Evening, all.

What a day! Geez... I swear, these kids are absolutely amazing in what they do at times.
In the on-going saga of ED-land, we had a team meeting for him today. The 2 ED teachers, myself, the principal for our programs, and his guidance counselor plus our Dean. Let me tell you, it was a rocking meeting! The one ED teacher totally got on my case and said I punish him too much. Mind, now, this is the same woman who didn't answer the email I sent her about setting up this meeting, and STILL hasn't gotten with me about the English books though she's been asked 3 times. She HAS a planning period. AND a duty-free lunch. The least she could do is give me the freaking textbooks!
I explained to her, carefully and slowly, what led to this behavior: he had been warned multiple times last year that if his transitioning behavior didn't improve, he would be escorted, and that if his cafeteria behavior didn't improve, he would lose that privilege as well. In the first 4 weeks of school he has: body-slammed kids, been late for class multiple times, been found wandering the halls on the 2nd floor, threatened 2 students verbally while posturing, and screamed at the cafeteria staff and me because his mother changed how his meal plan worked (he's only allowed to buy regular lunch). He's had a scale of discipline: lunch detention, warnings, not earning points on his point sheet, before school detention, then this. Anybody else doing this behavior would (especially the threats!) be suspended! I've kept him from being suspended everytime except once, when he threated both a teacher and the assistant principal. I know that in the ED program they only make him do Math, which is his strongest subject, and its easy math... and only make him do 1 or 2 worksheets before he's allowed free time. I set much higher goals for him because I know he can do it. He does get plenty of positive attention from us...
He definitely seeks and wants any kind of attention. A lot of times when we give him positives, he refuses them or twists it around. He'll tear up the reward tickets, refuse to get his point sheet signed, refuse to use a positive he's bought with points like lunch with me (and me paying!) delivered to school, or a gift card to the movies or a magazine.
Then, after hearing that, I hear that his father (who is just like his son, no basis in reality!) called the school and demanded that he be removed from all of my classes (I said he could go to the ED program full-time, then, because they're using the same materials I use for some kids, and got a dirty look from the female ED teacher who said I punished him too much!). The father says he wants this because I am a detriment to his son's mental health, I'm a micro-manager, and I don't let him look at girls! I swear, my reaction was like, "What the ?!" which is not my usual reaction to anything!
I don't let him look at girls!?!?!?
We finished the day with a fire drill and one of my girls telling the severe disabilities teacher that she was dizzy, and allergic to peanuts... and that she'd had a peanut butter sandwich for lunch! Not smart. Did it during the fire drill. They got her in a wheelchair, took her to the clinic, called 911, the works. she's not allergic to peanuts. At all.
I had a totally awesome math lesson planned as a follow-up to the one we did Tuesday, and didn't get it done because I had to deal with that. I was not happy.
As for the wellness program: Well, no...its targetted for people with those health conditions, and I don't have them. They work with you to lose weight and exercise and eat better. I don't have perfect eating by a long shot, but I'm not too bad... I do exercise (well, I'm not now because of that stupid vasculitis!), and really... i'm not going to lose weight on any program they recommend. And that is just a huge blow to my self-esteem... to never lose weight even when following a strict/specific program.

Casey,
I totally agree with you! In 11 years, I've only had 3 good TAs... one I'm still friends with, and one is my current TA. He is catching the same kind of attitude you talk about from the other TAs in our school right now. I don't have a planning period, because I have kids all day every day. I wasn't supposed to have kids all during 2nd period, they're supposed to be off working, but my one kid comes back from adaptive PE during that time, the other doesn't have a job yet, and the third starts next week, one day a week. So, they're still there, which means I need to plan for them! And our kids need supervision in the cafeteria, plus one of us has to babysit our ED kiddo in the classroom till he earns cafeteria privileges back. So, my TA, has chosen to be the one in the cafeteria and to get his lunch/break after we're done...but he still does it in our room. Initially he was doing this because I was really sick from the surgery and allergic reaction... and couldn't handle being near food at all. That's pretty much passed, unless (like yesterday) its fried chicken. He mentioned it at a TA meeting, and our Dean tried to set it up so he'd have a break. He's hourly, and so by law is required to get a lunch break. He told them its becuase I don't have a break, I'm usually there at 7:45 to do things for the day, do things at night at home, and after school... etc, etc. Well, the one TA totally gave him and me attitude this morning when she came down at 11:30 to give him a break and get his lunch. He didn't want it, and she got upset and said she was leaving because she didn't want to be involved in anything shady or that could involve a law suit.
HE thinks they are upset with him because he does a lot of stuff he doesn't have to do also... he helps teach, makes copies, sits with the kids during lunch, splits community work periods with me (usually taking the harder of the jobs because its hard for me to stand for long periods of time with my ankle!).
He also coaches girls basketball and does all kinds of things for his team. They are ALWAYS coming to see him! Even the varsity players do.

