Corner View: Beginning

For the topic 'beginning' I chose the beginning of my school year.  Below are some photos of some things that are ready in the room.  The bulletin board below has the syllabus for each of my sets of classes I also have envelopes for late work.  I still have to put my "I can" statements up per each  unit I'm teaching.  The "I cans' are for the students.  The hanging envelopes are for work to be passed out.

 I had the freshmen do bio-poems on themselves. This bulletin board is featuring some of them.

This is the bulletin board where I put up all the team pictures and news articles highlighting students from our high school.  The kids really enjoy this one especially if pics of them are up there  - means they were in the paper.

 This an antique-like sign I bought because I liked the saying.

This is one of my favorite comics where everyone is shouting for her and she yells something only to have them take that and say it all together.

Here is the display window in our high school lobby.  Girls from Student Council put it up.  It  was actually created by other girls two years ago, and I kept everything.

For more on beginnings, head over to  Francesca's.

Our family of deer and an update

We have a family of deer that feed regularly in our front yard.  I leave corn there for them.  For a long time it was just the doe, but one day she showed up with three fawn.  The littlest one sticks close to Mama. The color is a bit off in this photo.

 The two older ones usually are together although occasionally one will wander off by itself.

The doe will wait patiently for me to walk out and spread the corn.  I talk to her the entire time in what I hope is a soft, soothing voice.  The fawns will hide while I'm walking around, but she stands a distance away from me and watches and perks her ears at my voice. My son's children have enjoyed spreading corn out for the deer and filling the bird feeder then hanging them up in the morning.  At the end of the day we spread more corn and take the feeders inside the garage so the raccoons don't get them.

We have had the grandchildren here a good bit this summer and it's been a good 'taste' of what will be possible after I retire.  Two of them have spent the night by themselves.  Addison will get her turn in two weeks.  It's especially nice having one on one time with each of them.

This week has been busy.  I went into school on Tuesday and worked on filing all the stacks of papers from last year or at least organizing them enough that my aides can take over when we return tomorrow. (We have been off for a week for the county fair.) I got all my copies made for the first  three days, so I won't be vying for copier time with the other teachers.

Mike and I went shopping for a vanity top for our downstairs bathroom.  I will feature that another time.

Saturday I had four teacher friends over to see the house, eat dessert, and visit.  No pictures were taken though.  We had a wonderful time catching up on each other's lives as two of them are retired and another one is the librarian aide who resigned.  The fourth one is the counselor at my high school.  Her office is a haven  if things get too crazy.  All are dear friends and I so enjoyed having them over.

 Sunday I took dessert to Doug's house where we met  his 'girlfriend' and her daughter.  We were there for two hours and had a nice time visiting.  Doug is thrilled with the relationship and I can see why.  She appears beautiful inside and out.  Her daughter is nine so she's Dillon's age.  He went to his room to play as he was a bit overwhelmed with five females present!

 Doug and Melissa

Doug, Dillon, Addison, Peyton, Melissa, and Maddy (Melissa's daughter)

at Cedar Point several weekends ago.

Doug took this one on Lake Erie.

He had his boat up there for a weekend.

That brings us to today. I have more grading to do and a curriculum  map to complete.  It is drizzling out and is overcast---excellent for staying inside and getting things done.

Happy Labor Day!  I hope your week is wonderful!

old covered bridge, cabin, church, and school at fairgrounds

Last summer a friend took me on a 'tour' of interesting places in Noble County, Ohio.  The first place we went was the Noble County Fairgrounds.  Clustered together at one end of the fair grounds are a covered bridge, an original cabin with its summer kitchen and outhouse, a church, and a school.  All are well maintained.  Here are photos of them.

 I forget when the cabin was built.  I think it was removed to this spot  --  at least some of the buildings were.

summer kitchen

Covered bridge --in the background you can see two of the animal barns.  Right now the fair is going on, so those buildings are packed as are the grounds.

 the church

the school

More of the Biltmore pus a report on my first week of school.

The first two pictures are inside the arboretum.  The others are of the bushes and  trees on the side of t;he driveway that is on three sides of the rose garden.

  I love the limbs of this tree!

 Another view of the  rose garden.  See more here.

Mike was fascinated with how they trained this tree to grow in that shape.

 A fountain that was in a little outdoor 'hallway' that we used to sit and rest out of the beating sun.

 Isn't this cool?!

They hold concerts with big name entertainers.  The patio to the right overlooks the grounds and you can see Mount Pisgah in the distance when you stand on the far side of the patio.

   We  had our first week of school and it went really well for me.  The inclusion teacher and I had to come to an understanding on how a particular boy would stay in my classroom and not run to her(she has a class the period I have him.)  He needs an aide and we won't establish that if he can hide out in her room.  She's not the best at saying no.  Plus  I  can't help him if he's not in my classroom.  He and I came to an understanding also and he apologized to me for directly disobeying me and running to her.  Two other boys with special needs tried to run to her, but we nipped that and I was able to help them write three-paragraph essays of which they were quite proud.   Then we had a fun day and they all earned suckers.  Those junior boys will do a lot to get a tootsie pop!
    My friend the librarian's aide did quit.  She gave a week's notice. Two aides within the school district bid on it which means they are not necessarily right for the job but one of them will get it due to seniority and the union. I am praying that God has moved on someone who will do a great job for the kids and the staff.
    We have a teachers' day tomorrow and then are off the rest of the week for our county fair.  It will help us get all  our pre-testing recorded and evaluated.
    Thank you for all your prayers.  Please continue to lift up my last school year.
    Hope you all have a wonderful week!

Biltmore Estate in Ashville, North Carolina and changes at school

 These first few photos are of Biltomore's water garden.  The lily pads were incredible!

The  fish followed us as we walked beside the ponds,  obviously thinking that we had food for them.  We didn't, unfortunately.

 Here are views of the building from a cement bridge/balcony/road set up on the front hill where the first lone pine stood and inspired two men to save it and its land.

 

 These  photos are of the rose garden.  Betsy, a follow blogger, features these often.  I, however, do not know the names.  They had them marked but I didn't take pics of the markers.

 I especially liked this 'May Pole' set up.

 http://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/asheville/bil.htm for more information.

 We had our first teachers' day Friday.  There have been changes in personnel that have some of us reeling in shock---I'm one of them.  I have a new intervention specialist who came up from the elementary.  She had gone there from the high school and quite a few were glad to see her go.  Now she is back and the usual drama swirls around her.  Her feelings are easily hurt and her method for dealing with kids often undermines her fellow teachers.  Sigh.
The librarian was dealt a blow with a change of duties that require her to be at the elementary teaching key board.  However, since she is not certified, they insist on paying her the usual aide pay for 'noninstructional' work.  Yet that same work was considered 'instructional' when a certified teacher taught it.   The pay difference is considerable as is the teaching.  She told them last year that she didn't want to do it, but they informed her last Thursday that she had to go where they wanted her to and her feelings and preferences were not important.   Meanwhile, they are sending the new librarian up to the high school for three periods of non-librarian work.  None of it makes sense except monetary.   Well, they are most likely going to get her response in the form of a resignation tomorrow.   They overlooked the well-known fact that she doesn't have to work, but likes to.  I dare say some administrators will be stunned.  And that of course will leave the high school without a librarian.  Not a good way to begin a new school year!  Please lift us up in prayer.

Hope you have a wonderful week!