October 17, 2014

I’m an Introvert, and Proud of It!

Currently, I am reading Quiet: The Power of Introverts, by Susan Cain. The title of this book spoke to me because, as the title of this section suggests, I am an introvert. As such, I am not a hermit, I’m not necessarily shy, and I’m not socially awkward (at least not all the time)! It does mean that I prefer small groups over large ones, quiet environments over noisy ones, and time to process before I respond. And even though I am introverted, I feel as though I am effective at both public speaking and cocktail party conversations. According to the author, this isn’t a paradox--Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, and Warren Buffett are all, you guessed it, introverts.

As a society, we tend to award extroverted people. Those who speak up first--and most loudly--often get their way, even though extroverted people are no more intelligent than introverted people. We tend to gravitate toward the “life of the party” because we mistakenly think they have more self-confidence. In reality, introverts are generally more emotionally stable, and they contribute just as much to society as extroverts.

At school, most teachers use a variety of instructional methods during their class period that may or may not be comfortable for introverts. Writing is typically done alone (and introverts thrive with this task!). Science labs or class discussions require groups of various sizes. Speeches or group projects may be agonizing pursuits for an introvert.

When you connect this information with the growth mindset (see: my blog post from September 26) it is apparent that it is good for both introverts and extroverts to work on things that don’t come naturally. And as a parent, if you suspect that your child is an introvert, you can help them out by:

• telling them that they are better off studying without music blaring in the background
• giving them conversation starters and other tips before meeting new people
• honoring their need for privacy
• comparing their performance to what they have done in the past, not what others can do.

To learn more about Susan Cain's ideas, check out this TED Talk about her book.

Highlights and Successes

• Congratulations to Coach Jerry Moon and the Fremd Chess Team on sweeping the Hoffman Estates Chess Team with 8 victories on 8 boards! This is the first & only sweep so far this year in MSL chess, and FHS is currently the only undefeated team in MSL chess.
• Congratulations to the following swimmers who were winners at the Palatine meet:  Saki Takumiya - 100 fly; Erika King - 200 free and 400 free; Grace Grzybek - 200 IM; and Sydney Plichta - diving.
• Congratulations to Coach Curt Pinley and the Girls Volleyball Team on their victory over Barrington.  Senior Lane Hindenburg put down 15 kills.
• Congratulations to Coach Lauren Hall and the Girls Tennis Team on taking 3rd place at the Conference Meet.
• Congratulations to Cross Country runner Anita Grudzien on winning a 9th place medal at the West Aurora Stampede.
• Congratulations to Coach Andrew Kittrell and the Girls Swimming/Diving Team on taking a 3rd overall in the White Division, 3rd overall in the Orange Division and 2nd overall in the Blue Division at the Naperville North Invite.  Congratulations to the top finishers:   3 Divisions (white, orange and blue):  Sydney Plichta, Emily Zukowski and Sarah Mctague - 2nd place in the blue, white and orange divisions of diving;  Erica King won the 200 and 500 free in the blue division; Grace Kneller, Emily Kini and Becca Rutkowski won the 50 free and 100 free in the blue, orange and white divisions;  Emily Kini, Becca Rutkowski, Saki Takumiua and Nicole Degla won the 200 free in the orange division; Jiamin Huang, Saki Takumiua and Grace Grzybek won the 100 back in the white, orange and blue divisions; Emily Bolger, Jiamin Huang, Rebecca Ballo, and Shae Taylor took 2nd in the 400 free relay in the orange division; Erica king, Emily Kini, Saki Takumiya and Julia Portmann took 2nd in the 400 free relay in the blue division; Grace Grzybek set the meet record for her time in the 100 back at 59.18.
• Congratulations to the following winners at the Tennis Conference Tournament:  1 Doubles: Kate Bodensteiner/Maggie Hanna - 2nd place;  2nd Doubles: Caroline Freeman/Alice Zhang - 1st place Conference Champs and 3rd Singles: Julia Smiarowska - 2nd place.
• Congratulations to Coach Jerry Moon and the Fremd Chess Team on winning the MSL Meet and earning a victory on all 8 boards.

Upcoming Home Activities and Varsity Events

October 21	Late Start (8:50 start)
October 22	College Night (11:50 dismissal, PHS 6:30-8:30 p.m.)
October 22	Varsity Boys Soccer Regionals
October 24	Viking Football vs. Barrington (7:30 p.m.)
October 25	Varsity Boys and Girls Cross Country Regionals
October 28	Halloween Fest (4:30-6:00 p.m.)
October 30-Nov. 1,6,7	Musical (7:00 p.m.)
October 31	Varsity Diving MSL Conference @ BHS
November 1	Varsity Swimming MSL Conference @ BHS
November 3	Teacher Institute Day (no school)
November 4	Late Start (8:50 start)

For a more complete list, please visit our Athletics Page.

Staff Spotlight

Name:  Ruth Spasoff

Position:  Nurse’s Clerk

Year at Fremd:  I am starting my 4th school year at Fremd.

Life Before Fremd:  I am a lifelong Chicagoan although I did move to the suburbs after I married my husband, George.  I have a daughter, Christine who is a Fremd graduate.

My life before Fremd seems to be in three phases: my professional life, my life as a mom/volunteer and now my life at Fremd.  My professional background is in marketing and advertising where I worked for major advertising agencies and marketing companies throughout Chicagoland.  Then, I was able to take some time off of work to raise my daughter and worked as a school volunteer and Girl Scouts.  And finally, I am working at Fremd in the Nurse’s Office.  I find my job fun and fascinating because I get to meet the students and their families and learn about medicine from the nurse.

Hobbies/Interests:  I enjoy getting together with my friends and family, good food/restaurants and shopping.

Insider Tip for Parents:  Information about the Nurse’s Office can be found on the Fremd website under the Parents/Services/Health Services tab.  The Nurse’s contact information is included along with information on medical excuses from physical education and the following forms are available for your convenience:  Emergency Action Plans, Medication Authorization, Physical Exam and Over-the-Counter Medication.

Also, please note that effective March 1, 2014, the school nurse may no longer administer over-the-counter pain relievers or antacids without physician and parent approval.  Forms are available on the website.

Ask the Principal

Q: As a principal, how is your time spent during the day?

A: There are three main areas where I spend the majority of my time. Teacher evaluation and professional develop are Priority #1. Consequently, I spend most of my time on this area. Next, I spend a lot of time in planning meetings either with individual administrators to facilitate their work or with groups of administrators. The last main area is operational functions, working with things like budget, staffing, building calendar, and allocation of resources.

Q: How much of your time is spent with students or parents?

A: I got into education to work with young people, so I try to keep that connection as much as possible. When I am in a classroom observation, I try to join the discussions and group work, when appropriate. I like to be present and visible in the hallway. I get a kick out of hearing students say, “That’s our principal?!?” (If only I could truly know the reason for their astonishment…) Cookie Fridays has been a great connection with students. I also get to meet with students who qualify for a state contest. And very soon, I will be meeting regularly with students who are nominated for a Viking Pride Award. Parent contacts, on the other hand, are less frequent. I field 5-10 phone calls per week from parents, and roughly as many emails. I also get to meet parents at my Parent Principal Network and Booster Club meetings.

Q: How would your time be spent in an ideal world?

A: I would be able to spend more time in the classroom observing teachers, followed by meaningful discussions regarding their practice. More time in the classroom would also mean more time with students--that would be great! Lastly, I would like to find more time to work on community connections to support our students’ academic, social and emotional needs.

Are you curious about something at Fremd but have never asked? Email me at ktenopir@d211.org. If your question is pertinent to a wider audience, I will include it in the next blog post.