The Cardinal Way

As Fall Break is right around the corner, I find myself looking forward to a bit of time off. I am ready for a slower pace and for a little more time to rest. But, I have also found myself doing something I hate...wishing for time to pass quickly. I dislike when I catch myself wishing days of my life away so I can get to a certain time, a certain opportunity, or a certain point of success.

I think it is important for us to notice how often we are looking for more, rather than relishing in what we have been given in the amazingness of today. At times, we want the past to be changed, we want it to be more, better, or different. We might find that sometimes we catch ourselves longing for the good old days and a chance to have more time, even one day, at some period of the past. Conversely, we dream of times to come and want the future to unfold for us exactly as we expect or to happen now.

When you are longing for the past to return or the future to happen now, you are ultimately neglecting today. There is no way to be fully present in what you are doing or be grateful for all you have if you want something other than what you have the opportunity to do right now. It reminds me of the famous Bil Keane quote, “Yesterday's the past, tomorrow's the future, but today is a gift. That's why it's called the present.”

If you treat today like anything other than a gift, you are wishing your life away. All you have is what you do each day. The gifts you receive today have an expiration date, you only have them for a short time, so make the best of each day regardless of the setting, or your personal opinions on how things should come to play.

I hope everyone enjoys the weeks of Fall Break, and you cherish every minute that you have off, but as November approaches - don’t dread the end of the break. The end of the break will bring busier days, as it signals the start of the sprint to the end of the semester, but the end of the break also brings you back to the job you love.

Regardless, enjoy your time each day. Whether that is a day at work, a day at home, or a day on vacation, it is a gift -- treat it as such!

Enjoy some well-deserved time away from school!!

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

Thank you to:

• everyone for your efforts at the start of this school year. We will get back on track. I appreciate everyone's work in helping us continue to move forward.
• our Fall Sports Coaches. Many of our Fall Sports have wrapped up their season while others will be closing down seasons after Fall Break. We appreciate the efforts of our coaches and the extra time they give to our students.

Week 11: Grateful Friday Challenge

Friday? Yep! Not kidding! This is not a drill! We are hours away from the end of another week… and this Friday also brings an extended break. Fall Break? YES, Please!

We have made it through the first quarter of the school year, and the first round of report cards were captured early this week. The end of the grading period means certain letters of the alphabet take on a whole new meaning. For a lot of kids today an "A" is just not the first letter of the alphabet; it means a great deal more, especially at the end of a grading period where students and teachers are adjusting to getting back to school and keeping up with the day to day grind. Today, instead of just celebrating As or Bs... let's celebrate Friday by making all letters of the alphabet matter!

Use the alphabet as a format for making a list of things for which you feel grateful. Write out each letter in the morning or use this Google Doc as a template. As the day goes along, see if you can come up with something you appreciate...something you are grateful for...something that happens during the course of today that is just amazing…fill in as many letters as possible with something that makes that letter matter. See if you can find 26 "somethings" that matter today!

Be safe in your travels or staycations. See you all in a few weeks!

Y- You; You matter!

With banners flying as we go! #FlyAsONE

Hope you enjoy this weeks 180 Days of Learning Posts

Mr. Lezon's Econ students are learning about the benefits and challenges of sole proprietorship of a company. Students discuss the pros and cons of owning their own business. The students also discussed the importance of marketing as they took a quiz to see how many logos from well-known companies they could identify. The students discussed the importance of all parts of establishing a business as a sole proprietor.

The World Language Department inducted another round of students into the World Language National Honors Society. Students that were recognized have met GPA requirements, show good character, and have been involved in upper-level World Language classes. Students and their families joined the ceremony on Tuesday evening in the cafeteria to celebrate their accomplishments.

Mr. Elliott and Mrs. Frantz's ICP chemistry students have been working on an Ice Pack Challenge in which they are investigating the kinetic theory of particles. Over the past several weeks, the students have developed and tested their homemade, reusable, and eco-friendly ice packs. The students branded and created a "Shark Tank" pitch. Guests from around the building stopped by the lab so students could pitch their products and get feedback about the product they created.

Ms. Bierod's ceramic students are finishing up a sculpture project before Fall Break. The students were required to create a hand out of clay that was formed in a specific position. Students will finish their projects before the break and the hands will dry and be fired to finalize their project.

The Southport High School Alumni Association honored its Alumnus of the Year today at a banquet in the Black Box honoring Dr. Randall Caldwell. It was great to welcome Alumni to the building and provide a short tour for them after the banquet ended. We appreciate the continued support from the best high school Alumni Association in the Nation!

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