Good morning Garden Spot!

I hope this message finds you having had a wonderful and relaxing break! Mr. Sanger and I have missed you, and found ourselves waiting anxiously at the front doors on several mornings during the break only to be disappointed by the realization that you were not returning yet… but our disappointment will be replaced with joy as we again get to be in your presence! Thank you for always bringing a smile to our face. We are excited to get to usher in the new year with you, and look forward to an awesome 2016!

There were two topics that were consistently on my mind over the break that I thought I would take a minute to write about… I hope you’ll take a minute to read them.

The first is the importance of having compassion for those around us. Compassion is being able to put yourself in someone else’s shoes, to give them the benefit of the doubt, to give them grace when they may not seem to deserve it, and to treat others well regardless of how they have treated you. It is important to recognize that there are many around us suffering hardships, and how we treat them can help make their situation better, or add to their hardship. Compassion includes going out of your way to be nice to that person who is difficult to be nice to, or standing up for that person who others pick on. Compassion is so important, but is often ignored because of our need to defend ourselves after having been wronged. Compassion is deciding to treat everyone around you well regardless of their actions. Compassion is recognizing that others around you may be suffering or going through some sort of misfortune, and being able to treat them in a way that can help them keep their head up as they maneuver through it.

The second is the importance of being generous with what we have. Some have money to give, some have talents to share that can make others smile, and some are able to offer their time to do things for those in need. Regardless of how you can help, giving of yourself to help those around you in need is so very important… not only does it make you feel good about having done something nice for another person, but it also helps to build a community where people know they have others they can rely on. Being generous teaches us to care about others, and to place their needs above our own.

My hope for our school is that we will continuously grow in our compassion and generosity, making sure that those who are hurting and in need always know that they are important here, and that we will lift them up in their time of need and not tear them down. I have been inspired by the compassion and generosity of our staff and students here at Garden Spot, but am confident that we can continue to improve. My challenge to you is to find someone who needs compassion and make it a point to speak kindly to them when others may not, and to give of yourself weekly to someone who needs your help. If each of us make it a point to do this for one person each week, imagine the difference it could make… be a source of good in the world that surrounds you, and work to make this place better when you leave then it was when you arrived.

You all make my life better, and I hope that during our time together I am able to do the same for you.

Here’s to an awesome 2016… You rock!

Mr. Cox

Assistant Principal
Garden Spot High School

Hi everyone…

My last post was about perspective, and I have received quite a bit of feedback about it. I want to share a link that I received that confirmed the need to keep perspective as we maneuver through life. Mr. Kevin Rupp is the speaker, and many of you will likely recognize him because he works in our school building.

I would encourage you to finish reading this, and then find some time to watch the video. My heart is saddened for this family, uplifted by their message, and humbled at their courage to share. As a father of five, I cannot imagine their experience… It is, and always has been, my hope that my words might give someone in need the strength to carry on, and this story has provided me with strength to persevere in the face of tough times.

Please take seriously the reality that there is enough pain and suffering that we cannot control, to be a part of creating hurt and pain that you are able to control is such a shame. There have been several instances over the past few weeks where I have had to deal with students treating other students poorly, and I am very disappointed in that. I challenge each and every one of you to be a person that lifts others up and does not tear them down. Be a person who creates a bright spot in the day of everyone you come in contact with. Be a person who helps others through their pain and suffering. Remember that more often than not you do not know who is going through a difficult time, which is why it is so important to treat everyone you come in contact with well. Be a part of making this world better, not of adding heart ache and headache to a world that is full of so much that is out of our control. Control what you can, and be a person that matters in the lives of those around you.

THE SPOTLIGHT:

• This week I would like to thank a few people for their hard work over the past few weeks. A special thank you to Mr. Houpt and Miss Chvotzkin for their work in making this year’s homecoming dance a great event, and to the class of 2018 for their efforts as well. I would also like to thank our Student Life club for their work with the pep rally. It was a great homecoming week for sure! I would also like to thank our Student Assistance Program team members for their work on setting up red ribbon week activities, and their desire to help our student body as they maneuver through the difficult time that is known as our teenage years. Thank you to all of you for pouring your heart and soul into making our school and community better.

REMINDERS AND UPDATES:

• It is important that you understand that we expect you to keep your hands to yourself. There has been an increase in students playing a silly game called the slapping game, or some variation of that. If you lay your hands on anyone other than yourself, you can and will be held accountable for it. Saying you were just joking if it was unwanted physical contact will not be an acceptable response.
• The end of the quarter is this Thursday. Make sure you take care of any loose ends so that you finish strong. Your quarter 2 iSpartan placements will be based on your final quarter 1 grades
• If you have a pass to go somewhere, please report to your assigned location first so that they can sign your pass. Just having a pass does not mean you do not need to report… the teacher you are to report to does not know you have a pass and will report you to the office as skipping class because you never reported.

