Launch Aborted?! Say It Ain't So

Our elementary school has  had one really big cool thing that has set us apart from other schools for 22 year.  We were the home of the Christa McAuliffe Space Education Center.  My kids both volunteered there.  They worked there during school (as an incentive to keep up and do well in classes).  They attended space missions with parties, scouts, friends.  People from across the state and even into Idaho and Wyoming knew about the Space Center.  As a PTA volunteer, other PTA moms would immediately recognize our school when I 'd say "we're the ones with the Space Center" and they would invariably reply "That is the coolest place ever...my kids love that place...how lucky are you that it is in your school?!" or somethin gto that effect.

But the district announced this week the Space Center is closed.  See the article from the Salt Lake Tribune HERE

What a devastating announcement.  We just held our Council PTA meeting at the school this week,hours before this announcement.

I am not sure the kids have heard yet.  We weren't online that evening and I woke up to a flurry of comments, posts and rallying cries online this morning.  I have yet to read one things that was not positive about the center.  And in the final push of an election cycle, that is welcomed news.

I'll keep you posted, but this is a really sad day for those of us who love Central, the Space Center, our town, Mr. Williamson, and all the great memories made at a very special place that, as of right now, has a very unstable future.

Still Out Of It, Mostly

I'm still not feeling 100%, but I have hope that I will catch up and be back to normal after our Fall Break which begins tomorrow.  Can I get a "Hallelujah?"

But this is a new idea that showed up when I tried to add a fun Sunday comic.

Whoops! You're out of space. You are currently using 100% of your 1 GB quota for photos. 

Photos are stored in your Picasa Web Albums account and are included in your 1 GB free quota for photos. Additional storage you purchase is shared between several Google products and is in addition to your free quota.

That is weird.

Day 8

We interrupt the on-going Festival of Trees reports to bring you some late-breaking news:

Today I have to update you on the happenings around here.  I should have done it by now, but I haven't sat at the computer long enough to do it yet. So, here goes. The Boy brought home a mechanical baby last weekend, and I am finally going to tell you all about it.  This is what she looked like:

The Boy had "custody" of a regular, life-sized, newborn-baby doll, but this baby has a computer chip system in her back that randomly makes her cry--day or night. He has a set of keys that fit into slots in her back that will make her stop--each key say DIAPER, CHANGE, FEEDING, BURP, or ATTENTION, so he has to try each one to see what the baby needs.

After he "calms" the baby he has to log the solution and the time, on his baby care assignment sheet. It is for his Teen Living class at school, and is supposed to show the kids just how much work a baby really is--meanwhile showing them that teen pregnancy/parenthood would definitely not be fun. At least not now.  The Boy did say at some poin tthis weekend, that he could see why it was better to be married before having kids. Then at least "you would have two people to gang up on the kid".

He was a good little "dad". But since he can't have leace this baby with a babysitter he already sees how much work a real baby would be. Good for him to recognize.  Since he is the youngest here, he never saw a real baby in action. He was the action baby.

I have to hand it to the baby too.  She went along with The Boy and Genius Golfer Friday to Saturday on their scout campout/rifle shooting expedition.  I had to give her clothes a good wash--and I made The Boy give the baby a bath--when they got home.  She smelled like campfire.  Like "father like daughter, I guess.

Festival of Trees reports will resume tomorrow.

Anticipation

I got a call to come help the junior high school stuff, fold and address their summer mailers--the ones with the kids' schedules in them.

I ran over about 8:30 this morning. The secretaries who were working with the PTA moms mentioned that they have about 1400 kids to get these out to this year. Yikes!

The Boy and The Girl came over after they were both dressed and fed following swim practice this morning and they helped a lot too. We were there until 12:30. I can't imagine those poor secretaries in the office doing this all on their own.

But seeing the schedule has brought The Boy around to asking about back to school things--clothes, first day, binders, lockers, etc. The Girl, meanwhile asked: "Mom, don't you know anyone at the high school who will give me MY schedule?!"

