arthur Ward.

“Good teachers know how to bring out the best in students.” ― Charles Kuralt.

“When you study great teachers... you will learn much more from their caring and hard work than from their style.” ― William Glasser.

“Education is the key to success in life, and teachers make a lasting impact in the lives of their students.” ― Solomon Ortiz.

“The older I got, the smarter my teachers became.” ― Ally Carter.

“What the teacher is, is more important than what he teaches.” ― Karl A. Menninger.

“A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.”                        ― Henry Adams.

“You can't stop a teacher when they want to do something. They just do it.”                  ― J.D. Salinger.

“It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge.” ― Albert Einstein
.

“A teacher who loves learning earns the right and the ability to help others learn.”         ― Ruth Beechick.

“Your role as a leader is even more important than you might imagine. You have the power to help people become winners.” ― Ken Blanchard.

“The art of teaching is the art of assisting discovery.” ― Mark Van Doren.

“True patience is grounded in wisdom & compassion.” ― Allan Lokos.

“Teachers, I believe, are the most responsible and important members of society because their professional efforts affect the fate of the earth.” ― Helen Caldicott

“The average teacher explains complexity; the gifted teacher reveals simplicity.”           ― Robert Brault.

A fundamental human need is to have a sense of significance (Maslow, 1943). We want to know that our work is important and that we are having a positive influence on those we serve and work alongside. This impact is one of the greatest strengths of our profession as educators.

If you think significance can be gained via the pursuit of fame, possessions or power, then I encourage you to take this pop quiz to test your “Significance IQ”:

• Can you name the ten wealthiest people in the world?
• Can you name the ten most admired people in America?
• Can you name the ten top corporate executives in America?
• Can you name the last ten presidents of the United States?
• Can you name the last ten Nobel Prize winners?
• Can you name the ten Cabinet members of any of the past three Presidents?

Fame, fortune and titles do not gain one significance. James  4:14 states, “Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.”

The significance of a teacher does not vanish. It is carried forward within the hundreds of students served by them.

Test your significance with this pop quiz:

• Name the ten people that made a positive impact on your life.
• Name the ten teachers you remember most fondly.
• Name ten students you know you have made a difference for.
• Name ten students, who when you hear their name, you are surprised they turned out to be productive adults. :)

Even if your list includes only one of each of these count yourself among the blessed.

CORNY JOKE OF THE DAY:

Why did the broom get a poor grade in school? (Scroll down for the answer)

Because it was always sweeping in class!

A Time To Remember

Good Morning Steer Nation!

Good luck this evening to our Graham Steers as they take on the Hirschi Huskies and to our Lady Blues against the Bridgeport Sissies!

On Saturday our Graham Steer and Lady Blues Cross Country teams compete in Seymour and our 9th/JV Lady Blues are playing in the Bridgeport tournament. Best wishes and safe travel to all.  

ARE YOU REGISTERED TO VOTE?

Anyone who is unaware that an election is looming has either been sleeping as soundly as Rip Van Winkle or is so focused on work they may be headed for a breakdown. You have heard the names Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton, right? Isn’t it hard to believe that we will be electing a new President of the United States in only nine weeks?

We are not only electing a President on that day, however. In addition to that important election, voting on all of the U.S. and state representatives will occur as well as some of our U.S. and state senators. Additionally, several other state officers as well as local county officials will be elected.

Are you registered to vote in this election? How about our students who are old enough to vote – are they registered? This week would be a good time to ensure that your high school students who are eligible to vote are registered to perform that most important civic responsibility! After all, we are teachers.

Over 700,000+ individuals earn a living in our state’s public schools. It is imperative that we create a culture of informed voting among this population. Every educator can help accomplish this task.

What might your help look like? (1.) Encourage your family and friends who are not registered to register to vote. They have until October 11th to register for voting in this election. You might even have the registration cards available for them. (2.) Provide them with information regarding the candidates’ platforms and positions. The information can be found at www.texaseducatorsvote.com. Especially direct them to the League of Women Voters information and the Teach the Vote website. Both of these resources are informative and easy to use.

Early voting is October 24th until November 4th, and election-day is November 8th.

As a school district, we will be rewarding employees who vote with a blue jeans day coupon when they bring their “I Voted” sticker to their supervisor.  Additionally, the campus/department with the highest percentage of voters will earn an extra blue jeans pass for all members of the campus/department team.

A TIME TO REMEMBER

Thanks to Barry Haenisch, Executive Director of Texas Association of Community Schools for sharing this message with me earlier this week.

