Over the weekend I arrived home from a brief vacation in Southern California. My sister was a DNP conference with her students. I tagged along with her, and was able to visit one of our American deserts for the first time ever! It was something on my Bucket List! If you’d like to see photos…
Teachers, Principals, Superintendents, all with links to our community. Some of these people were students at our high school, student teachers in our classrooms, life long community members residing in our neighborhoods, and we hire them. We hire them to teach our children. Our school district has a vision statement of “Educating every student to…
Every few years, new educational buzzwords seem to surface. I remember first noticing this when we were in the third year of running a district wide Parent Support Group for families with Talented and Gifted students. In the third year of our existence, 2013, a new instructional services person was hired. She was not new…
Yesterday, I followed through on what I have been complaining about other people saying they were going to do but have not. I took action. I let someone, in a position of authority, know that I was not happy about a number of issues. I gave concrete, specific examples of things that all happened recently,…
Tomorrow is the school board election in our town. There are two incumbents and one challenger for two seats. Are you going to vote? How well do you feel you know the candidates? Do you feel like you know what issues for which they each stand? Do you value the importance of a new voice…
We are at the start of a new year, but the middle of a school year, nearing the end of the first semester, or second quarter, in most places. I would like to ask if you think you are investing in your students? Research has shown that teachers who show their students they care about…
Yesterday, I was making some jewelry at my workstation in our home. It is another hobby of mine. With my graduate classes in full swing this fall, I did not have much time available for creativity regarding my beadwork. Pandora was festively playing traditional Christmas tunes that kept me in good company while I worked. …
When my oldest entered high school, there was no question whether he would take advanced placement classes. He had completed all his high school math in middle school, and thus, was on track to take AP Calculus as a Freshman. So, when the time came we did not contemplate what taking an AP class would…
This is a story about my intensity as a person and why I cannot make a run for a seat on the school board. You need to know that I wish I did not notice every little thing or have the intense desire to want change and educational reform. It is a story about letting…
We have always viewed the education of our sons to be a team effort – between us and their teachers. But, what if a member of the team fails to show up? Today is the first parent teacher conference day for fall term at our high school. It is a time I have always enjoyed….