Mike Peakin

Principal
Pleasant Valley Junior High
LeClaire, IA

[Caitlin (Schaeffer) Schoville @Cait_Schoville]

Today was SO COOL! 🤩🤩
The Men’s USA Team Handball team came to our school and played with our students while they are in the Quad Cities competing for the North American & Caribbean Championship.
Such a great experience & amazing group #TeamHandball #PhysEd

[Kenny Wheeler @PVGTFSpartans]

Congratulations to the PV 7th Grade girls on winning the large school team championship, and our 8th graders on their runner-up finish!! Beautiful day for a meet! #PVGTF

[Kenny Wheeler @PVGTFSpartans]

🫡 #GIRLPower 🏆

[Bound Iowa @Bound_IA]

Pleasant Valley girls athletics have been on a generational run in 2024🔥

#ighsau #iahsvb #boundia

📸: Jack Currans

[PVHS @PVSpartanPride]

YOUR Pleasant Valley Spartans ARE the 2024 IGHSAU 4A State XC CHAMPIONS 🏆
GREAT racing Spartans!
#SpartanNation

[PVHS @PVSpartanPride]

Congratulations Colin!
An honor well deserved!
Spartan Nation Proud
#SpartanNation

[PVHS @PVSpartanPride]

Mother Nature was smiling 😃 on the Spartans as we celebrated 9 AMAZING young ladies! 💙💙
Spartan Nation Proud
#SpartanNation

[Mike Peakin @MikePeakin]

7th and 8th Grade tenor-bass choir sounding great tonight at the District Choral Festival.

[Caitlin (Schaeffer) Schoville @Cait_Schoville]

Come work with us! My 7-8th grade building is hiring a #HealthEd / #PhysEd teacher at Pleasant Valley Junior High.
Let me know if you have any questions! #hiring

[PVHS @PVSpartanPride]

Pleasant Valley schools are closed Tuesday, January 9, 2024 - Stay safe Spartan Nation! #SpartanNation

[Caitlin (Schaeffer) Schoville @Cait_Schoville]

Had a great time hosting a @SHAPEiowa fall workshop at @PVJH_Spartans. So many great ideas from @vanallen_PE , @coachmicfit , and @CoachHalac ! Thank you all for attending! #PhysEd #HealthEd

[SHAPE Iowa @SHAPEiowa]

🚨Register NOW for this learning opportunity!

🆓 for current SHAPE Iowa members
🗓️ October 14,2023 (Noon-4:00 pm)
📍Pleasant Valley Junior High (Le Claire, IA)
💻 https://t.co/oL2uj9er1I

(Membership can be purchased for $35 to attend workshop)

[PVJH @PVJH_Spartans]

Over the past week, all 7th grade students were introduced to the Mission and Vision and Spartan Statements at PVJH. Absolutely love the energy and passion our students have to get better each day.

[Jon Finkel📚💪 @Jon_Finkel]

I was in 4 grade schools in 5 years growing up.

I still get a pit in my stomach when I think of the 1st day in a new classroom because being a new kid sucks

These are 5 things I tell my son & daughter to do when they see a new student having it rough:

1/ Pay Attention to the Edges

As a new kid, recess is terrifying.

Seems like everyone is playing. Having fun. Except you.

I tell my kids to scope the edges of the field/playground.

Who's wandering solo? Who's alone?

Introduce yourself. Ask them to play. It's HUGE.

2/ No Lonely Lunches

Second to recess, lunch is a tough time.

Feels like everyone has someone so sit/eat/talk with and you don't. So you sit alone.

I ask my kids to sit next to the kid eating alone. Or ask the new kid to join their table.

The gesture itself goes a long way.

3/ Avoid "Choose a Partner" Purgatory

When you're a new kid and the teacher says, "partner up" for a project...

Man, you get chills. You KNOW nobody is asking you.

I ask my kids to be on the lookout for this.

And if possible, pick the kid you know doesn't know anybody.

Tiny act. Big effect.

4/ A Basic "How Are You?"

New kids feel super isolated. It stinks.

I remember days where it felt like no other kid even notices you.

A simple, "Hey! What's up?" could mean the world.

Shows someone sees you.

And that you're not invisible...

5/ Smile

The simplest of all gestures.

When you're a new kid in a new school you'd kill for a friendly face to acknowledge you.

Too often, it feels like you're drowning in a sea of strangers...

But often all it takes is one smile to pull you out of a funk. Just an big, full smile when you walk by someone let's you know that there are nice people around.

And you smile back... And now you feel better.

Easy.

It's been several decades since my last 1st day of school as a new kid.

I can still feel it.

And that's why I hammer home these points to my kids at the end of every summer.

Thanks for reading and please share with other parents.

Hopefully this'll help one new kid adjust sooner.

And follow me @Jon_Finkel for more dad columns like this.

[Mike Peakin @MikePeakin]

Getting ready for Taylor Swift in Denver

[PVHS @PVSpartanPride]

Your Pleasant Valley Spartans ARE:
MAC Champions 🏆
Regional Champs 🏆
@IGHSAU State Bound
Spartan Nation Proud
#TicketPunched
#SpartanNation

[PVHS @PVSpartanPride]

PV Girls ⚽️ finish the regular season with a 2-1 victory over North Scott - Your Spartans - MAC Champions 🏆 #SpartanNation

[PVJH @PVJH_Spartans]

Great night at our 8th Grade social at PVJH

[PV Spartan Drama @PVSpartanDrama]

Come support our Junior High’s Production of “James and the Giant Peach” tonight and tomorrow in the High School Theater at 7pm! Tickets are $5.

[GrundmeyerLeaderServices @GrundmeyerLeadS]

Two great opportunities for building and district leadership in eastern Iowa with @PleasantValleyCSD. #HighSchool #Principal & Director of #Secondary #Education. See more or apply by March 19th at https://t.co/PcVlXNRzUT