Ode to Francine

A special date is fast approaching. Almost a year ago, in a small shop in downtown Boston, I looked up and laid eyes on one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen. Her name is Francine and I love her deeply. For the past year, Francine has been my constant companion and source of hydration. Some people have taken to teasing me about Francine because of her pinkish hue and flowers. I say those are the things that make her special. It's true that I could have chosen a more masculine looking bottle, but none of them spoke to me like Francine did. There is something about that skeletal face that makes me smile. To the teasers, I simply reply with the age old saying, "Don't judge a book by its cover." Luckily for me, public opinion is no longer a concern of mine (See last blog posting)!

What is so great about Francine is that thanks to her, I have gone an entire year without purchasing a plastic water bottle. Before I leave the house, Francine visits the ice dispenser on the refrigerator and is then filled with some delicious water straight from the well. I have even attached a clip in the car....a car seat of sorts...just for her.

Happy Anniversary Francine. I look forward to a long life together!

Dear Francine,

Thank you for keeping me hydrated and healthy. Because of you I am taking a small step to do my part to protect this planet while looking good and feeling great at the same time. Hopefully your presence with me has inspired others to follow our lead. I am deeply sorry about the number of dents you have received. Rather than dents ...let's call them scars, for each one has a story of how it was inflicted and just adds to what makes you the delightful soul you are. I think they make you look tough.

Find your own Francine,

Mr. Fletcher

Clear Blue Morning

Yesterday I went into Jacob's bedroom and was greeted with, "Good Morning Daddy! It's a beautiful day!" The day outside was anything but beautiful...dark clouds and humid, what you might call a dreary day. What that made me realize was that Jacob wasn't talking about the weather, but rather what the possibilities were for the day. It seems all too often that we base our description of the day based on the weather, rather than what lies in store.

A wise man once said, "Don't ever let your mind stop you from having a good time." These are words I am currently trying my best to live by. We've all heard people say that famous quote that goes "I don't care what anyone else says/thinks of me!" What I've come to realize is that people who make that statement tend to care what others think more than anyone else. I know this because I used to be this way. I constantly found myself missing out on some incredibly fun opportunities because I was more concerned with what people around me might say or think of me. What a waste! I now try to approach life like my three year old son does. When a good song comes on....get up and dance with everything you've got. Even if you are in the middle of an aisle at Wal Mart. Who cares? Have fun and enjoy every minute of it.

I will admit that this journey of mine is not an easy one. I'm still quite uncomfortable doing a lot of things in public (singing) but I realize it is going to take a lot of time to reprogram myself inorder to get back to a simpler, more care free existence.

Laugh as much as possible. Be able to laugh at yourself. Laugh with others, but not at the expense of someone else. Don't be the reason that someone let's go of their spirit and becomes worried about the reaction of others.

Dear Jacob,
Thank you for helping me to see the world in a whole new light everyday. Thank you for being an awesome big brother and showing Chase how to enjoy life. You make me smile and proud to be your dad. Be sure to always dance in the aisles and encourage others to do so as well. Should people ever laugh at you.....think about who is having more fun...and dance harder. I love you.


Leap and the net will appear,
Mr. Fletcher

How do you sound?

My day at school started today with getting out of my car and hearing one student loudly tell another student to "shut up" as they got off the bus. I was immediately disappointed and realized how much more that kind of talk bothers me now than it once did. Perhaps it is because I have children of my own now and it would sadden me if one of my children was on the receiving end of that "shut up," or even worse, the person saying it. This made me think of the power our words have. I don't think for a second that there was any kind of tension between these two students because they walked in together laughing. I think this phrase was used simply as a conversational joke between two friends. What bothered me was how it sounded to someone who wasn't part of their conversation or friendship. I now wonder, in all my loudness, how I may sound to people who pass by our classroom or even in other public places. I guess it is like being in a mall or other situation with young people who are cursing. I immediately get angry when I hear foul language being used and my children or other people's children are in hearing distance. I'm not even as angry as I am embarrassed because I now know how ridiculous and offensive I sounded when I was their age. I don't necessarily have a point with all of this, other than to remember to choose your words appropriately and think about how you may sound to people who aren't part of your conversation. Learn from the mistakes of others and save yourself any public embarrassment.

Speak kindly,
Mr. Fletcher

My Broken-Hearted Little Blog

Dear Blog,

I'm sorry you've become so neglected lately. My hopes and dreams for you have slowly dwindled as I watch you get passed over for video games and love tests. I have done you wrong by not keeping up with you as much as I would like and for becoming discouraged with the choices my students make with their free time. My fear has come true and you have become the crazy old lady on top of the hill with a hundred cats that no one ever visits. For that the fault is mine and mine alone. You do not write yourself. It is I who make you what you are and if I want people to visit you....there should be a reason to visit. It is now that I will renew my vows with you and promise to update you more regularly, even if it just with a line or two to remind you how important you are to me.

Much love,
Mr. Fletcher

Open House at the Ashokan Center

On April 24th, the Ashokan Center will be holding an open house to celebrate Earth Day. There is no charge for admission and some great activities are planned. If you would like to go and check out what Ashokan is all about before our trip, this would be a great opportunity.

Here is the link for all the information:
http://www.ashokancenter.org/earth/index.html

Have Fun,
Mr. Fletcher

It's Almost Time For Ashokan!

Greetings Everyone!

Thanks to everyone who has sent in their paperwork for our trip to Ashokan. For those of you who haven't, you still have plenty of time.
I thought it might be fun to use our blog (since again....it's been a while) to let everyone ask questions they might be having about the trip. This is not just for the kids. Parents, feel free to post any questions you might want answered. If you aren't comfortable signing your name to your post, feel free to post your question anonymously. Don't be embarrassed about any question you have! I've gone on the trip so many times I should be able to answer anything by now! If not, I'll be sure to find the answer for you!
Going away on an overnight trip, especially two nights, is a big deal. I'm happy to do anything I can to make sure this visit is one hundred percent fun and absolutely stress free....for EVERYONE!


You can also visit the Ashokan Center's website at: http://www.ashokancenter.org/ This site has some great pictures and tons of information about their facility.

Counting down the days,
Mr. Fletcher

Hope for Haiti

This months character trait is cooperation. While this is always an important trait for us to acquire, the recent events in Haiti have really shown what cooperation is all about. We have been discussing Haiti all week and using the earthquake to inspire cooperation in our cooperative learning groups. Here is the link to the article we read in class to begin our discussion and study of this tragic current event:

http://content.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=3753355



What are your thoughts and feelings about the earthquake in Haiti?

What are some ways you can think of to help the people of Haiti during this time?

Thanks for cooperating,
Mr. Fletcher