it's like a dream

Maybe I should not have gotten out of bed this morning...

I was enjoying my first day of getting up without the alarm. I finally got out of bed and began checking my e-mail on my i-phone and immediately I saw an e-mail from the National Board for Professional teaching standards. The first thought that went through my head is, "oh, maybe they are confirming my appointment tomorrow for my test." Nope. They are contacting me to inform me about HB3029 in our state that is putting the scholarship on the chopping block. This means that between 2011-2013 they are proposing to drop the funds for the scholarship for future applicants. For years our state has made money available to help teachers pay the $2000 dollar fee for applying for national certification. This is the same scholarship that I received, this only impacts future applicants.

So, the next priority on my day off: check facebook. Usually facebook is mindless and entertaining. However, I ran across a post from a teacher friend from my school. She has posted a newslink about our school district's budget woes. Here is the headline: More than 300 teachers in their first year with the district are getting letters that their continued employment prospects are uncertain in the face of proposed cuts of $16.8 million.

Now I wonder if I should have just stayed in bed. What does this mean for me?

Thankfully I do not fall in the category where my position is directly impacted by these budget cuts. This does mean we may have to deal with larger class sizes and I am sure there are other factors I haven't even thought about yet.

My husband and I are always discussing how God has put us in the right places at the right times. With my job right now, I am definitely feeling that God has taken care of us. Now is probably one of the worst times to get your foot in the door into education in our state. Amazingly enough, I got in right before things hit the fan.I recieved the scholarship for national board already and I am a year two teacher in my district (I have previously worked in two other districts). It looks like I have barely squeaked by...but I know it is my heavenly Father who is placing me in the right places at the right times. In the midst of these hard times in my profession I am feeling blessed.

a happy working song

Today I didn't mind having to clean things up. As soon as my classroom was clean and "in order" I was able to leave work for the summer! I celebrated the beginning of summer vacation by going home and taking a well deserved nap.

Of course, if you know me...I'm still going to be busy. I have no intentions of sitting around much. Tomorrow I will be doing some last minute cramming for my National Board test. I go Wednesday to take the test. Then on Thursday I will be attending a technology workshop. So hopefully by Friday things will calm down and I can get a hair cut or something.

I'm almost there

Last Friday I finally mailed off my portfolio entries for National Board certification. They were received today in San Antonio and signed for by Jessie.

Now I just need to take a test for it sometime in May or early June. Then I get to find out if I passed in December. If I don't pass no need to panic. All of the points I earn count toward the 2nd attempt and I only redo the parts I don't score so well on.

Since Friday I've been able to finally get around to getting the house back into order.

For example we did not eat at our dining room table for a while due to this:




We have been back to sitting and eating at it since Saturday night. Yea! (Not sure if hubby shares my excitement on that one)



Now for a random story. So, I bought a new celebratory pair of jeans Saturday. Celebratory because 1 I met my deadline for turning in my entries and 2 I am back to my smaller sized pants (I went up a size while working on my project). They seemed a little snug in the back, but I was able to zip them and I just thought well, new jeans are tight they'll stretch.

I go to wear them for the first time and remove all the tags and almost forgot the sticker they put down the back of the leg (I forget that one a lot!) All the tags are off and they just seem weird still. I touch the back pocket and it has something in it. The pocket has a button and I open it up and I find these:



They were not attached to the pants they were just sitting inside the pocket. Very weird! It's amazing I did not get poked by one of those while trying them on and also amazing that I did not set off any security alarms. Very bizarre.

whistle while you work

Today I am jealous of Snow White and not just because she is a Disney Princess. I wish I could be cleaning today, but instead I should be writing my last entry for national certification.





So why am I on here? Well, I have to do something FUN on my computer to help keep my sanity.

This afternoon was my second outing from the house since Sunday. I went to Target to purchase Princess and the Frog on blu-ray with my birthday money that I haven't had time to spend yet.

Then I wandered over to the cleaning supply aisle. It smelled so wonderful, so fresh, so clean. It's sad, but being around those wonderful smells excited me. So I stocked up on everything!




Look out! Once my entries are post marked and in the mail I am going to attack the dust that has been all over the house. Can't wait.

Nice to be back

...but only for a moment

Usually this is an exciting time of the year to be a teacher. Spring Break! I usually get to go do something fun!

For example....

Last year we went to Galveston with Bob's family and got to hang out all week there and around the Houston area.










Two years ago my sister and I hopped on a plane to visit our cousin in San Fransisco.






Then, the first year of teaching, I spent my Spring Break working on wedding plans with my mom.



This year I believe will be the most unexciting Spring Break plans thus far: work on my entries for national board.

Spring Break will look more like this...










The goal is to get them ready to be printed off by this time next week. The official deadline to get it mailed and post marked is March 31st.

It's getting close to the end,not much time left. So, I shall disappear once again, and hopefully be back by the end of the month.

I've been given the gift of time

Sometimes I like to talk big. All school year I've been saying how whenever we have our ice storm I will use that time to sit down and do some serious writing for national board. Sounds like a grand plan, however, when there's laundry to do and the husband is home too, it's harder to put your nose to the grindstone. Well, tomorrow I'll be home alone for about eight hours and all of the laundry is done, so we'll see how much writing I get finished. Also here are some pictures I took while I was NOT working on my portfolio.

everybody's got a laughing place

Laughing is a very natural and healthy part of life. I feel that if you are not able to laugh at some things, then you might be taking life a little too seriously. Laughing helps me to be able to enjoy life. Why am I feeling the need to say this? Maybe because I laugh a lot. Maybe because my students tell me, "Mrs. Kennedy, you laugh a lot."

However, this week I've been a little pre-occupied with video taping for my national board project, and I just need a good laugh to help relieve some of the stress. If you would need a good laugh too check out the videos below. These make me laugh every time. Enjoy!

Single Lady Clown



Injured Bad

things are gonna change

About a month ago I found out for sure that I would be back in my building next school year and I got to sign a continuing contract with the school district. This month I found out that my grade assignment next year will be changing to 4th grade! I am way super excited about this because originally I have always wanted to teach 3rd or 4th grade and my major actually covers this grade level. I learned and adapted to teaching kindergarten and it has been a good experience, but it's time to move up. There may be times I might miss kindergarten next year, but I am looking forward to working with older more independent students.

Also this is what I will be working on becoming next school year:


I just found out last week that I received the scholarship that I applied for to pay for national board certification. This is a huge deal for me. 1. The scholarship pays for the $2500 application fee and 2. I've been planning on doing this ever since I began teaching.

However, completing the national certification process will be a ton of extra work on top of everything I already have to do at school. I am up for this challenge, but there will just be a lot of change next school year for me. I think all of these changes are going to be good ones, maybe not always pleasant, but overall for the better.

(Plus, in honor of summer, time to change the background of this blog!)