I awoke this morning to music. I used to awaken to the news. But recently it has been all earthquakes and lightning, and hurricanes a’blowin’. So I switched to music radio.
Sometimes in our lives
We all have pain
We all have sorrow.
That was the first thing I heard this morning and it could not have been more perfect. Last week, our grade school experienced a bit of tragedy. A car accident. A student hospitalized with serious injuries. A family in crisis.
If there is a load you need to bear
That you can't carry
I'm right up the road
I'll share your load.
And the response of the good people of our school and in our town was remarkable. Almost immediately after the accident, the student and parents had been wisked away to a hospital in a city a few hours away. When the news spread, there were so many offers to drive there to take the family a vehicle and needed supplies that we literally had to pick and chose. Somewhere an envelope appeared and throughout the day it filled with cash. Offers of assistance came from so many, that it took coordination to get it all sorted out.
You just call on me brother, when you need a hand
We all need somebody to lean on.
I was blown away, though in hindsight, this kind of response has always been the norm in my small town experience. People genuinely care and are so willing to drop everything to help. This isn’t the first time that our community has been brought together through hardship, and I know it won’t be the last. We shine the brightest in the hardest times. As the song says:
Lean on me, when you're not strong
And I'll be your friend
I'll help you carry on.
I know firsthand the power of small town generosity and it is always humbling to see it in action. Lean on us, the people of this town say again and again. We are here to help.
I think I will keep my clock radio alarm set to music. It was a nice way to start the day and serves to remind me of the good news happening every day in our little town.
School Supplies (08-22-11)
Last Wednesday, HCGS kicked off the school year with our annual “open house,” an hour or so where parents bring their kids to check out the school and drop off school supplies. It is, truly, one of the greatest days in our year. Few moments match open house in terms of pure excitement, expectation, and joy.
When I talk to others about open house, I invariably invoke the same nostalgia for school supplies. “I loved the new crayons,” I’ve heard said. “All the same height and none of them broken.”
“I used to love starting a new notebook.”
“I can still smell the Elmer’s glue.”
“I remember my first Big Chief pad of lined paper! Do they still make Big Chief?”
And on and on. I know my own children thoroughly enjoy the purchase of school supplies, filling their new backpacks, and then bringing it all to school during open house. It is a bit like Christmas in reverse. Instead of waiting to get something, they can’t wait to take something – their school supplies to school. Oh, and seeing their new rooms and meeting their new teachers is pretty exciting as well.
For me, open house reminds me about why I love my job. After another summer enduring a hot, empty building, the halls explode with talking and laughter. All the summer work of the custodians is admired and appreciated as the throngs jostle past each other to see this room’s new paint job or that room’s new carpet.. The building is ready to go and most everything is shiny and new. What a feeling! What a moment to remember!
This year, though, I was reminded of a supply that is not on any list and cannot be found in any store. And it is a supply that the students don’t bring with them, but is something we at the school have to give in great abundance in order for the students to even have a chance to learn. I’m talking about love.
Along with the paper and pencils, Kleenex and Clorox, students can bring to school worry, stress, grief, and loss. Truth is, we don’t know half of what the kids bring to school in terms of disappointment and tragedy. They tend to smile and show excitement, though we know that things are rarely perfect in anyone’s life.
I was reminded of this fact on Friday, when we flew our flags at half-staff in honor of helicopter pilot Byran Nichols, age 31, formerly of Hays, who was recently killed in Afghanistan. In preparation for this article, I did some Internet research, and was surprised to discover that his parents are from Palco and that he was buried in Pleasantview Cemetary, just down the road on Highway 18. I knew that his heroic death hit close to home, I just had no idea how close.
I was also able to learn that his family included a ten year old son, Braydon. I wasn’t able to learn if he had other children. Still, my thoughts kept going out to this boy and what he must be bringing to school this year along with his new school supplies.
In the face of pain and loss, all a school can offer is love and support. Yes, teaching and learning are the prime activities, but love and caring must be the prime concerns. Sometimes we know of the pain a student brings to school and sometimes we don’t. Either way, it is the responsibility of the school to love all children and to help give them the tools to overcome even the worst pain when it may occur.
The good news is that love is not is short supply. The account of the Nichols funeral was filled with the love and prayers of thousands who turned out from all over the state to pay tribute to this fallen soldier. He paid the ultimate price, and in return, he is accorded the ultimate honor. We are all a little safer, a little more free because of his sacrifice. And Braydon and the rest of his family are a little more loved.
