It is time to begin a new year and with these new beginnings come renewed expectations for a successful year. During this time of year, it is always great to reflect on previous progress and set new goals for success. I would encourage each of you to spend time with your families truly reflecting on the great moments from the past year, remembering that there is always something to be thankful for even if times were not as we had hoped. I know that as our staff returns we will be spending time reflecting on our instructional practices and celebrating the successes we have had thus far.

As we reflect, we also begin anew and we re-evaluate where we are academically, then set new goals to ensure that we will be ready for academic success by the end of this school year. Goal-setting is a time honored tradition each new year but should not only happen in school but also at home. Here is an article with some tips on how to set effective goals for students: 10 Tips for Setting Successful Goals with Students.

Please join the Beverly Hills community at the viewing of the exciting documentary "Race to Nowhere." This is an adult-only activity as the content could be disturbing to children. There will be a panel discussion afterwards. Click the image or here to buy your tickets now. On February 10th we will have a showing of the follow-up film "Beyond Measure."

Here's what the New York Times had to say about the environment in which students live these days.