Expressive

Nice, right? Would you guess by their expressions it was the last day of school? Yeah, I didn't think so.

I had one telling me he was in a hurry to dry his hair (?) and then one telling me she was going to be late for her early class today. I've been taking the annual last day of school photos for 10 years. Did they think I would forget it? I don't think so.

Life in the Rear View Mirror

There have only been a few times this year where I really missed our little elementary school. Today was one of those days. It was Dance Festival today. I missed it.

Dance Festival, for those who don't know, is half a school day long where each grade performs a dance. Some grades do exactly the same thing every year. Why mess with choreographing something new when you have an ace up your sleeve? Other grades, sometimes the ones with new teachers, create a new performance.

Dance Festival is generally the last event of the year that the PTA gets to help with at our school. It is also the day when the in-coming PTA president publicly thanks the outgoing president for her efforts on behalf of the whole school.

But the real excitement comes from the kids and their dances. And the sixth grade is the best--every year.

The 6th graders get a new number to perform almost every year I have watched it. I've seen the 6th graders perform Men in Black, complete with aliens and that song from the High School Musical show that I can't remember right now. They have done a number from the musical Hairspray. But this year I think might have them all beat--as the 6th graders performed Micheal Jackson's Thriller.

I heard about it and saw some of the costumes. But I didn't see the performance. I forced myself to SLC for some overdue errands today so I wouldn't be tempted to go hang out with my elementary friends. I didn't really have a reason to be there legitimately. I am feeling it today. I do miss that event at the grade school.

Cantcha Feel It?

First an apology for the lack of linkage in my last post. I thought I did it right, but I guess not. I'm too lazy this afternoon to do it again. So copy and paste that web address for a good story. Anyway...

Today I helped out the Junior High on my not-so-regular day. Usually I am there on Fridays. Tuesday just felt like when you wear an old pair of shoes that are just a little too tight. They used to be really comfortable but now you never feel at home int hem.

I can feel the end of the school year coming like the incoming tide rising from my feet to my ankles and still higher. You think the tide comes in gently, slowly. But it rushes in when you are least expecting it, though you know logically is comes in and out twice a day.

The end of the school year is rushing to me and while I am happy to see it this year, I am still a little surprised that it is here already. The kids have been counting down the days, but I have been busy enough to avoid the number of the day. Now I am realizing how close it is as there are so many end of the year things that have to happen in the last week or two.

It will be nice for a new routine for the summer. But it certainly isn't going to be the lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer. At least around here.

And Now, A Word From A Teacher

Today I'd like to highlight something that I have been stewing over in my own mind, trying to talk myself in or out of at every turn, something that I thought was an issue to me alone.

A very dear friend, with whom I work in the Young Women's program at church, recently posted this on her Facebook page. I lifted it directly from there. She is a math teacher at our high school, and a brilliant one at that. Her thoughts carry a lot of weight for me as I have an incoming sophomore.

"Friends: No matter how perfect and capable your children are, please don't let them overload their lives. I have so many incredible students who are falling apart because they HAVE to be in every sport, music group, and AP class; get their Master's degree; miss weeks of school for exotic trips; AND get straight As. They don't have an actual time-turner. Help them breathe and enjoy what's left of their childhood."

This has been a concern for me since the concurrent enrollment and distance learning conversation have began to pop up here with The Girl. I want her to have a challenging high school academic career, but also want her to make memories and have fun and build her friendships and develop talents.

Can she do all of that in three years at the high school? And can she do all that and still get a scholarship to a university where she wants to attend? Will she choose the right courses and extra curricular activities to look good enough on a collegiate application for them to admit her to their school? And why do I feel such a sense of urgency about all these questions when she is still only a freshman at the moment?

This whole thing makes me worry, and fret, and eat chocolate. Well, to be honest, I eat chocolate really often, so that may not be a telling sign in this case. But I do still worry and fret.

I appreciate this dear friend's comments about her students. Her concern is legitimate and sincere. Which just makes me want to worry and fret some more.

Is 8 AM too early for chocolate?

