Sharpen the Saw - Teacher Workday

Monday, October 17th is our first and only workday this semester. With such limited time to work, plan, and collaborate, it's incredibly important for us to use this time wisely and seek ways to get the most "bang for our buck," meaning when we come together, although this is "work," it doesn't have to feel like it.  I hope you have this experience on Monday. After we come together briefly in the morning, I hope you will take advantage of the opportunities for you to take of yourself physically (free massage and allergy testing, teeth whitening) as well as connect with your colleagues.  Consider the following from Steven Covey's 7 Habits of Highly Effective People:

Sharpen the Saw means preserving and enhancing the greatest asset you have--you. It means having a balanced program for self-renewal in the four areas of your life: physical, social/emotional, mental, and spiritual. Here are some examples of activities:

Physical:	Beneficial eating, exercising, and resting
Social/Emotional:	Making social and meaningful connections with others
Mental:	Learning, reading, writing, and teaching
Spiritual:	Spending time in nature, expanding spiritual self through meditation, music, art, prayer, or service

As you renew yourself in each of the four areas, you create growth and change in your life. Sharpen the Saw keeps you fresh so you can continue to practice the other six habits. You increase your capacity to produce and handle the challenges around you. Without this renewal, the body becomes weak, the mind mechanical, the emotions raw, the spirit insensitive, and the person selfish. Not a pretty picture, is it?

Consider writing a "Thank-You" to our PTA volunteers for donating the delicious treats! 

What a spread!