Evening Ladies,
The week is almost over. I think as the school year goes on, my weeks seem to get longer and longer. It must be the 10 hours that I work extra for the afterschool program. Then all the running I have to do in the evenings when I get home from school. This weekend I don't have a lot planned. I am going to the football game tomorrow evening with my dh and the kids. Then Saturday I hope to make another trip to Curves, deliever some of my Avon orders and go out Saturday night for dinner with some gals from the afterschool program. So hopefully I will have a nice relaxing weekend. My game plan is to get my lesson plans done tomorrow afternoon before I leave the building. So I don't have to take them home with me over the weekend.
I did make it to Curves this evening. I really need the visit after spending the day cooped up with my kids in our room due to the rain. Don't you know it stopped raining when they were dismissing for the end of the school day!
My kids told me this afternoon they all wanted to come home with me this evening and have a sleepover. I said I am sorry but I don't think the school and their parents would allow that. Plus I need my break away from them for a little while. They said they still didn't care, they really wanted to come home with me. That is cute but scary at the same time.
Ginny, sorry you had a long stinking day. Hope you were able to get some rest. Sounds like you have your hands full with MM's little brother. That was nice of the principal to ride with you this afternoon to monitor the little boy. I don't know of too many principal's that would ride the school bus to monitor a child's behavior out side of school. Glad you got your walk in and tape. I hope the scale fairy is nice to you tomorrow. You desevere after the long week you have had on your bus.
Melody, I agree with you on the aides pay. I think they get a very poor pay schedule at all schools. I know that my aides don't make a whole lot of money and it is hard for them to raise their families on their salaries. But they love what they are doing. In our afterschool program, teachers get paid $18.00 an hour and teacher's aides get paid $13.00. So atleast it isn't a big slap in the face like at your school with the summer school pay. Hope you got your WATP tape in this evening.
Hi to Trob, Casey, Angela, Pam, Robyn and Mouse. Hope you all had a wonderful day. Just think the weekend is almost here.
Well I am headed off to bed. Talk to you all later. Have a great day tomorrow!
Kerry

Mouse..that's what I mean. I enjoy planning for my spelling center (I actually got upset at the thought of having it taken away). I like making newsletter and after reminding the teacher about making a field trip form, making one. (BTW, I was the ONLY one in the entire school who thought about making this flyer to send home to parents a week ahead of time). Normally the secretary does it and we don't have one right now. The day before at a meeting it came up and everybody was flabbergasted that the parents hadn't been told. I like taking over a class to help the teacher when she is behind, has a meeting, etc. I don't mind coming up with on the spot stuff if unplanned absences occur. I don't mind being the counselor and dishing out discipline. I don't mind looking up new activities over the weekend or staying late to clean up the room because there is no time during the day. I don't mind grading papers (love it actually). I don't mind staying late for planning time so I know what's going on too. The principal gave up trying to make me leave. LOL. These are all things I get crap about from other aides or teachers from time to time. Don't do all that. Your teacher is supposed to. Today they called my teacher lazy. Gosh I hate having to defend myself and my teacher all the time. It is a blessing when a team is so fond of each other and work well. My teacher actually doesn't ask me to do stuff much. I just know what needs to be done. I like it that way. It's less like ordering and more like we are just doing what needs to be done together. I love my job and would feel much better if I didn't have to defend it. Everytime I do something I'm proud of, I make the mistake of showing someone. I'm proud. Then comes the "You are doing that? Why are YOU doing that? You shouldn't be doing that. That's her job." I would like to say its because she is on probation and they want her to be fully accountable but the truth is these attitudes happened last year too. Grrr...

