Scary times

I went to the girls' Elementary School yesterday to drop off an inhaler (my little one is asthmatic). The nurse spotted me and said "come in quick" frantically. So I quickly skipped into her office and asked "what's going on?" She replied, "we are practicing a lockdown drill of the school, if you don't get out of here in 5 minutes, you will be locked in with us."

Needless to say, I got out before the lockdown drill began.

Last night at dinner, Cal said "we had a lockdown drill today."

me "what was that like?"

Cal "it gave me butterflies"

me "what was it like?"

Cal "the principal said on the speaker, 'teachers lock down the school'"

me "so what happened next"

Cal "the teachers locked the door and pulled the shades down and we went to the cubby area"

me "did your teacher explain why you are practicing this"

Cal "in case a dog comes in the school we need to stay safe"

me "ok, well that sounds like a good reason to keep your class safe"

Cal "right, or if a man comes in and tries to shoot through the door" (I am sure another child told her that scenario)

UGH

I understand the need to keep the school secure and ready for that type of emergency. And I am thankful that it only gave Cal a mild case of the butterflies. My older daughter was completely unphased by the event. Its just a sad thing that we live in a world that has to take these precautions in an elementary school.

~T

Increasing Instructional Time

In Massachusetts and across the country there is a growing movement to increase the amount of instructional time students receive by lengthening the school day or school year. While this is not a mainstream practice yet, "The Expanded Learning Time Initiative" is starting to gain some serious traction. Approximately 15 schools in Massachusetts received multiple year grants to cover the cost associated with longer school days and years. This is still a relatively new experiment but early data seems to suggest positive results such as better attendance and less tardiness in schools with increased instructional time.

What do you think?

~T

School Fundraisers

Should I be offended?

My daughters came home filled with entrepreneurial spirit the other day announcing that they were going to win all kinds of prizes by selling (or funraising) for their school. Apparently my tax dollars aren't enough or even an override (passed on in my town last year).

Okay, I do understand that fundraising is now part of my life with school age children. In the past I have sold softball raffle tickets and countless amounts of girl scout cookies (there is nothing better than a Caramel deLites when PMS is hitting , am I right?)

The folks that are running this program actually pulled my children out of class for 1 hour to teach them how to sell wrapping paper, magazines and chocolate.

1 HOUR?

Not only that, but they dangled these "wonderful" prizes in front of them for selling a certain amount of items. Now Cal, my little one would be ok with the glow in the dark pen she will get when she sells my dad $12.00 worth of Gourmet Chocolate Malted Milk Balls (otherwise known as Whoppers). But the older daughter has her eyes on a Glow in the Dark Frog Alarm Clock. The good news is, she only has to sell about 75 rolls of wrapping paper, chocolates or magazines...yeah sounds easy enough??

Obviously, she cannot go door to door to do this. We do have neighbors who we can safely call on to buy stuff from....if it weren't for the fact that their kids are also selling the same stuff...

So now I am guilting my coworkers and relatives to buy $12.00 Whoppers and Magazines...

I think what really offends me most is that they took my kids out of class to pressure sell them into selling....(and I get dirty looks when I bring them in late because of an orthodontist appointment.)

Am I wrong?

~T


"I'm gonna show you and everybody else that Willy Loman did not die in vain. He had a good dream. It's the only dream you can have - to come out number-one man. He fought it out here, and this is where I'm gonna win it for him."- Arthur Miller, Death of a Salesman, Act 2

Are we ready yet?

1 week from tomorrow, school in my town starts (yes before labor day-boo hoo)

Are we ready?

No we are not.....

My favorite back to school picture from 3 years ago (above).

Where did the summer go?

Why does back to school stir up so many issues for me?
-End of Summer
-Post childhood stress
-The hunt for the perfect apple crisp recipe
-Patriots season
-RedSox breaking my heart in the post season???

Part of me has no use for summer after the 4th of July...Part of me thinks that this summer came racing to a close too quickly...where is my perfect tan?