Dear Builders,

We need you to build the future. We need you to figure out new ways to power our lives and feed, move, and house our growing population. To do that, you need to have a lot of knowledge. You need to know how we do these things now, how we’ve done them in the past. You need to know if solutions may work and why.

But you also have to be brave enough to try to do things in new way. You have the opportunity to imagine a better future and make it a reality. But if you only do what’s always been done, the future will be no different from the past.

Sincerely,

Mr. Heimbuck

Dear Citizens,

Our classroom expectations have three levels: Do it right. Do it well. Do it with passion and compassion.

The first level is the easiest. It just means to follow procedures correctly. It means to make sure your work is all turned in. It means to be at school on time everyday. That’s easy! When you do it right, you make sure our learning community works.

The second level is a little bit more difficult. It means you’re making sure you’re always doing your best job on every assignment. It means you follow the rules even when no one is looking. When you do it well, you make yourself the best person you can be.

Doing it with passion and compassion is a bit trickier. It means you feel compelled to not only do your best but to help others do their best as well. When you do it with passion and compassion, you help every single classmate be the best person they can be.

Sincerely,

Mr. H

Dear Havers of Big Ideas,

We teach you to read, write, and problem solve because we want you to have big ideas about the world. You learn history and science because they are the stories of big ideas. How did the universe begin? Why do people do the things they do? These are some big ideas.

Big ideas are in stories and poems. People have had big ideas throughout history. When they have really, really big ideas, they write them down because it’s nearly impossible not to want to share your big idea.

You can survive in the world without big ideas, but you can’t be human without them.

Sincerely,

Mr. Heimbuck

Dear Kids,

I always enjoy talking with your families. It’s so much fun to get to know more about you, and it reminds me that you’re all way more than just students: you’re daughters, sons, brothers, cousins, and, most of all, people.

Thank you to all of you who came to conferences with your families, and I look forward to seeing more of you this afternoon.

Sincerely,

Mr. Heimbuck

Dear Futurists,

The end of the school year is a good time to think about the future. Yesterday we read about some possible jobs in the future–drone engineer, aging specialist, water harvester. Today we’ll read a science fiction story about one author’s vision of the future.

When authors tell stories about the future, what they’re really talking about is how we live right now. By moving our lives to the future, we get to see our beliefs and actions in a new light. Sometimes, that makes them look silly, but it always forces us to reexamine them. Is what we believe true? Will it be true in the future? How can we tell.

Literature is really good about making us ask these questions.

Sincerely,

Mr. Heimbuck

Dear Heroes,

What’s it mean to be brave? How do heroes show bravery in small ways or in big ways?

We’ve read about many brave acts while learning about the American Revolution. But none is more memorable than Nathan Hale uttering these words before he was hanged by the British: “I only regret that I have but one life to give for my country.” We don’t know if those were his exact words, but we do know that Hale showed great courage in his final moments.

But it’s possible to show courage in small, ordinary moments as well. What can you do today to be brave?

Sincerely,

Mr. Heimbuck

Dear Appreciators of Truth and Beauty,

Yesterday I went to the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, and I saw a wide variety of art. What I noticed about all the art was that it reflected its artist’s vision about truth and beauty in the world. Artists are people who have dedicated their lives to finding interesting and unique ways to share those visions, but I believe that everyone is capable of creating their own unique vision of Truth and Beauty in the world. It might be the most essential human act.

Don’t just take the world as it is. Make it your own.

Sincerely,

Mr. Heimbuck

Dear Fans,

Today is Baseball Opening Day. It’s a day of optimism and hope. It’s a day of sunshine and light after a long winter of waiting. It’s a day of tradition, when we think about how important baseball has been the the American character.

In honor of Opening Day, we’ll read one of my favorite poems. It’s long and it uses old words, but part the joy of reading is unlocking texts and figuring out what they mean. You’ll have a lot of deciphering to do in this poem, but it will be worth it.

Sincerely,

Mr. Heimbuck

Dear Students,

Bad news: we have an infestation in our room. Today, exterminators have to come in and treat our classroom. So we’ll be traveling around from classroom to classroom. Whenever another class has their specials, we’ll be in their room.

Make sure you bring all of your materials with you. And remember to be a like a dead fish and “go with the flow.”

Sincerely,

Mr. Heimbuck

Dear Writers,

You have something to say. The prize goes to those who find the most interesting way to say it. Just getting an idea down isn’t enough. You have to do it in a way that people find new and meaningful.

And writing is an active process. You’re not just putting your ideas down on paper; you’re actively figuring those ideas out. Writing is really about teaching yourself: about what you really think, about what the world is really like, and about your place in it.

That’s not an easy thing. But it’s a worthwhile thing.

Sincerley,

Mr. Heimbuck