A Brand New Year...

I have been absolutely positively delighted to have met you lovely, lovely warm and engaging students. It may sound like I'm gushing, and you know what? I am. I love meeting my new students at the beginning of a fresh year. After all, we're going to be spending a lot of time together, and we want it to be as awesome as we can make it. 

But the First Days are no joke. We set our alarms, pull our sleepy selves out of bed, inhale a waffle, fight the traffic, and somehow make it to first period by 7:25 AM. Honestly, it's been a feat of strength for me so far to be up and at 'em and maintain my energy throughout the day. But the good news is -- I get to see you! And there's coffee. 

Last week we focused on only a few essential things: 

• Breaking the ice and building a positive classroom community (Remember I want you to feel safe and seen.) 
• Understanding the goals for the course (Become better, stronger, more independent readers, writers, thinkers, speakers, listeners), and...
• Understanding my "rules and expectations" for you and our classroom. (2 class rules, remember? Work hard. Be Nice. But, continue to consider everything this ought to encompass.) 

Typical beginning of the year stuff, I know. But what I saw in these four days of class was so, so encouraging. I saw you taking risks, having conversations with people you said you'd never talked to before, making other classmates feel welcome, participating in classroom discussion, and sharing your stories with me in your student surveys. 

From where I'm sitting, we're off to a GREAT start! I'm already so proud of what you're accomplishing in each of your classes and I can't wait to see where this year takes us! 

All the best,

Mrs. Hilliard 

P.S. And remember, to see #alltheslides from class, go here. 

P.P.S AP Kids! Here are your beautiful, sunny class pics. Other classes -- we've gotta get some group pics. : )