Dear Venture Teachers and Staff,

Last year I made two important resolutions and kept them both.  One involved eating a piece of good dark chocolate on most days and the other was about improving the quality of my libations. Sounds frivolous, but the decision to treat myself as I would a treasured friend led to an important shift in my mental outlook.  This year's resolution is a variation on the same theme - nurturing joy.  

I went after a career in education specifically because of my love for all things school. The books, the reading, class discussions, even the sound of a sharp pencil scratching across college-lined paper - loved them.  As a student, studying with a friend and making sense of a really hard class kept me intrigued and coming back for more.  The process had its frustrations, but the sense of accomplishment at the end made it worthwhile.  As a new teacher I loved the connection that comes from a shared purpose with colleagues and the process of creating a classroom culture that embraces challenge and comradery.  I worked with other happy teachers (not all of them, but the happy ones found each other) and we taught happy kids (again, not all of them, but many).  Fast forward a few years and a number of surveys and studies report that teachers are less happy and experience job stress at higher levels than other working adults. Sometimes it feels as if a shroud of gloom has fallen over our profession and adults and kids alike are left with the sense that school used to be a better place.  How is it possible that working in a world of curiosity, exploration and children is leading to anxiety, depression and burnout? It's time we rediscovered the joy.

I acknowledge that learning isn't always a joyful experience.  Anyone who has learned anything knows about the frustration - the productive struggle- preceding the acquisition of new knowledge and skills.  But, joy at school lays a foundation that gives students confidence that the struggle is temporary and followed by a sense of accomplishment.  Friendly exchanges, laughter and fun in the classroom allow students to process information and "achieve higher levels of cognition, make connections and experience 'aha' moments."  

And that is the really cool thing happening at Venture.  Our classrooms are happy places.  Kids and adults are laughing and friendly exchanges are ongoing.  I recently read an essay written by a Venture student who wrote that he used to feel stupid, but at Venture he learned that he isn't stupid, he just needed some one-on-one help. He was happy and so was his teacher.  A balance was struck between rigor and joy.  

All of this is my round about way of saying "Thank You" for bringing the joy back to school.  It's making a difference.

Mrs. Mangis is now managing the PLATO credit-recovery classroom.  There is a steep learning curve but Gayle is all over it.  She will continue to organize ISAT, PSAT, and SAT testing and work with math students.  However, attendance had to go by the wayside.  This means it's back on teachers to track student absences and making up hours.  The title position is or will soon be posted and the new person will take over the attendance tracking.  Gayle, thank you for taking on this important role!

TSC change:  Nichole has gone to Skyway to help out their severely understaffed program, so Skyler will be back in the TSC classroom. There is a posting for a new teacher to fill that role but, in the mean time, just know that Skyler will be spread a bit more thin in the coming months as he covers extra classes.

Bus/Parking lot duty: Gonzalez and Gaynor

Monday 1/23: Certified Staff Collaboration: Agenda

Tuesday  1/24: 

Wednesday 1/25: Kaiser out @am

Thursday 1/26:

Friday 1/27: Certified Staff workday

Bus/Parking lot duty: Higgs and Levy

Monday 1/30: Non Work day

Tuesday  1/31: 

Wednesday 2/1:

Thursday 2/2:

Friday 2/3: Wellness

Bus/Parking lot duty: Eastman and Mahoney

Monday 2/6: Certified PD Day

Tuesday  2/7: 

Wednesday 2/8:

Thursday 2/9:

Friday 2/10: Wellness

Bus/Parking lot duty: Hook and Fehling

Monday 2/13:  Non Work day

Tuesday  2/14: 

Wednesday 2/15:

Thursday 2/16:

Friday 2/17: Flex day/no school

Bus/Parking lot duty: Cooley and Smith

Monday 2/20:  President's day: no school

Tuesday  2/21: 

Wednesday 2/22:

Thursday 2/23:

Friday 2/24: Wellness