The Big Picture

This morning I spent the day with 5 department teams at the junior high school. The school district offered the teams (AKA Professional Learning Communities, or PLCs)at the schools who wished to participate small monetary bonuses if they did a presentation for their administration and panel of parents on how they are using their Monday afternoons (on early out days for the kids) to collaborate and set department wide goals based on the district's pre-arranged objectives for their group.

It was a great way to see the bigger picture of what is happening at our school. We have some fantastic teachers, but I only have interactions with a fraction of those educators. I got to see them as team members working toward a common goal, regardless of which academic level students they have in their own classes.

The teams were answering the following questions:
1--What are our mission, vision, values, and goals?
2--What do we what our students to be learning?
3--How will be know if they are learning that?
4--What do we do for the ones that aren't learning that?
5--What do we do for the students that already have learned that?

We heard from the Music, English, Art, Health, Career Technology and Counseling, and Science departments. It was fascinating how they all had the same questions but depending on the discipline the answered would vary dramatically.

Seeing how these departments were coordinating their efforts to teach the kids not only the state core curriculum, but beyond the prescribed topics, was gratifying. I was impressed with each team that spelled out to us how they were assessing the student's progress and how that data would help identify kids that needed more help, and what they had to offer the kids that were already excelling.

It made me all the more grateful for the quality teachers my children have had over the course of their academic careers thus far. For the most part, they have been cream of the crop teachers with creative and innovative ways of teaching my kids.

How Did THIS Happen?!

This afternoon I get a chance to head over to the junior high to met with The Boy and the guidance counselor to choose The Boy's 8th grade classes.

Just how did this happen?

Weren't we just getting used to the full day 1st grade? He was starting to like staying at the school for lunch time. He was learning to pace himself as we walked to the school each morning so he wouldn't be too tired to play with friends once he got there.

Now we are planning for 8th grade?

Wow. That came up quickly.

GO!! Again...

So The Girl had her first of classes yesterday--with everyone else. The "Sevies" got to stay home, so The Boy got to do all my errands with me. He is thrilled to go back to school today.

I tried giving blood at our Stake blood drive last night and my blood pressure was two points higher than was allowed. I was so bummed! I have only ever been turned away one other time from giving blood. That is, since the kids were born. Prior to that, in college, I passed out after giving blood once and the nice old lady Red Cross volunteer kindly told me I was too much hassle and probably shouldn't ever give blood again. I got over that. I have been giving blood about every four months at our stake's scheduled drive since I can remember--probably about 12 years. That makes for almost 36 pints of blood from me. I was pretty disappointed that I failed yesterday.

My day with Dear Friend Tammy was better yesterday--her girls were at school! Tammy's voice is steadily weaker and her morphine dosage has been increased to every hour, if needed. But, on the up side, the house was so clean when I got there, I asked Mr. Rick (who was just leaving for work) if he had someone come in and do it. (I know full well the girls didn't do it.) He said No, he just got tired of it looking like a sty. Hopefully, with everyone back on a schedule, things will stay a little cleaner a little longer there for his sake.

So, we all are off today. Ready, set, GO! The Boy to school with everyone, The Girl to school as a student, Genius golfer off at Casual Friday at work, and I am off to walk for an hour and hopefully get my BP back where it should be. So much for summer fun.

Set....?

Tomorrow is the 'big back to school day' around here. Today we have an open house for the kids to meet the teachers, and the parents to do a little PTA business. That is my gig today. But it is a small part and I am happy to do it.

The Girl had her last semi-private lessons with Coach-Formerly-Known-as-Pool-Boy this morning. He is a great guy --headed back to the university next week. He told the kids he was planning on stopping down to help the high school team a bit during their season so he'd be checking back on them to see how they apply his teaching.

It was also my last morning of water aerobics. That bums me out big time. The have one more class tomorrow, as the teenage lifeguards don't start school at the HS until Thursday, but I am not sure how I'll make it tomorrow and still get these two off in time. Oh the sacrifices moms make for their kids, right?

