Matt Jeffrey

PLCs Need an Activator Now More Than Ever. The power of PLCs! #101alag corwin-connect.com/2020/07/plcs-n…

@CoachSutor We never know the impact of our words & actions as educators. Sometimes we see the fruits of our labor in the present & often times many years down the road. That being said, we can never underestimate those seeds that we plant & their impact they ultimately have. #AllinSaINts⚜️

I’ve had a lot of special moments in education, but this might be the first one that brought me to tears. Last week, a senior who I’ve had in class for a few years asked me for my favorite quote. So, I wrote it down for her. “Treat others as you’d want to be treated.” The golden rule. Simple. Real. 100% truth. Today, she came in on her final day of high school with a typed note thanking me for all I’ve done to help her, help the students in our class and how I’ve inspired her to get into education herself. Her kind words were heartfelt and genuine. What happened next will be something I will never, ever forget. She showed me her arm. She took the quote I wrote down for her and had the exact line, in my handwriting, tattooed on her arm. You hear the term “speechless” all the time, but this was a moment where I had no words and couldn’t speak. I just teared up. To see that someone took my own words and value them so much to have them tattooed on them is something words cannot do justice for. To all my fellow educators, teaching today is more challenging than it’s ever been. But on the days when you feel exhausted, burned out and are questioning why you do what you do, remember this … You have more of an impact on students than you realize. This is a moment I will never, ever forget.

BAT 19 - SCN 6 Offense puts together 14 hits! Jensen: 2-5, 3 RBIs Lindeblad: 2-5, 2 RBIs Jeffrey: 2-4, 2 RBIs Zagotta: 3-4, 5 RBIs Wnek: 4-4, 3 RBIs

@JVBulldogs Good job gentlemen battling back in the 7th inning. Let's go take the series and get a W over North tomorrow! Great job Dylan, Ty, and Eyan.

BAT 5 - SCN 5 called due to darkness after 8 inn! Spinney: 5 inn, 2 H, 0 BB, 6 Ks Lindeblad: 3-3, 2 Doubles, RBI Hoff: 2-4, 2 💣s, including the game tying HR with two outs in the bottom 7th.

Finish This School Year With Heart The last month of school can feel like the longest month of the year. The big tests are over, the weather is nicer, students can feel summer coming, and suddenly it seems like attention spans disappear overnight. Kids often check out mentally after high stakes testing, and if we are being honest, adults can feel that way too. As a therapist and former principal/teacher, I want to say this clearly, if this stretch feels exhausting and never ending, you are not alone. This is a very real part of the school year. What helps is remembering that the last month is not just about getting through it. It is about finishing with heart. Students may not remember every lesson from the final weeks, but they will remember how your classroom felt. They will remember whether it felt calm, safe, encouraging, and steady. And while many students are excited for summer, not all of them are. For some kids, summer brings food insecurity, less structure, less adult support, uncertainty, loneliness, or stress at home. That reminder can help us lead with a little more patience, compassion, and perspective. This time of year often brings more restlessness, more behaviors, and more emotional ups and downs. That does not mean you suddenly forgot how to teach. It means routines are shifting and nervous systems are feeling it. Students still need boundaries, but they also need calm adults who can lower the temperature without lowering care. A little more grace, a little more humor, a little more creativity, and a little less power struggle can go a long way right now. It is also important to protect your own energy. By this point in the year, many educators are running on fumes. You do not need to make every day magical. You do not need a Pinterest ending. You need to be present, regulated, and human. Sometimes making the most of the last month means simplifying, connecting more, and reminding yourself that your impact is bigger than a test score or a perfect lesson. So yes, this month can feel like it has 97 days in it. But it is also a chance to end with meaning. To reflect, to connect, to laugh, to encourage, and to help students leave feeling seen. Finish strong, yes, but more than anything, finish with heart.

@JVBulldogs Way to go gentlemen. Liked how you played and supported one another. Let's go get another W on Saturday against St. Charles North!

DOGS WIN! BAT 6 - LP 0 Jeffrey: 5 inn, 4 H, 4 Ks Landgrebe: 2 inn, 1 H, 1 K Bartoszek: 2-3 Zagotta: 2-3 Lindeblad: 1-2, 3 RBIs Defense was stellar! OFs Lindeblad, A. Carlson, and Bartoszek took away multiple hits and SS Henderson threw out runner at home!

Congratulations to Liam Aye of @STCE_Wrestling & all the other Ken Gerdes III award recipients @IWCOA for winning the student-athlete scholarship. Over the course of his 4 yrs. @StCharlesEast Liam has been an exemplary leader both in the classroom & on the mat. Congrats Liam!

To be a great team, every team member must give and also give up something. Commitment cost you but what you receive in return is so much greater. 7commitments.com

Thankful to serve alongside so many dedicated professionals committed to supporting our students and staff in @StCharlesD303. #APWeek2026

College Commitment Day for Athletics is next Weds the 15th. If you are a varsity athlete that is ready to make your commitment to the next level, please email Mr. Howard with your name, sport, and the school you are committing to by the end of the day on Monday the 13th.

