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March Principal Update
By John Burkholder, Your Principal
In many past editions of this publication I have written about various aspects of the journey that we take as educators, hand in hand with our students and families through the school year. I have often taken time to comment on the arrival of the first flowers of spring and with them reminders of longer, warmer days of renewal that are soon coming our way. Our journey, while replete with the joys of working daily with students and families, does have its times of struggle. During this time of year, Mother Nature can present us with warm sunny days that can have us as adults feeling the unbridled energy of a middle schooler. Yet just as quickly, the cold north winds can blow and suddenly we are back to wondering if winter will ever exit the stage.
One small thing that I do each year at this time is to include in my weekly updates to our staff three positive things that I find in my weekly travels around our campus; positives that perhaps may have gone unseen. These positives help us to find the joy that surrounds us each and every day, even on those cold gray days when the sun seems to have lost its way. What follows is a somewhat shortened but largely unedited list of the positives I have shared with our Hamilton Middle staff over the past several weeks of Early Spring. Happy Early Spring!
They have been high up on the walls in our first floor hallway for awhile now, but don't those TVs with their running messages and student photos activate the hallway space in a positive way?
Our after school bus routes have been arriving largely on time. It is so nice to walk out there at the end of the day and count six buses at the curb. One day we even had seven, but that's a story for another time.
Last week we completed our Fall/Winter season of music and theater performances with no fewer than seven evening performances in front of a packed house each time. We enjoy a great deal of family support in our Hamilton Middle community!
We had frigid temps this week, but wow! it was nice to see the sun once again! And, if you look closely, the shoots for future flowers are beginning to emerge in our upper breezeway garden!
Despite the need to reschedule conferences and make-up minutes, snow days always feel like a perk and a benefit! I know you were all checking your phones early this morning in eager anticipation!
We have a wonderful supply of staff snacks and treats located in the jars and fridge in the Coach's Office. Kathleen does such a great job keeping this pantry well stocked! Intentionality around taking care of each other is oh so important in Early Spring.
Barbequed chicken wings are a recent addition to the school lunch menu. I have yet to meet a student who does not like the wings! For sure a fan favorite!
A parent of a new student recently told me that her child is really enjoying Hamilton. Nice!
A real hawk has been hanging around our campus lately, often finding a perch low in the trees or on our building where we can get a good look at it.
Our SVC had another very successful bake sale fundraiser this week. This is a highly talented and motivated group of students and it has been wonderful reaping the benefits of their work!
I saw several robins in a tree out by the playground while on recess duty this past week. Early Spring certainly is here!
We had our 5th to 6th grade parent and student orientation meetings over the past week or so. Very well attended and what seems like another wonderful class of students!
Our Hamilton Boys Basketball team led by Coach Danny placed third in the MMSD All Middle School Tournament last weekend. A great showing for sure!
I saw lots of fun and engagement at our three Book Bowl events this week in the library! Book Bowls, another rite of Early Spring!
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