The Greatest Love

So tonight I got to stand on stage in front of a crowded auditorium and sing our school song, "The Greatest Love." Don't worry, I wasn't by myself. The entire staff had to do it. Did I mention that there is no air conditioning? The funniest part is that I was near another staff member who was not gifted in the vocal department but either a) thinks he was or b) doesn't care. Either way, I appreciated the entertainment.

School officially starts on Tuesday, September 2nd and I'm working on being ready. My classroom is coming along but it has been a huge undertaking. I'll be thankful when it's done and I'm actually in the groove with kids.

Sam's had a good week at training. They had to recite this five paragraph mission statement that was quite lengthy and his trainer said he did the best--no surprise here. If you've never seen Sam in action, he's good. He gets to come home tomorrow and we have a few things planned for the weekend (one of which is going to a bonfire at La Jolla Shores).

We hope everyone has a safe and fun Labor Day!

"Firsts"

This was a week of "firsts" for us. Sam started his first (of seven) weeks in Riverside and I started my first week of professional development at my new school.

Sam really enjoyed his first week saying that it "exceeded his expectations" and that it was "fantastic." The apartment that they put him up in is really nice and it even has two flat screens! The complex has a pool, which he likes to use after training, and he joined a gym that is nearby. He also met a guy named Eric that he really likes a lot and has been hanging out with. Tomorrow, however, he gets to come home and I can't wait!

My week has been spent in trainings and prepping my classroom. It's a little bit of culture shock but I'm slowly adjusting. The staff is really friendly and I met another new teacher, Veena, who is in a similar boat. She moved here two weeks ago and is living with her sister. Neither of us know anyone down here so we have something in common. :)

Head of the Class

Today was the end of week 1 (of training) for Sam. He and his classmates have been studying all week for this comprehensive exam that they had to take today. It was sixty-five questions and should have taken about 1.5 hours. Well Sam, the smarty-pants that he is, finished in 20 minutes AND got the highest percent in the class...a 94! To reward him for his efforts, he got to come home at 11:30am while everyone else had to stay until 5.

What did we do with our time? Well, we went to Fry's (like a Costco for electronics) and Sam bought me a new laptop, which I am currently typing on. We had a yummy, greasy lunch at Taco Bell and then we went to the beach. Sam also learned how to surf today. We were hanging out with some family friends and he just grabbed a board and was off. He did really well and actually caught a few waves. Not bad for a first-timer!

I received my school schedule for the next two weeks....intense is all I have to say. It's all professional development but every minute is accounted for and it's good stuff. I have a feeling that I am going to be pushed this year but if it makes me a better teacher, I'm down.

Well, Sam and I feel as if we are at a bittersweet point in our lives. Monday he's off to Riverside to train and Tuesday I start stuff for school. Back to the real world. We can't, however, complain, because we have had an 8-week vacation together in San Diego. What more can you ask for?

Love to everyone!

Celebrate!!!

I am officially employed!! I did my demo lesson and they loved it and offered me a job on the spot! I will be teaching 7th grade English and history--the exact same setup as Reyburn. This school is definitely going to push me; the director expects a lot, but I'm up for the challenge. I report for professional development next Tuesday and school actually starts on September 2nd.

Sam had his first day of work yesterday and he loved it!! Life is good! He said that their training is very intense but that it will give him all the tools he needs to be successful. Given the size of the binder they gave him, I hope so! So this week he trains in SD but next week he's off to Riverside. He'll train there during the week and then be home on the weekends. That training is either 7 or 8 weeks long, we're not sure yet.

We've seen a couple more friends since the last post. Amy Chambers was here (she helped me with my lesson for today...thanks Amy!) and Darlene Hanson was as well. Today we are having a beach picnic with a friend that we met in Italy (Feliche's friend Dominico).

We continue to be in awe at how wonderfully things have worked out for us and we are very thankful. We miss everyone of you and hope to hear from you soon!

**PS...I have no idea how to make the pictures smaller on here. Can anyone help me??? :)

Interview Season--Part Two

Well, I got asked back to both of the interviews that I went to last week! I did round two for a school called Mueller yesterday....talk about a daunting process. I had to be there at 8am and didn't leave until 2:30. I met with parents, talked with the IT/Financial person, did a panel interview, gave a presentation, met with the school psychologist and school counselor and finally, taught a 90 minute lesson to second graders. I didn't feel like it was the best I've ever done but one really great thing came out of it....I know I am not a second grade teacher (the position is for a 4/5 combo though). If they like me, there's still another round.

The other school that I got called back for a 7th grade language arts/history position. I do that demo lesson next Tuesday (with 7th graders).

Let's see...we've had more visitors since I last wrote. Sarah and Dave came to see us for a couple days and Jeff Eben was in town as well. We all got to hang out and I got to see my (former) student Sean again too (Jeff's nephew).

Sam's getting ready to start his first week of training in San Diego on the 11th so then it's back to the real world for him. He's definitely ready to get going with this job but he's loved having summer vacation with me!