Yes, my sister is right

It is high time I updated my blog. This is the day to do it, too, since I'm working from home. The rest of NVA is painting, lifting, hauling, and running network cable in the new building, but I got my moving done yesterday and felt the need to get some serious planning done in a less chaotic environment. Knowing me, I'll probably go in Sunday afternoon to help finish up the moving process. School resumes Monday for the Patriots!

In addition to making headway on lesson plans, I followed up on a press release about a local man who was killed in an avalanche yesterday. Here's a link to the Times-News' Web site. I believe my article will run in the print version tomorrow and online soon.

Shannon Wolf was a local farmer and organic hay and grain broker here in Camas County. I had the privilege of teaching two of his children a few years ago. We join the community in praying for the family.

Back to work after sick days for all

Sometimes you get lucky and the day you decide you're calling in sick tomorrow, school is canceled for three days. With a weekend sandwiched in between, I've been able to recover from my cold (not H1N1, as all the students believed they had). I hope everyone else was also able to recharge, and that my 10th graders will be ready for their massive test on the first theme in their lit book. Okay, that might be too much to ask.

Admittedly, nobody can spend five straight days just studying or grading papers while recovering from a cold. One is bound to fit in a trip to the mall or the movies. The idea is just not to reinfect oneself in the process. My husband and his parents kindly took the kids to see Toy Story and Toy Story 2 in 3D while I enjoyed a little retail therapy. I didn't find the penny loafers I was looking for, but did splurge on a more comfortable pair of comfort dress heels. My feet are thanking me as I write.

The best thing about having five days off? This is going to be a short school week. Ample time to regroup and wrap up a few unfinished items--and locate the new hand sanitizer dispensers to curtail the inevitable reinfection cycle of this nasty little bug called the common cold.

First week of school leaves me. . .grading papers

Having passed my ABCTE with a "distinguished" score, I began my school year at North Valley Academy on Tuesday. Our history teacher also just passed his World History ABCTE, and he, too, received a "distinguished" mark.

I teach about 100 students in grades 7-12. I have English and Journalism. The latter class has been an enormous thrill, partly because you might say I've been preparing for that one for a while (just search my name at magicvalley.com, the Times-News' Web site). I have an awesome group of little journalists who know about current events and who can't wait to write their first articles. I've been putting them through their paces a bit first, though. Inverted pyramid and all that.

Okay, they're probably reading this, so I'd better cut this short.

I love my school! Check out NVA's blog here.

Moss Mountain mice featured on blog

My sister Meg makes these adorable felt creatures which were just featured on a craft blog, Creative with Clay. The featured mice are the exquisite Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennett. I've ordered a custom wolf and chicken for my daughter's birthday. These critters make great gifts! Visit Moss Mountain here.

ABCTE test date looms on horizon

The big day is August 11, though you wouldn't know it to look at me. I'm doing everything but studying: sorting used books for my bookseller husband, experimenting with my new laptop, hopping in the wading pool with the kiddies. . .It's 90 degrees out there!

I'm procrastinating other project deadlines as well. One is a presentation on Great Expectations, a character education curriculum based in Oklahoma. The training was wonderful and I'm excited to put what I learned into practice. What's special about Great Expectations is that it's common sense and it's a myriad of ideas all in one place. If you're considering it for your school, send everyone to the training. It will be worth the money just to get every teacher on the same page.

I have other deadlines looming, too, but it's hard to feel too guilty about procrastinating when your two-year-old son just mastered his tricycle. There's still a lot of summer to enjoy.