And speaking of moms and their sacrifices, today is my mom's birthday. I wish I was there to tell her in person how much I love and admire her. I refer back to the way she does things when ever I have a question in my own life--domestically, academically, or spiritually. She is a model mother--not perfect, as she will remind me--but I certainly couldn't have asked for a better one. She is voice in my head when I need a good reminder of what I should be doing. Her encouragement is the best reward I could hope for. I would want her to be proud of me, no matter what. And as I have gotten older--especially since the kids were born--I have realized just how much she loves me and all the effort she made in my behalf as I grew up, simply clueless of her valuable time. Even 900 miles away, when I talk to her on the phone, I imagine just sitting at the kitchen table with a diet coke together; we can chat like there is no distance between us. Mom, I love you and hope you have a wonderful day today.

Happy Tuesday, to all my friends!

Ready...?

Lots to do this week. School starts on Wednesday for The Boy. The Girl goes that day too, but as a PAL (peer advisory leader) so she is there to help the "sevies" find their classes, help open their lockers and keep them from stressing out. Her classes begin on Thursday.

The PALs also get to help at the junior high open house on Tuesday afternoon. The kids can come "meet their teachers"--or in The Boy's case, practice opening their lockers again. The parents have a little orientation meeting too. I get to go swear in (but not at) the new Junior High PTSA board members. Yippee for me. (At least I am not one of them though.)

Today, therefore, is a catch up day of sorts. I am doing laundry as I type. I have just broke a sweat cleaning my bathroom and changing the sheets on the bed. I have made a menu and a grocery list and as soon as the loads are ready to switch I am off to the store.

This morning at the pool the air temperature was chilly and it almost felt like fall. Luckily the water felt sooooo good. I hate to see summer come to an end. Especially this summer. Seems like we just got it started, and now it is over. I wish winter passed as quickly. Or that we had an indoor pool.

Dance Festival

Wednesday, prior to the court hearing, our elementary school had their annual Dance Festival. You know, each grade does a little dance, all the parents come to see, the teachers look relieved when it is over and the kids know that summer is coming closer.

I love the Dance Festival. When my kids first started school, I had never seen anything like it and wondered what this crazy event was, but it has grown on me each year. Now I see the fun and tradition of it and really love it.

This year as I was sitting waiting for the kids to be ready to perform, I was looking around at all the parents that were there. Lined up on blankets, strollers incarcerating smaller siblings, in folding soccer chairs, or standing using up their thirty minute break from work.

My eyes passed over so many families that I have been watching Dance Festival with for nine years. So many have been right along side that whole time. I was struck by the women I have worked with in PTA or as regular volunteers or room mothers during that time.

I have made some of the dearest friends during my service to my kids' school. These are not women I see every day, but when I do, I know they are my friends and we have similar goals and values. We hope the same things for the kids at the school and in our town.

They are women who have a smattering of personalities and gifts. They come high strung or laid back. They are each committed to seeing their kids have the best possible experience.

And when I see them at an event like Dance Festival, I sense again that they are living the same kind of reality I am day in and day out. None of them have a charmed or perfect life. Each has struggles and worries and problems. But they address those and then go about doing good.

The funny thing is that many of these women, who have served our elementary school so well, are also serving in the church and the community. They have other children at other schools and they serve there too. They remind me of the scripture that tells us " But ye, brethren, be not a weary in well doing."

I admire all of them, and love so many as dear, dear friends. I will miss them especially as I graduate from the elementary school with The Boy this year. But I am sure I will see them at the Junior High or the High School as we all grow up. And I know I am leaving my place of service at the elementary in loving and very capable hands. And that is a very good feeling.

Exhausting, I Tell You

I have been given the responsibility (read: thrown under the bus) of selecting and teaching a bunch of sixth graders a song they will in turn perform at their graduation. Tuesday was day two of the teaching bit. I spent about 40 minutes with them. Luckily they are familiar with the song, Real Gone from the Cars movie soundtrack. I am just trying to add in the right amount of jumping and air guitar. Did I mention this is a rather more-irreverent song choice than they have done before?! I thought that might help these hooligans, I mean 6th graders.

