Swine '09 - thats what the students have dubbed it. We are on vacation until March 13. Yes forced vacation. I have very mixed feelings. I feel like they have jumped the gun. There isn't this huge outbreak that they had anticipated and yet they are closing very single school in the district. Over 38,000 students are now out of school until at least March 13. We actually could be out of school longer.
After I get over the shock of not being at school I am hoping I start enjoing the time off. I would like to get some things done around the house, but what? I can't do to much, I will get tired and my hip will start hurting, So I am limited at what it is I can do. Maybe that is part of the downer for me. I am almost afraid of what my limitations might be. Afraid of finding them.
Sounds nuts, I know. Afraid of finding my limitations. I don't want to find them. I don't want to acknowledge they are there. I feel the arthritis will win. I am not ready to accept that.
There are some things around the house that I can get done. Maybe I should make a list. Then I can tackle them one at a time and see the progress I am making. I don't know. Right now I just have this I don't know feeling. I don't know what to do. I don't know why I feel blah.
I could take the time to write out some lesson plans. Then I stop and think why? Why should I write out lesson plans for classes I am not sure I am going to be teaching. We have been trying to move to Austin, which means I wouldn't even be working with the same district, let alone the same subjects. So my thought is why prepare when I am not sure what or where I am going to be teaching. I might not even be teaching.
Another update from our County Health Leader - what an idiot! He tries to make jokes that no one laughs at. 80 daycares have closed, the entire school district has closed, and he just mentions that the number everyone is flipping out about is a rolling number meaning it never goes down!
PANIC! MORONS!
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Today I didn't do much, yesterday I did...
ALOT!
I didn't get out of the schoool until 8:50 last night. Why? Me and the other part time assistant principal had to delivering water and snacks to every room that is going to be used for testing this week. It took a hell of a lot longer to do than I expected and I was very tired afterwards. Today I have done nothing. Really... nothing. I was suppose to go to a fundraiser and I didn't wake up until almost 1.
In the past couple of weeks I have learned that my fatigue and pain is not caused just by the arthritis but by a severe Vitamin D deficieny. I am now taking 50,000 units of vitamin d a week for the next 3 months in order to raise my levels. I am hoping that raising my levels will help with the fatigue and joint pain.
They are narrowing down the type of arthritis I have in hopes of being able to treat it better.
I have also decided that I need to change some things at work. I can't be on both sides of the fence any longer. I need to be an administrator or a teacher. Not both. Its just too much to split your brain on both sides. I want to be able to focus on one or the other. I am planning on handing in my resignation as a part time assistant principal at the end of the year.
The fund raising has gone VERY well. The amount raise is nearing the $2500.00 mark. This is enough for all of the eligible students to go to Six Flags with transportation, ticket, and drink paid for. Their may be enough left in the budget for a meal, but I am not certain about that yet. I have to get the final count of eligible students on Monday.
I am very proud of the fundraising that they did. There were two successful bake sales and one McDonald's night that brought in a total of $1100 between the three. The rest of the money was raised through sales at school. We sold drinks and snacks during class to raise funds. Not bad for 3 weeks of fundraising.
I must decide if I am going to teach summer school. I have been offered a position, but we haven't had a chance to talk about whether I should take it. It is extra money, but it is also less down time. We shall talk.
I didn't get out of the schoool until 8:50 last night. Why? Me and the other part time assistant principal had to delivering water and snacks to every room that is going to be used for testing this week. It took a hell of a lot longer to do than I expected and I was very tired afterwards. Today I have done nothing. Really... nothing. I was suppose to go to a fundraiser and I didn't wake up until almost 1.
In the past couple of weeks I have learned that my fatigue and pain is not caused just by the arthritis but by a severe Vitamin D deficieny. I am now taking 50,000 units of vitamin d a week for the next 3 months in order to raise my levels. I am hoping that raising my levels will help with the fatigue and joint pain.
They are narrowing down the type of arthritis I have in hopes of being able to treat it better.
I have also decided that I need to change some things at work. I can't be on both sides of the fence any longer. I need to be an administrator or a teacher. Not both. Its just too much to split your brain on both sides. I want to be able to focus on one or the other. I am planning on handing in my resignation as a part time assistant principal at the end of the year.
The fund raising has gone VERY well. The amount raise is nearing the $2500.00 mark. This is enough for all of the eligible students to go to Six Flags with transportation, ticket, and drink paid for. Their may be enough left in the budget for a meal, but I am not certain about that yet. I have to get the final count of eligible students on Monday.
I am very proud of the fundraising that they did. There were two successful bake sales and one McDonald's night that brought in a total of $1100 between the three. The rest of the money was raised through sales at school. We sold drinks and snacks during class to raise funds. Not bad for 3 weeks of fundraising.
I must decide if I am going to teach summer school. I have been offered a position, but we haven't had a chance to talk about whether I should take it. It is extra money, but it is also less down time. We shall talk.
Friday, April 10, 2009
Fundraising
I have been very fortunate to get approval for a field trip that will allow me to take my students to Six Flags.