Have a great week Spartans! You are AWESOME!

Mr. Cox

Assistant Principal Garden Spot High School

Good morning Garden Spot!

As fall approaches I find myself in awe of the little things that make life great. I absolutely love this time of year, with the leaves changing colors and the temperatures becoming a bit cooler. This is also the time of year when the sunrise is occurring during my morning commute to work. Watching the sun rise on the horizon as it’s light peaks through the trees and fog that often spreads over the fields of Lancaster County in the early morning has a way of putting a smile on my face before I even arrive at school… and then I get to see all of you and my satisfaction with life grows even more! Take the time to enjoy the things that are free for all of us to enjoy. Put down your cell phones for just a few minutes and really watch as the colors of the morning sunrise spreads across the skies… watch the colors change and the darkness turn to light… it is hard to not enjoy that time if you really just slow down and take the time to watch it.

Reminders:

This Thursday, September 24, the ELANCO Health Council will be hosting a Family Movie Night behind the tennis courts in between the two softball fields. The showing of Big Hero 6 is free and will begin at 6:45 pm. This is one of my favorite movies, and I would encourage you to enjoy an evening outdoors and take advantage of this opportunity. There will be concessions available during the showing. A giant thank you to the Health Council for their efforts in arranging this event.

Teacher Spotlight:

This week I would like to take the opportunity to spotlight a teacher who has been dedicated to this district for many years. She believes in the students she teaches, and cares deeply about their success. If you have ever had the privilege of having her as a teacher, you are undoubtedly better for it. She pushes every student in her classes to reach greater heights than they have ever reached before, and unlocks in them a confidence that they can achieve at a greater level then they ever thought possible. If you have ever had Ms. Martin as an English teacher, you understand how true these words are, and you should take a moment during this week to thank her for caring enough to push you to be the best you can be. If you have not, think about the teacher who came to mind as you read the opening to this paragraph and make sure they know how appreciative you are that they believed in you even when you may have been doubting yourself.

Personal Challenge:

Relationships with those around you matter, and how you treat them matters. If you have a life full of drama it is likely the result of broken relationships, and only you have the ability to change that. I often speak to students who have constant conflict in their lives and they think that everyone else is the problem. It is important to realize that if you have conflict with others on a regular basis it is likely not all of them that are the problem, but rather something in how you respond to them. While those who need to hear this message most will likely brush it off, the reality is that relationships are a two way street. You have the power to determine how you respond to those who mistreat you, and how long to hold on to the wrongs they have committed against you. You have the power to determine whether or not to get upset about every little thing that happens, or to learn how to let it go. And you have the power to gossip about those who have wronged you, which keeps the drama going, or to take the high road and let it go.

You cannot control the misery of others, or their desire to cause conflict in your life, but you certainly can control your response to it. Let them drown their days with bitterness and conflict, but choose not to let those things conquer you. If you engage in the same things that you claim to be so upset about, then you are inviting their drama and problems into your life. Life is so much better when you make the decision to treat people better than they deserve. As you do that you find that people respond to you better, and your day to day is more enjoyable. As you do that you find that less people have a reason to treat you poorly, and because of that you experience less drama in your life. You also find that you become a person who others look to as a role model, and with that comes a great deal of pride.

As you move through the coming weeks I challenge you to try… just try to be a person who treats everyone well. Don’t talk about others, don’t talk back to others, don’t engage in the back and forth that makes things that are not that big of a deal into something bigger than they are, and to not allow yourself to be held hostage by hostility. You can only control yourself, and I promise you that the better you treat others, even those who may have wronged you, the more enjoyable your life will be. You will find that people who used to stay away from you because they didn’t want your drama in their lives will start to enjoy your company, and those who used to have problems with you will find someone else to target with their own inability to understand and embrace the words I have written in this section.

Be respectful, treat others well, put a ’10’ on the heads of everyone you come in contact with at all times, and you will find that every day is a little more enjoyable. Be a person who others are drawn to, not a person that others avoid. Your actions will determine how others respond to you, and only you can control how you treat others. Decide to live life in peace with those around you, and watch the incredible difference that it has on how much you are able to enjoy each day.

Have a great week ladies and gentlemen!

Mr. Cox

Assistant Principal
Garden Spot High School

Ladies and gentlemen,

It is difficult for me to consider the sadness that Mr. Sanger and I will experience without you here, but we will need to find a way to do so as the end of the year is almost here. I just want to take a minute to thank you for such an exceptional year… you are all such wonderful young men and women, and I appreciate having the privilege of getting to spend my days with you. Remember as you enjoy your summer to treat others well, and to give them better than they deserve. We are often quick to give someone back what they dish out, but I promise you that there is so much more joy to be had by holding yourself personally accountable for how you treat others, even if they have treated you poorly. So much of the hurt, drama, and arguing would disappear if we learned to treat others how we would want to be treated, and that includes treating them well even when they have done something hurtful. You never know what others are going through… give them better than they deserve and you may be part of helping them through a difficult time.

