What a week! - Part 1

 Amidst the scent of freshly waxed floors and freshly sharpened pencils and the echoes of excited chatter, Day 1 of the new school year began, a blank slate filled with infinite possibilities.  Monday's chatter wasn't excited students.  It was the staff as we started the 2023-2024 school year with a whole district breakfast and meetings. It was a smooth start to the week with all the necessary things to get everyone on the same page about expectations for the school year.  After being at the high school for the first couple of hours, I went back to Winskill where our staff meeting began in the library.  My principal always leads with a strong vision.  His beginning of the year meeting was no different from others: high standards were set, sucesses were celebrated, and inspiration for the year ahead was created.  The morning was over quickly and I had just enough time to run home and get a few miles in before the afternoon work time.  Like with any first day, I came home from school at 3:30 exhausted but excited for what would come.  Quick clothing change and Roger and I went to Dubuque to watch Kate play soccer.  After the game it was a not so healthy dinner of Sonic---my first time!  Fried foods at 10 pm don't make early wake up calls for running easy.

Tuesday began in a similar way to Monday:  up and at school by 7:30.  Reading team and writing team meetings.  Breakfast while at school (thank you, Community First Bank, for providing it!).  There was a district lunch being provided at Memorial Park but I ran home to switch some laundry and get a few things done while I had the chance.  I returned to school for the afternoon and was able to get some things finished but I knew there was so much more to do.  I left at 3:30 but was able to convince Roger to walk back to Winskill Tuesday evening to complete just a couple of tasks with me.  We left Winskill by 6:45 and picked up Subway for dinner on our walk home.  As I was winding down for the evening I heard Will come in from practice.  It wasn't his normal entrance.  I could hear him bringing in some things.  He walked into our bedroom and I saw the giant, plastic wrapped, ice encased knee.  "I'm okay," he said.  I'm at a point in my life where I think when people say that, it means they really are NOT okay... just my opinion.  Apparently he had felt something during practice and gone off to the sideline for a little while.  The trainer had looked at him and worked with him to get the ice around his knee and his coach had sent home a cooler filled with ice to continue to 15 minutes every hour of icing. 

Made it to the mid week point and got outside for my morning miles! I knew that I needed to run because I COULD.  I have no reason not to be getting out for miles.  I am physically ABLE.  My 17 year old son can barely walk and I CAN RUN.  That was the push I needed to get out the door.

  It felt wonderful!  I knew I needed the day to start off this way because it was the day of the Back to School Bash which meant a little bit longer of a day filled with lots of EXCITEMENT.  I'd get to meet all my new families!  This was also the day of the active shooter drill at the high school.  Will was participating in the event.  I was walking to a 9:15 meeting when my cell phone started ringing.  I answered my phone to hear, "This is Brittany from Grant Regional.  I have WIll here.  Can you present yourself at the registration desk?"  My first thought was that something had happened with his knee and that he was at the emergency room.  

        "Yes.  I'll be there," I replied.  Then I realized that Will might have been at the active shooter drill.  "Is there about the drill at the high school?" 

          "This is Brittany from Grant Regional.  Can you present yourself at the registration desk?"   

         With that answer it felt confirmed that it was just part of the drill but I quickly grabbed my car keys and ran out to my car, drove quickly to the hospital, and entered the emergency room doors.  In those 2 minutes, I had to have been feeling and processing every possible emotion.  The biggest one being - What if Will's not okay?

          Once I saw him and hugged him, I drove him back to finish the drill, and I returned to Winskill to continue my preparations for the Back to School Bash.  Hours went quickly but I was ready when families began arriving at 4:30.  During the conversations at the school event I had the opportunity to talk with the school athletic trainer.  She recommended making an appointment with a doctor for Will's knee.  I was going to take him to acute care on Thursday but she thought trying to get him in with Orthopedics was a better idea.  That call went on my to do list for Thursday morning.  I finished the Back to School Bash and headed home to enjoy dinner and an early bedtime.  

I have so much more to tell about the week.  Part 2 coming soon.

Gifts to My Heart

 August was a month filled with many blessings.  I am going into September with a full heart!  

