Weekend Homework and Back to Almost Normal: Levy Rally, Mineral County, and Shepherd University Teacher Pinning

I wanted to squish the past two weeks into one post. It's just not possible.

Keep in mind that I am a very introverted person. I love to speak to groups, and teach, and be in public for professional purposes, but I value and need time to be alone and recharge. Many people thrive off of crowds and socializing, and I'm not one of them. I use to think that meant there was something wrong with me, but after reading Susan Cain's book Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can't Stop Talking, I see the value in just being myself.

This year I put who I am aside and go, go, go. It's kind of like when you need to charge your phone, but don't have time to leave it plugged in, so you charge it just enough to get by, even though the warning light is still on to connect your charger.

Warnings aside, the Sunday after returning from D.C. I was back at it, speaking at the Morgan County Levy Rally at Berkeley Spring State Park. The future of levies across the state this year depended on how things would go in Morgan County. The next morning I interviewed Michael Wilder, an alternative education teacher at Berkeley Springs High School, on the impact of the school levy You can watch the interview at this link. I'm relieved for the teachers and students of Morgan County that the levy passed this week. I'm sure it is a relief to many families employed and with children in the school system.

Beautiful Day!

Superintendent David Banks in the dunk tank :-)

Interviewing Mike Wilder 

Tuesday I was inducted into our local chapter of Alpha Delta Kappa. I speak at their regional conference later in July. On Thursday I headed to Mineral County to speak with fifth graders at Frankfort Middle School about Control Your S.E.L.F. and to celebrate the 2014-15 Mineral County Teacher of the Year, Angie Shanholtz. I also interviewed two former Mineral County teachers of the year for Be the DifferenceWV while I was there in Keyser. As new county teachers of the year are named, I realize this is the beginning of end. The school year is almost over, and while there may be a few events over the summer, this journey is coming to a close - or at least about to go in another direction.

Frankfort Middle School

Interviewing Jeanne Clites

Former Mineral County Teachers of the Year

With 2014-15 Mineral County
Teacher of the Year Angie Shanholtz

...So my "battery" was critically low by Saturday morning. I had to power through it, because I was the keynote speaker at Shepherd University's teacher pinning ceremony. I wish I would have had more time and energy to put into that speech, but you can't live life in reverse. After the ceremony, one of the graduates introduced herself. She was in my Aunt Dawn's last first grade class at Williamsport Elementary and will be a first grade teacher herself in the fall. That was just as special as meeting the president. You can hear my speech at this link.

With Cara Jeffries, Kappa Delta Pi and SESA President, after my speech.
She has been wonderful this year arranging my visits at Shepherd.

Hannah Cole, one of Dawn's last students

From Sunday to Saturday, I was a part of a lot of other's milestones and celebrations. I'm looking forward to having the next few weekends to recharge and wrap up my eleventh year of teaching - a year that has encompassed more experiences and people than I ever could have imagined.

Op-Ed: Support for the Morgan County School Levy

The following op-ed appeared in The Journal and Morgan Messenger last month. I am re-posting it here for those who do not subscribe to either newspaper in print or online.

Dear Editor:

I have the honor and responsibility this year of representing the education profession in West Virginia. It has taken me to areas that inspire me with their resilience and break my heart with the meager resources available to educate their children. My home county of Berkeley appears prosperous to areas of our state with struggling economies, dwindling population, and remote access to conveniences we take for granted.

Despite the circumstances, there is hope. I see teachers determined to succeed, devoted to students beyond the last bell. I hear the excitement of students when they learn new things. What I see and hear isn’t as important as what I know: that the community has unlimited potential to lift our local school systems up, to be what I call the “12^th man in education.”  Much as football fans rallied around their favorite team during the Super Bowl, our community can support local schools without the frenzied excitement of the fourth quarter – and for a fraction of the cost of a game day ticket.

Residents in Morgan County have the opportunity to be game changers on May 13th by supporting the school levy. Strong schools produce strong graduates, and strong graduates are prepared to not only be successful employees, but to create jobs that strengthen the economy. Without a levy, our schools simply do not have the funding and materials to meet the needs of every student. For more information, visit http://www.morgancountycss.org/.

I passed the blazing yellow and black billboards against the levy en route to Berkeley Springs last week. I was on my way to meet Jenna Epstein, a guidance counselor at Warm Springs Intermediate. It was her Spring Break, but she was working with students and other teachers to construct the school’s garden area. Her passions for ensuring students succeed academically and socially are an asset to Morgan County Schools. I also met Superintendent David Banks, who knows his teachers by name and enthusiastically supports their efforts to provide quality education for every student. Last week I interview Michael Wilder, a former math professor at WVU who now works with students in the alternative education program at Berkeley Springs High School.

These are the people that want the best for your future caretakers, business owners, servicemen and women, and educators. They don’t want you to cheer wildly at their perseverance as you would your favorite professional athlete, but they welcome your empathy and respect. Instead of using billboards to discourage citizens from supporting the institutions that provide children with love, safety, and knowledge, we should emblazon them with the successes of our local school systems.

