Angela O'Leary

Mom of five. Supportive wife. ECE. BaSc ECS and earning BEd. Passionate about pretty much everything. Avid reader. Views are my own.

[Dr. Bryan Pearlman #MaslowBeforeBloom @DrP_Principal]

My walkie went off with a frantic voice saying, “Code R, we have a runner.” I ran from my office and my assistant was pointing to the door. I broke one of the first rules of school, no running in the hall. For a big dude, I was moving very rapidly. I went out the door and saw a blur of a student hop the fence and run across the street.

Our school faced a very busy street. Right across the street, was a liquor store. If that wasn’t bad enough, the next thing one encounters heading down the road are railroad tracks. As soon as you make it past the tracks, you come upon a bridge with a 20 foot drop into a river. Moving further down the road brings you to a truck stop. If the aforementioned items weren’t scary enough, you then reach a major interstate highway. The interstate can either take you to downtown St. Louis or if you choose to go in the opposite direction you can get as far as Arkansas and points further south and west. I really have no idea whose idea it was to put a school here.

It is important to know that when drivers saw a six foot four big dude running after a small six year old, the first thought for them wasn’t concerned and caring principal. I think it was more likely “stranger danger.” I won’t spend much time on this point, but it was always fun having to run while flashing my school ID badge so as not to get jumped by concerned drivers.

Back to my runner. As soon as I saw him hop the fence, it was time to move and not think. The first attempt of man vs. fence went to the fence. I cleared the fence minus a chunk of the back of my suit pant and some of the skin from my right side of my buttocks.

We were steps from the bridge to the river and I decided that a bear hug would be the best course of action. I corralled him and within a few moments he calmed down.

Billy let me know that when he gets frustrated or angry he runs. I asked him about when this started, and he said ever since he could remember. Billy said, “I remember when I was in preschool, my parents were fighting, and my dad ran out of the house. That was the last time I saw him. Sometimes I think that I may find him when I’m running. I really miss him.”

Wow, that was deep. Not at all what I expected to hear from a six year old. We spoke a little more and I suggested that we should head back so that he could get ready for dismissal.

The next morning I met with his teacher, his previous teacher, the counselor, the assistant principal, and others. My first priority was Billy’s safety. I was also thinking about ways to channel this running impulse into something more positive and safer. Lastly, I was thinking of what we could do to help Billy find a father figure or male role model.

We came up with a plan to start a daily running intervention for Billy. This was something that would play to his strengths, would hopefully be enough to keep him calm and in a good place, and may keep him from running off property where it was more dangerous. It was my job to sell this to Billy. He was very excited to do this.

We created a list of volunteers and implemented the plan right away. Beyond the running, this gave us a great opportunity to have conversations with Billy and provide very important relationships. This plan worked amazingly well.

Billy asked if he could recruit a friend to come with them. We agreed and it was perfect that he selected James. James had a similar family situation and some behavior concerns. We all agreed this was a win-win all the way around.

The intervention grew to more boys with similar concerns. The grown-up helpers grew with time too.

Billy was the first in his family to go to college… on a track scholarship.

Does your school have out of the box strategies that can channel a challenging/unsafe behavior into a positive one?

From the book “Maslow Before Bloom: Basic Human Needs Before Academics”
(https://t.co/IsFQnYpsnh)

Join us at the “Maslow Before Bloom” Facebook group: https://t.co/015cLKjJ1m

[Angela O'Leary @AngieRoss076]

@budsallday34 Trade Matthews all day long!
Free up the monies for more skill throughout the season AND playoffs. Leafs will win a series when we get the players who are consistent in what they bring to the team. Soupie played well 70% of the time (like Matthews) & yet he was traded 🤔

[Angela O'Leary @AngieRoss076]

@jennyleeshee @sunipal Moved to diff room for fall, also last yr as a DECE, 41K doesn’t cut it. I have a BASc ECS + am grad. w/ BEd in Apr.
4 🚐 loads FULL from my Kindy rm. I look at it all & say ohh there’s most of my income taken from my 5 kids & 2 grandkids so I can provide learning oppo. 😢

[Angela O'Leary @AngieRoss076]

@jennyleeshee @sunipal Beyond frustrating the lies that keep being told and the lack of awareness parents are given. Share the heck out of your classroom that is very accurate to all of Ontario classrooms. I am a DECE with 30 years of experience, have taught the last 10 in the same room and have …

[Elementary Educators @ETFOeducators]

Changes to the updated Language curriculum are substantial, especially in reading and media literacy. “The province’s expectation that educators will be ready to teach the overhauled Language curriculum beginning this September is absurd,” @ETFOpresident https://t.co/kZsfDJc1nr

[Fixing Education @FixingEducation]

While in school, we measure success with grades, only to realize that the real value is in LEARNING TO LEARN and CRITICAL THINKING.

After school, we measure success by how much money you made, only to realize that how you spend TIME, and with whom, is most important.
#EdChat

[Jason Bradshaw 🇨🇦🇧🇧 @JBradshaw01]

Wait, so @fordnation’s response to data on education workers experiencing violence in schools was, “if I had ever hit a teacher I would gotten twice the hit at home!”?

He said this out loud?! #OntEd

[Chandra Pasma @ChandraPasma]

My statement on the Premier’s comments today on violence in schools👇👇

#onted #onpoli

[Toronto Maple Leafs @MapleLeafs]

Game four Wednesday

@LGCanada | #LeafsForever

[Angela O'Leary @AngieRoss076]

@leafguy403 I am so sorry to hear this @leafguy403 Keep being and doing you and keep your love and dedication to our @MapleLeafs cuz you matter and are reaching the ones who care and support you! Trolls with negative comments need to look inside of themselves rather than spewing hate.

[Angela O'Leary @AngieRoss076]

This was not acceptable at all!!

[Toronto Maple Leafs @MapleLeafs]

Game three Sunday

@LGCanada | #LeafsForever

[Florida Panthers @FlaPanthers]

WHY. NOT. US.

🗣️ CATS WIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Sportsnet @Sportsnet]

FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 2004 THE TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS ARE HEADING TO THE SECOND ROUND ‼️

[Angela O'Leary @AngieRoss076]

This is a problem…

[Fixing Education @FixingEducation]

FYI….
The average high school kid today has the same level of anxiety as the average psychiatric patient in the early 1950’s.

-Psychology Today

[Toronto Maple Leafs @MapleLeafs]

THE PASSION BABY!!!!!

[Angela O'Leary @AngieRoss076]

Ohhh my heart!!! Yesss!

[Toronto Maple Leafs @MapleLeafs]

EH EH EH EH EH EH EH EH EH EH EH EH EH EH EH EH EH EH EH EH EH EH EH EH EH EH EH EH EH EH EH EH EH EH EH EH EH EH EH EH EH EH EH EH EH EH EH!!!!!!

[Katherine Applegate (kaaauthor.bsky.social) @kaaauthor]

Teachers! I'm giving away a signed, personalized class set of the new paperback edition of #wishtree, which includes a letter from me, discussion questions, and more. ❤️🌳

RT + follow for a chance to win for your classroom! I'll pick a random winner this Wednesday, 4/26.

[Toronto Maple Leafs @MapleLeafs]

SIR ALEXANDER KERFOOT!!!

[Toronto Maple Leafs @MapleLeafs]

KERRRRRFFFFFFFFY!!!!!!!!