Stacey Olinger and the energy of teaching

I consider energy to be a key component of genius, and if that's true, I've known many geniuses in my tenure at Highview: people who seem to have the ardor of 3 or 4 teachers, who teach a full, chaotic load, as well as put on dances, decorate hallways, and run student councils.

Stacey Olinger, a 6th grade teacher at Highview, is one of those people who does all that and more. All with a 1000 watt smile, too.

But even geniuses need to hit the reset button from time to time. I received an email from Stacey earlier in the year where she shared how she found a few moments during her prep time to practice mindfulness:

"... The other day, I listened to one of your mindfulness podcasts in the middle of my prep just so I (could) re-focus and re-energize. I so appreciate your commitment to the whole child. .....you continue to make sure it is deemed important and talked about. "

And on the final day of the school year, she shared with staff some feedback from a student, which read, "I learned that brain breaks are very helpful, and also that you can have fun."

I love the last part about having fun. Stacey Olinger has created a lot of fun at Highview, and her positive energy is felt by staff and students alike.

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The mindful teacher

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