Leap Year!

 

Why do we have Leap Year?

Short Answer:

Leap days are important because they help our calendar match up with the same seasons every year.  Our calendars generally have 365 days.  The solar calendar (how long it takes the Earth to go around the sun) that influences seasons is about 365.2422 days long.  If we don't make up for the difference, eventually our seasons won't fall in the same months every year!

Long Answer:  National Geographic for Kids

Fun Facts:

• The first Leap Year was introduced in 46 BCE by Julius Caesar in Rome.
• It takes someone with a birthday on Feb. 29th 72 years to reach voting age (18)!
• People born on Leap Day are sometimes called leaplings.
• An Irish legend states that St. Brigid struck a deal with St. Patrick to allow women to propose to men every four years.  An offshoot of the original legend is that Feb. 29 is called "Bachelor Day", and a man was expected to "pay a penalty such as a gown or money, if he refused a marrage proposal from a woman on Leap Day."
• There are 4 million people in the world that are Leap Day babies.
• Every year divisible by 4 is a Leap Year; except every year divisible by 100 is NOT a Leap Year, unless the year is also divisible by 400, then it is a Leap Year.  Did you follow that?
• The Summer Olympic Games are held every four years on leap years.
• There are 525,600 minutes in a typical calendar year. On leap years, there are 527,040 minutes.  What will you do with the extra 1,440 minutes this leap year?

Parent-Teacher Conferences - February

 

It's Conference Time!  

Here are some tips and tricks that may assist you as we move into our upcoming conference week:

• Assume positive intentions that parents/families are doing the best that they can.  Recognize there can be anxiety involved, sometimes due to life situations you are unaware of.  Set the tone by beginning with positive information and strengths.
• Most parents/families want to generally know how their child is doing socially and academically, so think in general terms (approaching grade level, on track, exceeding expectations, etc.).  Support this with the FastBridge data.
• Continue to learn about the student from the parent/family perspective.
• Show how much you care for the student by sharing something that shows that you know their child personally.
• If students are not going to be at the conference, try to find a way to incorporate their voice.
• We still have a lot of time left!  What are some strategies school/home can work on collaboratively to help support the student?
• If things ever get uncomfortable, it's OK to stop the conference, and suggest meeting another time - and then invite me (or others) to join you.
• Have an opening and closing line for each conference:
• I'm so happy to connect with you and learn more about your child.
• What woud you like to share about your child that would be helpful for me to know?
• We have about 5 minutes left before our conference ends - have we addressed everything?
• In order for me to keep my schedule with the other families, we're going to have to wrap up for tonight.  Would you like to set up another time to connect?

Consider gathering information ahead of time...

Soimetimes it's better to know what questions/concerns families might have ahead of time, so you have time to prepare and it doesn't overtake your conference time.  Consider sending something home to families before conferences, to gather important information.  Example of Pre-Conference Form

Please let me know if you'd like me to talk through any of your conferences, or if you'd like me to  attend any of your conferences - this is a great opportunity for me to get to know students and their families as well.  

Good luck with your conferences the next two weeks - what a great time to continue to build connections with your families!
Sue

Live to Give

 

Inspire and serve others while maximizing your potential

This month's 7 Mindset is Live to Give. Live to Give teaches us that abundance in one's life is a cycle, and to get love, respect, and financial security, we must learn to give those things.  This mindset also teachers that the greatest gift we can ever give is to find and leverage our unique genius to maximize our positive impact on the world knowing that good things will be returned to us in kind.

Week 1: Stretch Yourself

Although Live to Give may sound selfish, in "getting what you want is to give what you can", but the real point is to give because it is the right thing to do.  When you live your best life, you do the things you are great at, and get the best results.  These results benefit you, but they also benefit others and the world around you - and that's the reason to do it!  And you will give the most simply by being your very best and by living your ultimate life!

Week 2: Make a Difference

The easiest and quickest way to feel better and become happier is to help someone.  When you help others, you create value with your life and get good things in return.  To start or expand the flow of abundance into yoru life, simply start making a difference every day in every little way you can.

Week 3: Receive Gracefully

Sometimes people don't know how to respond to receiving new and wonderful things that come into their lives.  They may not feel worthy, or it may just be uncomfortable for them.  So when opportunity knocks or people want help, people shut the door and don't let the good things in.  These gifts will give you new energy and power to do more and help more in your own life.  By receiving gracefully, you enhance your own potential.

Week 4: Create a Legacy

The only thing of significance any of us leave behind is the impact we had on others and the world.  The true meaning of your life happens when it transcends and becomes greater than you as a person.  To leave a legacy, find your passion, then orient yoru life around the legacy you want to leave.  Make your life transcend you!

Here's a link to a true story, inspired by the 7 Mindsets Live to Give.