The Vaccine Scramble

I can not even begin to tell you how disappointed we were as a tutor team to be by-passed for the second round of the Covid 19 Vaccine.  We understood the first round of twenty vaccines the district was allotted, but why were teachers younger than us getting shots before us?  Especially since we were quite at risk as we worked in the lunch room while the students were unmasked and eating as well as at outdoor recess where the students were also unmasked.  We put in a minimum of an hour and thirty minutes a day with unmasked students.  Something was not right . . .

Our supervisor went to bat for us and as of tonight we're all scheduled for the third round of educator vaccines.  Sam, too.

 

My Little Hockey Player

You may remember that all through distance learning, three mornings a week, I had a fifth grade hockey player who arrived at least ten minutes early for his reading time and together, we read his first book ever!

Jen, the other fifth grade tutor, and I were joking about how when we returned to the classroom this same young man who was so eager to meet with me three mornings a week, would probably not even give me the time of day.  

Boy, were we wrong!  Monday morning, a group of us were in the hallway chatting and out of the bathroom came said hockey player.  "Hi, Mrs. Zupke!"

Today was even better!  "Can we go to your room and finish my book?"

Glory!

Droolin' Moose Diet!

I started my new diet plan this week.  I call it the "Droolin' Moose Diet."  Every day I eat well (translation:  no Cokes, no junk food, just healthy choices), I get a piece of Droolin' Moose chocolate before bed.

You'll be glad to know that so far, I've lost five pounds!😆 

Lars' Library

We have four fifth grade rooms at Oak Hills.  Aimee's and Suzie's rooms are by far the most inviting and beautiful.  Julie's isn't bad.  Then there's Lars'.  He still hasn't changed the sun-faded bulletin board paper left over from the teacher before him, and he's been there for quite a while!

Yesterday, he asked Jen and I to help him with his class library.  He had all his books on shelves and he was just thinking we would sort them to the correct genre and put them back on the shelves.  

Now, Lars knows my hub is a fifth grade teacher and it just came out of my mouth, "Even my husband knows you don't just put the books on the shelves.  They need to be in bins.  Can we bring you up to 2021 and put them in bins?"

I can't make this up.  Lars went to the science cabinets and got out the Foss Science bins, complete with sand residue in them.  Foss dates back to the 1990's.  He said, "Use these bins."  Praise God, there were not enough!

He ended up going to the Dollar Store last night and buying 30 new bins to use!  We finished up his library today.  Vast improvement!  It looks so much better - even with eight Foss bins still in it!

  

Thankful Thursday!

We did MAP Testing yesterday at Oak Hills.  I was put in Miss Hamari's kindergarten room.  There is nothing sweeter than helping little kinders figure out how to do their testing, getting thank you's and hugs from them.  I am so thankful for my new job!   

"It's Not What You Know, But . . .

Who you know!"  That was proven so true this past Wednesday afternoon at work.  Micah's fourth grade teacher at Christina Huddleston is now the job coach at Oak Hills Elementary.

When Micah was in fourth grade, I volunteered in Janet's room every week, always saying, "Give me the tough kids.  I can handle them.  You need a break."  So Janet gave me the tough kids and for one hour a week, she had a break.  

Fast forward to Wednesday.  On Tuesday night, I had taken a class toward becoming an Apple Teacher.  In order to get my certificate, I have to pass six different classes.  Tuesday's class was on the iPad.  I swear not a thing on the test was taught in the class.  So I asked Janet to help me after I had failed the test for the umpteenth time (there is no limit on the number of times the test can be taken).  We went to her room.  She had her iPad and her iPhone and I had my iPad.  It was hard work, but together, we passed my test!  Thankfully . . .   

Monday's Milestone!

I reached (and passed, I might add!) my 2300th mile at the Y today.  I started mile 2200 on February 27, 2020.  I had reached 2211.75 miles when we had our first Covid closing on March 13, 2020.  

Over the summer, I put in some good miles and was at 2283.5 when we closed again for Covid in November.  Once the Y reopened in January, it took less then a month for me to reached that coveted 2300 miles! 

It's a happy day for the woman with two bionic knees who can no longer run.  Thanks for letting me share my joy!