Welcome to Fourth and Fifth Grade!

First week of training is over. Believe it or not I am really tired. Today's orientation on the Galileo computer system was b-o-r-i-n-g. Luckily we were in a computer lab and had limited access to the internet to distract us. Galileo is an internet site designed to analyze test scores and make predictions about how students will perform on assessments like the AIMS. Obviously our district is paying big money for this service and the makers of Galileo are making bank. Why is it that NCLB benefits people like that and not the teachers and students it is supposed to be helping? The lady training us today probably makes way more than we do and we are the ones who have to miraculously find time to give hour long benchmark exams to our classes and take a ton of extra times navigating this stupid website to interpret a bunch of charts and graphs that really just tell us what we already know. We are aware of which kids need help, thank you.

Anyway, my desk is where I want it. I got my schedule and I actually have a planning period. Twice a week..better than nothing. Still don't have a class list. The computers in the district are down and Sheila, the wonderful secretary, is typing everything up the old fashioned way. Meaning on a typewriter.

Lots to do still to get ready for the big day.
Prepare a list of procedures. I want to give one to each student to keep in their binder.
Prepare the rules and consequences to post.
Arrange student desks.
Put up paper and a bulletin board outside. I just found out that I have one!
I'm sure there is more I am missing..


Count down to the first day of school: 9 Days!!!!

Love,
Ms. Bee

ps. Congrats to the Horse Show Queen!!!!