This week, our country will remember that eventful day fifteen years ago when our nation was shaken by the terrorist act that resulted in the falling of the Twin Towers in New York City, the attack from the air on our Pentagon, and the tragic but heroic efforts of the passengers on United Flight 93 that crashed in a Pennsylvania field rather than finding its planned target in Washington, D.C. The numbers 9-1-1 have taken on a new meaning since that fateful day!

The Texas public school family is very large and diverse. Since those learning and working in public schools in Texas range from Pre-K to adults, our remembrance of that awful Tuesday morning vary. While very few public school students today have any memory of the events of the day, we adults have a reaction that may be influenced by our age. Those who were teaching then can probably remember vividly where they were and what they were doing as they heard the news of the planes flying into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center. Important historical events have a way of burning themselves on our memories! For those who were students on that fateful day, the memories may revolve more around the teacher or administrator who broke the news, the emotions that they shared, and the fear that events such as these can evoke.

The memories of the day and the meaning of the events are deeply personal and individual. While we know that every American was changed that day, there are no words to explain exactly what the changes were, because the impact was different for each person. Some lost friends or family. Some lost our innocence with the realization that our country was not immune to the violence and hate that had affected other parts of the world. Others felt anger and a need for revenge for the blatant attack to our nation and to our way of life. We all grieved a bit with the realization that future generations of Americans would never really know of a carefree and worry free life that many Americans enjoyed prior to 9-11.

Life is different now than it was before the attacks. There was a time that air passengers were not required to remove their shoes before boarding a plane. The words “Afghanistan” and “Iraq” had no personal meaning “once upon a time”. Many people might not have been surprised if the attack on our nation had come from Russia, China, or some other world power. Al-Qaeda, and now ISIS, have become new words in our citizens’ lexicon.

The events of fifteen years ago, however, brought new meaning to the word “hero.” Policemen, firefighters, and other first responders distinguished themselves and earned a place of honor in our hearts because of their determined and dedicated service to their brothers and sisters in NYC, Washington, D.C., and in that field in Pennsylvania. Almost 3,000 people died and over 6,000 were injured in the deadliest incident for firefighters and law enforcement officers in the history of the United States. It is important that as a nation we never forget the sacrifices of those who perished or of the first responders. After fifteen years, it is easy to forget the pride we all felt on Tuesday, September 11, 2001, in the heroic work of not only the first responders in the targeted areas, but of the heroic efforts of the first responders in every American city and village.

Through it all, it is good to remember on this fifteenth anniversary of 9-11-01 the people in our lives who are important to us. I am thankful to be blessed with a wonderful family, the freedoms afforded in our country, and I am thankful that each of you have dedicated yourselves to helping build a better state and nation through educating all of our children!

May God bless you, and may God continue to bless America!

Must Be Present to Win

GOOD MORNING AND HAPPY FRIDAY!

Graham Steers Football- Tonight is the home opener for the Steers in the New Newton.  Everyone is encouraged to participate in the RED OUT and to support our Graham Steers as they take on the Brownwood Lions.

Lady Blues Volleyball- The Lady Blues will face Brownwood at 5:00 this evening.  Best of Luck Ladies!

Team/Individual/Program Successes- Just a reminder to send me items to note or celebrate regarding our students and staff. I want the weekly message to contain as much “good stuff” as possible.

SCHOOL HOLIDAY ON MONDAY! TURN OFF YOUR ALARM AND ENJOY A DAY OF REST!!!

MUST BE PRESENT TO WIN!!

September is Attendance Awareness Month. Help Send the Message that Going to School Every Day Matters for Success in School and Life!

Improving student attendance is an essential, cost-effective but often overlooked strategy for ensuring our students are on-track to learn and succeed. Nationwide, as many as one out of 10 students is chronically absent, meaning they miss 10 percent or more of school days, or nearly a month. Chronic absence is a leading, early warning indicator of academic trouble and later dropout. The good news is that chronic absence is a problem we can solve. While addressing some attendance barriers—such as health, poor transportation, and unstable housing—can often require longer-term strategies, everyone can make a difference by helping students and families understand that going to school every day and avoiding absences whenever possible is critical to realizing their hopes and dreams. Too often, we don’t realize how quickly absences add up: Missing just two days every month can cause a child to fall behind.

Below are key messages that everyone —schools, preschools, public agencies, community organizations, faith based institutions, elected officials, and parents themselves—can use to help spread the word about this important issue.

