Be A Merchant of Hope

It is one thing to say we have high expectations for kids...but another to say I will be here to help you...no matter your struggles!

-Salome Thomas-EL

Jimmy Casas presented at our school two years ago. He speaks of being merchants of hope. It's in the small moments with students and collegues that we really see each other and slow down enough to take it in. It is in the poauses that we become merchants of hope. When I think about you and your family or dog/s on a Saturday, that's when we connect. When you rememebr that your collegue loves homemade jam, when you moved a table before she even asked, when you stocked the fridge with diet pepsi, when you sent a message to a collegue when they were out sick, when you asked about family, you were a merchant of hope.  It's in the small moments , the pauses, that we become merchants of hope. You know to be a merchant of hope. 

No population in a school needs to be fed hope more than our students. In each community these students come to us because the High School or homeschool did not work for them. They needed something/someone different. We can see this in High Level, we have 4 students who are code 42's. Those are emotional behavioral students for whom the High Schools were battle grounds. In our environment, they are calm, happy and are productive. Where there was little hope for schooling, they found hope with us. La Crete has some students where the high school did not work for them. At the Learning Store those quiet kids are empowered through education. For them you are merchants of hope. 

What you do is so important and often you have no idea you are doing it. 

Staffing

Amanda is back with us. 

Leah is back with us. 

Things just weren't right without you girls. 

Anne is out November 6 to 16th. That is actually only 5 school days. Sounds like a lot. I forget i am 60%. I am off all of December which is 14 school days. Chad is principal then. 

What is Going on This Week

• PGP's are due please forward it to Anne.
• Staff meeting Tuesday at 2:30. School is closed for this meeting. Staff meeting from 2:30 to 3:15 then CRM. Please come to the meeting with a success you'd like to share. In addition, any meeting items would be great. We will do this on Google meets that is way better. La Crete we sent you some web cams did you get them?? Ed was going to drop them off. 
• Parent teacher interviews should be complete, we are catching up with a few parents this week. It is okay to use school time to do this as other teachers are doing so. Your weekly contact may satisfy the interview expectation. Please keep tabs on who you have contacted in your student contact notes. 
• Report cards last date for marks is Nov 6th. Report cards go out the following week November 13th. In High Level they will go out the 16th in the morning after I have signed them. There should be no surprises on these report cards, parents and students should know what their marks are already from the feedback you have given and conversations you have had.  
•  Diplomas- as of today no students are volunteeering to take a diploma instead of an exemption. ( no brainer) That makes things easier for us in November. I have not ordered any extra exams. 
• CTS offerings- we can go ahead with these. Only our students will be included and we are doing our best to maintain spacing. In a regular classroom cohort those students do not have to stay exactly 6 feet apart its actually impossible. We have been doing our best and will continue to do so. We are running first aide in November with a class designed only for High Level students. The Safety company will charge us adult fees though. 
• Budget- School division has cut our budget in two places: field trips and substitutes. Good thing is we have very little money in those budget lines, phew got away with that one! 
• Snow blanketing the ground contest- Allan 27th- Bonnie Oct 30th
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