Love is truly the greatest and most abundant of the school supplies.
When I talk to others about open house, I invariably invoke the same nostalgia for school supplies. “I loved the new crayons,” I’ve heard said. “All the same height and none of them broken.”
“I used to love starting a new notebook.”
“I can still smell the Elmer’s glue.”
“I remember my first Big Chief pad of lined paper! Do they still make Big Chief?”
And on and on. I know my own children thoroughly enjoy the purchase of school supplies, filling their new backpacks, and then bringing it all to school during open house. It is a bit like Christmas in reverse. Instead of waiting to get something, they can’t wait to take something – their school supplies to school. Oh, and seeing their new rooms and meeting their new teachers is pretty exciting as well.
For me, open house reminds me about why I love my job. After another summer enduring a hot, empty building, the halls explode with talking and laughter. All the summer work of the custodians is admired and appreciated as the throngs jostle past each other to see this room’s new paint job or that room’s new carpet.. The building is ready to go and most everything is shiny and new. What a feeling! What a moment to remember!
This year, though, I was reminded of a supply that is not on any list and cannot be found in any store. And it is a supply that the students don’t bring with them, but is something we at the school have to give in great abundance in order for the students to even have a chance to learn. I’m talking about love.
Along with the paper and pencils, Kleenex and Clorox, students can bring to school worry, stress, grief, and loss. Truth is, we don’t know half of what the kids bring to school in terms of disappointment and tragedy. They tend to smile and show excitement, though we know that things are rarely perfect in anyone’s life.
I was reminded of this fact on Friday, when we flew our flags at half-staff in honor of helicopter pilot Byran Nichols, age 31, formerly of Hays, who was recently killed in Afghanistan. In preparation for this article, I did some Internet research, and was surprised to discover that his parents are from Palco and that he was buried in Pleasantview Cemetary, just down the road on Highway 18. I knew that his heroic death hit close to home, I just had no idea how close.
I was also able to learn that his family included a ten year old son, Braydon. I wasn’t able to learn if he had other children. Still, my thoughts kept going out to this boy and what he must be bringing to school this year along with his new school supplies.
In the face of pain and loss, all a school can offer is love and support. Yes, teaching and learning are the prime activities, but love and caring must be the prime concerns. Sometimes we know of the pain a student brings to school and sometimes we don’t. Either way, it is the responsibility of the school to love all children and to help give them the tools to overcome even the worst pain when it may occur.
The good news is that love is not is short supply. The account of the Nichols funeral was filled with the love and prayers of thousands who turned out from all over the state to pay tribute to this fallen soldier. He paid the ultimate price, and in return, he is accorded the ultimate honor. We are all a little safer, a little more free because of his sacrifice. And Braydon and the rest of his family are a little more loved.
Love is truly the greatest and most abundant of the school supplies.
Quality Standards (08-15-11)
This week, the staff of USD 281 will be learning about new standards. We have for years been preparing students according to Kansas State Academic Standards, and now we begin a multi-year process of switching to a national set, optimistically labeled as “Common Core Standards.”
I say optimistically, because there is great debate about just what every child should know or be able to do. Beyond the “three r’s,” (readin’, ritein’ and rithmatic!), it sometimes seems that there is more disagreement than agreement about the “core” of what should be taught when and to whom.
All this talk of standards reminded me of a wall display I saw in Kansas City, at The Whole Foods Market. Over their front entrance in glorious six-inch tall letters, were listed the Whole Foods Market Quality Standards.
There were six statements in all. “We carefully evaluate each and every product we sell” and “We are committed to foods that are fresh, wholesome and safe to sell” as well as “We are passionate about great tasting food and the pleasure of sharing it with each other” and so forth.
I was impressed with the simplicity of it all. Six easy to remember standards proudly displayed and (one would assume) readily implemented.
I am a big fan of keeping things simple, something I learned from my high school algebra teacher. “Remember kids,” he would say almost daily. “KISS. Keep It Simple, Stupid!”
(He said this in an age BEFORE political correctness. It is a mantra I will never forget.)
When I was a high school English teacher, I taught the state standards and did my best to prepare the students to succeed on the state reading and writing assessments. However, with the KISS philosophy ever on my mind, I operated by a far more simple set of standards. I had two: 1. Improve my students’ ability to read and comprehend what they read; and 2. Improve my students’ ability to write and express themselves through writing.