I go back today and then a couple times next week, and they perform it on Thursday. I can already feel the need for a nap.

It's Either Thursdays or Nuts

I heard in a movie once a line that has kind of stuck with me: "If life weren't a little nuts, it would just be a line of Thursdays."

Doesn't that make you feel better? At least it gives me an explanation for the WHY questions I seem to always be asking. Though this reasoning is very shallow, it is at least some reason.

The last two weeks of school are seemingly pointless, from a parent's perspective. The Girl has already turned in text books. The Boy is finished with their end-of-year testing. What do the teachers do with these guys for 8 days?

At least The Girl's art teacher is still having them work, but then again, it is art class. They are water coloring a landscape image they had to find in a magazine. Still, that is something.

The Boy is being forced to learn a song (with ME teaching it) along with all the 6th graders who are willing, that they will sing at their "graduation" celebration. They also have to work on their dance for the dance festival. Brainiacs, I tell you.

I completely "get" that the teachers have come to the end of their ropes, and the end of the curriculum. I understand that they need to process the test data and clean up. But two weeks? That seems nuts to me.

I suppose that is the point, right? Otherwise it would just be like a pile of Thursdays.

The BIG One

If you thought today's post would be about the earthquake foretold to drop California into the ocean, or the final global warming that melts the ice caps, I am sorry to disappoint you. My post for today is about the BIG Counselor appointment I get to go to with The Girl today. The SEOP.

SEOP is supposed to stand for Student Educational Occupation Plan. It is basically a counselor's appointment where together we map out the last four years of public school for The Girl.

First, How did she get this old? When did this happen? I have flashbacks like Steve Martin in Father of the Bride. Remember, the little girl sitting at the table, telling her dad "I met someone and we're in love and we're getting marrrrried."

Second, I am a little confused about the 'occupation' part. Are we interested in her finishing school first? Are we talking about the occupation she might want after years of college?! It took me 5 years and five majors to decide my 'occupation' and then it was a kindly academic advisor who basically told me that I was taking up space in the university so I had better pick a major and finished it. I was close to earning a couple there for a while. I don't want her to have that kind of pressure NOW.

Third, Our system here has 9th grade at the junior high still, so can we really make a plan that will help her through high school as well, or will the HS counselors want to get a piece of her too when she gets there?

If you ask her, she would like to be an animal trainer when she grows up. That is wonderful, sounding. We don't even have a dog. We have killed fish and hermit crabs. Genius Golfer is allergic to cats (at least that is what he SAYS). We have babysat for a coupe of dog friends--they both made successful escape attempts. We had to run around the neighborhood to find them. I am just not sure she has enough animal experience to choose a career like that at this point.

She is a very good student, so I hope she just finds something that is interesting, that engages her curiosity, and that she can enjoy. But I don't have high hopes for the 8th grade guidance counselor's appointment today to fill in all the blanks.

Happy 200th! Happy Class!

Assuming my math is right, which is a big assumption at times, this is my 200th post since beginning this blog. That went fast. I still enjoy the self imposed assignment to write everyday, though I am sure my topics are not always intellectually stimulating or enlightening. At least it gives you something else to waste your time with besides Facebook.


I am very pleased to tell you that The Boy's classroom change happened yesterday and the effect was almost immediate. He was so happy when I picked up the carpool kids yesterday. He was excited to tell me about the quiet classroom atmosphere and the amount of thinking he could do in his new class. He liked the book they were reading as a group and he was already caught up to just one chapter behind the group! He'll be right with them by the end of the week.

Last night for homework (finally!) I sat with him as he did some geography. The midpoint of the year is tomorrow and this is the FIRST HOMEWORK he has brought home (besides math, which is with Mr. W, as always). It was fantastic. He was happy to do it and seemed to enjoy the new class completely. That makes me feel much better about moving him, though I regret not doing it sooner.

