The August Rush

Back to school.

No sooner than I had neatly folded my flight suit from Space Camp (neatly folded for me, anyway) it was time to face the next task at hand: set up and prepare my classroom, as well as continue to drive, write speeches, and attend my scheduled events - in no particular order. For real. I had been working on getting my room back in order all summer, but there are always things that have to wait to be completed until August. I have been randomly going into my room to finish a bulletin board, drag in a new (purple!) bookcase from the yard sale down the street, and place books, name tags, and school cones on my students' desks. So my life hasn't been much different than any other teacher's in West Virginia for the past few weeks - with just a few minor exceptions.

Before I tell you about the events that have been stuffed in between the meetings and paperwork of a new school year, let's step into my classroom. Getting back into almost normal mode, being with kids all day, has been much needed oxygen. Tomahawk is my second home, and I must say, it's good to be home. My little piece of Utopia right before you get to the Morgan County line gives me some routine and normalcy that has been absent in my life for the last 11 months.

Welcome to 5th grade! 

The students that made this quilt for math are
graduating from high school this year.

Spo-nomics, our classroom economy.

The Schultutten is a school cone that children in Germany
receive on their first day of school from their families. 

Now back to (my) reality.

The beginning of the month (August 1st, actually) had me back in Charleston to serve on committee for professional teaching standards. I've lost count how many times I have made the trip across the state and have memorized how many miles it is on each Interstate (8.8 on I-81, 22 on I-70, 112 on I-68, 148 on I-79, and about a mile on 1-77. Yes, that is five Interstate changes.). Last August 2nd, I was being interviewed as a finalist in Charleston, in the same building. This time last year seems like a lifetime ago. It is both humbling and mind blowing how much has changed in my life since last August 2nd - and how little I expected to happen when I walked out of those doors of the Capitol Complex. More on that in another post.

The beautiful gold dome of the WV Capitol

The following week began with a dedication of the new Hedgesville Public Library. This serves the students in the area where I teach, and it was...wait for it...FUN to be close to home for an event and facility that serves students in my school district. Seriously, I had tremendous joy to see familiar faces of former students, parents, and community members that I hadn't seen much of over the last year.

I donated a copy of The Fingertips of Duncan Dorfman,
a book I always read to begin the year and kick off our classroom
Scrabble team.

The puppet theater is the Eagle Scout project of a former Tomahawk student.

 You can view my speech at the library at this link, because Blogger is being contrary and won't let me embed it.

The next day I attended the Berkeley County Chamber of Commerce Breakfast for the new teachers in our county. It was exciting to see some of the beginning teachers I had spoken to, as well as some that I met at the colleges where I presented at over the past year. From Martinsburg I hopped (no, I drove, no hopping for me) to Wildwood Middle School in Jefferson County to speak to their teachers on their opening day.

The amazing murals inside Wildwood Middle School.

And Wednesday...that was my opening day, and evening orientation to meet my new students and parents for the year. If I were a car, I would have two gears: teacher of the year, and Mrs. Sponaugle. So I geared into Mrs. Sponaugle mode for the rest of that week and into the next, getting to know my class, collecting paperwork, and learning a new schedule. And getting reacquainted with colleagues I haven't seen much of over the past few months.

By Friday of the following week, it back to teacher of the year mode. I drove up to Morgantown Thursday evening after school and got into my hotel room just in time to log into Twitter and lead a WV edchat on teacher leadership. The next morning I spoke to teacher education students from across the state at the inaugural Pre-service Teacher Workshop of the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission. Video of the event will soon be available on their website.

Cheat Lake

With student from WVU at Parkersburg

More WVU at Parkersburg students

Ohio Valley University students

Next week it was back to school, to gear into Mrs. Sponaugle mode - for two days. Wednesday I attended the bi-monthly board meeting of the Education Alliance at the Greenbrier during their annual Business Summit, then headed from there to Charleston to begin the process of starting another teacher on this incredible journey.

