Dearest Class of 2017,
What a year of learning we have had! From Magellan and John Smith, we learned what makes a great leader. Using the Bill of Rights, we debated what defines us as American. During the Presidential Election, we practiced tolerance and learned about what makes democracy work. Reading My Brother Sam, we redefined what it means to be “right” and recognized that every story has multiple perspectives of truth. Your Current Event Reports brought the outside world into our classroom, exploring what each of you believe mattered most at that moment. In the STEM Lab, you worked as a team, managing each other’s unique personalities to achieve a common goal. During Genius Hour, we each celebrated the gift of time to explore our passions, doing what little we could to impact the world “outside of these four walls” and exploring our future careers. I had my own Genius Hour which inspired me to start my blog and begin writing a novel! I hope you continue to give yourselves a Genius Hour every week, a time to explore whatever your heart desires. Your passions will no doubt change as you grow up, along with your interests, but I hope your love of learning never subsides. Every experience, no matter how small, becomes a part of you forever. Life is about experience. Try to rack up as many as you can.
Take with you everything you learned this year about tolerance and virtues, character and gratitude, and most of all integrity. Use your common sense. You all know all of the right answers. Look deep inside and trust yourself. I have given you a list of some of my favorite Quotes from our Daily Journals. I hope you hang it on your wall and read over it for inspiration in the years to come. Words of wisdom become part of us as we reflect on them. Reflect often.
Each and every one of you will do amazing things in your lives. You may not recognize them as amazing at the time, but I will always want to hear about your successes and even your struggles. You know I love a good mistake, one that you learn and grow from, and I want to hear about those, too. I will never stop caring about you and your adventures in life. Please keep in touch with me. I am always just an email away.
I love you all and thank you for an amazing year of laughter, learning, and fun!
Best wishes
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Attitude By Charles Swindoll “The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness, or skill. It will make or break a company … a church … a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude … I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me, and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you … we are in charge of our Attitudes.” |
My Favorite Quotes of the Day
“The only limitations are those you put on yourself and the ones you allow other people to place on you.” — Jean Driscoll
“Whenever you are to do a thing, though it can never be known but to yourself, ask yourself how you would act were the world looking at you, and act accordingly.” — Thomas Jefferson
“Try to make at least one person happy every day. If you cannot do a kind deed, speak a kind word. If you cannot speak a kind word, think a kind thought. Count up, if you can, the treasure of happiness that you would dispense in a week, in a year, in a lifetime!” — Lawrence Lovesick
“When you’re done learning, you’re done!” — My Daddy
“I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.” –Voltaire
“Courage is doing what you are afraid to do. There can be no courage unless you are scared.” — Eddie Rickenbacker
“Teamwork: Simply stated, it is less me and more we.” — Anonymous
“We are all given the same number of hours in a day. Some people just use them better.” — Unknown
“Make decisions based on love, not on anger.” — Reverend Hunt Blood on the River
“Every job is an autograph of a person who does it. Autograph your work with excellence.”— Unknown
“You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view – until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.” — Atticus Finch
“There is such a thing as bad art. If you do not give it your all, it is bad. Do what’s in your heart, and it will always be good.” — Mrs. Fouladi
“There are no small parts, only small actors.” — Constantin Stanislovski
“You have only one thing in your life and it is your reputation.” — Steve Scully
The Four Agreements:
- Be Impeccable with Your Word
- Don’t take anything personally
- Don’t make assumptions
- Always do your BEST!