Updates:

Next year we will be changing iSpartan a little bit. On cycle days 1 through 4 you will return to the block that corresponds with the cycle day (on day one you would return to block 1, etc.), and placements will be determined by your quarter and semester grades. There is a chance we will use mid-marking period grades too. These changes have come as a result of feedback we received from students about it not being easy to see their teachers during iSpartan, and feedback we have received from the staff about having time to get to know the students they are to be supervising. The quarterly placements are the result of our desire to help assure we do everything we can to help you to be successful. If you are doing well, you have earned additional privileges. If you are struggling, we owe it to you to do everything we can to help. If you end a quarter with a ‘D’ or an ‘F’, we want to make sure that we give you the support needed for you to pass the class, hence the quarter long placement based on the previous quarter. If you end a semester with a ‘D’ or and ‘F’, we want to make sure you get the next semester started on the right foot.

If we didn’t care we would allow failure without attempting to intervene, but we do care. Some of you may not see it as that, but education is the tool that unlocks endless opportunities in your future, and it is incumbent upon us to do what we can while you are here to assure you get a good one. It is natural for teenagers not to see the value in it, and that is why it is so important for those of us who really care about you to do everything in our power to assure you maneuver through these years successfully.

Finish strong!

Have a great last full week, study for your finals, and have a wonderful summer!

Mr. Cox

Assistant Principal
Garden Spot High School

Good morning Garden Spot!

As the cold weather subsides and the warmth of spring slowly comes back to our area, I am reminded of how much of a difference a smile can make in the lives of those around you. There are people all around you every day that could use a smile or a quick ‘hello’. It is common for someone who is having a bad day to be a bit rude or short in their responses… give people better than they deserve, and be kind to them even when they may not deserve it. You never know when your smile or kind greeting will help them to get out of their funk.

Reminders:

The end of the semester is rapidly approaching. Be sure that you are communicating with your teachers and taking care of things that may need to be addressed. The staff here are awesome, and if you take the time to not only say you want to do something about a class you are struggling in, but also follow that up with action, they will all go out of their way to work with you. You hold the key to your success… be sure to use it.

We are noticing an increase in earbuds and headphones in the hallways and the cafeteria. Earbuds and headphones are not permitted during the school day, unless a teacher instructs you to use them in their classroom. Please make sure that you have put them away before leaving any classrooms. We are going to start asking that you turn them into the office to be picked up at the end of the day, and if you are a person who we need to ask regularly we will begin assigning detentions. What a silly thing to have to serve a detention for. If you know you are not to have them outside of the classroom, then we should not have to ask you not to wear them. There are many reasons for this rule that I would be happy to discuss with you, but ultimately it is a rule. Disagreeing with it does not make it reasonable to ignore it. Please do not put us in a position where we are forced to begin policing earbuds. Thank you for your cooperation.

Teacher Spotlight:

The person I would like to spotlight this week has a way of working with students and speaking into their lives that is difficult to teach. He cares deeply about the success of every student he interacts with, and makes it clear that personal responsibility is a key component of being successful. He pushes his students to find something they love doing, and to work hard at it. Mr. Zamperini understands that each of you are different, and works to encourage each student to find that thing they love and use it as a motivator to be successful where they are at. If you have had Mr. Zamperini, thank him for his straightforward conversations about life, and the personal stories he uses to articulate his message. If you have not, thank a teacher who has helped you find that ‘thing’ that you want to do.

Personal Challenge:

I know you have likely heard me say this before, but I believe that the way that you learn to enjoy wherever you are at is to work hard at everything you do so that you can be proud of your actions and performance, and to treat everyone around you well regardless of your mood or whether they deserve it or not so that your relationships can be enjoyable even if some of the things in your day-to-day life are not.

It is not always that where you are at is where you want to be, but where you are at is definitely a part of the journey to where you want to be. You need to make sure you find the things that are enjoyable so that your journey to your destination is as wonderful as the destination itself. There will be times when life is hard, sadness and tragedy will occur, your job will not be as you were hoping it would turn out, and things may be overwhelmingly busy. I suggest that life is learning how to love your current situation no matter where you are at. If you learn to do that, and do it well, even when things are not right, you will still be able to be thankful for the things that are good. No matter who you are there are things that are very good that surround you every day if you allow yourself to see them.

These words hold true no matter who you are or where you are at in life. If more people could not just read them and shake their head in agreement, but live them out in their day-to-day lives, they would find life to be rich and fulfilling as it should be for each and every one of us. Be sure to focus on the good, as where you place your attention your mind will follow. If you dwell on all of the bad, your mind will follow. If you keep your head up and persevere through adversity, finding the good in what surrounds you, your mind will follow there as well.

Have a week that is as awesome as each of you!

Mr. Cox

Assistant Principal
Garden Spot High School