I'd like to share with you some of  the gifts to my heart.

The last year and a half has really changed my connection to "my people"  but during August I had so many perfect opportunities to connect with some of my favorite people.  Those connections are so necessary and it truly was an important part of my month.  While there is a part of me that liked (maybe even loved) being able to be home instead of having plans, I have been seriously missing out on what used to be...

In August I got to run with some of my #FFCREW.  It felt SO good to see them and hug them and spend time catching up with conversations! 

And did I mention the Crumbl Cookies?  

That simple couple hours was so important to my recharging and it wasn't the only thing that was life-giving.  

I spent a few days that same week in Madison.  I tried new to me foods.  I spent time sitting....yep, just slowing down and sitting. Time walking slowly along the water of Lake Monona. It was a gift to my heart in so many ways.

I also got a new pair of running shoes from Movin' Shoes.  New shoes always make my heart happy!

And then I got to enjoy more time with Michelle as we ran the Alzheimer's Half Marathon.  We were 1st and 2nd in our age group!    

We got a medal for the run, a 2nd medal for placing in our age group, and the Made to Move Summer Challenge Finisher Medal.

This summer lover is just a little sad to know that tomorrow brings a new month filled with all the crazy of new school routines and stressors, but my heart is happy and full.

Don't for a minute think that there weren't really hard and stressful things in August, too.  I am trying to choose how I feel and what I focus on so you get to share in my blessings.  I hope you will take some time to count yours, too!

August Miles run:  120.3

August Step goal %:  29/31 - 94%

I started the month with a slow, steady 10 mile run and I finished the month with an early morning 4 miler at a pace I haven't seen in over a year.  That gives me hope for a sub 2 half SOON --maybe September, maybe October but definitely before 2021 ends!

Dreamer:  To embrace the challenge and welcome new beginnings.

Here's to all that the 2021-2022 school year will bring.  

Story --- The Power of It

(5 days until race day!!!  Made to Move )

I often think about stories from the perspective of a reading teacher.  That's a really great way to get to think about stories.  I can think about Patricia Polacco and Kevin Henkes and the stories of Jacqueline Woodson and Peter Reynolds. I use stories every day to teach skills and help connect us in our classroom community but more recently I have been thinking about my own story.  I still don't know that I could tell my own story.

This summer I have decided to really begin the work of figuring out my story because I truly love knowing others' stories.

On Saturday morning, I was at Kate's soccer game in Sauk Prairie.  The facility was beautiful.  The weather was beautiful.  At halftime Roger and I walked back to the car so I could get something to drink.  We were walking back into the stadium when a gentleman who had been standing at the fence turned.

"Who do your girls play in the postseason?' he asked.

We began a conversation simply about the soccer season and playoffs but it quickly turned to more.

"Who are you watching?" I asked him.

"My granddaughter is number 22. She's a freshman."

Somehow the story continued and I learned his name and that he had once been the principal and superintendent in Sauk Prairie.  What was even more interesting to me was that he had filled in as superintendent at Benton Schools (which is super close to the Illinois border and coops with some sports with Scales Mound).  He talked about his sons and their families.  He talked about how his daughter in law had played soccer at UW-Madison. As we continued to listen to Mr. Tom Andres talk, it was evident that he was someone important.  He was wearing his floppy hat, red t-shirt, and khaki shorts but there was just something about listening to him talk about his family and their amazing work that made me want to know more about him.  Sure enough when I googled him I found this:  https://www.swnews4u.com/local/southwest/andres-brings-plethora-of-experience-to-benton-schools/

I truly believe that stories have power.  I try to teach my 5th graders how to write their own stories for that reason -- their stories have power.  As a lover of all things magic, I believe that magic is in the stories, too.  There was definitely something magical about our conversation with Tom Andres on Saturday. I want to work on knowing my own story.  This is my first step.

I was listening to a TED talk by Susan Conley and she talked about encouraging students to write with their heart.  I think that is what makes writing and sharing my own story so hard.  It means I have to trust that whoever I share it with or whoever reads it will not stomp all over it.  TRUST.  That is the hard part.   I know I want to dig in to my story but first I want to deal with the part about trust. 

