The Academy at Middle Fork Memo Blog

  Together: "Kids rise or fall to the level of expectations around them."-Jaime Escalante I. Praise and Thanks:  Thanks to Vanessa Evans, Raygan Lloyd, and Jessica Hill for their collaborative work on the dessert bar. I appreciate their demonstration of The Portrait element of "collaborating with colleagues to maximize our strengths." Thanks to Jada Baptist for always demonstrating a dedicated work ethic in support of our students. I always observe Jada having a positive sense of urgency to always be there for our kids whether it's for supervision or leading a small group. I appreciate Jada demonstrating The Portrait element of "being committed to punctual, present, resilient, and dependable." Thanks to Carla Clayton for her willingness to push learning outside of her assigned space. I appreciate Carla for facilitating read alouds in our main lobby. I appreciate Carla demonstrating The Portrait element of "being willing to be a part of something d...

  Together: "How you learn has nothing to do with how brilliant you are."-Henry Winkler I. Praise and Thanks: Thanks to Alicia Kinzer for continued willingness to support her colleagues and collaborate with them! I appreciate Alicia's consistent commitment to The Portrait element of " Working in collaborative teams and take collective responsibility for student learning." Thanks to Marla Cantrell for her leadership in preparing the Angel Tree for our families in need. I appreciate Marla demonstrating The Portrait element of "seeing possibilities instead of limitations" when it comes to serving our families. Thanks to Suzanne Smith and Alix Denny for demonstrating instructional leadership during PLTs. I observed them both sharing a video they created of a lesson rehearsal. I appreciate Suzanne and Alix both demonstrating The Portrait element of " Being committed to co-teaching in a team-based learning community." II. This Week's Event...

  Together: "We rise by lifting others." I. Praise and Thanks:  Thanks to Allison Phelps for always taking the time to intentionally engage with students at recess. I observed Allison valuing student voice during schoolwide recess as she was playing board games with students. Thanks to Allison for exemplifying The Portrait element of "meeting students relationally before trying to engage academically, seeing each child individually as a whole person, and recognizing their inherent dignity." Thanks to Trish Donohue for her continued dedication to the academic growth of our mini-Mountaineers. I appreciate her resilience in in facilitating small group instruction on a daily basis. Thanks to Trish for exemplifying The Portrait element of "embodying a growth mindset and regularly seek out feedback from peers and others." Thanks to Megan Garner for hosting an App State Art Educator Intern this semester! Megan received recognition from the Office of Field Exp...

  Dear Academy Friends,  Together: "You have deeply impacted students, too. Some of them will tell you about your impact and many may never tell you, but you are leaving a legacy. You are giving others the strength to move forward, the strength to believe in themselves, the strength to try make this world a better place. Knowing this makes being an educator so meaningful."-Meghan Lawson I. Praise and Thanks:  Thanks to Tomache' Jones for being such a positive and professional presence in our Main Office! I appreciate her customer service and can-do spirit for others. I appreciate Tomache' exemplifying the Portrait Element of " Committing to being punctual, present, resilient, and dependable." Thanks to Denise Gallimore, Carla Clayton, Barbara Lewis, and Jazz Brown for representing the Academy at the Kaleideum Trunk & Treat last weekend. It was a warm afternoon passing out candy, but they did it with joyful smiles. I appreciate them exemplifying the Port...