If you’re a coach who wants to challenge players while building awesome relationships, you should read this. The problem is . . . challenging players in uncomfortable ways is absolutely necessary for excellence but risks turning them off, damaging trust, and undermining confidence. They seem to work against each other. But it only seems that way. The truth is . . . you can challenge players incredibly hard AND build deep trust. They're not opposites. The key is making players feel how the challenge comes from caring, not instead of it. Most players in your program have never experienced that from a coach. They’ve had intense coaches who challenged and caring coaches who connected, but not a coach that does both. At the same time. Here’s the phrase to use —> “High love with high standards.” That's the phrase you need to repeat over and over and over. To yourself. To your players. To their parents. To your staff. 1000x a week. High love is high standards. Lowering standards is not a sign that you care. It’s not an act of love. It’s an act of fear. Soft coaching is the opposite of love. It says, "I don't think you're capable of more or better." High standards is high love. Holding high standards doesn’t require that you withhold love or connection. A player’s connection with you (and teammates) is the single most powerful force you can tap into to drive high standards. People will do anything for the people they love. Every player is a person first, a player second. Show each player you see them as person first. Before practice, during water breaks, after mistakes, when they’re struggling. Learn their unique desires fast. Ask about specific details in their lives, not just “How’s school? How’s your family?”. Notice their effort, not just their results. When they feel that YOU are FOR them, they'll run through walls for you. Then bring the intensity. "Not good enough! You can do better! You must be better than that!" When a kid knows you love him and believe in him, he hears your challenges totally different. Your challenges become proof that you care. But only if THE PERSON believes you care about him specifically. It’s now how much you think you care. It’s how much the person believes you care. E+R=O helps you stay clear, disciplined, and confident as a coach: The OUTCOME you want is better performance and a stronger relationship, improvement AND connection. You don't have to pick one or the other. Your EVENT is their performance (effort, focus, execution). Your RESPONSE is direct, honest feedback—HIGH LOVE + HIGH STANDARDS —delivered with energy and belief. Players WANT a coach who expects excellence. They just need to know you won't abandon them when they struggle, fall short, or fail. So challenge them in the moment, then reinforce the relationship immediately after. "That was sloppy. Focus and fix it. You can do this. Now let's go." High love with high standards. 1000x a week. Watch your players, and your relationships with them, transform.

Helping Every Student Think Deeply About Math. Strategies for teachers to shift focus from getting the right answers to building real mathematical understanding. | Harvard Graduate School of Education gse.harvard.edu/ideas/usable-k…

Happy National School Librarian Day to my wife, @tracyljeffrey. Thankful for your passion for reading & instilling in our own kids at a young age the joy & importance of reading. Thankful also for your service and support you provide to the students & staff @ Hill Elementary.

High-Impact Teacher Collaboration Begins with Leaders. Strategic leadership can turn a routine teacher meeting into a powerful learning community. 5 ways leaders shape collaboration in their schools. ascd.org/el/articles/hi… via @ASCD

I don't how many times in the past I convinced myself that I had learned something simply because "I knew my notes well." In this discussion I learned why I had been going about it all wrong. @smorrisey @effortfuleduktr @bamradionetwork @SciInTheMaking bamradionetwork.com/track/unlockin…

Ben McCollum knows that to change your team - it starts with the people and the culture. • 4 national titles at Northwest Missouri State. • Drake's first NCAA win in 50 years. Now Iowa's first Sweet 16 in 27 years. Here's how he builds culture: (📌Bookmark this)

DOGS WIN! BAT 4 - BC 2 Spinney and Rupert combine to allow only 1 hit. Offense comes alive late for the comeback! Big hits by Kropp and Jeffrey. M. Carlson with the key bunt and Henderson adds a RBI fly for insurance. Way to go boys!

@JVBulldogs Nice job today gentlemen! Let's go get another W tomorrow at Burlington Central.

DOGS WIN! BAT 6 - NC 3. Great pitching debuts from Jeffrey and Leman! Jensen throws out a pair of baserunners!

As a therapist and former school principal, I believe this deeply, supporting school staff mental health is not extra. It is essential. The adults who care for everyone else need support too. Here are 10 meaningful ways to support school staff mental health and wellness: 1.Lead with empathy. We never fully know what someone else is carrying. A little more grace, patience, and understanding can change someone’s entire day. 2.Make people feel seen. A sincere thank you can go a long way. People need to know their effort, heart, and sacrifices matter. 3.Honor their time. Time is one of the most meaningful ways to show respect. Protect planning time, reduce unnecessary meetings, and be thoughtful about after-hours expectations. 4.Remove barriers that make the work harder. When staff are constantly fighting red tape, unclear expectations, or unnecessary obstacles, stress rises fast. Support them by simplifying systems and clearing the path where you can. 5.Create a culture where asking for help feels safe. Strong people need support too. Schools should be places where staff can be honest without fear or shame. 6.Make wellness visible, not just verbal. If mental health matters, show it in schedules, policies, support systems, and leadership decisions. 7.Encourage real breaks. Even the most dedicated people cannot pour from an empty cup. A few moments to breathe, reset, and regroup can make a big difference. 8.Remind them they do not have to be perfect. So many educators and school staff are carrying impossible expectations. They need to hear that being human is okay. 9.Build connection, not just collaboration. Staff need more than teamwork. They need belonging. A school feels different when the adults feel connected to each other. 10.Remind school staff of the difference they make. On the hardest days, people need to be reminded that their presence matters, their kindness matters, and their work is changing lives in ways they may never fully see. When we support school staff well, everyone benefits. Healthy adults help create healthy schools.

Saints are your DuKane Conference Team Champions!!!! It took all of us to bring it home!!! So proud of this team!! @STCEBoosters @STCEathletics