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Wrapping Up
May. 22nd, 2014 06:24 pmDang, I'm farther behind in my posting than I'd thought! So I've gotta go two weeks back. Let's hope I can get everything! We're back to that Saturday when Mary Beth's parents were in town. We did the Greek Fest and it was lovely out. In the evening we did Central Barbecue on the deck and it was also awesome weather for it. That Sunday we all went out to my parents' and had a real nice gathering of families. The nephews were both there and they were climbing all over me and it was fun. Overall it was a good visit. As Mary Beth said, it went as best as could possibly be expected.
Then last week was wrapping things up school-school-wise. Gave my exams on Tuesday. Then the next two days were graduation practice. Since I have/had a senior homeroom I had to participate in the ceremony by calling their names as they walked across the stage. Wednesday the practice was in the auditorium. So I got to not be in a few classes. Then Thursday was just awesome because we met for rehearsal at the convention center and I didn't have to clock in at school. And I didn't have to be at the convention center til 7:30. I got to sleep in a whole extra hour. Then afterwards, before I went back to the school, I briefly swung by the apartment and got to say hi to my lovely wife. Thursday was the day my Bleep:10 cd showed up in the mail. Throughout this time, when I did have classes and after the exam, I was just showing movies and giving a makeup exam here and there. Friday was graduation. It was fine. I did my part on stage and the whole thing lasted the "usual" two and a half hours.
Last weekend was a bunch of watching movies. Mary Beth's been on a documentary kick so we watched a few together, Paris Is Burning, The Act of Killing. We also watched Easy Rider (hadn't seen it since I was in high school or close to it, I was pleased it held up). Sunday we went to the Brooks to see The Gold Rush. Saturday I did go over to Jacques's for a bit to try some mastering work with the fresh perspective of a different stereo.
Then there's this week which is just really wrapping things up. Back to block schedule. It really started the not seeing of many kids. And fewer and fewer each day. Also I finally started getting my stuff ready for close-out. The gradebook's the big time consuming thing. And I was up pretty late working on it the last two nights. But man, today I got it done! I'm signed off on everything except EOC scores. They came in this afternoon. I had heard the rumors that they were in the building so I waited around til 3 and figured we wouldn't get 'em til tomorrow so I went home. Well, just about right when I'd walked in the door I got the text from Dr. Hunter that we could pick 'em up so I drove back to the school. I guess I'm ambivalent about my scores. I didn't reach my benchmark percentage (32%, which is kind of ridiculous given previous Algebra 2 passing rates). My rate was about half that, 17% (excluding the two that didn't take the test). 5 kids "passed" (I only have one Algebra 2 class of 32). Though it's pretty ridiculous considering what counts for "passing" (for us). They're broken down in below basic, basic, proficient, and advanced categories. We only get counted as them having "passed" if they're proficient or advanced. Well, I had two kids score an 85, that means they get a B, and they're counted as basic, not passing (as far as the teacher's and school's scores are concerned, not their grade average). So yeah, the wonderful, sensical world of public education and standardized testing. Anyway, my numbers aren't great. I didn't meet my benchmark (only halfway there). But I was worried they could be much worse and I would have none of my kids pass or only one or something like that. Last year there was a teacher who had a lot of Algebra 2 classes and he didn't have any kids pass. So I landed in a pretty mediocre place. Well, okay. Anyway, the past two days when I had two or three kids in my class, had them follow me around as I went and got signatures. Oh, yesterday I also got to have a super-proud teacher-moment. As we were walking around, I had two kids in my fifth period class. One was talking to the other behind me about his future plans: learning game design in college. I asked if he does any coding and he said he was going to learn it in college and LeDarrius (his friend in the class, I've probably talked about how wonderfully nerdy he is before, and he ended Geometry with a 99) was trying to teach himself. I asked if he'd seen codecademy before. He hadn't. The other kid (who isn't at all the nerdy type) actually had in one of his carrer/technology type classes they work on it sometimes. Well, after we got back to class I got him to create an account and he was working on it and plans to keep doing it during the summer. I dunno, that felt pretty awesome. Maybe in a decade we'll be coworkers, hah. Today I got my gradebook checkout with Mrs. Newman complete! That's the big one everyone's always terrified of. After getting it all in order last night I was feeling confident. And she even said "very good" (first time that happened). Okay, still had to wait for EOC scores to update that class. Then the rest of the day I just had nothing to do! Really awsome at first, then I got a little antsy 'cuz of the one looming thing I just COULDN'T do. Well, a nice thing was we had planned a potluck for today that happened. A bunch of food was brought in. Mary Beth made her sweet potato mash dip and it was awesome. Mrs. Black was really into that. She also had made pickled watermelon earlier and I brought that too. Later Mr. Evans (the assistant principal, older man, ex-marine, he's a pretty great administrator as an aside) came in and tried 'em and ate a bunch and started flipping out about 'em. The second jar hadn't been opened yet and he asked if he could take it and then said he wanted the recipe. I was very proud of my wife's culinary prowess. While we were all enjoying food and company someone said we should have been doing these pot lucks all year. Yeah. I really appreciate the power of a potluck with coworkers now. Was kind of a real bonding moment, and right as I'm leaving! Oh well, it was a good time. Slint documentary's tonight. Pretty soon. Hopefully I'll have time to update those grades tonight. We'll see. Feels like there should be something else to say, but I can't remember nothin' so I guess that's it for now.