We now have to raise the money for it. We have been raising money a week now and its off to a good start. I think. LOL
We have begun selling snacks out of my classroom to raise the funds and are taking donations. As of yesterday we had just shy of $500. We need to raise near $1800 by May 1. The students are commited to raising the funds. Today we are going to a local lumber store to set up a bake sale/donation table. One of the other clubs at the school I teach out did the same thing, but without the baked goods to offer, and raised $1100. We are only hoping for half of that. If we get more, that would be AWESOME! However, half of that would be just fine with me because it would boost their moral and get us closer to our main goal of paying for the tickets and the cheaper form of transportation (school bus).
Fundraising isn't fun - but it does teach them to work together for a common goal.
We now have to raise the money for it. We have been raising money a week now and its off to a good start. I think. LOL
We have begun selling snacks out of my classroom to raise the funds and are taking donations. As of yesterday we had just shy of $500. We need to raise near $1800 by May 1. The students are commited to raising the funds. Today we are going to a local lumber store to set up a bake sale/donation table. One of the other clubs at the school I teach out did the same thing, but without the baked goods to offer, and raised $1100. We are only hoping for half of that. If we get more, that would be AWESOME! However, half of that would be just fine with me because it would boost their moral and get us closer to our main goal of paying for the tickets and the cheaper form of transportation (school bus).
Fundraising isn't fun - but it does teach them to work together for a common goal.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Where has time gone?
I was looking at my daughter today. Just looking. I had called her in to show her a program on the computer to help her with her math and she was reading outloud what the site was about. I could help but just stare at her for a moment.
She isn't perfect, but she's my daughter. She's already twelve and I wasn't even ready for her to be ten. She reading so well, when did this happen? It seems like she is growing so fast. She osn't perfect, I know that. She has her flaws, but so does everyone else. I wonder where all the time has gone. I feel like I have missed out on so much. Have I been around as much as I should have been? Am I around enough now? I don't want her growing up with the memories I missed out on.
I am starting to hate facebook. Everytime I open it I am reminded how much I still don't belong in the high school I was in. I wasn't a part of it then and I am not a part of it now. I didn't belong to a group of friends. I didn't have the chance. No one knew how hard it was to be me. I see so much of that in my daughter sometimes. She wants the friends, but has a hard time reaching out. Was that me too? I think back and wonder. We moved a lot when I was a kid. I never quiet felt like I fit in anywhere because we moved so much. I know of all these people, yet I know no one.
I am really beginning to hate facebook now. It is only throwing my social flaws in my face.
She isn't perfect, but she's my daughter. She's already twelve and I wasn't even ready for her to be ten. She reading so well, when did this happen? It seems like she is growing so fast. She osn't perfect, I know that. She has her flaws, but so does everyone else. I wonder where all the time has gone. I feel like I have missed out on so much. Have I been around as much as I should have been? Am I around enough now? I don't want her growing up with the memories I missed out on.
I am starting to hate facebook. Everytime I open it I am reminded how much I still don't belong in the high school I was in. I wasn't a part of it then and I am not a part of it now. I didn't belong to a group of friends. I didn't have the chance. No one knew how hard it was to be me. I see so much of that in my daughter sometimes. She wants the friends, but has a hard time reaching out. Was that me too? I think back and wonder. We moved a lot when I was a kid. I never quiet felt like I fit in anywhere because we moved so much. I know of all these people, yet I know no one.
I am really beginning to hate facebook now. It is only throwing my social flaws in my face.
Applying continues...
I have begun and continue to apply to school districts in the Austin region in hopes that someone's interest will be sparked and I will be offered a position. We have begun to make lists of places we want to look at to live and places we know we don't want to drive through let alone live.
Information, informing ourselves, is the best stratgey right now. Reading the local newspaper, watching some news reports online, reading some local blogs, and looking at every district in the area. That is not an easy task. First thing we have to do is actually put together a list of these school districts. Then we have to go through and apply at every single one of them.
On the 9th there is a job fair in the Austin area that we are currently planning on attending. Several school districts will be there, from all over the state of Texas. We are only interested in the ones in the Austin area. We have made our reservations for a hotel that is very close to the venue. We have a friend who has said she can stay with the kids the 24 hours we will be gone.
now we have to put together cover letters and resumes for each of these districts to make a good first impression. Something that I know is very important.
We are currently debating if we want to make the trip up there this weekend. Two school districts have their own job fairs and the thought is first come first serve. The other thought we have is money. Do we spend the money or wait? We are thinking we could use the time away as well. We can use it to look around the north part of Austin - something we haven't done yet.
There are important steps we are trying to not miss. This has to be a calculated move so as to not through any surprises at us - ok fewer surprises at us. We would like to have an idea of where we would like to settle down before we actually get up there.
So much to do. It can fell overwhelming at times but exciting at times as well.
Information, informing ourselves, is the best stratgey right now. Reading the local newspaper, watching some news reports online, reading some local blogs, and looking at every district in the area. That is not an easy task. First thing we have to do is actually put together a list of these school districts. Then we have to go through and apply at every single one of them.