Voting “yes” for the levy shows support for the teacher working an extra part-time job in the evenings to save for her son’s college tuition – and to buy supplies for her own classroom. It’s a vote for your neighbor, a retired military veteran whose granddaughter will start kindergarten in the fall. You support the small business owner, who wants to hire skilled, local graduates to continue his business.

Levies aren’t about taxes – they’re about humanity. Please show you are a fan of the future on May 13^th. 

Spring Break: All Over the Place!

I just finished packing for Washington, D.C., this upcoming week. I have everything ready to go, and am looking forward to a week of amazing experiences and not having to drive myself anywhere (I've logged close to 20 hours of driving over this past week). Before I have anymore adventures, I need to tell you about all of the places I've been in the last two weeks - starting with Spring Break.

No, I did not take Spring Break off - my choice. It gave me the opportunity to meet with a lot of people that I otherwise would have missed. I'm over having a routine and a "normal" schedule anyway. On Monday I went to Alderson-Broaddus University in Philippi (Barbour County) to speak to their student teachers. I had a long, rainy drive on US 119 (the GPS took me on an adventure...again), but made it in one shaky, soggy piece. I appreciate it that Dr. Marsha Sarver asked me to come meet her students. We had a nice time at dinner afterwards, and I learned that the grandmother of one of the student teachers taught with my aunt Dawn at Williamsport Elementary (cue the song "It's a Small World After All..."). This is why I can't turn down any chance I have to meet people - you never know how you are going to connect.

Alderson-Broaddus University

With some of the student teachers after dinner

I turned around and headed home from Philippi that evening because the next day I visited schools in Hardy County with the 2013 West Virginia Teacher of the Year, Mike Funkhouser. Although it was a rainy day that ended with wind and sleet (Spring has sprung...a leak), I had a great time meeting and speaking to the students at Moorefield Intermediate and East Hardy Early Middle. Berkeley was a huge hit, and I enjoyed speaking to all of the fifth grade students about "Control Your S.E.L.F." At the end of the day, I interviewed Mike and David Rudy, a math and chemistry teacher at East Hardy High School, for Be the Difference WV. I am hoping to get the interview up before I leave for Washington - I have been traveling so much that I haven't had the chance to put it together. A big thank you to Mike and his wife Ann for taking me around the schools and keeping me company that day!

With Mike and Jamin Hershberger, 2014 Hardy County Teacher of the Year

Interviewing David Rudy

On Wednesday I went to Berkeley Springs in Morgan County to tape an interview in support of the school levy. It's important that I use my close proximity and title to promote the need for the community to support our school systems. I interviewed Jenna Epstein, a guidance counselor at Warm Springs Intermediate, about why she entered the education profession (similar to what I do with Be the Difference WV) and how the levy passing or not passing impacts her school and position. For more information on the Morgan County School levy, visit http://www.morgancountycss.org.  Tom Shade did an excellent job putting together the video, which you can view on Vimeo at this link.

I also stopped by the Health and Benefits fair in Berkeley County...so Berkeley could have his photo-op with the Heisman Trophy.

Thursday...I stayed home! I don't remember what I did, though, except wash clothes and write thank you notes. Let's talk about those thank you note for a minute. Everywhere I go, I meet people who wither have done something special for me or impact me in some way that I feel compelled to write them a note. I can't help myself, I love to write any way - and I know it makes me feel special when I get "happy mail," too. Friday I went to Shepherd in Jefferson County to do a workshop on classroom management in the morning and a presentation on resume and interview advice (titled "Hire Me" - what else?) in the afternoon. I created "Hire Me" and "Who's the Boss" using the iPad app Haiku Deck, which makes the presentations accessible on the web.

Friday was also my 32nd birthday. I feel like I've aged a lot more than one year since this all started, maybe 10. I get cracked on a lot because I'm short and young looking, but I've always felt much older than what I really am. Not sure what can top the events in year 31, except next week. Fun fact: I signed my first autographs on my birthday this year. Three of the teacher education student asked me to sign their brochures from my presentation. I was tickled, not because I think I'm important or anything but it just made me feel cool for a few minutes.Other than my yearly Dairy Queen ice cream cake, I really didn't do anything else to celebrate. This entire year has already been a "party" of sorts, and at this point I'd rather have some sleep than a night out.

Yearly cake pic

My birthday sunset

No weekend homework since it was Easter. I did spend Sunday afternoon preparing for the upcoming week, because it was going to be intense and I was doubting that I had the stamina for it. Remember that nearly 20 hours of driving in one week? That just happened. Aside from the fact that I'm willing to walk, run, or crawl (maybe not crawl...bike?) if it means I don't have to get behind the wheel of a car, it was an amazing week, one that could only be topped by meeting the president.

To be continued...