Tonight, Del Oro Football takes the field against Downey for our first official home game of the season, but one of the things I love about our football program is how much happens away from the Friday night lights.
A parent sent me this picture from last week's JV and Varsity team breakfast. Our food service crew partnered with football families to feed the teams, showed up in their Del Oro Football gear, and helped continue a tradition that brings players, coaches, parents, and staff together. They even had enough left over to drop some breakfast off in the teachers' lounge!
You can see in the picture Coach Parry addressing the team with a few words of inspiration (you might even be able to hear him if you are within about a mile radius!)
These team breakfasts also capture something bigger about Del Oro Football. It's players, coaches, families, staff, and community members all contributing to something together.
And tonight, we'll get to see the result under the lights. Come out, pack the stands, and cheer like mad as we take on Downey!
Go Eagles!
Tennis Clean Up
Our Del Oro Tennis families came together recently for a Family Tennis Clean Up Day, and they got a lot done!
Families repaired gates, tackled some major landscaping, painted shade structures, fixed the shed door, and added new bark to the flowerbeds. And they aren't finished yet. New fencing, additional trimming, painting the tennis shed, and a new ball wall are all still in the works.
Our tennis families gave their time and energy not just to improve their own program, but to make our campus a little better for everyone.
Thank you to Coach Isaac and all of the students and families who showed up and served. These tennis girls certainly know how to serve (see what I did there?)
DOPC Meeting
The Del Oro Parents' Club had its first meeting of the year on Monday. The focus was on 9th-grade parents, and there was lots of great advice shared by veteran parents, students (ASB Officer and Student Board Member), and a Del Oro Counselor. Here are some key takeaways:
Get Involved: This advice goes for both students and parents. Students, join a club, a sport, or a social group. Show up at events like dances, performances, and athletic contests. Parents, volunteer for stuff and be present when you can!
Communicate with Teachers: Several people in the room pointed out how helpful teachers have been. Students and parents, don't hesitate to reach out if you need anything from a teacher. They are here to help!
Build Strong Habits: We're a few weeks in, and academics can start to feel overwhelming. Having a habit of getting homework done at the same time and place each day can be really helpful.
Speed Conversations
I was walking by the grass soccer field this week when I saw students from D. Moore's Business Leadership 1 class standing in two big circles under the trees.
They were doing a version of "speed conversations." Students in the inner circle rotated every few minutes, meeting someone new and responding to questions that ranged from pretty light, like favorite foods, to much more significant: Would you rather be lonely and rich or socially connected and poor?
I jumped into the inner circle and ended up having a great conversation with a student named Brody about life priorities and the things that are actually worth chasing after.
It was a fun class to stumble into.
What I'm Reading
Small Changes, Big Results
Knowing that our 9th grade Life Essentials classes would be focusing on building strong habits this year, I reread Atomic Habits by James Clear this summer. One idea that stuck with me is that small changes, repeated consistently, can lead to big results over time.
That seems especially important at the beginning of a school year. Students often wait until they have a big test, a missing assignment, or a grade they don't like before changing what they're doing. Instead, what if you built a small study habit now, before you really need it?
It doesn't have to be two hours of homework every night. Start with something manageable enough that you'll actually stick with it: 30 minutes at the same time and in the same place each school night. Review your notes, check Aeries, organize what's coming up, get started on an assignment, or study for an upcoming assessment.
9/21: DOPC Meeting, 6:30PM in the Learning Commons
9/23: Make Up/Retake Picture Day 9AM - 12:45PM
I try to include varsity home games and playoff games on this list. If I miss something, it's not intentional. If you want all of the athletic news,sign up for Coach Hilton's weekly athletic updates (they are fantastic!)
As always, let me know if you need anything, and I'll do what I can to support you.
