PBJHS - Monday 5/21/12

The end of the year!

A great year at PBJHS is soon coming to a close. Take time this week to share some of your favorite stories and memories with your students; take time to honor and recognize the past while looking toward the future...

Finish strong because you only get one chance to finish...

Leave it all out on the table and leave a lasting impression...

Be great PBJHS!

Still looking for your help:

As we begin our push to integrate Character Education into our Academic Lab time next year, we are in need of some passionate PBJHS teachers who are interested in helping to plan and organize a Character Education initiative. If you are interested in being on the ground floor of this program, please email Dr. Tarte expressing your interest.

**BONUS: Many PBJHS staff members are already involved in some type of extra-curricular activity, club, committee, or sport, and we are extremely thankful for that. If you have not been able to get involved with something outside of your teaching duties, next year is your chance. Ask around and see who needs help and consider how you can use your strengths and interests to continue helping move PBJHS forward! We appreciate all you do!

First image of the week: Thank you for making sure school does not feel like this for our students at PBJHS... (thank you @joe_bower)

Five great blog posts to end out the year:

1) - Swimming against the tide

2) - 14 simple strategies to be more positive

3) - The irresponsibility of grading responsibility

4) - Rules... are for the teachers...

5) - Self-worth

Tweet of the week:

"Motivated, engaged, challenged, and successful students are well-behaved, not because they’ve been threatened but because they are too busy engaged in learning to misbehave. The goal of classroom management is not quiet classrooms, it’s productive students."

Video of the week: "Response to principal who bans social media"

Second image of the week:

Bonus video courtesy of Officer Courtney:

Have a great summer!!

PBJHS - Tuesday 5/15/12

Check out this awesomeness!

Turtle races in Mrs. Russell's, Mrs. White's, and Mr. McClure's classes were pretty intense this past week. If you see Kaleb Stacy in the hall be sure to congratulate him since his turtle had a near breaking the sound barrier speed of 7.1 inches per second!


Talk to Coach Clark, Mrs. Nicolini, or Mrs. Yarbro about the "egg drop competition" currently going on in all 8th grade science classes. The kids are taking their creativity and innovation to the next level!


Calling all "Character Educators..."
Our most recent professional development survey provided us some great guidance as we look at the needs of PBJHS for the upcoming school year. Here are the results of the survey:

The lower the "rating average," the more important our staff felt that particular need was. So, Character Education and intervention strategies were the top two needs our staff has established for the upcoming 2012-2013 school year. In terms of intervention strategies, our leadership team will be reading an "intervention" book this summer and we plan to share our findings with the staff in August. For Character Education, we need YOU!

Our leadership team has made a commitment to using time during academic lab next year to help integrate Character Education into the unofficial curricula at PBJHS. We talked about having a theme for every month, and discussed a once a week lesson tied to Character Education during academic lab time. If you are interested in helping to plan this and are passionate about getting more Character Education into the lives of our students, please send Dr. Tarte an email expressing your interest.  

5 blog posts of the week:

1) - I failed

2) - 10 things I wish I had never learned about teaching

3) - Afraid of change?

4) - Points don't work. Respecting students does...

5) - A new take on kids behaving badly

Spring Fling this Friday at Bluff Falls starting at 6 p.m.


PBJHS staff, come join us for a fun night of FREE entertainment at Bluff Falls this Friday, May 18, to celebrate the 8th grade students moving on to high school.


Image of the week: Are you using self-reflection as your most powerful tool...?

Video of the week: Be great, powerful beyond measure...

Tweet of the week by Todd Whitaker (@toddwhitaker)

"The best way to make sure students do not act like the year is over is for the educators to not act like the year is over."

PBJHS - Tuesday 5/8/12

Teacher appreciation week!

May 7 through May 11 is the official week we honor and celebrate the hard work and commitment of teachers across the United States. PBJHS is extremely fortunate to have both a professional and dedicated group of teachers who are willing to go above and beyond for our students. You don't have to go far in this building to see a teacher doing something extraordinary for our students, and it's because of that we honor and celebrate your perseverance and commitment to ensuring PBJHS students reach their fullest potential. Enjoy your goodies this week, courtesy of our PTO. Thank you for all you do!

Mark your calendar:

Tuesday 5/8 - Insurance enrollment in the cafeteria, 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. (bring a pen)
Wednesday 5/9 - Early release day (schedule was emailed out on Monday), MAP Survivor Games meeting after early release schedule in the library (15-20 minutes), and Book club in Mr. Dunn's room after MAP Survivor Games meeting
Monday 5/14 - "Bully" day at PBJHS (schedule and lesson plan emailed out on Monday), Honors Banquet from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m..
Tuesday 5/15 - Faculty dinner from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church on Main Street
Wednesday 5/16 - MAP Survivor Games
Friday 5/18 - Spring Fling at Bluff Falls from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m..

Keep it up!

Kudos to all the teachers at PBJHS who have been pushing themselves into uncharted territory by trying new things in their classrooms. Kids at PBJHS are spreading the word about the awesome things they are doing in their classrooms, and their enthusiasm toward these engaging and non-traditional activities is infectious. Keep it up, and be sure to share your experiences with your colleagues! 

Image of the week:

Video of the week:

Tweet of the week:

"Children are like wet cement, whatever falls on them makes an impression" - Haim Ginott

5 blog posts of the week:

1) - Because I don't want to...

2) - The North Star effect: improvement by degrees

3) - Technology tools for teaching & learning

4) - 10 inspiring Youtube videos for teachers

5) - Bringing students in from the "cold"


Poem of the week: "Practice what you preach by Ben L. Byer"

It's easier to preach than to practice

It's easier to say than to do.

Most sermons are heard by the many

But taken to heart by the few.

It's easier to cheer than to battle

It's easier to stay than to go.

To drift you but lay down the oars

Go go upstream you must row.