1. Good attendance helps children do well in school and eventually in the workplace. Good attendance matters for school success, starting as early as prekindergarten and throughout elementary school. By middle and high school, poor attendance is a leading indicator of dropout. Developing the habit of attendance prepares students for success on the job and in life.
2. Excused and unexcused absences easily add up to too much time lost in the classroom.
1. Students are at risk academically if they miss 10 percent of the school year, or about 18 days. Once too many absences have occurred, they can affect learning, regardless of whether absences are excused or unexcused.
2. Sporadic, not just consecutive, absences matter. Before you know it – just one or two days a month can add up to nearly 10 percent of the school year.
3. Avoid unnecessary absences. Some absences are unavoidable. Occasionally, children get sick and need to stay home. What is important is getting children to school as often as possible.
3. Chronic absence, missing 10 percent of the school year or more, does not just affect the students who miss school. If too many students are chronically absent, it slows down instruction for other students, who must wait while the teacher repeats material for absentee students. This makes it harder for students to learn and teachers to teach.
4. We need to monitor how many days each student misses school for any reason— excused, unexcused or suspensions— so we can intervene early. Districts and schools should use data to identify how many and which students are chronically absent so they can target extra supports that can improve attendance and interrupt a pattern of chronic absence. Families should track how many days their children have missed so they are aware of when they should be concerned and take action. We can’t afford to think of absenteeism as merely a lack of compliance with school rules or a loss of funding. Absences represent lost opportunities to learn in the classroom.
5. Chronic absence is a problem we can solve when the whole community, along with the parents and schools, get involved in improving attendance. All of us can make a difference by helping students and families feel engaged in learning and their schools, setting the expectation that school attendance matters and working together to identify and help families overcome barriers to getting to school. Community partners are especially important for helping schools and families address and overcome tough barriers, such as limited access to health care, unstable housing, poor transportation or neighborhood violence.
6. Relationship building is fundamental to any strategy for improving student attendance. Students are more likely to go to school if they know someone cares whether they show up. Trusting relationships – whether with teachers, mentors, coaches or other caring adults – are critical to encouraging families and students to seek out help to overcome barriers to attendance.

Tips for Talking to Parents

Stress that good attendance will help your children do well in high school, in college and at work.

1. Your children can suffer academically if they miss 10 percent of the school year or about 18 days. That can be just one day every two weeks, and that can happen before you know it.
2. Some absences are unavoidable. We understand that children will get sick and need to stay home occasionally. The important thing is to get your children to school as often as possible.
3. Sporadic absences, not just those on consecutive days of school, matter. Before you know it – just one or two days a month can add up to nearly 10 percent of the school year.
4. If too many absences occur, it is still a problem whether they are excused or unexcused because they represent too much lost learning time in the classroom.
5. Attendance matters as early as kindergarten. Studies show many children who miss too many days in kindergarten and first grade can struggle academically in later years. They often have trouble mastering reading by the end of third grade.
6. Preschool is a great time to start building a habit of good attendance. Young children with poor attendance in preschool also lose out on valuable learning time and if chronic absence continues into kindergarten, it can pull down academic achievement.
7. By middle and high school, chronic absence is a leading warning sign that a student will drop out.
8. Too many absent students can affect the whole classroom, creating learning opportunity gaps and slowing down instruction.
9. Families should avoid extended vacations that require your children to miss school. Try to line up vacations with the school’s schedule. The same goes for doctor’s appointments.
10. For younger children, you can set a regular bedtime and morning routine. Make sure they get 9 to 11 hours of sleep. You can lay out clothes and pack backpacks the night before.
11. For older children, you can help them develop homework and bedtime routines that allow for 8 ½ to 9 ½ hours of sleep. Make sure that when the lights go out, so do the cell phones, video games and computers.
12. Get to know the teachers and administrators. With younger children, make sure you introduce your child to teachers before school starts and keep in touch with the teachers. For older students, school officials can help you stay on top of academic progress and social contacts to make sure your child is staying on track.
13. Above all, set an example for your child. Show him or her that attendance matters to you and that you won’t allow an absence unless someone is truly sick. Avoid asking older students to help with daycare and household errands. For more information go to: http://awareness.attendanceworks.org/

Talking Points for Students

As they grow older, students need to hear this message from peers, as well as teachers and parents.

1. School is your first and most important job. You’re learning about more than math and reading. You’re learning how to show up for school on time every day, so that when you graduate and get a job, you’ll know how to show up for work on time every day.
2. Students who attend school regularly are more likely to graduate and find good jobs. In fact, a high school graduate makes, on average, a million dollars more than a dropout over a lifetime.
3. School only gets harder when you stay home too much. Sometimes it’s tempting to stay home because you’ve got too much work or you don’t understand what’s going on in class. But missing a day only makes that worse.

What makes a Cyclops such an effective teacher? (scroll down for the answer)

He has only one pupil.