Hooray, No Kids!

It was a busy end of the year: assessments, toggling (like grading), cleaning the classroom, etc. This is the first year that I've actually been chomping at the bit to get rid of kids. I loved this year but it was one of the most challenging and emotionally draining years since I've been teaching here. The kids and I finished up our classroom memory book titled, "Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Did You See?" That took us three months to finish and the kids and I were both glad it was done! We had a picnic on the beach two days before school ended and had the rest of the day to toggle. The picnic was fun. We played with the bat and ball, ate lunch together, watched a HS student skid across open water on his snowmachine. (If you ask me, it's so stupid because you can ruin your machine.) We also roasted marshmallows. (It brings back memories of campfires with the Grandparents). On our last day the kids wanted to make muffins so we made chocolate chip muffins because we were reading a phonetic book called Hot Muffins. They enjoyed it. We finished Firday May 16th and the teachers had a work day on Saturday. I had a lot to do and unfortunately I did not finish.

On Sunday, I left for an extra week of work in Unalakleet. I was asking myself, "What was I thnking? I don't want to go. I"m exhausted!" I kept reminding myself it is $1,200 for my trip this summer. When we go for inservices or workshops we usually sleep in teacher's classrooms. For two nights we had to sleep in the gym because Unalakleet was still having school. I didn't sleep both nights because everything noise echos! So the third night I got to sleep in an Elementary classroom and was that nice or what.

This wokshop focused on making scoring guides for a lot of the standards in each of the 10 content areas. I worked on the Cultural Awareness standards and had an awesome group of paraprofesstionals and teachers to work with. We worked well together and it was fun. It was very challenging also because as the levels got higher my knowledge of the standards decreased. I teach level one of cultural awareness so at one point it got challenging and a little frustrating because it took 1 1/2 hours to understand what the standard was asking students to know and do. We made a total of 24 scoring guides for standards in levels 1-7. I don't want to look at another scoring guide until September!

It was also nice to see Becky and Barb (former teachers in Koyuk). I enjoyed meeting new people, eating at a pizza restaurant, eating cheesecake. I'm so glad I did not gain a pound each day I was there like the last time I had inservice in April. I watched carefully what I ate and maintained my weight. I also had fun exercising with Becky using DVD's. We also went for a walk on the beach and found green, purple, white, brown beach glass. Becky is an expert at finding it. I on the other hand cannot spot it as quick as her.

Koyuk Prom

Well let me catch you up on some events that happened in May. These are pictures of prom. The first photo is of the Harris Family that have been and will always be very special to me. Jason, Myra, Ethan, Romay. This was the most decorated prom that I've seen in Koyuk. It actually looked like a real prom with lots of neat decorations. I guess the big star that people walked through took 2 days for the students to get up. Let me describe a typical Koyuk dance. The elementary kids enjoy dancing with each other. They get about two hours to dance and then they go home. The student store was opened most of the night and that is where I helped making Nachos, selling drinks, and candy. I had two fun girls help me that night also. It was HS/JR high time and no one danced except for the king, queen, prince and princess. They are too embaressed to dance. So I left at 9 or so and then I went to visit Jason and Myra for awhile. The high school dance ended early because the high schoolers wanted to. I've never heard that before! It's kind of funny if you ask me. I did enjoy myself even though I really don't like proms, dances, etc.

Snowmachine Fun!

My friend Heather (1/2 grade teacher) asked me to go on a snow machine ride with her to Dime Landing. It's about 1 hour out of town. I got to wear my new fur hat! It was so toasty warm! It was sunny and warm, 20 degrees! I felt a little under the weather but I am so glad I went! I was surprised when Heather asked if I wanted to drive. You better believe it! I didn't tell her that I crashed my grandparent's snowmachine when I was younger. I have improved since then, at least I hope so! Heather was a little nervous when I started going a "little" faster. This is coming from a woman, who drives like she is in a snowmachine race! So I took it easy for a while and then when we got on a river, I let it rip...no I didn't fart! I went really fast. How fast? I'm not sure because the spedometer was broken. Make up a speed and imagine me driving. We stopped a few times to stand in awe of God's creation. He is so majestic that I just didn't have words to praise Him.

We drove past a camp which is known as Dime Landing. I think we also saw Haycock, which is a small town where mining took place, where a school was, and also where people lived. It didn't look to far but Heather wasn't the dare devil I thought she was so we enjoyed our ride back home.