On the 9th there is a job fair in the Austin area that we are currently planning on attending. Several school districts will be there, from all over the state of Texas. We are only interested in the ones in the Austin area. We have made our reservations for a hotel that is very close to the venue. We have a friend who has said she can stay with the kids the 24 hours we will be gone.
now we have to put together cover letters and resumes for each of these districts to make a good first impression. Something that I know is very important.
We are currently debating if we want to make the trip up there this weekend. Two school districts have their own job fairs and the thought is first come first serve. The other thought we have is money. Do we spend the money or wait? We are thinking we could use the time away as well. We can use it to look around the north part of Austin - something we haven't done yet.
There are important steps we are trying to not miss. This has to be a calculated move so as to not through any surprises at us - ok fewer surprises at us. We would like to have an idea of where we would like to settle down before we actually get up there.
So much to do. It can fell overwhelming at times but exciting at times as well.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Back to Work
Tomorrow I go back to school. I have tried to get things together to make the return go smoother. The powerpoints are ready, the handouts are ready to be copied off in the morning. One problem, I am not quite ready to go back.
I have a department meeting in the morning, 8:15. UGH! I don't think I have been fully awake by 8:15 any morning this week minus the day I went to Austin. So I can only hope that I am fully alert and make sense when asked any questions.
Do I have any soda at school? Good question. I sure hope so.
I have a department meeting in the morning, 8:15. UGH! I don't think I have been fully awake by 8:15 any morning this week minus the day I went to Austin. So I can only hope that I am fully alert and make sense when asked any questions.
Do I have any soda at school? Good question. I sure hope so.
When its over...
its time to teach again....
Its is the last day of Spring Break '09 and I can honestly say I spent the majority of my break just doing things here at the house. I did do some school related things, but honestly I spent a good chunk of it doing, well, not much.
I did do some work around the dining room, that was the extent of the "spring cleaning." However, our dining room does have less items in it and I was able to actually throw some things out that had been needing to hit the trash bin for awhile and I just hadn't done it. (ie I am under motivated to clean.)
Today my focus is split in two. Need to finish up the dining room and then finish prepping for this week's lesson plans. I am somewhat excited about this coming week because I get to begin teaching what I love to teach most - US History. Its only for 5 weeks, but they are my 5 weeks, and I will enjoy, at least I hope, every day of it.
I am assuming that if I am going to get a walk through of my classroom it will be coming in the next few weeks. I have only had someone in my room once this year and it wasn't the individual who would evaluate me.
There are a few things around my classroom I know I need to finish up too. I had actually begun cleaning it up and out before leaving on the break. I need to finishing putting primer on that back wall to cover the maps so I can have a good coat of paint up there soon.
K and I have semi-finalized our plans to go to Austin for the big job fair. The biggest obstacle is/was having someone watch the kids the one night we will be gone who can get Nate to and from school the full day we are going to be up there. That is no longer an obstacle. We have acouple of good friends and one has graciously volunteered to stay with them. She has stayed with the before nad the kids like her, so its cool. We'll leave food and gas money and they are all set. We have our reservations at a hotel close to the site and K has already begun looking for an outfit to wear. She has class the night we need to travel up so we will head out as soon as she gets home from class. We will be up there less than 24 hours this time around.
It is going to be a busy day, but a productive one.
Its is the last day of Spring Break '09 and I can honestly say I spent the majority of my break just doing things here at the house. I did do some school related things, but honestly I spent a good chunk of it doing, well, not much.
I did do some work around the dining room, that was the extent of the "spring cleaning." However, our dining room does have less items in it and I was able to actually throw some things out that had been needing to hit the trash bin for awhile and I just hadn't done it. (ie I am under motivated to clean.)
Today my focus is split in two. Need to finish up the dining room and then finish prepping for this week's lesson plans. I am somewhat excited about this coming week because I get to begin teaching what I love to teach most - US History. Its only for 5 weeks, but they are my 5 weeks, and I will enjoy, at least I hope, every day of it.
I am assuming that if I am going to get a walk through of my classroom it will be coming in the next few weeks. I have only had someone in my room once this year and it wasn't the individual who would evaluate me.
There are a few things around my classroom I know I need to finish up too. I had actually begun cleaning it up and out before leaving on the break. I need to finishing putting primer on that back wall to cover the maps so I can have a good coat of paint up there soon.
K and I have semi-finalized our plans to go to Austin for the big job fair. The biggest obstacle is/was having someone watch the kids the one night we will be gone who can get Nate to and from school the full day we are going to be up there. That is no longer an obstacle. We have acouple of good friends and one has graciously volunteered to stay with them. She has stayed with the before nad the kids like her, so its cool. We'll leave food and gas money and they are all set. We have our reservations at a hotel close to the site and K has already begun looking for an outfit to wear. She has class the night we need to travel up so we will head out as soon as she gets home from class. We will be up there less than 24 hours this time around.
It is going to be a busy day, but a productive one.
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