Christmas break...

is a wonderful time to relax, rejuvenate, and spend time with family.  You deserve it times one hundred! How can we begin to thank you for working tirelessly all year long with a smile on your face and a jump in your step.  Teaching is not an easy job.  There's assessing, planning, teaching, assessing again, motivating, loving, listening, caring, worrying, tutoring, researching, differentiating, mentoring, collaborating, and the list has just begun. You brighten students' days, make sure they are successful, and help them reach their highest potentials.  We are thankful for you every day, but wanted you to know during this special season just how much you are appreciated.  Thank you for ALL you do!

But let's be honest...there are only so many days you can sit around in your pjs or enjoy family that remind you of the Griswold's Uncle Eddie before you begin to get stir crazy.  Our unexpected string of snow days proved it! :-) So, if you find yourself wondering what you can do with this extra time, consider some of these activities:

Spend Time With Your Family

Visit the library, a zoo, or a museum.

Bake with your kids and share with your neighbor or the local fire house.

Create your own treasure hunt.

Play board games.

Compete in a gingerbread house competition.

Volunteer.

Read Something New

Use this time to catch up with some of the books your students are excited about.

Check out some of the Mark Twain nominees.

Enjoy some time reading for pleasure!

Treat Yourself

Dust off some of that exercise equipment that has taken a backseat to your crazy professional life.

Get some sleep!

Visit the spa or get a massage.

Try something new -- hot yoga, Zumba, CrossFit, etc.

Retail Therapy--it always works for me! :-)

Visit with some friends.

Catch up on your favorite television series.

Professional Development

Dig out that professional book you've been wanting to read.

Research UNITS OF STUDY.  We'll be focusing on these at our next LNW PD day.

Pinterest...ok, calling it "PD" might be a stretch, but it can certainly get you excited about ideas for second semester!

Take a free online course.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to the BEST elementary staff in MO,

Angie and Debby