Back to school love! #wearestoneridge

First day!

I love being back to school! This summer I truly only had one week off between finishing in June and coming back to work in late July, and yet that one week when my daughter got married was just what I needed to recharge me for the new year!

I love the quiet busy of summer before the year kicks into gear, and the powerful hum of our custodial team as they wax and shine and sparkle everything! This is also when our front office team gears up with just about everything in preparation for the first day! And teachers begin to arrive, ready to create just the right learning spaces. 

Only missing Silvia, this team rocks!

I love the first day! This year we welcomed almost 100 new students and families to our school, bringing us to almost 650 Timberwolves. The kids, big and small add an energy you can feel, a lightning strike, a burst of smiles and hugs and tears and running and love. 

It's the best. 

And it's a little crazy. 

Figuring out the lunch line, the bell schedule that is new, the parking lot, and line up spots. And yet, three weeks in, it already feels like home.

I think it's my 23rd year, and yet it's still as exciting as year one. New things to learn, from tech tools to student names and more. 

I love everything about it even though it's the busiest time I can imagine. Work life balance in August doesn't exist, but there is always the three day weekend in September when we catch our breath. 

Every year I have hopes and dreams, and this year is no different. Things I am SUPER excited about?

Awesome house points board, thanks Jill!

• Our second full year of Houses, connecting students across the school and across the grades!
• Being our school's chief storyteller, celebrating our kids and staff everywhere I can! This year you can find us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and in our family blog! We have always been there, but finally, this year I have connected our social media tools so that I can cross post and share the #wearestoneridge #rcsdchampions story with our school community and the world every week. IFTTT recipes all set up!

• Being out in classrooms at least two full days each week. I have always loved being out and about with kids and teachers, but this year I am intentionally scheduling both office and classroom days so that I can be out where the action is happening and still carve out time for the other work of being a principal that requires my door be closed for a bit.

• Time for reading and exercise! I love to read and I'm excited for more books! I'm also looking forward to adding yoga and hip hop to my routine in 2018-19, and still finding time to walk a few days a week. 

Wishing you the best year ever! What are you excited about in the new year?