Yes Friends, I'm Still Alive and Kicking!

     Have you been wondering what the Queen Bee is doing Way out West?
To be truthful I have been a busy bee! My first year in the desert I was in 1st grade.I  must admit I am not a fan of teaching 1st grade, unless I am co-teaching, like I did in 2004-2007 back in Clermont Florida, now that was a good time! This time around, yeah not so much fun, but I did work with a bunch of great people and loved my administration.Did I mention I was in a portable? I haven't been in a portable classroom since 1999. The best thing about the portable is YOU are in charge of your own 'weather'! We did have a lot of fun in that portable. We made ice cream on Nevada Day (aka Halloween) and we got to fly kites in the big field behind our portable...no one comes out to visit you much in the portable, did I mention I love my administration. In fact, they let me move up to 2nd grade the following year!! (I love 2nd Grade) I got to go to my first out of state conference too. I flew to LA for the NSTA convention...it was so much fun! (Even when I fell down, skinned my knee AND didn't spill my Skinny Vanilla Latte) The low point was when on the last day of school we found out that our Assistant Principal was leaving us to open a new school across town! We were all heart-broken!
     I taught 2nd grade and co-chaired the grade level, as well as  did district wide science curriculum professional development classes for the science department as a little side hustle, that first year in 2nd grade. I got to keep 6 of my kids from my 1st grade class, mostly because the rest of them moved to other schools, or to California. There is a lot of mobility in our schools in Southern Nevada. Again, I got to work with a good team, in fact two of the teachers who taught first grade decided to teach second grade too, so that was great! My class was sweet, just a few tornadoes, nothing a seasoned teacher couldn't handle. Still in the portable, but the school is now under construction as they are building a new building. We are so excited, waiting in anticipation as to which grade levels will be housed into the NEW building with all the latest and greatest  technology? But it won't open until the end of the school year, so why even start dreaming now...right? My second year in the desert is going great, we have a new Assistant Principal, she is just as nice as the one who left us all heart-broken at the end of the school year. Everything is going along so well... Then a  rumor went around the school that the Principal was leaving too! So I asked him if it was true and it was, BUT relax, he was asked if he wanted to go to a middle school, and he turned it down! (sigh) Things were pretty normal from then on, I got to go to another conference, this time in Philadelphia, during the Super Bowl Parade (Mad House)..everything was quiet until the end of the school year when they finished the new building and announced which grade levels will be moving into the fancy tech castle! Kindergarten, Third and Fourth...wait...NOT ME? Nope...I boxed up all my gear and moved into the OLD building....but to tell you the truth I got the BIGGEST room on campus! Yeppers!
     So here I am in my third year in the desert, my 25th year teaching! I've been teaching HALF of my life! ...Anyhow...still in 2nd, this time no co-chair, just team leader all by myself. Still same administrators! Three new teachers on our team, they are FANTASTIC by the way, and my class looks great...oh yeah! You know it was coming, 'that kid' yep, they assigned me 'that kid'! I don't know how I survived as long as I did? Really, he took a lot of patience and time away from my other 19. I got hit. His mom, told the Principal and the SPED teacher off, in fact she changed schools in December...it's all a blur. Then in December at the same time, our Principal was moved to another school, just like that! We were left with NO principal, none, from January to May we had 'subs' then they hired a new Principal. However I won't be staying at this school, it's not because I didn't get to move into the new building, it's not because I don't like the new principal, it's not because I didn't go to a conference this year...  it's because I found a school 10 miles closer to home, that has a Principal that used to be my Assistant Principal, remember that heart-breaker? Well she is going to be the Principal at my new school! So excited to be getting a new hive close to home! This is my son's senior year of High School, so every penny saved counts!
     I am planning on continuing my bog at my new school! I am planning on writing about the literacy ideas I am implementing and the math strategies I am using too! I am also going to be giving you the details of my life to keep up on me! Sorry I have been out of touch! I need to remind myself this is important too!