Back in School

September 1st. I'm back in my classroom. I have to get the class ready for school on Tuesday. I took the AMTRAK train home yesterday--if you need to know why I'm two days late in coming to work, check out my summer vacation blogs on this site. I arrived home late, did not get a good sleep, began my walk to school (all of four miles), and got lucky and received a ride from a former teacher at my school. We had meetings in the morning and I was able to get my room almost ready in the afternoon and in the ninety period before school started. (I arrived at 7:15AM.)

What did I do today?

Cleaned the classroom,
placed tables in their correct place,
put all of the furniture where they are supposed to go,
moved twenty boxes,
created a classroom library by sorting through over four-hundred books.
organized science library,
organized science table,
distributed items for primary grades received during the summer,
went to meeting at 8:45,
listened to presentation from Julex,
listened to presentation on standardized tests in reading, math, writing and science,
explained to faculty about the Lest Restricted Environment Project (only to find out
nothing in the plan that I asked for was received),
presented to the faculty how my classroom did so well in science (we scored in the 90’s
on the standardized science test),
listened to presentation from Newton’s,
watched DVD for inspiration,
sang song, “We’re On the Move”,
worked on bulletin boards—five of them (received major assistance—didn’t have to
work on them anymore,
organized entire room,
put away all of the boxes,
organized classroom work for Tuesday—first day of school,
wrote letter to parents,
wrote classroom rules, expectations, consequences
homework and school supplies,
created first part of word wall—science vocabulary terms,
set up computer,
received three in-kind grants during the summer and inventoried them,
assisted a former student in getting a poem published,
went through over three hundred pieces of mail—mail from the summer,
worked on some correspondence,
attended a CSMI meeting for science,
wrote out my class list,
wrote my supply list—but this is so limited—and I am told I may get it on Tuesday
(index cards, writing paper, two dozen pens and two dozen pencils),
checked my Board of Education email,
etc., etc., etc.

It was hectic and I was manic, but most of it is done.

The assistant principal has just made an all call that the school will be closing at 6:00 sharp. It's almost six now. Gotta go.