Thursday Thriller May 2, 2024

 Thursday Thriller

May 2, 2024

Whoop!! Whoop!!

Salmon Release with 7th and 8th graders

Nuts-n-Bolts

1.   FYI -This is an amazing opportunity for your women!  Mollie Driver and Neveah Evans went last year and really enjoyed the trip!

 AAUW-Walla Walla has funding to sponsor 6 girls this year ($10,000.00)  and we have listed their names below. We have asked the two girls who were not selected to serve as alternates, in case one of the other girls is unable to attend.

2024 Walla Walla Tech Trek Campers 

Garrison Middle School: Evelyn Hess, Lexa Juhasz, and Aravis Sandven

Pioneer Middle School:  Georgia Salazar, Ascha Skye-Chinnery, and Siobhan Ryle

Alternates:  Alice Rudin (PMS)  and Talia Kim-Leavitt (GMS) 

The candidates were especially inspiring this year, and showed such spark and interest - they all impressed us with their interviews. Ultimately, we ended up relying on the Tech Trek criterion that asks us to select campers who "otherwise do not have opportunities like this". The girls who will be our alternates have had extensive camp experience.

2.    May 13th is just around the corner! If you need anything, please don't hesitate to reach out to Nicole or me. I've been chatting with various staff members about what they'll be showcasing, and let me tell you, it's shaping up to be an exciting event!

3.    May 15th is an extended staff meeting for beginning at 3:45

4.    May 15th and May 22nd-THANK YOU for choosing a time slot for one of these days! Nicole and I  will send communication with more details as to what you should bring for this meeting.  It truly is a time to look at the goals you wrote in October and the evidence towards meeting those goals.  What went well? How did you grow professionally this year?  Is there a colleague or two who supported you this year and made your work load lighter?  It's a time to reflect and celebrate. 

5.  Did you see this? 😊 I am WWPS -Yazmin Bahena

6.    Guiding Coalition-There are three openings for the 24.25 school year on the GC team.  If you are interested, there are applications in the staff work room.  There is a time commitment outside of contract hours and in August.  If you have questions or are interested, please talk with Nicole or myself.

7.  We are still planning for Breakfast after the Bell to begin on May 13th.  Here is a little video that helps explain BAB and a snippet from what it looks like at Pioneer.  More to come. :D

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Something to Ponder

During Monday and Tuesday, I engaged in collaborative sessions with principals from across Washington state, which proved to be both enlightening and affirming. 

Discovering that our shared challenges, such as student conflicts and attendance issues, are not unique to our school was affirming. Additionally, gaining insight into the struggles faced by some schools, including large class sizes and potential teacher layoffs, provided valuable perspective on the broader educational landscape.

The most uplifting aspect of the experience was the shared stories of success and the exchange of innovative strategies among educators. This reaffirmed my belief in the power of teamwork and collective support. It left me with a renewed sense of hope and motivation to tackle the remainder of the school year with fresh perspectives and a strengthened commitment to supporting one another.

As I reflect on these discussions, I am inspired by the spirit of our Garrison team. With a shared vision  I am confident that we can overcome challenges and continue to make a positive impact on the lives of our students.

I am a believer in hope.  AND hope is not a strategy BUT there is science behind the power of HOPE!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------