I didn’t post those on the wall of my classroom in six-inch high letters, but I did recite them often.
All this got me to thinking about the quality standards we should set at the grade school. I immediately thought of two: HCGS will help all students will feel safe. HCGS will help all students will feel loved.
And then I thought a third: “HCGS will take all students from where they are at to as far as they can go.”
Later I came up with “Because we believe that all students CAN learn, HCGS will help all students TO learn.”
These four statements reflect only my personal beliefs and were what came immediately to mind. They are in no way official or complete. I marvel at how an entire grocery store chain could so concentrate their focus as to operate on just six simple standards. The state has issued dozen (perhaps hundreds) of state standards, and the common core standards add even more.
The Whole Foods Quality Standards would not be easily assessed with a multiple-choice-test. The very word, “Quality” is too open to interpretation. Rather, they evoke an emotional response that is best assessed through perception and feeling.
When we think of our schools, do we feel pride, or do we feel shame? Do we feel that going to work is a noble cause or a pointless burden?
I know I feel proud to be part of Hill City Grade School, and I think that our teachers feel proud in how they do their jobs. Mostly, I think that the parents are proud of our school and that there is a common purpose that connects us all. We know what is important and it is not simply preparing students for taking tests. As we are inundated in yet another standards movement, it will more important than ever to remember our local quality standards.
I say optimistically, because there is great debate about just what every child should know or be able to do. Beyond the “three r’s,” (readin’, ritein’ and rithmatic!), it sometimes seems that there is more disagreement than agreement about the “core” of what should be taught when and to whom.
All this talk of standards reminded me of a wall display I saw in Kansas City, at The Whole Foods Market. Over their front entrance in glorious six-inch tall letters, were listed the Whole Foods Market Quality Standards.
There were six statements in all. “We carefully evaluate each and every product we sell” and “We are committed to foods that are fresh, wholesome and safe to sell” as well as “We are passionate about great tasting food and the pleasure of sharing it with each other” and so forth.
I was impressed with the simplicity of it all. Six easy to remember standards proudly displayed and (one would assume) readily implemented.
I am a big fan of keeping things simple, something I learned from my high school algebra teacher. “Remember kids,” he would say almost daily. “KISS. Keep It Simple, Stupid!”
(He said this in an age BEFORE political correctness. It is a mantra I will never forget.)
When I was a high school English teacher, I taught the state standards and did my best to prepare the students to succeed on the state reading and writing assessments. However, with the KISS philosophy ever on my mind, I operated by a far more simple set of standards. I had two: 1. Improve my students’ ability to read and comprehend what they read; and 2. Improve my students’ ability to write and express themselves through writing.
I didn’t post those on the wall of my classroom in six-inch high letters, but I did recite them often.
All this got me to thinking about the quality standards we should set at the grade school. I immediately thought of two: HCGS will help all students will feel safe. HCGS will help all students will feel loved.
And then I thought a third: “HCGS will take all students from where they are at to as far as they can go.”
Later I came up with “Because we believe that all students CAN learn, HCGS will help all students TO learn.”
These four statements reflect only my personal beliefs and were what came immediately to mind. They are in no way official or complete. I marvel at how an entire grocery store chain could so concentrate their focus as to operate on just six simple standards. The state has issued dozen (perhaps hundreds) of state standards, and the common core standards add even more.
The Whole Foods Quality Standards would not be easily assessed with a multiple-choice-test. The very word, “Quality” is too open to interpretation. Rather, they evoke an emotional response that is best assessed through perception and feeling.
When we think of our schools, do we feel pride, or do we feel shame? Do we feel that going to work is a noble cause or a pointless burden?
I know I feel proud to be part of Hill City Grade School, and I think that our teachers feel proud in how they do their jobs. Mostly, I think that the parents are proud of our school and that there is a common purpose that connects us all. We know what is important and it is not simply preparing students for taking tests. As we are inundated in yet another standards movement, it will more important than ever to remember our local quality standards.
Time To Start Again (08-09-11)
Last week, at the Colby Walmart, I had a bit of a surprise. My cashier recognized me by name.
“I used to live in Hill City,” the woman explained. “You used to write the Principal Perspective column. Whatever happened to that?”
Uh oh. My rather long hiatus from this column had been noticed. Sigh.
This is a good week to start again. Enrollment is this week, and this is not only an exciting time in our school calendar, but it is a moment where our small town school shines over our big city counterparts.
