What a week! I have been so fortunate to have accepted invitations to read aloud in some of our Reading circles! What joy to take a few moments to breathe with our young, to settle into their circle, to read a book connected to their learning about themselves, our community, how literature works and to share our voices in that circle. The beauty of the circle is being able to see and hear each person as they respond, to have the gift of listening as each person holds the talking piece, as an educator to notice each student’s response and to make little notes about what they might need to grow in their learning. 

Friday I sat with family members of students! We came together in community building, shared core values and the beauty of our families. Together we created a space in which families felt comfortable to engage and share, and have a community conversation around essential topics for families. They are looking forward to upcoming circles and learning as a part of a greater community.

I am looking forward to the rest of my invitations to read with classes, as well as having more opportunities this week to engage in Restorative appreciative interviews with our newer staff members.

Have a Refreshing and Restorative week!

I am so excited to be able to sit with our new staff to reflect on joining our restorative journey! I am looking forward to scheduling with each staff member by the end of September. I am also excited to be joining Readers Workshop Circles and to read aloud teachers’ choices for intentionally teaching Social Emotional Learning competencies. This week our goals are to: 

• Continue to build stamina with mindfulness.
• Continue to build stamina with circles.
• Continue to practice routines and rituals.
• Experience values and guidelines coming to life! 
• Continue to build Gratitude Practice and create gratitude journals.
• Discuss and revise Relaxation Stations.
• Don’t forget to develop a favorites list of classroom games!

Our classrooms are focusing during their circles on INCLUDING OTHERS! Not just in the morning but during our academic circles as well. I look forward to hearing how everyone is spinning their creative web of embedding SEL into the day! By the end of the week each child will have enough gratitude journals, to last the year! What fun it will be to see their growth in understanding and ability to express gratitude as the year progresses!

I appreciate the energy in the building and will continue to schedule in and pop into classes. 

As always reach out for support!

What a joy to return to days filled with love, reassurance, building new relationships and rewarming those from before! Our students are beginning the year with hope and expectations just as we are.

I hope that the First Six Weeks Reimagined is going well. Here at school they are off to a wonderful beginning! I have walked by, poked my head in and even joined a few circles in different classrooms this week. I will be continuing to do this all throughout our first six weeks. If you have a celebratory story of your first circles this year, questions,  or need resources, please reach out. We want our building truly aligned with our Strategic Plan, but more than that, we want our students to have the benefit of truly intentional time to have everything they need to receive the amazing teaching our teachers  have to offer. We also hope that as a part of the circle, our students learn so much from their famlies each day.

New employees will soon attend an all day Intro to RP to give them a foundation on which to build their growing practices. Now is a great time to reflect on our own practice and decide where we want to grow next.

I will be sharing with all of you as our plan for the year in community building, community of practice, family/ community engagement and other PD convenings are scheduled.  I’m looking forward to a creative and powerful year of building to sustainability for restorative practices at Eastern Heights!

Above all...Love them First!