Counting down to the first half day.
Which is Friday.
Which seems way too early, but that's how it goes. Other districts in the area actually started last week.
So, for the past week or so, I've been to two in-services, unpacked and set up my room, met with Mrs. Eagle and Ms. Hummingbird and actually planned our lessons for our first science unit, met with Mrs. Bunny and Mrs. Eagle to plan some things for seventh grade, met with the team, and just more stuff.
It will be a different year this year. First off, the Seventh Grade Class from Hades is now the Eighth Grade Class We Hope Grew Up Over the Summer. Our rosters showed up in PowerSchool today so I had quite a few 8th grade teachers dropping by to get some insight on their kids (especially in terms of putting together lab groups - some kids don't need to be with each other). The good news is that my long email last spring to guidance about kids who needed to be separated worked because many of my more memorable kids (Sassy Girl comes to mind) are no longer with their fellow friends and trouble makers. Mr. Owl will have his hands full with some of his kids, but he got a great bunch for his Physical Science class.
My team is much smaller this year - only 93 kids as of today. So last year's nuclear meltdown when I had 37 kids in my homeroom didn't happen. I have only 23 and that's my largest number. Our seventh grade numbers are down a bit, so we lost a position, and only have four teachers - Mrs. Social Studies, Mr. Math, and Mrs. English (Mrs. English will be teaching reading/language arts blocks which is something they are trying in 7th grade this year). The Principal got approval to get a split Language Arts/Reading position that will teach one block in 7th grade, and the other in 8th grade - his/her room will be in our team area so we'll see quite a few 8th graders in our area, which should be interesting. She doesn't know when the position will be filled, so we've been told to expect a sub for the first week or so.
We had a cookout today to celebrate our Very Big Deal Government Mandated Test Scores which were amazing. We basically kicked butt over nearly all the other middle schools in the county (including two "rich" schools) and all this with a free and reduced lunch population now at 60%, not a whole lot of parental support, and kids that were, to be nice, a handful.
Tomorrow, more meetings, and I need more time to get posters hung up, and some copies made before the cherubs arrive on Friday morning.
Here we go!
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6 comments:
Isn't it amazing how every group of kids is different from the year before? Last year we had a wonderful group, the year before not so wonderful.
Good luck and don't forget to breathe!
Congrats on the scores! You rock!
Aaa, yes, time to curb the bad habits developed over the summer (reading into the wee hours, on the computer at 3am) and focus on new curriculum, new and not so new students, and PLCs. (Professional Learning Community) Mrs. Bluebird, do you have PLCs? Do they work or are they another way of having a "staff meeting" without actually having one? (this is what our "teaming" time turned into last year)
Here we go, indeed! I'm right behind you! I hope you have a great group of students this year, but I also hope they are goofy enough to see some interesting posts! :-)
It is kind of a shock to the system going back to school in early August. I know: We started on the 3rd!
Wow! High five on those test scores!!
Good luck with your first days. You sound like you have a great school and do a great job for your kids.
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