Today I want to share with you a little bit about why I don't trust.  That's where I think my work on my own story needs to begin.  

During the summer of 2014, I decided to switch schools and districts.  I left what was comfortable and familiar where I had 16 years of experience to risk starting over with something unknown.  That in itself was enough of a challenge but what made things even tougher was when I walked into the teacher's lounge early in the year to hear, "Nobody at her old school liked her.  I can't believe ...."  The conversation was about me and I heard every word that was said.  This often replays in my mind.  I think about how I can unhear the conversation that I heard. It's impossible for that to happen. I've been asked to work with the person who was saying things about me that day in a few different ways.  I have worked hard to hold my head up each time.  I'm sure we all have stories like this but I am going to work through mine.  My story of not being enough to others and feeling invisible is not a story that's just mine but I'm ready to start telling all the parts of my story.

@fellowflowers

Here's to a great week of possibility ahead!  

3 Weeks IN

 

Last night we sat around our backyard fire pit and just enjoyed the calm and quiet.   It was a PERFECT Saturday evening. After busy weeks and early bed times (seriously --- I have been in bed and asleep by 9 pm since August 31), it felt so good to sit outside and just enjoy.  I admired the trees in the backyard.  As I looked at the middle tree along our lot line, I couldn't believe that it was already beginning to change colors.

Tomorrow marks the autumnal equinox.  It's a perfect checkpoint for me to do some reflecting and planning for what's ahead.  It's also a good reflection time for me because I ran my September half-marathon yesterday.

Yesterday's half marathon wasn't like any of the others that I've run before.... There was no start line or finish line.  No fans cheering along the route.  No other runners to chat with before the National Anthem.  It was just me and the route I chose to run.

My race preparation included an 8 week training plan and coaching from The Radiant Runner. While I was hoping to run a sub 2 hour half I wasn't sure it would be possible.  On September 6 I did some goal setting/reflecting about what I should shoot for.  This is what I set out for my goals:  

Not sure a sub 2 is possible.  I haven’t run a 9:05 average on anything.

A goal:  2:05 (a little less than a 9:30 avg)

B goal:  under 2:10

C goal: finish

I knew that I had trained as best that I could. I was starting to think about how I could have eaten better, lost a few pounds, drank more water, strength trained,..... Those thoughts were not going to help me perform at my best so I turned my thoughts to how thankful I am that I get to RUN! I could not let fear win.

"Fear is gradually replaced by excitement and a simple desire to see what you can do on the day."
—Lauren Fleshman, American distance runner

Friday night I got to watch Will play in a football scrimmage and then it was a Happy Joe's pizza dinner (that's what we have most Friday nights) and then it was early to bed so that I could be running between 7:30 and 8:00 on Saturday morning. When I woke up on Saturday morning, my stomach was growling. I couldn't believe it. Could I really be hungry? I figured that if I ate anything it would throw off my run so I just ignored it. It worked out pretty well to do that. Here's what I did eat:

There were points of my "race" where I walked. By mile 10 I was definitely struggling. I was upset with myself that I had planned the route to go up pool hill after mile 10. What was I thinking? It may have slowed me down but I didn't stop. I finished my 13.1 miles and met my adjusted A goal!!!

The rest of the day was spent chilling at home. It was a perfect "celebration" of a race well run.

As I was watching a Hallmark movie yesterday afternoon we received the email about a positive COVID case at the middle or high school in our district. It was such an overhwelming flow of emotions. Fear, anger, disappointment were just a few of the feelings. I didn't let those live long. Instead I decided that I will continue to celebrate each day that I get to be in person with my 5th graders. We are having fun together and learning every day. I will not let FEAR win.

In this seasonal shift that marks the autumnal equinox, remember that we get a perfect split of half light and half dark. Choose to share the LIGHT!

Planning Ahead

I am a 5th Grade ELA teacher.  I am completing my 21st year of teaching. One might think that those years of experience would have me comfortable or possibly even complacent. That is not the case for me EVER. I am always a learner.

