Yearbook #2

When I was first hired as the Yearbook Advisor, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I had ZERO experience in yearbook and didn't have the first clue how to run a class. I. Love. It! This is my second and probably my last book. I am so very proud of it. Of course I have a bias opinion, but I think it is so much better then last year's book. We titled it "You had to Be there". (You may remember when we had the vote a year ago). I can't lie, I am not totally in love with the cover. I requested something different a few times but I guess they just couldn't see my vision.

This year I did a few things different that worked so well.

• I had all the photobars with the kids name over their picture. Turned out really good.
• I assigned all photobar and featurette people to diversify the book
• I got 3200 students in the book at least 2 times
• Our entire book is uniform
• The opener pages look amazing with spots on campus without students on the first page and then the same picture with the same angle full of students. It looks really rad. Following the theme "You had to Be there!" It is one of my favorite parts.
  
  

I also changed the format of the Senior pages and I am super proud of them. I can't tell you how many hours went into these pages. Each Senior had the chance to take a personality photo that I cropped out and put next to their studio picture. They turned out so well, i am just loving them! They also got to put a quote with their name. I think they turned out just perfect. I also made a special effort to notify and invite the Seniors that had missed with passes and personalized flyers. (good thing that didn't take forever). I am so proud of them!

I want to claim the book as something that I did but really the credit goes to my students. The photos were so much better then last year. The book overall just looks so good. And my heart jumps with a bit of joy to see the student body crowded around as they look at those pages. 'sigh'. A job seriously well done!

I am sad to leave. I love the product and all the work that goes into it. I suppose that I will now have to just make yearbooks out of my life.

Mighty Change

The school system in California is suffering. This is a fairly well known fact. As a teacher, we are seeing the pinches drastically. Last week our sister high school was deemed as a "non-improving" school. All teachers on that campus will loose their jobs and the principal has been fired. Some will return but only about half. Yesterday the district distributed RIF notices due to budget cuts. 175 teachers will be let go at the end of this school year; many from our campus. Today our principal stepped down leaving the school without leadership.

I am often curious what my circumstances at this school would have been next year if we had not already planned on moving. Mighty change is on the move in our world. It is time to brace ourselves.

3 down...177 to go

School has started! And I'm 3 days in. The start of school always comes with such excitement. Kids are usually on their best behavior this week which is a huge bonus. They also are wearing their best attire which is fun to see what is "new" and "in". (Both of which I am not!) Even I turn up dressed up a little. Its funny, by late October I'm wearing jeans to work almost every day. But I do try to dress professional until my motivation runs out!

A few things I hope to do a little different this year:
1) On the agenda-I want to use more descriptive "action" words rather then just writing the basic what we're doing. Things like finish, or begin, and create, analyze, take, compare, read. Being that this IS an observation year for me, I figure its a great chance to start out something different and new.

2) Use TeleParent! I was so excited when it started 3 years ago. Then I didn't use it at all last year. So I'm going to try to keep my parents informed of upcoming tests and assignments, as well as positive things the kids are doing. Just to keep them updated.

3) I'm going to incorporate a rewards program on Friday and have a more official "Funday Friday" moment. (complete with song and dance!)

I am reminded how much I do love my job. I love my classroom-I just feel like it is so organized and functional and welcoming. Some rooms on campus are not so-and I like that mine is. It does take a lot of hours to get the year off the ground and running. I always say I can't wait until October when we're all in the groove and we know how the system runs where it just pretty much runs itself and I just teach my lessons. Since starting so early this year, I suppose that time will come end of September.

Our weekely Thursday Morning meetings are still in full swing like last year. I hate them! They are 5% functional and 95% lame-o. I promise we could achieve what is done in the hour there in an email. Whatever. I use to just go to every-other one or so. This year we have an administrator who is teaching 1 period OF MY SUBJECT! So he attends the meetings too as a part of our department. CRAP-O. Guess this means I have to go. That bites!

I've been unofficially yet officially "fired" as the Class of 2010 adviser...I think! (figure that one out!) Not sure if this is because I couldn't create a good homecoming float or if the kids were just sick of me! Whatever. I'm not too broke up about it. I'll miss the stipend at the end of the year but-with yearbook I'll still have some play money too!

P.S.- I stood in as a sub for the typing class this afternoon-an easy 50 bucks. Of course I sat down at an open computer and practiced my typing speed. Apparently I type at about 90WPM. And I can't lie, I loved it when all the kids gathered round to watch my fingers fly. Nice! Pretty sure I'm going to teach my kids to type by their high school years. I can't believe how many still hunt and find! Knowing how to type is so much more efficient. -- The end --