Thank you!

As most everyone knows by now, I am leaving Chamberlain to return to my home in New Market, MN effective June 30th. I have been offered the position of elementary school principal in Norwood Young America, which is a short drive from my home. I want to thank everyone in Chamberlain for making my time here unforgettable. The relationships that I have developed will last me a lifetime. Thank you.

At all costs!

"Get the ball in the hole. Some way or other, just get it in the hole. The things about golf is that your worst mistakes can be good, too. If I miss a green by 50 yards but manage to get up and down, that's when the guy who hits it on the green and two-putts really knows I'm there."

-Anthony Kim

What a great analogy. I love golf and all of the metaphors to life and education it gives me. Get the ball in the hole. Just do it! Get er' done. They all mean pretty much the same thing. It might not be pretty, but the end result is all that matters.

As good today as yesterday

Here is a learning philosophy that is as pertinent today as it was in the 5th-century BCE. "If you tell me, I will listen. If you show me, I will see. But if you let me experience, I will learn." -Lao-Tse

"Life is a long preparation for something that never happens."

-W B Yeats

Emergency Plan

Today we had yet another snow day here in Chamberlain, SD. Over the past few months we have let out school early because of the weather and each time we do so I am amazed at how many students are left at school. When this happens we get on the phone and call a parent or family member immediately. Most of the time someone is there in no time to pick them up. Occasionally we have a student that doesn't know what to do and we can not contact anyone. What amazes me even more is when we get students dropped off at school on days when school is cancelled. This morning I had two boys dropped off and their ride drove away. I ran outside to stop them but they were long gone. I brought the students into my office and proceeded to call home and every other number I could find. Through a very labor intensive process I was able to get someone to come and pick the students up. This should never happen.

Always make sure you have a way for your child to contact you. Things can and do come up. Be prepared with a plan and make sure the school has your latest contact information. This is for the safety of your child.

Give It Your All!

The Power of Full Engagement, by Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz. Loehr and Scwartz contend that to get the most from any experience, you must be totally committed to and engaged in that experience. Forget multitasking. If you focus all of your energy on one task at a time, you'll be more effective at every task you take on. Think about this next time you are in a meeting, checking e-mail, reading the newspaper, and writing up your grocery list. If you got to be there, BE THERE!

January Birthdays!!!

Birthday Breakfast Bunch...

At the end of every month we celebrate all of the birthdays from that month by having doughnuts and juice. This initiative has been a huge success with students and staff alike. The one thing that I have learned is that elementary age kids will not eat a doughnut unless it has frosting and sprinkles of some sort on it.