I know this because when I was at Wichita State taking my classes to become a principal, I was required to spend some time in schools of a different size than the school where I taught. For me, that meant spending time in large, urban school districts, and the day I spent at Hutchinson High School just happened to be their first day of enrollment.
With over two thousand students, the Hutch High enrollment reminded me more of the cattle call of enrolling at KU. They had tables and lines, and a virtual maze for the parents to follow as they collected this form and that, paid this fee or that bill, and picked up various pieces of information. About the only words spoken between the army of workers behind the tables and the throng of enrolling families were, “Name?” and “Next!”
Contrast that against the enrollment at Hill City Grade School. Our dedicated secretary, Melanie Kennedy, meets with each family at her desk. There are a few chairs set up in the hallway for overflow and there are clipboards provided so that forms can be checked and completed while waiting. When a family meets with Melanie, she has time to explain the paperwork and answer questions. But more than that, she has time to reconnect with the families, to ask about vacations and rec sports, to listen to stories about weddings, funerals, and jobs, to compliment the kids on just how tall they gotten over the summer.
Mrs. Kennedy values the face time and feels that her time is best spent visiting with the families who walked through the door. She is proud of the fact that by the time she enrolled all of the students, she has physically seen and spoken in person to almost every family in our school. She not only knows the faces and names of each parent and student, she knows something about them.
In a small school, enrollment is so much more than simply processing paperwork and collecting fees. It is more than just starting a new school year. At our school, enrollment is about starting up again those all-important relationships and lines of communication between the school and families who trust us with their children.
This time of starting again is a time of great pride and celebration. I am just glad I ran into someone who reminded me that, in terms of my principal perspective, it was time for me to start again as well.
“I used to live in Hill City,” the woman explained. “You used to write the Principal Perspective column. Whatever happened to that?”
Uh oh. My rather long hiatus from this column had been noticed. Sigh.
This is a good week to start again. Enrollment is this week, and this is not only an exciting time in our school calendar, but it is a moment where our small town school shines over our big city counterparts.
I know this because when I was at Wichita State taking my classes to become a principal, I was required to spend some time in schools of a different size than the school where I taught. For me, that meant spending time in large, urban school districts, and the day I spent at Hutchinson High School just happened to be their first day of enrollment.
With over two thousand students, the Hutch High enrollment reminded me more of the cattle call of enrolling at KU. They had tables and lines, and a virtual maze for the parents to follow as they collected this form and that, paid this fee or that bill, and picked up various pieces of information. About the only words spoken between the army of workers behind the tables and the throng of enrolling families were, “Name?” and “Next!”
Contrast that against the enrollment at Hill City Grade School. Our dedicated secretary, Melanie Kennedy, meets with each family at her desk. There are a few chairs set up in the hallway for overflow and there are clipboards provided so that forms can be checked and completed while waiting. When a family meets with Melanie, she has time to explain the paperwork and answer questions. But more than that, she has time to reconnect with the families, to ask about vacations and rec sports, to listen to stories about weddings, funerals, and jobs, to compliment the kids on just how tall they gotten over the summer.
Mrs. Kennedy values the face time and feels that her time is best spent visiting with the families who walked through the door. She is proud of the fact that by the time she enrolled all of the students, she has physically seen and spoken in person to almost every family in our school. She not only knows the faces and names of each parent and student, she knows something about them.
In a small school, enrollment is so much more than simply processing paperwork and collecting fees. It is more than just starting a new school year. At our school, enrollment is about starting up again those all-important relationships and lines of communication between the school and families who trust us with their children.
This time of starting again is a time of great pride and celebration. I am just glad I ran into someone who reminded me that, in terms of my principal perspective, it was time for me to start again as well.
Bullying? (02-28-11)
Imagine, if you will, a crowded hallway. Two kids bump into each other going different directions. “Watch it, jerk,” one student says. “Who are you calling a jerk?” the other replies. The first kid shoves the second kid and moves on before retaliation can occur.
Imagine two other students on the playground. “I heard that you said…” one tells the other, relating a rumor. “Well, I heard you said…” retorts the other. “Well, I’m not going to play with you. You’re not my friend!” and the first student storms away.
Finally, imagine two students at lunch. One is seated, and the other sits down in an adjoining seat. Suddenly the first student gets up and without a word moves to sit with a group of students who have just sat at another part of the table.
