"EXTRA"ordinary

The life that we live can be filled with many ORDINARY events.  Get up, get ready, go to school/work, come home, watch some TV, go to bed....repeat it all again tomorrow.

What if you took the opportunity to do something EXTRA with the ORDINARY.  Say hello to somebody new.  Try a food you have never tried before.  Play a board game with your family instead of watching TV by yourself.  Surprise someone with a personal contact (card, phone call, or visit).  Challenge yourself to do three more than is required (run three more steps at the end of a workout, do three more math problems than the teacher requested).

The word EXTRAORDINARY can be intimidating; however, doing something EXTRA with the ORDINARY can be accomplished at any moment.

So how will we achieve EXTRAORDINARY results with our students at EVHS?  We aspire to having 80% of our students proficient or advanced on TCAP results.  Perhaps that will come from some of the EXTRA opportunities that will be developed during our Zero Hour.  I also know that we have some EXTRAORDINARY staff members that will go above and beyond with the lessons and experiences that they offer their students.  Perhaps a student will get some EXTRA guidance that provides them better focus and belief that they can achieve more than the ORDINARY.

EVHS has already embodied this with the commitment to the All-School Community Service Day.  It is inspirational to watch 700+ students and staff go out and give their best efforts to improve the community that we live in.  Volunteerism can be such a ORDINARY yet profound act.  Raking leaves, painting lines, walking dogs, washing cars....all in and of themselves are ORDINARY acts.  However, the scope and scale of an entire school participating is something EXTRA.  Collectively when we do something together we can achieve great things.

The vision to "Expect More" out of ourselves is just the beginning.  What I can guarantee is that it will take the collective effort of the students, parents, and staff of EVHS to achieve the results that we desire. 

What will be your new EXTRA to the ORDINARY to help us achieve EXTRAORDINARY results?