The Greenbrier...and Berkeley

Inside the Greenbrier

Inside the annual report of The Education Alliance. That is a
very big picture. It's even bigger when you aren't expecting to
come across it.

Then I landed head first into a pillow (well no, I taught Friday), then I landed head first into a pillow to begin this three day weekend with a little rest. Next week I make a trip to Flatwoods and a trip to Charleston. The odometer on my Prius will surpass 12,000 by this time next week. If that sounds crazy, it's because it is. It is staggeringly hard to maintain it all, and have a semi-clean house. And eat right. And exercise. And make sense when someone asks me a question (as in, be in the right gear, teacher of the year or Mrs. Sponaugle, because sometimes my mind hasn't caught up with there I'm at). There have been 178274935 tabs open on my mental browser since last October 9th. I think I just added seven.

But I haven't and won't complain(ed). So much good, so much joy, so much hope for the future and for future opportunities has shown itself to me and others because of this experience. It's almost (well, it is) too much good, too much joy, too much opportunity, for one person. Yet, even though it has seemed like this day would never come back in the insanity of March and April, this chapter of my life is coming to a close. Things are winding down. There's still more to come, but within a different context. I'm hoping to take the month of September to reflect on some of the behind-the-scenes experiences that have brought me to this point and on what's to come.

Stay tuned.

July: All the non-Space Camp events

I want to tell you all about Space Camp, and I will. July was a packed month, Huntsville aside. So before I go into my adventures from last week, let me recap on all the non-Space Camp related activities.

Technically, the ECS policy forum was in July as well. As soon as I got off the train coming home from that event, I went to a reception for the Eastern Panhandle Community Foundation, the organization that recently established a scholarship in my name for Shepherd University students. After a day of finishing with ECS sessions, sitting on the train tracks in a humid, noisy car due to a torrential storm, followed by a bus ride from the train station in Brunswick to Martinsburg, I was spent. It happens.

The next day I headed to Shepherdstown to be interviewed by Cecelia Mason for a story for West Virginia Public Broadcasting and an upcoming article for Shepherd Alumni magazine. Cecelia is fantastic at what she does, and Shepherd is fortunate to have her on their campus. The story on West Virginia Public Broadcasting recently aired, and the article in Alumni will be out the fall. I appreciate the media coverage of my activities, as it's one way I'll be able to remember this incredible year.

Berkeley stopped by the Little House in Shepherdstown

Bears play piano too, you know.

The following week I headed to Flatwoods for a conference on the portfolio changes for the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. This was an opportunity to not only learn about the revisions but to connect with teachers across the state that are candidate support providers. I also was able to meet with two other West Virginia Teachers of the Year, Eric Kincaid (2007) and MaryLu Hutchins (2008).

An amazing West Virginia cloud picture I took from my hotel room

This sign sums up how many directions I've been pulled in this year.

On Friday of that week, I was in my classroom to record segments for American Public University's teacher education program. A special thank you to Vice President Conrad Lotze and the media team of Lori Whitacre, David van der Goes, and Drew Broadbent for coming to Tomahawk and being fantastic to work with. Students at APU are all over the world, working on degrees through distance learning. I'm excited that my insights into education are going to be viewed and discussed by teacher education students from all corners of the earth. Technology allows us to have an unfathomable impact on others.

Ready, set, record!

Working in the media and in education are similar in that
you must have a passion for it.

Behind the scenes...

The following Monday I was in Charleston to speak to the Alpha Delta Kappa sisters at their biannual Southeast Regional Conference. I was recently inducted into ADK and am looking forward to opportunities forthcoming to serve the community through this organization. I also reached 10,000 miles on the odometer on my Prius on my way home from this event. Yes, I did.

Charleston Civic Center

SER Conference Choir

Rep. Shelley Moore Capito speaking to ADK

Welcoming ADK sisters to the conference

Quickly captured the milestone with my phone...then put it away.

