The Cardinal Way

I want my kids to have opportunities to try new things and take risks in a safe environment. The point of education must be to help students find their passion and be successful members of society. They need to find an avenue that will lead them eventually to a happy life, future career, and hopefully many future successes. To find this passion, we must allow students to explore, try new things, and look down multiple paths. But, we must also consider that being the age of an adolescent is a scary time for most students. People this age are often concerned with what others will think, and most students are not willing to put themselves at risk of failure, or looking silly. This is where educators come in; teachers must create safe learning environments where students have the opportunity to fail and learn from those failures. Teachers should focus on planning experiences, not just lessons, for our students. We must help our students understand learning is a journey, and on that journey, failure is often a vital part of success.

Be a Cardinal; Change Lives; Put a Mission into Motion

Thank you to:

• our support staff for all the work behind the scenes to keep our school running smoothly.
• Vivan Leach and Alicia Tasker for organizing the STARS program this week.
• our custodial staff for the extra set up needed for the STARS program
• Lauren Baker and Raye Jordan for organizing our food classes who prepared and served desserts during the STARS program.
• Sam Hanley, Stacey Matlock, and the Booster Club for hosting today's pep session.

Week 31: Grateful Friday Challenge

Well, here we are...Friday… at least, that is what the calendar is telling me. I know we all are stressed, anxious, and slightly overwhelmed. But I also know we have felt a little more normal this month with the majority of our kids back in the building. The weather has been beautiful this week, and spring is definitely here.

So, today, for your #SHSGFC, take some time for yourself. The amazing weather looks like it is going to stay amazing for the weekend! So, find some time today or this weekend to do something you truly enjoy. Here are some ideas to get you started:

• Laugh...even if it’s forced.

• Go for a 30-minute walk.

• Meditate for 10 minutes.

• Treat yourself to some dark chocolate.

• Watch your favorite movie

• Dance like nobody’s watching.

• Give someone a big hug. (But, not me)

• Look through happy photos.

• Listen to some music from your favorite artist way too loud.

• Get 8-10 hours of sleep each night this weekend...I know, that is more than you usually get this time of year in a week of nights, but give it a shot.

• Clean the house.

• Try out a hiking trail nearby.

• Get out and do some yard work…there are surely some sticks to pick up

Our social, emotional, and physical health are all vital right now. We need to be at our best to support our students through the last 6 weeks of the school year. I am not sure what the last few weeks of school will bring us, but we will do it together. Rest up, relax, and enjoy the weekend!

With banners flying as we go…

The newest addition to our Physical Education curriculum is archery. Mr. Harrell has invested time and effort to prepare a grant and get trained to be able to teach archery during PE class. Students spent time in class learning processes to help keep everyone safe during this activity. The classes then visited the football field and worked on their archery skills. We appreciate Mr. Harrell for looking for new and creative activities for our students.

The annual STARS program was held this week. Students who have achieved our highest academic recognition of Summa Cum Laude are recognized as STARS at Southport. Each student is also able to recognize an educator that has made a significant impact on their life. Students, families, and honored educators joined together this week to celebrate their academic achievements.

Over the past few weeks, the athletic department has hosted numerous college signings for our students. We appreciate our student-athletes' efforts while they are at SHS, and it is always a special moment when they make the same commitment at the next level!

Mr. Skinner's students are studying the impacts of alcohol and drugs on our lives. To make the ideas real for students, they had to research a famous celebrity whose death was caused by alcohol or drug use. The students had to identify the celebrities addiction, the impacts of that drug's short-term and long-term impacts, and how the drug ultimately led to that celebrity's death.

Mr. Wright's Advanced Orchestra got to have Dr. Jonathan Hall of New York University’s Music School “in class” this morning. Using video technology, Dr. Hall could give performance feedback to the group as they prepare for an upcoming ISSMA Festival. This was a great opportunity for our students to connect with a high level music college professor!

Website: http://websites.msdpt.k12.in.us/sh/
Location: 971 E Banta Rd, Indianapolis, IN, United States
Phone: 317-789-4800
Twitter: @SHS_Cardinals