Field Day and Moving Up

Yesterday, I spent much of the day in the Dunk Tank letting the 5th and 7th graders get their aggression out! I was dunked by many a student and loved every second of it! Field Day was such a success and a grand time was had by all!
Today, I will be wet, as well. It will just be with tears of pride as we "Move Up" our 7th graders tonight. Our rising Mustangs are tremendous students and I will miss them terribly.
I can't wait to meet our rising Huskies from TJ in the fall.
Have a wonderful, restful, happy, fun, extraordinary summer!! Don't forget to read, read, read!!!!

Merci!

I have just returned from a WONDERFUL trip to Quebec City with Ms. White and 15 of our superstar 7th graders. The trip was a total blast and the kids were tre bien! I speak little to no French so the whole experience was something new for me. Usually, I travel with teenagers to Mexico to build houses-- my Spanish is rusty but proficient enough to get around. In Quebec, I was relying mostly on our guide, David, and the students who are currently taking French at MEHMS.
We learned so much on this trip about Quebec history and saw so many interesting and breathtaking landmarks. Among them were the Chateau Frontenac and the Citadel. We even got to eat at a place aptly named the Sugar Shack! There, we covered everything on our plate with fresh maple syrup.
I was so proud of our students throughout the trip. The highlight of the entire experience was when we met fellow middle schoolers at an intermediate school in Quebec City. Our kids were true ambassadors for MEHMS. Everyone (including the Quebecers) was very nervous in the beginning, but once all of the students started talking to each other, the anxiety lifted and there was very little quiet. The Quebecers were wonderful hosts and even played a few rounds of table tennis with us. (The picture above was the entire group).
Merci for such a wonderful experience!!!

The Whos! The Things! The Cat! The Birds! The Elephant! The Monkeys! The Songs! The Set! The Costumes! So Much More!

To say that Seussical Jr. was fantastic tonight is the understatement of the year. It was nothing short of magical. Barb Piscopo and Jeanne Seabridge directed a theatrical experience. My red and white striped hat goes off to you both. To see our students up on that stage singing and dancing their hearts out while wearing ridiculously delicious hair and clothing is something that one must see for themselves. My mouth hurts from smiling the entire show!

The students were absolutely amazing. I was so proud to watch the actors perform and the technical/backstage crew change sets, run lights, cue music, hand props, etc.

Thank you to Barb, Jeanne, and the Encore team for showing us that a week with a snow day can get EVEN better! Bravo to the students who each shine in their own special way! Here’s to two more fabulous nights!!

Inauguration Day on the Mall!

4am at the Shirlington bus stop!

Our view of the Capitol from our spot on the mall




What an adventure! Yesterday, Ms. McCarty and I headed to the National Mall for the Inauguration of our new President! At 4am, no less! It was freezing (literally and figuratively), but we got to the mall by about 5:15 am and staked out a spot that was very, very close to the Capitol. It was such an unbelievable experience to be a tiny speck in all of the pictures and to be a part of such a historic event. While it took three times longer to get home than it did to get there, and my fiance and I were still thawing out at 10 pm, it was worth every second. How did you spend Inauguration Day?

6th and 7th grade winter concert

What a wonderful evening filled with such beautiful music! Connie and Larry did a tremendous job tonight with the sixth and seventh grade bands. Their hard work was evident. Many thanks to the Encore team, as well, as they managed nervous 6th and 7th graders waiting to perform, videotaped the performances, and were there for moral support. The students were incredible and they made it look easy. We even managed to place a few coats and sweatshirts back in their homes.

MEHMS is truly a special place.

Welcome Back!

I had a lovely Thanksgiving holiday of doing a whole lot of nothing but reading and watching TV! With my tendonitis still flaring up, I walked this year's 5 mile Turkey Trot in Del Ray with one of my dogs and had about 90 minutes of reflecting time. I am so thankful to be a part of such an amazing school!
Our Huskies were rarin' to go this morning!! With only 3 weeks until winter break, everyone is working really hard. We're making the last 3 weeks of 2008 at MEHMS memorable! Keep on keepin' on, Huskies!

New Beginnings

After this historic election, it is a fresh start for our country. Today marks the beginning of the second quarter for our students. Teachers and students were all excited this morning as they streamed into the building. Excited about last night's election and excited about the fresh, new quarter. Change can be hard, but change is necessary sometimes.