More Testing and Fond Memoriesl!!!

I suppose it is time for an update!  I have been super busy since I went back to school!  My first week was full of meeting, which were all pretty good and worth while.  I wish they gave us more prep time to work in our classrooms though.  This week I have been giving my kids the State mandated Pre-Kindergarten screening.  Let me just say how sick and tired of testing kids I am!!  I am going on a month of testing!  Between the Extended Day Kindergarten Placement test and the one now, I am all tested out!  I am beyond ready for the kids to come to school so I can actually teach them!  My teaching assistant, Nancy, has been in this week helping get thing ready for me.  She is a doll and I know will be a great asset to me this year.  Right now I have 24 students in my class, 11 girls and 13 boys which is pretty balanced compared to my classes last year!  I do have 7 non english speaking students which is a new thing for me.  5 speak Spanish, and 2 speak Farsi (they are from Afghanistan and Iran).  I hadn't even heard of Farsi before!  I guess that shows how ignorant I am.  Anywho, I am really excited to get the year underway!

I am working on getting my ESL (english as a second language) endorsement this year.  It will help me with my non english speaking families, and get me some more money :).  That is always a plus right?  It is a year long program and gives me 18 semester hours, so I will be pretty busy.  I am also taking a Spanish class for teachers, which will be great!  It is a 12 week program taught out of Highland High School and will DEFINITELY help me with my Spanish speaking families.  I know it sounds like a lot of extra stuff, but it will be well worth it.  And, the school district is paying for ALL OF IT!!!  I am not spending a penny of my own money, which is AWESOME!!  Just don't expect me to be available on Tuesday and Wednesday nights :).

The other day, I was on my way to Lakeshore (the teacher store) and had a hankering for a fresh lime from Take 5.  Well, to my surprise, it was closed.....for good!  I knew they were closing because the property had been sold to make way for an extended stay hotel, but I though it would be open till the end of the month.  Well, I was wrong.  Take 5 closed it's doors for good after 35 years on August 23rd.  It was kind of sad!  I have many fond memories from my days working there!  Cam and I did meet there after all!   I guess all good things must come to an end.  The food wasn't good anymore, and their employees were kind of scary!!  Take 5's goodness ended after the good people left....which was like 6 years ago!!  Oh well.  So much for Liz and I enjoying one final Take 5 meal!!

Well, I better go and get ready.  I have to be back to school by 6:45  because it is Back To School Night!  Gotta love it.  Sorry for the lack of pictures this time.  I will put up my classes pictures when I get them all taken.  

Happy Labor Day Weekend!!