2-12-2016

Mary's Minute

"People may hear your words, but they feel your attitude."

                                                                                ~ John C. Maxwell

Words are powerful, and we need to use them wisely, but words alone can be misunderstood.  In today's world where emails and texts outnumber personal conversations, we all have learned the lesson of how words alone can fail us.  Spoken words may convey our message better, but as Maxwell reminds us they also communicate our attitude.  I have respect and appreciation for our students, staff, and community.  In fact, my goal in life is to have love in my heart for all people.  This quote reminds me that I need to be careful so that I leave people knowing I care wth words and subtle actions that communicate my attitude.  I think of how important our office staffs are in this regard.  When they answer the phone or greet students or visitors, they express words and share an attitude.  Simple things, like a smile are powerful communicators, and I love when call one of our offices and can tell through the phone line that the person on the other end is smiling.  I am not sure if there is a scientific study to prove it, but I am confident that a smile can be "heard" through a telephone line!   I could give countless examples of how people communicate their attitudes at PC.   Have you ever met Dave Reese in the hallway when he wasn't smiling?   The spring in Jeremy Edwards' step says that he loves Perry Central, no matter how overwhelming his workload may be.  Visitors to Perry Central comment about the culture.  It is not just words spoken that leave visitors with this impression; it is the communication of positive attitudes that come through in subtle, yet powerful, ways.  Thank you for letting people know that Perry Central cares!  

Have a great week!

Mary

1-29-2016

Mary’s Minute

“I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.”

                                                                                      ~ Nelson Mandela

 

Last night several Perry Central students triumphed over their fears by getting up on stage to share their talents.  I heard several of them comment about how nervous they were, but I also could see how empowered they were after conquering their fear.  When we think about courage and conquering fear we often think of it as an individual thing, and the burden certainly does fall to the individual, but as a school community I think it is also important for us to think about how we encourage students and each other to be courageous.  In addition to enjoying the talent shared at “Coffee and Conversation,” I marveled at the power of creating a safe place for sharing.  The atmosphere created by the experience thanks to Jennifer Ball, as well as our supportive students, allowed students to take risks without the worry of being ridiculed.  As terrific as the performances were, they were not perfect.  Students made mistakes, but their peers in the audience encouraged them.  I am so impressed by the talent of our students, by their courage to perform, and most of all, proud of the atmosphere that allowed them to take risks among supportive peers.  Thanks to Mrs. Ball and all who made the night a celebration of courage and support.

                                                                              Have a great week!

                                                                               Mary

1-15-2016

Mary’s Minute

“For one minute, walk outside, stand there in silence. Look up at the sky, and contemplate how amazing life is.”

                         ~ Anonymous

Sometimes we get too busy to see take time to be reflective.  It is about time, but it is also about taking time to think reflectively in order to see things clearly.  Sometimes the best way to see things from an outside perspective is to see ourselves from other people’s eyes.  I want to thank School Board Member, Glenn Etienne, for being observant and sharing this story with me.  Glenn was a Perry Central basketball game, where he overheard a couple of mothers from another team commenting on how clean Perry Central was.  They also commented on the nice lounge area in the commons, and ended the conversation by saying, “You can just tell this is a good school.”  Although we strive to let our people know that they are doing a good job and are appreciated, it is nice to see that “outsiders” see Perry Central in a positive way. 

I like the quote above because it is good for us to reflect on life, in general, and to take time to ponder its wonder.  I also think that it is helpful for us to think of our daily life and work in the same way.  Sometimes it is good to consider different perspectives in order to appreciate what we have, as well as to continually improve.

                Thanks for all you do! 

                                                Mary

1-8-2016

Mary’s Minute

“There are two kinds of pride, both good and bad.  ’Good pride' represents our dignity and self-respect. 'Bad pride' is the deadly sin of superiority that reeks of conceit and arrogance.”

