Eventful Week!

Hi All--
The children were "shaking in their shoes" for the start of the school year on Wednesday! Fortunately it wasn't my classroom demeanor that had them shaking, but the earthquake that registered a 5! I was 17 minutes into my very first class of the new school year and was explaining procedures, when my room began to rock and roll into a rumble. I calmly said, "hummmm...this might be an earthquake-what's the procedure for an earthquake"? Quickly, every student got under their desks and covered their heads--LOL--seriously. I remained standing as the smartboard projector swayed over my head--DUH--but my desk is in all the way in the back of the room!

Never a dull moment in Alaska!

I had a very fun visit with some retired TC teachers--Kay Walker, Inra Kirt, Charlene Hamlin, and Kathy (forgot her last name (Retired-TCWJH). Carrie Robbins was also here from Ninilchik, where she and her husband spend their summers. The gals were finishing up their tour of Alaska here in Anchorage. We had dinner before they caught their flight back to the "Lower 48". It was nice to see some familiar faces from home!

Living off the land--dinner Friday night was caribou burgers, lettuce from the garden, and fresh picked blueberries, all washed down with Alaskan Summer Ale--doesn't get much better than that!

Cooler and rain is the forecast for the up coming week--perfect school work weather!

School Already!

Summer vacation is over--I started school today :(
I am part of Panther Pride Camp--a sort of orientation for 7th graders. It runs tomorrow and Wednesday--then the real deal starts on Thursday with 4 days of inservice. The "happy" children arrive for their first day on August 19th!

This year I am teaching language arts and social studies--busy girl aye! I have a new classroom that is just awesome (thanks to Katie and Sue's help!) Let's hope it help motivates the little darlings!

I have done some major traveling this summer from Fairbanks to Seward to Homer! This is all good since my first unit is about Alaska: geography, history and literature.

I went blueberry picking last Saturday at Hatcher Pass (a stunning state park) with Cheryl and Frances--teachers from Kansas City. It was a bit like lions and tigers and bears--Oh My--LOL! We definitely weren't in Kansas anymore! None of us had done this before and were a bit freaked out about bears...no fear though, too many other people picking as well!

It is beautiful today--73 and sunny...figures with school starting!