I have seen these three scenarios occur in one form or another over my career. Shoving in the hallway, disputes on the playground, and students wanting to sit with their friends at lunch, all common occurrences in any grade school.
And at one time or another I have listened to parents express their concern that when such a incident occurred, that their son or daughter was being bullied.
We take bullying very seriously. We have a bullying policy in place, we bring in speakers to talk to the kids about bullying, and through out Character Counts program, we spend a lot of time talking about how to treat other people. Whenever I receive a concern about bullying, I investigate immediately. I talk to the kids involved and often I interview witnesses.
I define “bullying” as an act of intimidation by a stronger person over a weaker person. Bullying usually occurs over time, happening repeatedly and often without any other reason than a stronger person or group sees an opportunity to gain something from a weaker person or group. Bullying is often the result of cruelty, or some sort of power play where the bully enjoys the feeling of superiority.
So when I receive a concern about bullying, the first questions I ask are: Did the incident happen once or is it occurring every day? Was there a reason for the incident? Is one person scared or intimidated by the other?
Almost always, the answers to these questions are no. I usually discover that the incident, while the result of a bad decision and emotions out of control, are isolated events. I usually discover that there are two sides to the incident. Someone instigated, someone responded. I often find out that disputes are the result of misunderstandings. Rumors and misinterpretation usually play a part in turning molehills into mountains.
Take the last scenario. Usually, a student moving to sit with their friends is just that, and is not a deliberate act of exclusion to whoever sat next to them. However, as a school we have addressed this by requiring the students to stay put wherever they originally sit, because we don’t want to take chances that a student or a group of students would bully a classmate through intentional exclusion.
Student safety is our number one priority because we know that a student must feel safe in order to be able to learn. We care about our kids and do not want to see anyone get bullied.
Yet, that word, bullying, is used a lot. Many concerns about a student conflict begin with the words, “My son/daughter was bullied…”
I rarely ever find any actual bullying. I find evidence of altercations, bad decisions, and students not exercising good judgment or demonstrating good character. I impose consequences in order to teach students to better manage their behavior. But more often than not, there is no evidence of systematic intimidation, no domination of one student over another, no proof or a power play.
I am not saying that bullying doesn’t happen. I would suspect that bullying happens more often outside of school than in. We take bullying very seriously, and I will continue to investigate all claims of the practice.
With this article, as with my conversations with parents, I hope to educate about the difference between bullying and other types of student conflict. We at HCGS will continue to educate our students and to maintain our vigilance to keep every day squabbles from becoming the pervasive and destructive behavior that is bullying.
Wrestling with Conviction (02-21-11)
Last week, a headline in the KC Star caught my attention: “Iowa Wrestler Forfeits Rather Than Wrestle a Girl.”
It turns out that Joel Northrup forfeited his first round bout against Casey Herkelman due to religious beliefs. In a statement released by his school’s AD, the young man stated: “wrestling is a combat sport and it can get violent at times. As a matter of conscience and my faith, I do not believe that is appropriate for a boy to engage a girl in this manner.”
Herkelman was the first female to qualify for the Iowa State Wrestling Tournament in its 85 year history, and she wasn’t alone. A second girl, Megan Black, qualified as well.
These three athletes have not only had to wrestle other people, they have had to wrestle with their convictions. They had to struggle with the decision to do what is easy, what is expected, what is traditional, versus what they believe in their hearts to be right.
I can’t imagine what they have gone through. For the young women, I can’t imagine the comments, the looks, and the prejudice they must have faced. How many times were they told they should quit, join a proper girl’s team, or conform to societal expectations? How many friends have they lost because of their decision to compete in a sport traditionally dominated by male athletes?
And for the young man, I can’t imagine the struggle to give up his chance at state recognition in order to follow his sense of right and wrong. The decision could not have been easy to make or to live with afterwards.
Wrestling presents an interesting and unique opportunity. I can think of no other sport where males can compete one-on-one against females. Wrestling allows for a somewhat even playing field. By dividing the wrestlers into weight classes, girls face boys of a similar weight. And wrestling utilizes equal parts strength, agility, flexibility, quickness, and intelligence. Pound for pound, males often possess more physical strength than females (though not always!). However, girls can be just as agile, as flexible, as intelligent, as dedicated, and as trained as male athletes. In fact, the usually lighter frame of a girl can actually be an advantage in a sport where you can be awarded points for your ability to wriggle out of tight places.
