2018.2.25
“Outtakes”. A snippet of thoughts to kick off this blog post:
The weather may not have been great over the break (except 70’s on Wednesday), but the time spent with family and friends certainly was!
What I am looking forward to putting into practice, or continuing:
Seeing the next Avielle Foundation speaker, Kevin Hines, on Tuesday (2/27). The series focuses on brain health, which is an interest of mine. Feel free to check out more information, here.
Quote(s) that resonated with me this week:
Spending time with family is priceless.
Choosing a topic to write about this week was easy for me. I decided to reflect on February break and what having a period of time that is a “change of pace”, means to me. At first, I thought it was a nice break with some extra periods of rest, and then I realized there was a lot of activity packed into the past week. Having President’s Day on Monday allowed our family to get a little extra rest and spend the morning together. That evening, my son Nicholas and I went down to NCHS to catch the Rams take on Staples. We got to see some colleagues that I spent many years working with, in my previous role in Westport and it was neat to see and chat with some student-athletes who I knew as well. The Rams kept it close, but could not close the gap in the fourth and the Wreckers came out victorious…
Over the course of the next few days, I was in the office and able to get some items checked off “the list”. Being at school “over break” has a completely different feel to it. I missed the hustle and bustle of the students and the daily operations, but it was nice to walk the building and observe things from a different pace and perspective. For example, I got to pause and really check out some of the artwork that was on display. As you will see in some of the photos below, our students are truly talented. Any interruptions that are typical on any given day were on hold and the feeling of getting caught up a little bit was nice.
Afternoons and evenings were busy as usual but allowed for some different activities. The schedule worked out that I happened to be able to speak to future education professionals at Sacred Heart University about the Benefits of Incorporating Movement into Learning during this week. This is something that I have done each semester for about four years and have always enjoyed and appreciated the opportunity to share on a topic that I am passionate about. Feel free to check out the presentation/resources, here. On Thursday evening, I attended the Parent University offered through the Bethel Public Schools (where we live). It was a well run event that showcased all that Bethel schools have to offer our children. Other evenings were filled with gathering with friends, gymnastic meets, and the regular schedule of practices and events.
While we did not get to go skiing as originally planned, I believe my favorite part of the week was simply seeing each of my three kids (Ellie, Brooke, & Nicholas) off on the bus on their way to school. It was only a few minutes, but it consisted of chatting, throwing a football around, and getting to see their daily routine that I normally never get to see. Getting them off the bus in the afternoon was also great. These are little moments for some, but I appreciate each opportunity to spend time and see them, and their routines, from a different perspective.
Overall, a little time away is good for everyone. After a small adjustment period, students come back ready to work and get back to business. Building and maintenance personnel are able to accomplish work that is difficult, or not possible, when there are almost 1,500 people in the building on a daily basis. The building itself has an opportunity to literally “get a breather” and welcome students back in a renewed state. Staff are refreshed and in a positive frame of mind. Everyone has had an opportunity to spend quality time with family, friends, and loved ones. To me, this is priceless.
Thanks for taking the time to check out my blog. Have a great week!
Tags: #family, break
Please feel free to contact or follow me:
Twitter: @DavidGusitsch
Blog: https://davidgusitsch.blogspot.com/
Email: david.gusitsch@ncps-k12.org
Here are a few pictures from the week:
Got a few jogs in at Huntington State Park over the break:
Some of the art on display at NCHS:
Sessions from the Bethel Public Schools Parent University on incorporating movement into learning and STEM/STEAM:
Presenting to a bunch of future professionals at Sacred Heart University on the Benefits of Movement in Learning. Of course, we got them up and moving throughout…:
Nicholas getting ready for school on “hat day”:
The Rams take on Staples on Monday:
No comments:
Post a Comment