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.

Last of Iditarod

The last musher I saw was Thursday morning at 9am. He was a special musher because he was an educator from Unalakleet and did many inservices for us. His name was Rick Holt and we enjoyed visiting with him for about 20 minutes. It was facinating to me on how he described the lead dogs. I always thought that one dog was the lead dog and it doesn't change. Well, he put different dogs in lead positions not knowing if they would lead or not for various reasons: weather, etc. Some of the lead dogs he put in place have not been in lead positions before and did amazing. Others that have had led recently would not lead in certain conditions. Rick had to do trial and error a lot of times.

IF you would like to listen and see an interview with Rick Holt visit www.bssd.org and scroll down until you see BSSD educator starts Iditarod.

I also learned that all mushers have GPS in their sled and it is as big as a brick. They are not allowed to look or even touch it. One musher, did not listen and sent it off in an airplane. I think it is pretty funny if you ask me.

Jeff King came in second and Lance Mackey came in first two years in a row. Usually Mackey and King take turns.

I didn't do too much of the Iditarod in my classroom. It's such a shame, I know. There is a curriculum that needs to get finished.

Until later.

Hunting Day!

Romay and I went hunting today. Down at the beach there is a trail that makes a circle around willows. It's perfect for ptarmigan (like our grouse). They are white with black tipped wings. It was a little frustrating at first because I couldn't remember how to load the gun. I finally figured it out and then I kept falling through the deep snow and was a little concerned with a loaded gun, but it got better.

We saw nothing! IT was fun to just get out and let the dogs run. Kemper found a dead rabbit and started munching. Berry found a dead walrus piece. Luckily it was frozen and she doesn't stink. Then she found something brown and was flipping it up in the air and rolling on it. Romay thought it was a squirrel. She went to see what it was and it was my seal skin mitt. I guess it fell out of my parkee pocket.

Romay turned around and she said, "Look! What is that running on the river?" To me it looked like a wolverine because I didn't see a red coat to think it was a fox. Berry picked up on it and held her tight with the rope. It was neat to see.

We came home had a snack, I cleaned up, and the dogs slept. Tonight we will watch a movie again.

One more day of break then it is back to school for two days of inservice. Then on Friday we have a lock-in at school for kids who had 80% or higher Read and Respond. We will have gym and computer time, movies, homemade pizzas until Saturday 8 am. I'm not looking forward to being up to all hours of the night and then only having Saturday and Sunday to catch up. It will be nice when it is done.