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Saturday, June 14, 2014

Celebrate - June 14


Several things have made me very happy this week, and were each a cause for celebration:

1) Coaches' Training - I spent four and a half days in training for literacy and numeracy coaches this week.  Two of the days were specifically geared toward the technology tools we were given to help in our jobs and how to best use them for productivity and sharing of knowledge.  The rest of our time was spent on clarifying the vision we will all have as coaches, planning for our first cycle of coaching, and valuable time was spent getting to know one another, as well as our administrators.  I am so blessed to work with such a unique group of talented people.  The bonds we built this week will be beneficial as we work through this new journey together.


2) Lunch - Many of us ate out together for all 4 days of whole-day training.  Any educator reading this post understands how lovely this was.  Not to mention, the conversations we had that were so meaningful, both personal and professional.  An hour together each day in a relaxed setting, with great food was a true gift.


3) Weeding - I came home from our half day session on Friday to find that the man who does our edging, weeding, trimming, and mulching was here.  Our beds had become disasters, overgrown with weeds, and because poison ivy is so prevalent, I am no longer able to weed without becoming a swollen, itchy mess.  So I was delighted to see him and see all the work he had already accomplished.  As much time as I spend sitting on our screened porch, having lovely beds to look at makes the porch even more of an oasis of peace for me.

4) Porches and Patios Tour - Several years ago, some educator friends from varying districts started getting together to talk about technology, our classrooms, and our lives.  Our conversations originally were centered around the queso dip we all loved.  It has morphed into something altogether different now.  In the winter, we gather at our favorite Mexican restaurant to share queso and talk, but in the summer, we begin what we like to call our Porches and Patios Tour.  In this tour, we circulate our meetings to our various porches and patios.  Great food yesterday, followed by our summer staple, Handel's ice cream.  Smart women, great conversations, LOTS of laughter,

wonderful food = lovely afternoon.

5) AllWrite - Looking ahead just a bit, I am very excited to be headed to Warsaw, Indiana, for AllWrite this next Wednesday.  Another favorite staple of summer will happen then - #carPD!


Thanks for stopping by - I hope there were celebrations in your week as well.  For more celebrations, visit Ruth Ayres' blog.  Thanks so much to Ruth for hosting this happy celebration event each Saturday!




11 comments:

  1. Porches & Patios Tour?!?! I LOVE it! What a terrific idea! Have a great time at All Write! Wish I could be there!!

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  2. Love the porches and patios idea. I might steal that one! And yes- lunch with colleagues is the best. Time for conversations both personal and professional is such a gift.

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  3. I envy you your training, Karen-sounds so great! Hope to hear some tips at All-Write! See you soon!

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  4. The porches and patios tour sounds like an amazing thing. It sounds like you have a great group of colleagues and friends.

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  5. You will have to give me the short version of AllWrite for kindergarten! As for my celebration, I am sleeping in my own bed and walking with a cane.

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  6. Wishing we were joining you at AllWrite - hoping for next year. Enjoy your gardens!!
    Clare and Tammy

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  7. Karen,
    You have much to celebrate! After all, you yard looked amazing, the food WAS DELICIOUS, you porch was divine. I enjoyed reading and hearing about your newest endeavors. I wish I was able to go to All Write, but everything in our house has been fixed or replaced in the last 60 days…lol. I'll be stalking from the Twitter feed. You should probably FaceTime me into #carPD….as a technology experiment, of course.

    Cathy

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  8. Your tour sounds dreamy! "Smart women, great conversations, LOTS of laughter,
    wonderful food = lovely afternoon."

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  9. Love each of these celebrations and so fortunate to be joining YOU on several of these!

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  10. Work is no longer a job when you are surrounded by such great colleagues. What great learning opportunities you have. I especially like the porches and patios concept. :-)

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  11. So many things to celebrate. Anyone weeding any part of my yard would be a huge celebration. Porches and Patio tour? LOVE! And All Write? Cannot wait! See you soon!

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