Year Three......Check!

Greetings from a quiet school building........
The students have departed, the teachers are cleaning their rooms, the secretaries are processing orders for next year, and I am reflecting on my third year as the Principal of Charlotte Dunning School.  WOW!  Where did the school year go?  I continue to be amazed at how quickly time flies in life!  It seems like just yesterday that we were welcoming the kids for a new school year, and now we have bid them a fond farewell for the summer. 

It's no wonder that the time goes by so quickly during the year....with all the reading, writing, thinking, listening, speaking, singing, running, painting, playing, smiling, crying, and learning going on, we shouldn't be amazed at how fast the days pass, however, we are.  I am so thankful for all of the amazing things that happen at Dunning on a regular basis with a staff who are top-notch, parents who are so involved, and kids who are so special!

A school year has its share of ups and downs, successes and challenges, and highs and lows.  We, as a Dunning Community, always rise to the top, even in the most difficult moments, and I continue to be proud to lead this community.  Have a fabulous summer, everyone!!

Perfect Attendance.................... It is with great pleasure that I reflect on the first set of MCAS testing that we did this week with grades 3, 4, and 5. Grade 4 students took their Long Composition on Tuesday and Grades 3 and 5 took both sessions of the English/Language Arts on Wednesday and Friday. All students put forth their best effort, and guess what?!?!?!?! I am proud to say that we had NO absences in those three grades during this testing window! Fabulous job parents and kids for getting kids to school on time and for everyone staying healthy! Let's see if we can continue it as the fourth graders finish up their English/Language Arts testing on Monday and Tuesday next week. WAY TO GO!!!!

A Look Inside Professional Development.........I often wonder if parents are ever thinking what teachers actually do on their professional development days, or, if they just assume they are in meetings all day long? Today, I had the opportunity of attending parts of different two professional development workshops that some of my teachers also attended. The elementary teachers were focused on learning more about the new Common Core Standards for Mathematics and the Standards for Mathematical Practice. Much of this may sound like gibberish to many people, but as elementary teachers, it is important for all of us to stay current and updated on the new curriculum frameworks and how it effects what and HOW we teach the students that are in front of us on a daily basis.

Not only does professional development give us the the opportunity to be informed about new curriculum topics, it also gives staff an opportunity to collaborate, communicate, and gather with colleagues from other schools, grades, and disciplines. I had the opportunity to work with some teachers today from some of the other elementary schools, but also teachers from other grades, special education and ESL departments. These days provide some additional time that isn't always available for teachers to talk about teaching, learning, curriculum, and instruction---something that isn't always found during a regular school day or week.

Any time we can provide for our teachers to concentrate on the heart of their jobs--teaching kids, we are in a great place!!

Wait.....I thought costumes were only for Halloween?!?!?!? If you walked the halls of Dunning this week, you might have encountered some people like Rocky Marciano, Paul Revere, John F. Kennedy, Ben Franklin and many other historical Massachusetts people in one hallway. In the lobby today, I encountered some people from Colonial times. It has been like a walking history lesson for fourth and fifth graders as their social studies topics have come to life with students and staff taking on the personalities and lives of particular figures in Colonial Times (grade 5) and Massachusetts (grade 4).

The reactions of the students to their peers and teachers taking on these personas was priceless! The lessons were brought to life and the kids clearly benefited from it as the conversation about all of these "historical figures" continued long after the actual skills had been taught. Nice job, everyone!

Seuss, Seuss, and more Seuss......As I made my away around the building at the end of last week and beginning of this week, it seems that I encounter "everything Seuss", everywhere I go! Each classroom and office door has been spruced up in a Dr. Seuss theme and the Student Council did an amazing job creating, organizing and presenting Seuss Trivia for all of our students. There was even one question that I did not know the answer to!!! Boy, our Dunning kids are smart!

I am excited at this new opportunity that I am taking on by blogging on a regular basis to share what I am observing and experiencing on a regular basis at Dunning. My monthly updates in the Bear Facts will certainly continue, however, this "on-the-spot" sharing is great for me to give you more frequent updates of the fabulous things that are occurring in our building during the weeks, days, hours and minutes of the time your kids are in our care.

As I said, Dr. Seuss is my latest observation, and I feel lucky to have staff and students who creatively attack a challenge, such as the Door Decorating Project. Something like this brings the school together as a community and allows students to see teamwork and creativity at its finest!! Have a great week!