Spring is in the air

It's been in the 50's the last few days and the snow is almost all gone, except for what's on top of the mountains.

The wind has been howling like crazy every night and the red-breasted robins were out singing this afternoon when I get home from work.

Tomorrow is April and next week is Spring Break.

Yup.

It's that time of the year.

Spring Break Inc!

I worked late every night last week and every day the weekend before.

I worked a bit this last weekend, but I also managed to get some rest.

We had an extra rehearsal for play practice, I had to get the yearbook done, and it was the end of the quarter so all grades and comments for all my students were due.

Oofda.

Just have to get the comments done by the end of the day tomorrow and I'll be all caught up.

Thank goodness next week is our Spring Break.

I'm looking forward to relaxing at home with the family and the critters.

3 good things from today

1. I had something happen today that makes me believe I might still have a job even after next year :)

2. Several girls from the school play were asking if I would be teaching the new drama class next year - and were disappointed when I said no. Which I translate to: they like me and I'm good at it!

3. I'm my own best friend... Kaylee!

Your results:
You are Kaylee Frye (Ship Mechanic)

Kaylee Frye (Ship Mechanic) 85% Dr. Simon Tam (Ship Medic) 85% Malcolm Reynolds (Captain) 60% Derrial Book (Shepherd) 55% Zoe Washburne (Second-in-command) 50% Wash (Ship Pilot) 40% Inara Serra (Companion) 25% River (Stowaway) 25% Alliance 20% Jayne Cobb (Mercenary) 15% A Reaver (Cannibal) 5%

You are good at fixing things. You are usually cheerful. You appreciate being treated with delicacy and specialness.

Click here to take the "Which Serenity character are you?" quiz...


And because the play we're doing is The Wizard of Oz, I've finally started reading Wicked... so far - so good.

helped set up, chaperone, and clean up our 1st annual semi-formal dance. SO tired, but totally worth it. was awesome. now, to sleep!

Great Futures Colorado

Here's a video from Great Futures Colorado that sums it up in 32 seconds:



And the map for that.

no matter what, kids are going 2 lose out. our job is 2 minimize the affects of the budget crunch. hope i can do my part.

rough district staff mtg 2day. super int. laid it all on the line. next 3-4 yrs r goin 2 be HARD. hope i can hold onto my job throughout it.

50 degrees felt quite warm 2day. warmest we've been in months. now it's cold enough 2 use electric blanket. that's life in the mountains 4 ya :)

Sunday's Pictures

I went to the park to try and find some wildlife, but was unsuccessful.

Mountains always make for a good picture:


On a different road I did find these:




And on the way home I caught this guy eye-balling me:

Dear Mom & Dad

Remember how you guys used to always nag me to "use common sense!"

Well, I'm here to tell you that the amount of common sense you have is, at least partially, related to age. There are of course those random exceptions.: students who are ahead of the developmental curve, students who have learned the hard way, and adults who just never developed a healthy amount of it.

I submit to you the following two examples from this afternoon as proof positive that, at least in part, common sense is related to age.

Example A:

After school, at play practice, we had a student pick up a paint can by the inner ring... aka the lid.

Yup.

The lid popped right off and the entire thing fell onto the floor.

Paint everywhere.

On the carpet.

And the kids was shocked.

Example B:

After we had managed to somewhat clean up that mess, thank you SO much to the lovely custodian, we had another incident.

The large set piece had been laid out, on top of newspaper, and painted.

The other teacher and I were in back and when we came out to the front, after all the kids had left, we were greeted with kid-sized, black paint shoe prints all over the commons area.

Someone *student* had walked onto the still-drying set piece and then walked onto the tile floor with their black-painted shoes.

I spent 20 minutes after rehearsal on my hands and knees scrubbing the floor so the custodian wouldn't have to clean up after us again.

Someone from MN

I've added a new link to my blog roll: Taylor S Smith

I went to school with him at BSU, we share some mutual friends and were in ceramics together.

Nice guy. Awesome artist.

He also has an online portfolio.

Thwarted

I made it halfway down the other side of the pass - on my way to see the allergy doctor - only to learn that the pass was closed. Apparently an avalanche was being cleared away and it took several hours.

I wish I hadn't wasted an hour each direction and a 1/4 tank of gas.

On the plus side I ran into a friend on the way back and we had brunch at a neat little place I'd never been to... it was good to chat with her and her kids and the food was delicious.

helped break up a fight 2day AND yelled at girl who slapped a boy (and boy 4 deserving it) AND a half day of testing. thank god 4 trivia.

Melting

It snowed a good bit yesterday and it is snowing right now... yet we have LESS snow accumulation now than we did on Monday. It's warm enough to melt the snow on the ground, but cold enough to snow.

Odd.

Another sign that Spring is on the way.

Cutbacks

We're all feeling it...

We're all hearing it...

"Tough economic times..."

That horrible grating sound of an empty bank account...

People are losing jobs...

We started out the week with an early morning staff meeting on Monday. The main topics of conversation: a. The two people in my building who have been told they're not rehired - one is being bumped for someone with seniority and the other's position is being cut. b. The principal also informed us that instead of 9 cuts throughout the district, it's looking more like 17 cuts.

Seventeen.

That's more than 10-15% of the district... How can we even function like that?

I don't know.

These are dark times for education.

I'm safe for now, but nobody is sure when/where more cuts will be coming.

They're calling a district wide staff meeting next Wednesday, after school, to discuss budget issues and projected cuts.

I'm going to keep my toes crossed. I'm not safe yet... and if I do wind up safe for this year there is NOTHING that says they won't cut me next year.

Scary.

And I feel really bad for the two women at my school who were cut... one of them has lived in the county for 30 years.

Comments?

I *think* I fixed the commenting issue... for really real this time :)

let it snow, let it snow, let it snow... better late than never.

Dancing with the Stars

I tried several times to watch The Bachelor, out of curiosity... but it was just too weird to see all the drama, kisses and tears revolving around someone I remember as a goofy-ish teen.

Sorry Jake.

I did fast forward through last nights episode so I could see who he picked... and I hope he's very happy with his choice.

But now he's signed up for
Dancing with the Stars, a show I actually enjoy... I guess I'll wind up watching him on TV after all.

I'll just have to split my votes between Jake and Evan Lysacek.

woah! slow down little town! we just got a 2nd stoplight - a mcdonald's is opening soon - AND now a Subway? we're just exploding! crazy!