The really lame part of his classroom switch, is his former teacher didn't even make eye contact or say a word to us as we cleaned out his desk to move him. That was sad.

While I am glad for The Boy to make this switch, I know other kids are having a great time in there, with the original teacher. Maybe it is personality conflict, or more likely (knowing The Boy) a classroom management style issue. The Boy has not been pushed this year, and that allowed him to take the easy way for a whole semester now. (His new teacher even mentioned to him that she might have to work with him on his penmanship--that is the kind of no-brainer basics that I thought would be mandated by all teachers.) Maybe The Boy's natural laziness is what muddled his first semester, coupled with the teacher's more relaxed style. I don't know. But the important part id we got him moved to another class and he is already thriving.

This has been a tender spot for me, as I don't want to "make waves" at the school. I have been there 9 years now and I love our school. I didn't want to be a demanding parent or cause anyone any trouble. But over the Christmas holiday I realized that my NOT doing something and just seething at home about it, I was not being the advocate for my child and his education that I must be to do my job as a parent. That was the tipping point. I have 4 1/2 months left at our elementary school. If I make waves, it won't affect my younger kids--there aren't any. I may actually help other students that might get this teacher next year or the years to come. At least the administration knew of my concerns and allowed me to make changes to affect my son, while doing what can be done to help improve others' experiences too.

So, these are the big accomplishments for this week: The boy's new class and my 200th post. I believe I can parlay either event into a reason to eat cake, right?

Is this a New Filing Method?

Anyone else get stuff home from school like this? This particular method had been a favorite for some time, here on the Circle. But this year, The Boy has opted to carry only a zipping binder. He avoids carrying anything else--even a lunch sack. He will stuff his home lunch into the binder and zip it all up and get it to school late way. When I ask him, "How do you get your lunch to the lunchroom when you don't take a sack?" He assures me "That is what pockets are for, Mom."

Some days he remembers to bring out the notes being sent home. Sometimes I get them the next day. If, as was the case with a Halloween note requesting help/items for their grade level party, my name appears on the note--he no longer thinks it is required reading for me--as I must have read it to put my name on it. That is good thinking, but I also use his delivery of said notes as a gauge for other parents getting them at home. Can't tell that when I don't see them.

If I liked his teacher a little more, I could just call or email and get info that way. But this teacher isn't at all warm and fuzzy. In years past, I have always felt that the kids' teachers were on my team in wanting my student to do their best and learn and grow in school. This guy doesn't even seem to be playing the game as we are.

Now, if only I could figure out a better system than the "backpack express". Then again, probably not. We'll just get through this year, I guess.

Where Do I Cash My Reality Check?

Genius Golfer is getting dragged into my world of volunteering at school today. It is our Junior High's Reality Town event today and we are going as part of about 60 parents volunteering to give these eighth graders a little Reality Check.

This is a program that gives the kids a taste of the adult world and also helps to emphasize the important of education and good career choices.

Based on the kids' GPA and career aptitude test, they are assigned a job and an appropriate salary. That means, a C+ student is not going to be making the big bucks as a doctor, for example. Then, like the game of LIFE, they are randomly assigned a spouse, or not, and child or children or not and they have to be for the dependents they are given.

Then the fun begins. The parent volunteers are in the gym, sitting in "booths" with names like "Car Insurance", "Health Care", "Housing", or "Entertainment". The kids have their pay stub, and a check register, and they have to make choices for their "family" on what they need and what they can afford. If they make poor decisions, then they have to go to the "Financial counseling" booth and there be told they need another job to pay for what they have purchased and can't afford. Ideas of what childcare and groceries can cost to a grown up will snap some of these kids into reality, with any luck.

It is unfortunate that American Society at large doesn't get a day, or even a week to visit Reality Town. But maybe, this eighth grade event will prepare future society to avoid the trouble we are seeing now.

I'll let you know how this goes down today. I am anxious to see how The Girl does. Poor thing, she has been told for ever that she has to work hard and do well in school and save her money and not spend what you don't have....

Today is the testing day to see if she understood our lessons. Check, please!