What a week!

Every morning I step out my door, take a deep breath, and marvel at what a beautiful place this is.

The week started off with my evaluator arriving on Monday. We had a great visit, ate some of my left overs, and she helped with some of my confusion. I was shown where to find my budget amounts and how to record our students disciplinary actions. She spent time observing both classrooms and giving some helpful hints to our new elementary teacher on classroom management. It was a good, productive visit.

Tuesday was going smoothly and then I heard the secondary door slam shut. The teacher came into my office to tell me the student had to be sent home. I went out and talked to him. He wouldn't talk to me, so I had him write what happened. He wrote, "He is always getting us mad, bossing us around." I asked him who was the 'boss' at home and he said his parents. I asked him what they would do if he told them no or walked away ignoring them, when they asked him to do something. He said he would never do that; they were his parents. I then explained that, just like at home, he was expected to mind the 'boss' and the boss of the classroom was the teacher. I had him handwrite a 'contract' between him and I--that when he got mad he was to hold up his hand and ask to leave the room to go sit in the hall, for 10 minutes, to cool down. I then had him write what would happen if he broke the contract: That he would have to call his parents and explain to them why he had to go home. I then typed the entire contract onto a "Hot Pass" and laminated it. I then explained that he had to hold it up to get permission to leave the room to cool down and he had to leave and enter the room without disrupting the class. I reiterated that it was a contract and I expected him to keep it.

Tuesday evening she flew to Goodnews. I flew with her being as the plane came from Goodnews; then flew back to drop her off; and came back to Platinum to pick up another passenger, before stopping at Eek to drop a berry picker off. I finally got into Bethel around 7:30 and to my B&B at 8 pm. I was dog tired. Ordered a hamburger and went to bed.

I spent a day and a half learning about migrant ed. I got in some grocery shopping, for the school and myself, and headed home. It was good to get back.

Friday is half a day. I taught math to my elementary 4th and 5th graders. They then helped me bake 60 cupcakes. When school got out, the elementary teacher made the best meatloaf--6 large loafs. We also made au gratin potatoes and heated up green beans. I made chocolate frosting and frosted those 60 cupcakes. For our first feast, there were more kids than parents. The one family I wanted to show up--did not. Everyone loved the dinner and had a great time. I went to bed at 8 pm extremely tired. I was so tired that I stripped off my cloths and threw them and my other dirty cloths in the washer. About a minute later, I realized my new (one week old) phone was in my pants pocket. It is sitting in a bag of rice and I'm praying that I don't have to have it replaced. Time will tell.

The teachers and I will be heading back to Bethel Monday afternoon for the district wide in-service. If my phone is still dead, I will have to pay to have it replaced. :(