Today our leadership team met with all 2nd-5th graders to review their first nine weeks report card and help them set goals for the second nine weeks. We call this Wildcat Watch (We are the Matzke Wildcats, you can follow our story on Twitter here.) There are 1,052 students at Matzke and I pride myself on… Continue reading A Mom Hug
As an elementary principal and mom of 3, I often hear “I don’t know how you do it all.” Confession: I don’t. I don’t even come close to doing it all. First and foremost, I have a husband who does a whole lot, a whopping amount actually. This man learned how to put the girls’… Continue reading Confession: “I Don’t Do It All”
My summer is officially over so I’m sharing my fave Youth Lit I read this summer!
I just returned from the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) Conference in Orlando, Florida. You can read my brief blog on my takeaways here if you are so inclined. I was fortunate that my district covered the costs for the conference, hotel fee, airfare, and meals. At the last minute, I thought it would be… Continue reading First Class Fish Out of Water
I had an amazing opportunity to attend the National Association of Elementary School Principals Conference in Orlando this past week. The highlight of the conference for me was meeting (in person) the principals from around the country that I have connected with via Twitter and Voxer. I have a ton of takeaways, too many to name… Continue reading My NAESP 2018 Take-Aways
At this point it doesn’t matter what your stance is on gun control, mental health or public ed. We are here now. Here is a Kindergarten class memorizing a poem about an active shooter. Here is a group of 14 year olds receiving bullet proof plates for their backpacks. Here is an idea: why don’t… Continue reading Here
Dear Children of America, I am sorry. I am sorry the adults in this country have let you down. I am sorry that mass school shootings are commonplace for you. [I remember exactly where I was, what I was wearing and how I felt when the news of Columbine was shared.] I don’t think you… Continue reading Dear Children of America
Breathe. It seems like a natural thing to do and something I don’t even think about as it happens. A few things have happened in 2017 (at the beginning and at the end) that have made me stop and think “am I really breathing?”. Do I stop and breathe during the chaos? Do I take… Continue reading #OneWord 2018
I guess I should have titled this “Heart After a Hurricane” or “Heart After the Dirty Side of a Hurricane”, regardless “Heart” is the key word here. I sent this picture to my #MomsAsPrincipals Voxer group on Wednesday, August 23rd. I was annoyed that Harvey was going to create rain on our first day of school. Rain… Continue reading Heart of a Hurricane
I leave school most days by 5:00 and am home by 5:30. I am home to make dinner, do some laundry, I never miss my kids’ activities (unless they are scheduled at the same time) and I am even able to get them on the bus some mornings while still arriving on time to school.… Continue reading My Work/Life Balance Facade
Proud Principal of the Matzke Wildcats 