Featured #bloomgirl: Julia; Mama, Teacher, and Total #girlboss!

This week's featured #bloomgirl was a special request from bloom's co-founds, Kaylyn, to highlight one of the most amazing people she has the pleasure of knowing, her best friend Julia! Kaylyn and Julia have been friends since first grade and she could not be more honored or proud to have such an amazing role model, support and influence in her life. Kaylyn describes Julia as the most thoughtful, loving and generous friend, daughter, mother, and teacher she knows. She truly has a heart of gold and we are excited for you to find out why! Enjoy and get inspired by this one of a kind FBG, Julia!

Hi! My name is Julia Morsberger. I am a proud full-time working mama and middle school math teacher, wife, organization nut, and #bloomgirl! I love to vacation and go on fun adventures with my family and friends, scout out unique resale shops, refinish furniture, go on hiking trips, play and create meaningful memories with my husband, Dan and baby, Mack, and remodel and decorate my fixer-upper home! I grew up in Delaware and went on to get my undergraduate degree in Education at the University of Delaware. I later went on to get my master’s degree in Education at Wilmington University. I have been married to my amazing husband and soulmate for almost four years (together for over TEN!) We were blessed with the most beautiful baby boy about one year ago. I pinch myself daily for all the amazing things and people I have in my life.

I have been a sixth-grade math teacher for TEN years in the Delaware public school system and I feel like in that short amount of time I have accomplished and learned so much! I am currently a teacher at H.B. DuPont Middle School in Hockessin, DE and it is definitely my home away from home. My classroom motto this year is “Never stop improving!” (inspired by a Lowes commercial, haha!) and we work hard to follow that positive growth mindset every day! My daily responsibilities aside from being a math teacher include being the sixth grade team leader, creator and implementer of the Warrior of the Month program, math league coach, retired cheerleading coach, cooperating teacher to the UD student teaching program, H.B.’s lead teacher mentor, recycle club creator, PTA member, and so much more. I think I make an impact at my school by being involved in so much, even after having my baby. This shows my students, administrators, and fellow teachers that I want to make H.B. the best place possible for my students to grow and learn! I want my students to look forward to coming to school and take pride in being Warrior Strong!

As I reflect on my day after my students leave, I am always proud of what I have accomplished. Some days it is as simple as a shy student finally participating in my math lesson, other days it is as big as a student writing me a heartfelt thank you letter.

I could go on and on about all the amazing things that happen at H.B., but I have two things that I am most proud of…

One of the greatest honors I have ever received is earning the title of Teacher of the Year for the 2018 school year! I laugh to myself a little when I think of the moment this announcement was made because I was almost nine months pregnant waddling around my classroom when my principal walked in to surprise me with balloons and flowers!

The other accomplishment that I am super proud of is a new tradition that I started at my school just this year! Now that I am a mom myself, I have a completely new view of the world. When I found out that there were families in my school who were unable to provide a Christmas for their children, I was heartbroken. I was so upset and after a couple of weeks of not being able to shake that defeated, sad feeling, I knew I had to do something. I worked with our AMAZING guidance department at H.B. to create an Adopt-a-Family program for the holiday season. I worked with so many incredible volunteers to anonymously help NINE families provide a Christmas morning for their children! Seeing the parents come to pick up the donated presents was one of the most fulfilling moments in my career. My favorite part of this whole program is that everyone who helped did so from the goodness of their heart. My students were working hard to try to finish their classwork early so they could help wrap presents, talk about being in the holiday spirit! This initiative has nothing to do with raising test scores, meeting Common Core standards, or anything like that. It is just a part of building a loving school environment!

Follow my classroom on Twitter if you want to check out all the fun things we do! @iHeart6thGrade 

I feel like many of the day-to-day jobs that go along with being a teacher also go hand in hand with giving back to my community. I am guilty, along with millions of other teachers, of spending my own money for things in my classroom. I mean doesn't every math teacher need a 7-foot multiplication table rug?! Haha, that was definitely a late night impulse purchase made while feeding my newborn baby. But in all seriousness, when I find out some of my students are in need of food, clean clothes, toiletries, whatever I just go out and get it for them. Thankfully, I have a very generous and understanding husband ;)

I also try to give back in other ways by donating blood to the Delmarva Blood bank as often as possible, usually every eight weeks. This was my New Year’s resolution a couple of years ago and I have kept up with it.

PSA- The blood bank is at a critical low point so please consider donating! I know many people are scared but it is really quick, easy, painless, and so rewarding! 

I admit this is still a balance that I am trying to figure out. I am a perfectionist and want to be the BEST mom, teacher, wife, daughter, sister, friend, neighbor... everything! I have learned that I cannot do it all but it has not been an easy realization. My bloom planners, calendars, and to-do pads are essential to ensure I meet all my responsibilities in life! It is excessively stressful to try to remember everything that I need to do from day to day. I like having a family bloom calendar at home, separate from my classroom bloom calendar at school. I do the same for my planners and to-do pads.

At home, I use the 6 in 1 Ultimate Planner and Notebook, the Teal Daily Planning System Pad, and for our family calendar, we use the Hanging Wall Calendar! This has really helped me with balancing the responsibilities of being a mom and teacher. I needed help with defining my roles and this has helped me to sort out what I need to focus on while at school and keep that separate from when I need to focus on while at home. I really want to work to be present for my husband and son while I am at home because they deserve the best for making me the happiest mama and wife in the whole world!

I do not just incorporate bloom products in my classroom; I incorporate them in my whole school! I am the lead mentor at my school, which means that I am responsible for getting all of our new teachers any resources they need to be successful for the first four years of their career. bloom is a HUGE lifesaver when it comes to doing this. I use the Daily Planners and the Desk/Wall Calendars to get my mentees on track with their organization.

There are so many meetings, important dates, field trips, professional development sessions, and test to keep track of so the bloom Teacher Planner is essential! I also model how to use the bloom To-Do Pads to keep track of all the things that need to be done on a daily basis in order to run a successful classroom. One of my favorite thing to do is to leave an Act of Kindness Card or Encouragement Card on someone's desk, mailbox, or computer so that they know that other people are thinking of them and rooting for them to be the best teacher that can be! Most days teaching is a thankless job, but I want to try to change that mindset and let all of my co-workers know how much I love and appreciate everything they do! 

We hope you loved getting to know Julia! Do you have a #girlboss story to share? Email us at bloom@bloomplanners.com for a chance to be our next featured bloom girl! 

xoxo,

the bloom team