Stupid Jeni Moment: "Wow! The trees look greener out here." Heather: "Are you sure it isn't your goggles?" I took my goggles off and yes I felt stupid because I did that once before.

After we got back to Koyuk, we had a lovely dinner of fried chicken and rice at our other friends' yurt, Jenna. She is a lovely cook and great hostess. I enjoy these ladies a lot and am glad they are coming back next year.

Here is one picture of Dime Landing.

New Winter Apparel

Well, I made some clothes to go the HOt Springs....a caribou fur swimming suit. I jokes! I did purchase a beaver hat from one of my favorite elders...Esther. She also made me a kuspuk. She is the same elder who I said made the land otter fur hat. Berry really wanted to try it on too. It will be so warm for duck hunting or caribou hunting.

This week was long and exhausing. I wasn't in my classroom for three days because I helped test two high school kids on SBA's (Standards Based Assessment. I got a lot done: student standard sheets, pictures posted on the class book, started alignment to new math curriculum to BSSD standards.

It was a fun weekend. A friend that Myra and Jason and I haven't seen for a while is in town. We have been addicted to catch phrase and laughing hard. Doug can impersonate anyone! We sure have good times.

This week I start testing my kids. Six weeks left! Hooray!

Summer Home for Berry!

God is faithful to answering prayers. I prayed that He would provide a good place for Berry to stay in the summer and he did today. God actually provided three people. It looks like I will be going to serve at Unalakleet Bible Camp for a week. Jeff Erickson, who is the athletic director for the district, agreed to keep her outside during the day and inside at night. Myra said there is hardly any loose dogs around which is common here in Koyuk. She also said people in Unalakleet value dogs more than here.


Then Byron Bruckner, the director for Bible Camp said he would take Berry for the rest of the time I'm on vacation. His family lives in Anchorage. Berry will have to play with cats! God is so good!

It's been fun this week starting the new unit on insects. The kids are so fascinated and I love wildlife as it is so it's a great mix of passions. I purchased these non-fiction books that give great vocab, excellent descriptions, and close up photos. We read one today on ants.

Later.

New Principal!

On Tuesday we found out our new principal. We had a good guess because we knew one person who met all the qualifications and was from the District Office. Her name is Kim Hanisch and to be honest I was a little leary of her coming because she is very straight forward and honest about things. That is good thing and I'm probably thinking that this is something negative. Assumptions can get me into trouble! I've talked with other staff members and she has a lot a traits that I think I'm going to enjoy: organized, hard worker, etc. This will be her first time being a principal and our first time having a woman principal. I hope the community responds decently. I'm very excited!

I am also excited because my former mentor will be working with our school as a site evaluator. I was really sad to see her leave Golovin because she is so gifted at being a principal but I understand it was hard to be away from her husband who lives and works in Unalakleet. It will be nice to work with her once again.

There may be a couple coming from another village to teach here: Science and other. They seem to be a nice couple from what Myra tells me.

We have three more positions to fill.

Will update later.

Lack of Sleep, but fun!

Last Friday, over 50 kids earned an invite to a lock-in at the school hosted by the Solutions Team which I help facilitate. Part of the Solution Team's job is to put interventions in place to help students achieve. They earned an invite to the lock-in if they had 80% Read and Respond for the whole month of February.

A lot of hours went into planning for this night. One thing I was stressing about was finding enough volunteers. Some community volunteers say they will help but then cancel at the last moment. By the end of the day Friday, I had all the volunteers I needed. The night started at 10 pm and there were many activities to do. There were lap tops to play on, alternating gym times for Elementary (parachute, scarves, hoola hoops, frisbees, balls) and High School/Jr. High. We also had movies going in the girls and boys sleeping rooms. We had board games out but not a lot of interest. Three community volunteers with students helping made homemade pizzas. Yummy!

It was neat to see some high school students organize cooks and making pancakes for the rest of the students and volunteers. It was good to spend time with them since I do not get a chance to and am not very good with HS students. It was a very fun and positive experience.

I wasn't planning on staying the whole time (8 am Saturday) but I needed too because extra help was necessary. I'm so thankful for God giving me the strength. I slept most of the day and night on Saturday and went to bed early on Sunday. On Monday, I got up early and felt awake and not tired.

Until later when I find out our new principal.