Limeades for Learning

So donorschoose.org is running this program at Sonic and if you buy a drink there will be a code on the cup that you can use to vote for teacher projects. Since I am a registered teacher you can vote for one of my projects and they will fund $500,000 worth of projects in September. Spread the word. Easy way to fund projects for public schools.

Limeades for Learning

Funding

I have been funded three times in the last week for my class. It has been amazing to see the support that I have been getting. I received about $1000 worth of supplies for my class from a local engineering firm and two fundings from donorschoose.org both totaling around $500. My theory is, don't sit around complaining because you will be waiting a long time to get anything.

Here is one of two articles that ran locally.

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Kudos: Mead & Hunt Inc. Lends A Hand

On August 5, the Learning Center at Bannon Creek Elementary School received a call from a local engineering firm Mead & Hunt, Inc. They had found the classroom through adoptaclassroom.org and wanted to help a Natomas school after hearing about supply needs through the local media.

Later that same week, the company had a fundraiser for the Learning Center. The next Monday, Mead & Hunt reps brought six large underbed storage containers full of supplies, along with 60 boxes of Kleenex, and 5 backpacks full of paper goods worth approximately $1,000.

"It was an amazing sight to see, knowing how much my students needed supplies as well as my colleagues and their students," says teachers Lisa Claussen. "My fellow teachers were so excited to be able to get things that they really needed and could use right now."

Claussen says the best part of the contributions is that four Bannon Creek students have been able to get the new backpacks they needed.

"To see a child with no backpack or sharing a backpack with another sibling, is truly heartbreaking," she explains. "They are overjoyed to have their own bag to bring to school."

Richard Harris, Kristen Michaelis (both employees of Mead & Hunt, Inc.), Lisa Claussen (Bannon Creek Learning Center Teacher, & Linda Wilkinson (Principal-Bannon Creek)

End of Vacation

When I wake up tomorrow, my vacation will have officially ended. I love to go to work, but I do like staying at home too. I think the biggest part about going back to work is all the time I will be missing with Izzy, but she is at a great school and I am thankful that I make a good living and have the flexibility to have such long vacations. I have the best of both worlds. I am ready to start my 7th year of this adventure in teaching. It has been a good start so far with my district being proactive with giving me an additional aide (although my caseload was increased) and the biggie, I have a larger classroom. Good part is that I didn't have to move. The psychologist who use to share with the counselor (who was laid off), is moving to a classroom right across the way, and I have accordian doors, so we are going to have them opened about 10 feet and we now have 5 distinct teaching areas, the flexibility to move around when we teach, more storage, more wall space, and hopefully a quieter environment. We will see. Now, I only have to teach for 19 more school days and then I get a vacation. Wooh, I am going to need it!

Classroom Budget

So, I got back to school today to just start getting things ready. I am suppose to report back on Friday, but I felt like a couple of hours in my class won't hurt, I can socialize with the teachers (adults, yeah!), and Izzy can see her friends and eat at school (I am sure she is tired of Mommy making her a hot dog, applesauce, a piece of cheese, and some chips). [She was eating Fettuccine Alfredo and salad when I arrived at lunch today (of course, she wasn't eating the salad though)]. Anyways, back to my budget. So I went to the office to get my key and chat with the secretaries. I got my copy code and my budget for the year. Are you sitting down for this one?????? One ream of paper. Are you kidding me??????? That won't last long. Now I am surely not in the same boat as some teachers. I am so blessed with donorschoose.org and adoptaclassroom.org. I got a call today from a local engineering firm who is going to have a fundraiser this Friday and they have chosen my classroom because of adoptaclassroom.org. So we'll see what I get. Again, I am just so thankful that I saved so much of my things, proactively purchased materials and supplies when I did have money, and Donorschoose.org for supplying the big things. So now I better start writing a list of things I can use my one ream of paper for.

Mowing Lawns

Okay, I maybe way off on this, but what is it with Northern California women and mowing lawns? I was walking this morning and taking note that about 50% of my neighbor's wives mow the lawn, 25% have lawn mowing services, and the other 25% are mowed by the man of the house. I do not ever remember, anywhere in my childhood, a woman mowing her lawn. I can understand if your husband is sick or has passed away, someone has to mow the lawn if you can't afford to get someone to do it, but come on, it is a man's job. It is sweaty, you get hit by flying objects, you have to push a big, heavy, metal object around, and you have to pour gas in it (I avoid putting gas in the car, that's Paul's job). YUCK! Out of my 5 neighbors, 3 of the women mow their lawns. I have worked too hard in my education to EVER mow a lawn if Paul is around. Therefore, I am keeping my stance on never learning how to mow the lawn because I think once your husband figures out you can mow the lawn, it becomes your duty.