With the exception of a meeting to prepare for next year's National Board cohort in Berkeley County, the rest of that week was spent preparing for International Space Camp in Huntsville, Alabama. I will tell you ALL about that experience over several posts, but condensing that week into this one post won't do it justice. Until I get some time to write this weekend, here are some teaser pictures.

Yesterday I closed out the month speaking to the principals and administrators in Jefferson County at their leadership academy. What a difference a year makes. This time last year I was at Berkeley County's leadership academy as an attendee, sweating out the notion that in T minus three days I would be having my finalist interview. Many (as in a room full) stayed after the academy was over one day to let me practice my speech with an audience. Just one of the many times this year I have been supported and lifted up. And then, this year, I addressed a room full of school leaders about just that: lifting one another up to bring the joy and be the voice of this profession. I will post the video of my speech when YouTube decides to cooperate today...or tomorrow...

Speaking at the Leadership Academy

I also hit the "send" button on an incredible opportunity bestowed upon each class of state teachers of the year. Walden University gives each state teacher of the year a tuition free scholarship to pursue a doctoral degree through their institution if they so choose. That's an offer that I'm not able to pass up, so once I determined I wanted to pursue the Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment track, I confirmed that I would like to begin course work at the end of October. I don't know what I will use it for or how it will impact my future endeavors, but it's important to me to have a personal goal to go after - even if it will take a long time to complete.

Last year feels like eons ago. I had no idea what I was getting into when I received a phone call last year that I was a state finalist - and I mean that in the best way humanly possible. It will take a separate blog post to delve into all that has changed within me over the last twelve months. My classroom is almost ready for a new school year, and I'm about to wind down this experience that has changed me and provided me with opportunities to impact others in ways I never could have imagined. A lot can happen in 365 days, and it happens faster than you can blink.

June: Hello, Goodbye

I can write about all of my June events tonight, because beside a possible day trip to Charleston next week (with a half day drive round trip not included), I am taking the rest of the month to be almost normal. Almost, because getting your classroom set up for the next school year isn't on many teachers' agendas as soon as school lets out, but that has to happen with the events coming up in July and early August. Almost, because as I sort through the hundreds of pictures and handouts and business cards, I have to start thinking about what happens next. I have acquired, through the course of this year, an entirely new skill set. I wasn't "coached" or trained on how to speak, write, or network, but those are skills that I have refined in ways I never could have anticipated this time last year. What do you do with that once this experience is over - or is it ever really over?

June as been a "Hello, Goodbye" month. I have four months left...I think. My last known event is in October, but as I said, I don't know what happens next, or if people will still want to hear from me after the fact. I'm meeting new groups and organizations, but I've also begun the "farewell" tour as new people are recognized - which makes me happy. It's meant to be "teacher of the year" for a reason. Number one, there are thousands of teachers that deserve to be honored for what they do in their classrooms, and number two...one person can only extend him/herself so much within a twelve month period, and then it's time to give him/her a break. Being teacher of the year doesn't give you superhero powers - or mean you already posses them. We get tired. And lonely. And sick. Which is why I know I need to lay low for the last full week of June, so I can power through the rest of a restless summer away from home.

Before I forget - all Berkeley County interviews for Be the DifferenceWV are uploaded on my YouTube channel. On my way to Beckley I remembered that I did not go to James Rumsey Technical Institute, a career and technical school for students in Morgan, Berkeley, and Jefferson Counties to interview any teachers...and I drive by it every day on my way to Tomahawk! I am very thankful to their principal Donna VanMetre, who arranged for me to interview teachers Ron Odom and Andrew Albright on the last week of school. So glad I got to learn more about the CISCO networking academy and welding program from these two outstanding people. Career and technical education provides monumental opportunities for students to not only learn a trade but gain a foundation for the business world as well as college.

