School News

PHEW! That's the most "clear" statement I can make right now. It has been a stressful month--more than what my most recent months have thrown my way.

Last month, I took the state's LBS-1 exam...That's Learning Behavior Specialist, for those not in the know. So, here's the thing. When the test answers are done on a bubble sheet, does it REALLY take a month to score? Of course not. But there you have it. I FINALLY got my results last Friday and passed the test with flying colors. One more exam to take--but I'm going to wait on that one until early next year. It just doesn't matter right now, so why add to the burden?

The LBS designation will, once I complete my summer classes, become an endorsement on my current teaching certificate; I will be able to teach special education classes within the field of language arts, grades 6-12. If our district offered an elementary-grade language arts program, I could teach that as well...but no such animal exists. The test next year will, once the NEXT year's classes are complete, provide that mighty graduate degree...which won't get me a job, because no one wants to hire a master's candidate. So I've got to be thinking about that process.

Final grades were posted for my "spring" classes last week, too. Of course, "spring" really means "winter," because the classes spanned January through the 1st week of May. That's more WINTER to me. But--neither here nor there. The important thing is that I ACED my classes and scored another 4-point-oh semester. Too bad grad students don't make the dean's list. Of course, I suppose that's because you have to get at least a B in your classes or you have to re-take them.

I enrolled in a 3-week crash course in interventions for math and science...last Saturday I completed the first day, and am now swimming in reading, videos, and projects which must be completed before the upcoming Saturday. I am strangely calm about the whole process...I say "strangely," because that is NOT LIKE ME. I think it's because there simply isn't enough time to get upset or worried about it. You gotta do what you gotta do, if that makes sense.

There are a few other professional things going on right now, but I won't comment on those until there's more to tell. I don't want to say more than is appropriate...

My kids, bless their hearts, have been busy with school stuff--I feel quite neglectful, because I have not had the proper amount of time to devote to them. Chickie's Girl Scout Troop is bridging from Juniors to Cadettes on Wednesday, which is exciting to them and pulls on my heartstrings a bit...I've been with this group of girls since they were 1st graders, and it's been a bumpy (but cute) ride watching them grow to these young ladies they are now. Chickie had a monster choir performance last week--probably 500 kids there...Insane by any standards. Bud has a solo coming up in next week's band performance. Lucky me, it looks like I'll be able to attend that performance!

Dear Hubby is the BEST. He supports me even when I'm being a psycho freak show. How much better could it get? Oh, yeah--he and his buddy built us a pergola on the patio last weekend. What an awesome guy! Of course, it was warm enough to sit out that evening and enjoy it, but it's been too warm, too windy or too cold since then. But that's okay--it's also cutting down quite a bit on the sun coming into the family room window, which is making it cooler in the family room. Hope that trend holds once the REALLY hot weather comes! Maybe I'll be able to spend summer on the patio, doing my homework out there...the table is juuuuuust close enough that my laptop cord will reach!