BTW, when peeps complain that I work for free alot, I have to remind them I enjoy it so much I came a week before school and helped out anyone that needed help. I LIKE it.

Todat was payday!!! We were finally given a $1500 raise. My check was only $24 more. I was confused until I noticed they docked me 3 hours and said I had 0 sick days left after being on maternity leave. WHAT??? I thought I was suppose to have 7days left. I went to the office and we pulled up my file and all my sick days. I had missed 23 days in 3 years out off 30 so yes I do still have 7 days. Thankgoodness I caught it cause the computer had wiped my days clean. I was able to pick up a second check after school.

I am getting the stroller tomorrow for $50. That was exactly what I wanted to pay. New it was over $150. It is a graco like the one I have now so my carseat will snap on.

I need your prayers tonight for FIL. His kidneys are shutting down and he is in the ICU. They will begin dialysis tomorrow through his jugular since the stint in his arm hasn't healed enough. dh is very upset. He is going to spend next week with him.

OMG OMG OMG!!!! The end of the 2004-2005 school year one of our teachers was arrested for child molestation that took place in his classroom. Last night the jury convicted him on all 12 counts!! I got chills when I heard the verdict. It is just so sad. One of the students was moved into my classroom when the story broke in 2005. It is just so scary to think what people can do. And no one ever suspected him. He was teacher of the year, dressed professionally, well liked and active in the church. It just goes to show you, you never know.

Hi. TGIF! I hope you all have a good weekend!

Morning all.

Baby: Wow, that is really scary. My co-leader at one of my Red Cross chapters was also convicted of child molestation. We had no idea... not a bit. He did boy scout stuff, softball coach, etc, plus he was in my classroom & around my kids when we did Red Cross stuff. I was really freaked, but so very glad that my TA and I NEVER EVER left any kids alone with him. That's just how we were: we didn't leave them alone in any community locations with anybody because they were only 11-13 years old, and we both figured that was too young. I taught middle school at that time. I'll be thinking about you & your family, also.
Kerry: Hope you get the nice weekend you deserve. I'm heading to my mom's house in a little bit. I promised her that I'd get there early because I'll have to go have dinner with my father. :sigh: I'll also have to go over to Panera tomorrow to do work for both my math class and my graduate class. Or maybe Borders. I'd rather go there, but the wireless there isn't free. Borders has better drinks.
My ED Kiddo didn't come to school yesterday because the school said he's staying with me. I talked to my Dean in the morning, and then my TA and I went back to talk to her after that... We showed the Dean all the stuff we have in place for him and all the positives he can earn/get. We talked about his behavior and noted that most of it isn't even happening in my room (except he does tend to refuse to do his reading work). Then, later, my principal also talked to me. She said that they are going to meet with the parents (Dean, ***'t principal, head principal) and take me & the TA out of the loop so the parents can redirect their focus off of us. She is totally backing me, our TA and the program. That is totally awesome. And for those of you that knew me before I came to this school... you can only imagine how I feel right now!!!! It really is just amazing that they are behind me 100%. The Dean had actually told me that the principal was going to talk to me yesterday; she wanted to warn me because she knows how I tend to react when an administrator wants to talk to me... all because of that last place I worked, really... I was nervous before that because I don't tend to have good relationships with my principals, but that last place really took the cake.
Need to leave for my mom's, I'll chat later.

Hi everyone! As usual the weekend was over too fast! I am so ready for a longer break from school!

Today is my weigh-in day at Weight Watchers. According to me scale, I am down another 3 pounds, but we'll see what the WW scale says this afternoon.

Last night I tried a WW recipe from one of my friend's cookbooks and it was really good. It was BBQ meatloaf. My husband liked it and that's good because he's wary of anything from a diet cookbook. He says he's going to start dieting with me today and I hope he will.

Well, I hope everyone has a good Monday.

Hi everyone. I had my weight watcher weigh-in today. I lost 4 more pounds. So far, I have lost 11 since joining Weight Watchers and a total of 30 since Jan. 1. Things are going good!