Then last week was wrapping things up school-school-wise. Gave my exams on Tuesday. Then the next two days were graduation practice. Since I have/had a senior homeroom I had to participate in the ceremony by calling their names as they walked across the stage. Wednesday the practice was in the auditorium. So I got to not be in a few classes. Then Thursday was just awesome because we met for rehearsal at the convention center and I didn't have to clock in at school. And I didn't have to be at the convention center til 7:30. I got to sleep in a whole extra hour. Then afterwards, before I went back to the school, I briefly swung by the apartment and got to say hi to my lovely wife. Thursday was the day my Bleep:10 cd showed up in the mail. Throughout this time, when I did have classes and after the exam, I was just showing movies and giving a makeup exam here and there. Friday was graduation. It was fine. I did my part on stage and the whole thing lasted the "usual" two and a half hours.
Last weekend was a bunch of watching movies. Mary Beth's been on a documentary kick so we watched a few together, Paris Is Burning, The Act of Killing. We also watched Easy Rider (hadn't seen it since I was in high school or close to it, I was pleased it held up). Sunday we went to the Brooks to see The Gold Rush. Saturday I did go over to Jacques's for a bit to try some mastering work with the fresh perspective of a different stereo.
Then there's this week which is just really wrapping things up. Back to block schedule. It really started the not seeing of many kids. And fewer and fewer each day. Also I finally started getting my stuff ready for close-out. The gradebook's the big time consuming thing. And I was up pretty late working on it the last two nights. But man, today I got it done! I'm signed off on everything except EOC scores. They came in this afternoon. I had heard the rumors that they were in the building so I waited around til 3 and figured we wouldn't get 'em til tomorrow so I went home. Well, just about right when I'd walked in the door I got the text from Dr. Hunter that we could pick 'em up so I drove back to the school. I guess I'm ambivalent about my scores. I didn't reach my benchmark percentage (32%, which is kind of ridiculous given previous Algebra 2 passing rates). My rate was about half that, 17% (excluding the two that didn't take the test). 5 kids "passed" (I only have one Algebra 2 class of 32). Though it's pretty ridiculous considering what counts for "passing" (for us). They're broken down in below basic, basic, proficient, and advanced categories. We only get counted as them having "passed" if they're proficient or advanced. Well, I had two kids score an 85, that means they get a B, and they're counted as basic, not passing (as far as the teacher's and school's scores are concerned, not their grade average). So yeah, the wonderful, sensical world of public education and standardized testing. Anyway, my numbers aren't great. I didn't meet my benchmark (only halfway there). But I was worried they could be much worse and I would have none of my kids pass or only one or something like that. Last year there was a teacher who had a lot of Algebra 2 classes and he didn't have any kids pass. So I landed in a pretty mediocre place. Well, okay. Anyway, the past two days when I had two or three kids in my class, had them follow me around as I went and got signatures. Oh, yesterday I also got to have a super-proud teacher-moment. As we were walking around, I had two kids in my fifth period class. One was talking to the other behind me about his future plans: learning game design in college. I asked if he does any coding and he said he was going to learn it in college and LeDarrius (his friend in the class, I've probably talked about how wonderfully nerdy he is before, and he ended Geometry with a 99) was trying to teach himself. I asked if he'd seen codecademy before. He hadn't. The other kid (who isn't at all the nerdy type) actually had in one of his carrer/technology type classes they work on it sometimes. Well, after we got back to class I got him to create an account and he was working on it and plans to keep doing it during the summer. I dunno, that felt pretty awesome. Maybe in a decade we'll be coworkers, hah. Today I got my gradebook checkout with Mrs. Newman complete! That's the big one everyone's always terrified of. After getting it all in order last night I was feeling confident. And she even said "very good" (first time that happened). Okay, still had to wait for EOC scores to update that class. Then the rest of the day I just had nothing to do! Really awsome at first, then I got a little antsy 'cuz of the one looming thing I just COULDN'T do. Well, a nice thing was we had planned a potluck for today that happened. A bunch of food was brought in. Mary Beth made her sweet potato mash dip and it was awesome. Mrs. Black was really into that. She also had made pickled watermelon earlier and I brought that too. Later Mr. Evans (the assistant principal, older man, ex-marine, he's a pretty great administrator as an aside) came in and tried 'em and ate a bunch and started flipping out about 'em. The second jar hadn't been opened yet and he asked if he could take it and then said he wanted the recipe. I was very proud of my wife's culinary prowess. While we were all enjoying food and company someone said we should have been doing these pot lucks all year. Yeah. I really appreciate the power of a potluck with coworkers now. Was kind of a real bonding moment, and right as I'm leaving! Oh well, it was a good time. Slint documentary's tonight. Pretty soon. Hopefully I'll have time to update those grades tonight. We'll see. Feels like there should be something else to say, but I can't remember nothin' so I guess that's it for now.