The fact that this pair of girls qualified for the state tournament proves that they were skilled wrestlers. They had to face and defeat male opponents all year. Wrestling is truly the one sport where this could be possible on a regular basis.
John F. Kennedy once said, “Nations around the world look to us for the leadership not merely by strength of arms but by strength of our convictions.” Yes, boys may have stronger arms than girls. But in my perspective, physical strength isn’t everything. Win or lose, agree or disagree, I can not help but admire people who rely not just on the strength of the muscles, but also on the strength of their convictions.
A Single Room (01-24-11)
Recently, I have become interested in the one room schools of Kansas. I have learned that one room schools were more prevalent and were in use more recently than I would ever have guessed.
A couple of weeks ago, I attended the funeral of my granmother-in-law, Eula Mae Simpson. She attended a one room school in Garnett, Kansas, and then, at the age of 17, returned to be the teacher there. She only taught for a couple of years, until the time she was married.
At the funeral, I met with Eula’s sister and her husband, both who had attended one-room schools. They regaled me with stories of both the hardships and the joys of attending a school so small that often there was only one student in a grade.
This weekend, I heard more about one-room schools at the Solomon Valley Highway 24 Heritage Alliance’s annual meeting. The event is not only a business meeting for the organization, but is also a chance to recognize the winners of their annual “Call For Voices” writing contest.
The winners could chose to read their winning entry, and thus I heard the first place autobiography. For more than ten minutes, we were held spell bound by Joyce Koops, of Downs, as she read her winning selection, “Silk Purses,” a recollection of attending a one room school house. The author recounted how every year would begin with a new female instructor. It seemed that during each summer, the teacher would get herself married, and I suppose would then either give up the profession and be released by the county superintendent. For whatever the reason, the story was naturally divided by the repeated phrase: “That summer, our teacher married, and that fall, we started the year with a new teacher.”
The one room school was really the teacher’s world. One year, the writer described her lessons as being conducted with “military precision” against the “constant clatter of shoes marching to and from the recitation bench.” The next year, they enjoyed the talents of an “artistic teacher, fresh out of college” who was determined to turn her class of sow’s ears into silk purses. The third year found them with yet another teacher who had them singing hymns at the schools opening day ceremony.
It was a wonderful story, one I could have listened to all day. Afterwards, talking with a lady seated at my table, I remarked at how interesting I found the idea of attending a one room school. My tablemate informed that she had attended a one room school, at least through the first grade. To this day, she didn’t know how her teacher had managed, having to teach first graders who couldn’t yet read to eighth graders who were doing much more demanding lessons.
She remembered older students helping the younger students and she remembered that her teacher was very busy person. Somehow, everyone got along, and at the end of the day, everyone learned.
I admit being a bit fascinated with the idea of a one-room school. Yes, I’m sure many were too hot in the fall and too cold in the winter. I would imagine that most were in want of school supplies and books. Many probably didn’t even have indoor plumbing, and I would guess that a piano or a phonograph were the only technology.
Yet, as I meet people who attended a one-room school, they all seem to have turned out just fine. In fact, all the former one-room students I have talked to seem highly articulate and educated.
I think the positive effect one room schools generally had on the students who toiled away at the “recitation bench” can be attributed to two things: First they were small. Many one-room schools had fewer than twenty students, and I would imagine that none had more than thirty. When a school is that small, it is easy to form the kind of relationships that allow students to feel safe and to feel loved. I will always believe that those two things must be present before any significant learning can occur. One-room schools probably had that sense of family that put kids in the best possible frame of mind to learn.
I would guess that the second factor in the success of one-room schools were the teachers. They may have kept getting themselves hitched, and thus there may have been great turnover, but from the stories I’ve heard, one-room schoolteachers were remarkable educators. They had to be highly organized, flexible, tough, but also caring. They were, after all, so much more than just a teacher.
Teachers of one-room schools performed the roles of custodian, secretary, nurse, and lunch monitor. They were the principal, counselor, vice principal of discipline, and the librarian. In some one-room schools, the teacher may also have been the transportation director, bus driver, and coach. They taught all subjects, including health, art, music, band, and physical education. In essence, a one-room schoolteacher had to be a jack-of-all-trades, and in the process, often became inspirations to the children they taught and loved.
I can only imagine. I am glad to continue their great tradition of public education. Now, though, I know, that for many people in our rural communities, it all began with a single room.
Christmas Mary-cle (12-20-10)
People sometimes comment on my patience with hyperactive children. Some can hardly believe that I can be so calm and understanding with kids who are bouncing off the walls.