  As the world is in a national crisis, I need to find ways to engage my students differently.  We have just completed 7 weeks of distance learning that we never anticipated nor were prepared for.  My days are LONG and full.  I need to find the key to activating the brains of 5th graders when they aren’t physically in front of me.  I want to help them see the sense and relevancy of what we are continuing to do.  I want to spark THEIR curiosity. I love that this distance learning setting gives my students (and me) the opportunity to embrace trial and error.  It also gives all of us time to practice reflection.

When May hits, our school will be doing the majority of our teaching from Google Classroom. The last time I actually had a class in Google Classroom was 2015....Yep. I used to do it and then I quit doing it. I have been working hard this week to learn all that I can about the best ways to videotape my lessons and create activities for Google Classroom. I have some super fun ideas in mind....Now I just need to use the time this weekend to put it all into place while at the same time completely packing up my classroom and moving it's entire contents to the library. These are the times when I am super thankful to be in the town where I live and to have the help of my family.

Here is my challenge to you this weekend:

-Do something to make your heart happy.

-Learn something new.

-Spend time reflecting.

And just for fun you are welcome to enjoy this wordless story that I shared with my students this week as we learned about inferences:

#headupheartout

What doesn't kill you....

You know the rest, right?  We are all going to come out the other side of COVID 19 STRONGER than EVER!   I believe that.

I'd like to back up just a few short weeks with this reflection post.  When school let out for Spring Break on March 6 at 3:15, I had no idea that I wouldn't get to see the 66 amazing 5th graders burst back into the classroom.  When we walked out the door that Friday, we fully intended to begin classes (as usual) on Monday, March 16. 

Spring Break was going to be a time for our family of four to do a mini trip to Champaign, Illinois, to watch some Fighting Illini Basketball and just enjoy some down time.  Thankfully we did get to do that!  The Sunday night game against the Iowa Hawkeyes was an amazing game and the Illini came out on top.  With the buzze that game, we began to look forward to Thursday's games that would possibly be a rematch of these 2 teams but in Indianapolis as part of the 2020 Big Ten Men's Tournament.....  By March 12, COVID -19 concerns had caused cancellations throughout the entire sports world.

We returned home on Tuesday.  Things were already starting to show signs of what was to come.  I watched as Illinois' Governor J. B. Pritzker closed all Illinois Schools on Friday, March 13, and figured it was just a matter of time until Governor Evers would do the same in Wisconsin.  This definitely had me feeling afraid.  I was afraid for my mom who lives in Illinois all alone.  I was afraid for my own family because we had come in contact with lots of people while in Champaign at a huge sporting event.  I was afraid because I didn't understand so much about what was happening.  That was the real reason I felt afraid - I didn't understand.  Fear of what I didn't even know. 

That Saturday we went to Dubuque for what should have been a HUGE magic show.  It was something that the Tri-State Magic Club has been planning for months.  Before the show I had even contemplated not going at all.  In fact I had told the students that were supposed to go with that I couldn't in good conscience put them in a situation like that.  There was snow falling as we arrived at the art museum and walked inside.  I quickly set up my props on the table and sat visiting with my family and some of my magician friends.  As it got close to show time, there were only 3 guests...  Was everyone else afraid of COVID-19, too?  By the time the show started there were about 40 guests but it was nothing like what we had been planning for.  After the show our family did grocery shopping assuming that we'd be back in Dubuque for groceries the following week.  As we were in Wal-mart there were many signs that people there were preparing for something different.  I could tell by the items that people were buying and from what was already missing from the shelves (think toilet paper and chocolate milk).  We bought the things we thought we'd need for the week and headed home.

Sunday morning we went to church and I gave the children's sermon to just my two kids.  During the service the announcement was made that that would be the final service during March and that all remaining Lenten services would be cancelled.  That shook me.  I am a preacher's kid and I am confident that even in the rural churches I attended from 1998 until 2000 there weren't 2 consecutive Sundays where church was cancelled.   It was a rare event due to weather when it did happen.  Something about church being cancelled just really made me even more afraid. 