With CISCO technology teacher Ron Odom

With welding teacher Andrew Albright

I spoke the the Region VI members of the West Virginia Association of Retired School Employees (WVARSE) in Wardensville, located in Hardy County, on the last day of school for teachers. These were retired school employees from the Eastern Panhandle. They were very welcoming and interested to hear about my experiences this year. Many of them are extended family or know my husband's family from Pendelton County :-) It was also nice to meet the 1996 West Virginia Teacher of the Year, JoAnn Harman from Grant County. I'm looking forward to speaking to the state WVARSE members in Flatwoods in September.

With Pendelton County WVARSE members

With WVARSE Executive Director Bill Milam and 1996 WVTOY JoAnn Harman

Berkeley County WVARSE members

Next was speaking to "kick off" the Berkeley County Schools Summer Institute, Extreme Makeover: Classroom Edition. This was half speaking on behalf of the changes occurring in education, and half closing my year representing all the teachers in our county. I spoke on the need to raise expectations for students and the controversy surrounding the changes, as well as how much I have valued representing those in the audience.

Speaking at the Summer Institute

Later that evening was the ceremony and reception for the 2014-15 Berkeley County Teacher of the Year. Yes, two big speeches in one day. No, that's not unusual at this point. I've done three our four, although the pressure was high for both of these, because it was the "home crowd" and I wanted to really do a good job. I'm happy and excited for Holly Branch, a math teacher at Musselman High School, to take on this role, because I know she will have a special year. Thanks to Richard Belisle of The Herald Mail for the follow up story on my travels this year, which you can view at this link.

On stage with the 2014-15 finalists

Giving my reflection speech

With the 2014-15 Berkeley County
Teacher of the Year, Holly Branch

And today, I spoke at American Public University (APU) in Charles Town, located in Jefferson County. I was there as a guest speaker as part of The Education Alliance's EdTalk series, as well as a newly named member of the board of directors of The Education Alliance. I am the first teacher to be named to the board of directors, as this has been a new change to the bylaws of The Education Alliance, an organization that works to promote business and community involvement in schools, to have the current state teacher of the year be a part of their board.

As part of this event I took a tour of the APU campus. Although it is an online university (formerly known as American Military University, originally designed to allow those in the armed forces complete a degree from anywhere in the world), I was surprised at the size and design of the facilities. APU is the second largest online university system, with the first being the University of Phoenix. 70% of those employed with APU live in West Virginia. Students receive a book grant to cover the cost of their texts for their courses, and APU has not raised their tuition per credit hour in 12 years. I was very impressed by APU as an alternative to students who cannot afford a college education at a traditional institution or need to pursue online learning to meet their needs.

The building housing the library at APU

Above the parking area at APU is the largest solar array in West Virginia

The APU administration building in downtown Charles Town
was a hospital during the Civil War!

Where the large window is located was once the operating room
of the hospital. Now it is the president's office.

Back to that EdTalk :-) In the same vein as TED Talks, the EdTalk Series sponsored by The Education Alliance is designed to allow leaders in education to offer their perspectives and ideas for improving education. Senator Joe Manchin also spoke to the audience (via Skype) as well as the president of APU, Dr. Wallace Boston. I was excited to give this speech, because I have been eager to be offered the chance to speak on my views in education, not just my story for how I came to this place in my life. I received a lot of positive feedback about my speech afterwards, so that was encouraging. The Education Alliance recorded the EdTalk event and speeches to feature on their YouTube channel. I will post the link to it once it has been uploaded. I met a lot of other groups and organizations at this event, and I am looking forward to working with some new groups in the next few months.

Giving my EdTalk

Among the many things I discussed were
accountability and teacher retention.

Now what? I haven't had a single shred of free time since...this time last year? Last July I was out of the country, then I came home to find out I needed to prepare for my state finalist interview (more on that in another post), then the school year started...and then  came October 9th. Nothing has been the same since. That makes both happy, excited, and a little sad. I would not trade in one moment this year, but it is still disheartening when people still think of this as "just" an award. It's changed my life, and right now as I say hello and goodbye, I don't know where it's headed.