                                                                                                ~ John C. Maxwell

I have to admit that I am so proud of Perry Central and the good things that our staff and students are doing, but I often worry about being too proud.  This Maxwell quote helps me understand this feeling.  We just need to be careful that the pride we feel at Perry Central is rooted in dignity and self-respect.  We are proud of the good work of our students, but we never can let that reek of conceit and arrogance.  There must be a careful balance in celebrating success and making sure our students, parents, and staff feel good about their accomplishments without crossing the line into “bad pride.”  I think part of what makes Perry Central special is our sense of humility and “good pride.”  As the state publishes test scores and letter grades we are proud of the work of our students and staff, but we are also humble knowing that another year could create other results, and that our only competition is ourselves as we strive each day to outdo the prior.  I am very proud of our students, staff, and community (read “good pride”!)

                                                            Have a great week!

                                                            Mary

12-18-2015

Mary’s Minute

“If there is to be any peace it will come through being, not having.”

                        ~ Henry Miller

I think we are all still in the hustle and bustle stage of the holiday season.  This stage for some people is a jolly one, while for some it turns stressful.  We are busy “preparing” while we remain cheerful in order to spread cheer.  For me, although I am happy and love the joy of the season, I am running around like mad most of the time.  There comes a point that all becomes calm for me.  It may be a moment in church, the calm after the wrapping paper explosion, or maybe a simple moment when I catch a twinkle of Christmas lights.  At some moment, all becomes tranquil, and I am at peace.  There is something about Christmas that always gives me that wonderful feeling.  It may not last long, but there is something incredibly special about Christmas peace.  It is the kind of peace that I truly believe could solve all the problems in the world if everyone could experience simultaneously.  Wishing you and your family love, joy, and the special peace of Christmas!

                                                Mary

12-11-2015

Mary’s Minute

Last night I had the pleasure of watching Charles Dickens’ Christmas classic, A Christmas Carol.  I was thinking of the different perspectives of the basic theme of the play, and was intrigued with subtitles for the play.  “A Christmas Carol:  a story of _____________”  Phrases that came to my mind included, a story of missed opportunities, a story of greed, a story of the true meaning of Christmas, or a story of regrets.  The one that I personally like the best of the words that floated through my head was, “A Christmas Carol: a story of new beginnings.”  At intermission my Bill commented, “This is really sad,” after seeing the ghost of Marley and the ghost of Christmas Past, but the ending is wonderful with Scrooge committing to a life of generosity and kindness.  The focus turns away from the past where regrets and missed opportunities lie, and instead resides with gratitude for a new beginning.  Although the past is used as a tool for Scrooge to make positive change in his life, the real story lies in the present and future.  Scrooge cannot regret the past, but must move forward in a positive way.  That is what Christmas can be for all of us.  We can look back to learn how we can grow, but we cannot dwell in the past.  We cannot think of missed opportunities, but must be thankful for new beginnings.

                God bless us, everyone!

                                Mary

12-4-2015

Mary's Minute

Single moments have the power to change our lives.  In the blink of an eye our lives can be forever changed by an event, such as an accident.  Another example of the power of the moment is the "aha" moment of the student when they learn something new. We also recognize the power of words, and how saying one thing to a person can be a moment that is life-changing.

We look at life and realize that it is the compilation of moments that make us who we are.  It is this interplay of moments and the cumulative effect that living has on us that truly define us.  In education this is called scaffolding and means that we strive to provide students with rich learning experiences so that when an unexpected learning moment arises they are ready for it.

In life, we cannot control much of what happens to us, but by filling our hearts and heads with positive thinking, we are better equipped to deal with the negative things that occur. In order to be successful we have to use our experiences to face the unexpected in the most positive ways.  In other words, we cannot control much of what happens, but we can control our attitude towards it.

Everything can change in a moment that we cannot predict, but we can be prepared by making the experiences that are within our control positive.  

                                                                    Have a great week!

                                                                    Mary