The Cardinal Way

As another school year has wound down to its last few days, I have found myself spending a great deal of time reflecting on accomplishments and challenges. A school year is filled with many moments, some that we will cherish forever and some that we might like to forget. Regardless of the context of the moment, it is always amazing to watch the growth in students and staff that occurs throughout a school over the course of a single 10 month period of time. I am always taken aback as I consider all the hard work and effort that comes from an entire staff to make a school year a successful one for our students.

While there are many wonderful moments of a school year to consider and celebrate; there is also a great deal of busyness that can consume us as we try to tidily wrap up the school year. End of the year weariness and frustrations can sometimes overshadow the greatness achieved throughout the year. I feel it is this time of year, so close to the end, that needs our greatest focus. Now is an important time to think back on our year and plan towards the future. If we “just survive” May, we miss a huge opportunity to improve our classrooms. Summer can be a great revitalizer, but we can also forget about those great ideas, or decide to put them off until later. You know the ideas I am talking about -- the ones we tried once, had success with, and promised ourselves that we would work in other ways to repeat them. Or, those everyday challenges that need attention in our classrooms now, but we have figured it is too late in the year to attempt to fix. At the end of the year, we vow to do things differently next year.

Without reflection at the end of a school year, we settle for another year of readdressing the same issues and muddling through the same problems because we never took time to think about solutions while the issues were fresh in our minds. Do we settle for what we have always had because it is what we are not willing to take risks on, and move forward on, in pursuit of better things. I have reminded myself often this year, that a school year is a marathon and each day deserves the same attention and energy as every other day. As I am writing this post, I will be honest, I am feeling very overwhelmed by the thoughts of getting everything that needs to be done, done. I also, each day, remind myself the end of a school year is not truly an end, it is a time to regroup, refresh, and push forward with new ideas and new methods for the new students who will be sitting in front of all of us in just a couple of months.

I encourage you to not just settle here at the end of this year. Take time to reflect on what has gone well and what challenges you have faced. Look for problems you were not able to solve this school year and find some summer readings that will help you learn about these ideas before the next school year. Figure out what helped your students the most this school year and use this information to build new structures and cultures in your classroom next year. Each day is just another part of your journey, there are no endpoints in the success or challenges of a school year. Think back to what worked the best and what needs the most attention, then use these ideas to keep moving forward!

Before you go home for summer... get out a piece of paper and write down a list of the ideas that came to mind as you read this post. Then, put it somewhere you will find it in those early prep days for next year. Just realize the longer you wait to reflect on this year and figure out how to apply it to next year, the harder it will be to remember the things you are thinking about right now.

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

Thank you to:

• our Performing Arts Department for the numerous concerts hosted this week.
• Amy Boone for coordinating Chromebook collection.
• Eric Woodke, Micah Brown, and our custodial staff for their efforts in getting the Fieldhouse ready for graduation.
• Our Spring Sports Coaches for their efforts with our student-athletes this season.
• Brian Murphy, Nick Stevens, and Nicki Givens for hosting the athletic awards night this week.
• Sam Hanley and the yearbook staff for the yearbook pick-up day this week.

Week 36: Grateful Friday Challenge

3...2...1... Happy Friday! Happy Last Student Friday of the school year! Today marks the beginning of the last five days we have with our current students. (Sing it with me...It’s the final countdown!)

One hundred seventy-seven days have come and gone and we only have THREE days left in the school year! Where has the time gone?

We have had a great year celebrating ourselves and each other during the past 10 months, and now here we are… smiles are a little bit bigger, steps get a little bit peppier, and life seems a little bit sweeter as we can see the effort of our years worth of work with the students who are filling our classrooms.

Today, let’s do our own version of a countdown. Can you complete all five of the #SHSGFC challenges below? I know we are all busy, but taking the time to celebrate all the great things from this school year will make the day even better.

Ready… Set… Go….

Today do the following:

Give: THREE genuine compliments to students throughout the day.

Write: TWO handwritten notes of appreciation.

Give: ONE big pat on the back to yourself for being the best version of yourself every day!

Three…. Two….. One! With banners flying as we go! #FlyAsONE

Hope you enjoy this weeks 180 Days of Learning Posts

The last meeting of the LAMP program happened this week. The SHS mentors met with their SMS partners at Southport High School earlier this week. As part of this program, student representatives from different clubs and teams shared information about their clubs to get students engaged and hopefully involved in more when they start at SHS next school year.

Mrs. Ling is being highlighted by Rich Nye from WTHR. Rich Nye visited SHS on Tuesday and recorded some classroom footage and interviewed Mrs. Ling. Mrs. Ling was the first licensed Chin teacher in Perry Township. As part of a series for Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, Miriam will be recognized on the Monday evening news.

As part of a final project for Adapted PE, the Buddies had to come up with a final activity for the students. Madline and Makayla Adkins brought in their horse Loretta to visit with our CIP students. The students had an opportunity to learn about the horse and interact with her while she was at SHS.

It was a great week of musical performances! Our Performing Arts Department hosted its last concerts of the year this week. Each teacher had a night for their individual groups to perform. The week will end with the Annual Extravaganza on Friday. We hope you can join us Friday night in the auditorium for Extravaganza!

Today, our C3 student team presented at the State School Safety Conference. C3 was the only student group that presented at the conference this year. They were able to share their journey through helping create connections for Cardinals this school year. The students were awesome today and people from around the state were able to hear what students at SHS are doing to help support students! Thank you to Mrs. DePalma and Mr. Fritz for their work this year to support this group.

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