What most people don’t know is that I was one of those kids.
The one person who does know this, and knew it all too well for most of her childhood, would have to be my big sister, Mary. She is in the middle of my three older sisters, seven years younger than Cait and one year older than Sarah. And she was most often the target of my childhood hyper activity.
To be honest, I was a bit spoiled as a child. My parents were approaching forty when I came into their lives, and I was not only the youngest, the baby of the family, I was also the only boy. That made me the golden child.
Mary did her part, though, to keep my feet on the ground. She never backed away from disciplining me whenever I would tease her, invade her privacy, or act up in any way. More than any of my other sisters, she taught me to fight, a valuable skill for any growing boy.
Luckily, I grew up and calmed down. And I grew to appreciate my sister Mary.
Mary is the artist of the family, and there are several of her paintings hanging in the house. She majored in art with a special emphasis in sculpture. Talk about cool!
After college, she headed to St. Louis where I visited her a couple of times. Her apartment was in an old part of town that I remember as having great shops and restaurants. Mary introduced me to good Chinese food, independent films, and good rhythm and blues. She broadened my horizon with her eclectic tastes and her love of life.
She married a wonderful guy and they moved to Salt Lake City. I visited and was introduced to skiing and sushi. I discovered that she had become a pretty good chef, and that her husband could brew a tasty bottle of beer. I visited over Christmas, and it is one of my fondest Christmas memories.
Mary and A.J. now have three wonderful children and live in Portland, Oregon. I am scheduled to get on a plane and go for another visit, again to spend Christmas with their family.
I am looking forward to spending time with them and reconnecting. I am just happy that after enduring my shenanigans for the first part of her life, Mary still wants to have anything to do with me. After fighting like cats and dogs during our childhood, I am amazed that we get along so well now. I guess you would have to call that my Christmas Mary-cle.
Stop, Think, Click (01-17-11)
This week we had a very useful and informative program for our K-12 students. More than once, I heard that the information presented would be equally good for parents. So, parents, here you go.
The program is called “Net Smartz” and travels through Kansas giving presentations on Internet Safety for all age levels. It is run by the Boy’s and Girl’s Club of Manhattan and has been providing their pertinent program for more than a decade.
They left me with a booklet called, “Stop, Think, and Click: 7 Practices for Safer Computing.” Here are the highlights:
- Protect your personal information. The presenter emphasized this statement repeatedly in her talk with the kids. Basically, it just means to not share your real name, address, phone, or other information with anyone you don’t know personally. When shopping on-line, be sure the website is secure before divulging credit card info.
- Know who you’re dealing with. The basic premise for all Internet safety is to be aware of possible fraud or theft. The booklet advises awareness against “phishers,” who are fraudsters who send fake emails or pop up messages looking to get personal or financial information. See practice #1: protect!
- Use anti-virus and anti-spyware software as well as a firewall, and update them regularly. Luckily most new computers come with these things preinstalled and the most update automatically. Some unscrupulous Internet predators search the net for unprotected computers that they can control anonymously. You also need to beware of spyware, which are programs that monitor keystrokes. Sluggish computer performance can often result. Finally, never open an email attachment unless you are certain where it came from.
- Set up your operating system and web browser properly and update them regularly. Basically, updates are often written to counter the latest tricks and schemes of hackers, so installing updates is critical in staying one step ahead.
- Protect your passwords. One piece of advice that I found interesting pertained to creating strong passwords. The booklet suggested thinking of a memorable phrase and using the first letter of each word as your password. For example, “How much wood can a woodchuck chuck” becomes “hmwcawcc.” If you replace some letters with symbols or letters that can represent them, your passwords becomes even stronger, such as replacing the “a” in the example with “@”, creating, “hmwc@wcc.” A very strong password.
- Back up important files. This is always good practice whether you’re talking about net safety or just good computer practice.
- Learn who to contact if something goes wrong online. There are a variety of federal websites designed to help in the case of fraud or theft. They include the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov, the Federal Trade Commission at www.ftc.gov, and an email to where you can forward spam (unwanted email): spam@uce.gov.
Along with these seven tips, the booklet gave “Safety Tips for Tweens and Teens on Social Networking,” “Advice for Online Shopping,” what to know about online auctions and wireless security, and provided a nice glossary of terms related to all things “on-line.”
If you would like to read the “Stop, Think, Click,” please contact the grade school.
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