It's a Great Day at Work Today

I went to work today 100% prepared for the day and caught up with all grading and preparations for the coming week's lessons. When I turned off the lights in my classroom and locked the door behind me all the reports I am responsible for are completed, meetings have been attended, new meetings and a training date that were planned today are marked on the calendar and e-mails and phone calls that required a response have been answered. This is a monumental day as it is the first time this school year I have gone into work and left work with my job complete. I love it, love it love it.

Why is this the first time I have had this feeling all year? My school district went through some very big changes over the past summer in how they manage technology. As the school year approached and limped into session there were many technology glitches and new program updates. The glitches added many, many extra hours to work around them and too much time discussing the frustration with administrators and teachers on my team. There were delays in many tasks that are normally completed before the students arrive for their first class. Pretesting that usually is scheduled during the first weeks of the school year did not happen until the end of the first quarter, and there were computer labs that could not be used because they were not part of the network for many weeks. Once we could get on the networks, then computer programs were updated, and it took time to learn how to use those with no initial training. It was not a stress free start.

Hindsight and feeling refreshed after a nice long winter break bring me a great appreciation for this day, today. Even as the students arrived to start the new semester, I felt prepared for the weeks ahead and good about the coming year.

Countdown to Easter

Daniel with the baskets on Easter morning 2007

Although I don't have the religious connection to the Easter holiday, as I believe on the first day of every week we are requested to remember our Savior and His sacrifice freely given for our lives, I do like the family gathering and some of the fun kid traditions that my parents shared with my siblings and I. We in turn are sharing these same traditions with our children.

I am using a website to help break down the preparation into five weeks. It is found on CEO's site; Easter Countdown. For me this is actually a countdown to my Spring Break as well, as Celebration Week is my Spring Break. If you have kids at home, or are planning a family dinner, egg hunt or egg decorating get together, you will want to check out it.

Kevin and Raymond preparing eggs to dunk. April 7, 2007

Danny dunking egg during annual egg decorating get together.