I'm Back - Introducing Joe Lafayette

For those of you who did not hear the news, Joseph Paul Lafayette was born on October 21, 2009. He was 8lbs 3 oz at birth, and at last check, he was about 14 lbs.

He is a happy baby and my husband and I could not be more in love with him.

Motherhood has definitely been a learning experience, and I am very lucky to have friends and family close by who have been so helpful.


Things I have learned over the past 10 weeks:
1. I do not need as much sleep as I think I do.
2. Patience is a virtue.
3. Babies do in fact grow up very quickly.
4. Procrastination is no longer an option.


I am very excited to return to work. I cannot wait to talk with the students again and find out how their year has been. I feel like I have missed a ton of stuff. I look forward to hearing about college acceptances, classes, projects, homework, teams, dances and all the stuff that make up a school year.

Thank You

Thank you to everyone for their kind good byes and well wishes today.

I will certainly miss NHS while I am on my maternity leave, even though I know I will be extremely busy with a newborn. However, I will make sure to update my blog and comment on other blogs from time to time, so I can stay connected to the Norton community.

Feel free to comment on the blog and let me know what I am missing.

Work hard and be good!

Thanks,

Mrs. Lafayette

Teacher Team Building

Had a great time at teacher team building this weekend. The LC kids did a great job leading the activities and working with the teachers to solve the different challenges. Although Baby Laf and I could not participate in all the activities - no Human Knot for example. I had fun working through each challenge. What impressed me the most about both groups of teachers and students was their perseverance. There were a couple challenges that took some time, and each group was given the option to stop and start all over again, but they did not. Each group decided to keep trying and in each case the group found success!

All in all, it was a nice was to spend a Sat. morning. I was nice to see everyone outside of the school building and outside of the traditional teacher - student roles.

What did everyone else think??

Freshman Advisory

Freshman Advisory is one of my favorite things here at high school. I was never an athletic student, so I always found myself involved with clubs and different organizations that worked to make school more interesting. I think that is why I like freshman advisory so much. I think it is a nice "break" to the regular school day. I like leaving my office and talking with students about their concerns and finding out what they think of NHS.

I know it is still new to many of our freshmen, and I know that some even thought the first day was "boring." I hope, however, that everyone will give it a chance and not be afraid to open up a little and try to have fun during advisory.

I would love to hear your opinions.

What do you think of advisory? How can it be improved?

First Day of School....

So it has finally arrived: the first day of school. I am ready. It is almost 9:00 pm and I have packed my lunch and ironed my clothes, and run through the day in my head, I can't think of anything that I have missed. It is definitely different this year thinking of the first day of school as an administrator rather than as a teacher. I have not had to think of seating charts, make photocopies or create lesson plans. Instead I have been thinking about the school as a whole. I have to think about teachers and returning students and students who have enrolled over the summer. I have to be sure that I have done everything necessary so that their first day runs smoothly.

But I am ready. Are you?

Introductions... Sort of

For my first post of the 09-10 school year, I figured that I would introduce myself. Although I have worked at the Norton High School for six years as an English teacher, I realize that people probably do not know much about me.

Some facts about me:

1. I am a graduate of the College of the Holy Cross (a trend around here). I earned my Master's Degree from Endicott College, and I am currently working on a second Master's Degree from Worcester State College.

2. I grew up in Millville, MA. It is a very small town on the RI border that few people have even ever heard of. Now I am back in my hometown. Just last year, my husband and I bought a house and we are still renovating.

3. My husband and I are expecting our first child in October and we have one dog, a bullmastiff. (she is the one sitting up in the picture)

4. I spend my time outside of school hanging out with friends and family, reading, watching movies, and running (right now I stick to walking).

5. I am a terrible speller. (I know English teacher that couldn't spell, go figure.)

6. I am very excited to begin my first year as an administrator in Norton and I look foward to working with teachers and students to make this year fun, educational, and memorable.

Frankenstein Questions

In the first 4 chapters of Frankenstein, how does Mary Shelley foreshadow the conflict Victor Frankenstein will endure throughout the novel?

Throughout the novel what evidence is there of the struggle between science/advancement and humanity/morality?


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