After church I headed to school for a Guided Coalition Meeting to discuss a plan for how we would connect and teach kids during what I thought was going to be a short school shutdown.  The original plan was for teachers to attend school Monday and Tuesday and then have things ready to go out to families midweek.  Things changed before Monday morning and a new plan was made.  Tuesday we got together with our grade level teams and made instructional folders for our students and bagged up all of the contents of their lockers.  Wednesday families came to school (but not into the school) to pick things up. 

Wednesday morning was rainy, but we headed up to the middle school and high school to gather all of Kate and Will's things.  We were home and eating breakfast at the kitchen table as a family by 8:30.  I headed to my school for my shift and I cannot tell you how wonderful it was to be able to see some of my kiddos and give them quick hugs (I asked parents first every time).  Even at that point I was thinking that by Monday, April 6, we would be back at school....That isn't going to happen.  As of right now we are still on a safer at home order through April 24.

In those two weeks I have experienced every possible emotion but here's what I am going to focus on.

I am loving the game nights with my family!  I am loving Zoom calls with my students.  I am loving watching the Today show in the mornings ---sometimes while I run on the treadmill and sometimes while I lounge on the couch.  I am loving eating my s'mores cereal late in the morning.  I am loving this time at home for movies and books and all things that there often isn't time for.

 don't think I will ever be a very good Pizza Delivery Girl but I have gotten two nights of work at Happy Joe's during all of this.

How are things going for you?  Are you working from home?  What are you enjoying about the way things are today?

I'd like to leave you with these words from Glennon Doyle (She has a great newer book out - Untamed.   Check it out while you have some time.)

"Life is not safe, and so our task is not to promise there will be no turbulence.  It's to assure each other that when the turbulence comes, we will all hold hands and get through this together."

#bettertogether 

The New School Year has STARTED!!!

All of the things about new school years have happened this week.  I had a night of little sleep because I was SO SO excited for the first day.  I had a night later in the week of little sleep because I was worried that everything wouldn't get done.  I went a whole school day without eating because the first day was so busy ---- please know that doesn't happen after the first day.   I like to eat too much ;-)  I cried.  I laughed.  I learned about my new students and I already know that I can't wait to learn along with them this year.

Along with all these new things this school year, I have focused on #classroombookaday and I am LOVING it!  We have 4 school days in and 8 shared stories completed.  Our focus today was a book trilogy that focused on names:  Chrysanthemum, The Name Jar, and Alma.  We talked about the meanings of names and we did a little research about names.  It was so interesting to me.  I truly love learning about names and I have to share a little bit about names from my family.

My first name is Margaret.  I was given this name in honor of my dad's mom who was the oldest daughter in her family just like me.  I have an Aunt Peggy (whose name was Margaret) and a grandmother named Margaret.  My dad's cousin was Margaret but we always called her Marge.  On my dad's side of the family it was a tradition to name the oldest daughter Margaret.  If you can imagine that, then you can picture how many Margaret's that would really be so many of the oldest daughter's went by nicknames or used their middle name.  I always loved my name and part of what made it special to me was that it was given to be my dad. 

My middle name is just as important - Katherine.  It is the same name as my mother's mother.  While I don't remember too many people calling her Katherine, my grandmother signed her name in a way that I idolized.  Most people called my grandma Kay.  The name went through generations in our family.  My cousin Kathy was named for my grandmother and I just knew I wanted my own daughter to share their beauty and grace and CONFIDENCE.   

Names are important.  As a teacher I always hope that I spell and pronounce my students' names correctly.   Because I was a teacher, I really struggled with deciding on my son's name.  When I first found out I was having a boy I thought I was going to name him Kyle because I would have "all" (hahah I only had 2) the kids' names begin with the same letter.  As it got closer and closer to my due date, I knew that Kyle just didn't seem like the right name.  We went with William instead.  It's a family name and held great meaning.  I often tease Will that his name is Kwill and that the k is silent like in knife....

 So much thought and planning goes into a name.  I have loved learning about names this week with the 5th graders and I hope you will take some time to talk with others you come in contact with about their name.