Wow what a busy day! Friday afternoon we were told we had to mak a quilt for the fair due by today at noon. Friday we also had a kickball tournament to go to. So this morning nothing got done but the stinking quilt. This town is crazy about the fair. The fair grounds are about 150 yards from my school. The parade is tomorrow and we don't have school on Griday so everyone can go to the fair. Thursday my class is walking over to see the displays and animals and get an icecream sandwich. Friday I will be taking my son.

BTW I finally got my stroller. I love it! We have gone out the last three evenings.

Evening, all.
I think I feel similar to Angela, because we didn't get a whole lot done today. I was out on Monday for Yom Kippur, and there wasn't a sub. That's really unusual if we put a request in before the date. I put mine in like 2 weeks ago... Apparently, the secretary in charge of it put the wrong date on it. I typed it, and had saved a copy, because the secretary said she thought the 2 looked like a 6. I had it. Not that anybody in my school said anything, but just in case...
My ED kiddo came back yesterday, too... but left all his Reading work at home and can't find it. He's not supposed to take his stuff out of the room, so we were off to a roaring start this morning. He had also taken my book home with him, but somehow that didn't get lost.
We went to the Red Cross, but our bus driver wasn't happy... she doesn't like the most direct route, so we kinda went around our elbow. Then, we found them doing paving on the street in front of the chapter, so she had to go in a grocery store parking lot to turn around to get us there. And the parking lot is really small, so all in all... it took us 40 minutes to go 20 miles. And we got back late... The plan for Science was to put together their nutrition books and do the first 2 pages with one graphic organizer. It took us the ENTIRE PERIOD to get the books together because they couldn't follow oral directions. I think that they used up all their brain power at the Red Cross, because they worked really fast, and did a really good job while we were there.
Now, let me ask you guys this... a lot of you are parents... If you knew your daughter was calling boys on the phone and talking to them about sex, and inviting them to your house to "get to 3rd base"... and your child's teacher told you about this, and said that they (school) was supervising your daughter during lunch and not letting her sit with boys... would you TELL THE TEACHER IT WAS OKAY????? I think I'm going to let the guidance counselor handle this one! I'm just shocked. I mean, these are boys in my class, and I do have a good group... they are either supervised everywhere, outside of school and can't get to her house or they'd never do it... but what if she asks another boy in school????

That story about the allergies and peanuts cracks me up!

Whoohoo on your raise babybelly. Any increase helps!

Wanna hear my funny story? Well we have class toad. (Stop reading if I've already posted this before..lol). Last year the class made up of all girls enthusiastically collected bugs for the toad. This year half girls and half boys will not touch bugs but are movtivated to push me into collecting them. I'm squemish but I manage. One day the boys were getting very rowdy in the bathroom and I couldn't figure out why. After they tagged me and ushered me in there, I quickly found out why. There was a bug in the urinal and they actually expected me to dish it out!

On another note, my MIL and SIL are both probably getting evicted from their apt by tomorrow. We tried to help. They won't help themselves. They won't even get foodstamps even though they more than qualify. We've done what we can not only with our own money but in trying to help them find resources to help themselves out.

I finally lost another 2 lbs. That makes 4 since school started. LOL.

WTG Smart 2 pounds gone!!!

Well I guess all of our hard work on the quilts paid off. We placed 2nd. That means we get $240. I think the money goes into the PTO fund. Didn't go walking today because we were at the parade. Won't go tomorrow either becuase I will be at church. I actually miss my walks when I don't go and my body starts to ache. Not losing any weight right now, I think TOM is trying to go on a date. UGH...

Hi everyone. I guess we are all really busy this week because there has not been a lot of posting. I can't believe it will be Friday already tomorrow. This week has been so busy and it has flown by fast. Now I just have to make it through six more weeks until we get a week off for Thanksgiving!!!

I have been doing ok with WW this week. I have been tracking my points and actually using all of them this week. I hope that I will still lose though since I am not going over my points.

I just found out today that I have another 3rd grade Special Education student who has been here since the beginning of the school year. He is from California and his paperwork has been in the school office all this time. Poor kid hasn't been getting any of the help he needs. I went in and did an observation on him today and will be writing his IEP next week. I feel bad that he hasn't been getting help, but all I can do is try to get started right away.

Talk to you all later.