Throttle Up

Before we left for our trip this morning there was an announcement reminding all teachers to have their emergency procedures folder updated and handy. It was code for There's a possibility of a tornado. 

"Wouldn't that be ironic if a tornado hit the school and we were all okay because we went on the field trip?" I laughed as we pulled out of the parking lot.

Gallows humor prevailed as our brand-new charter coaches glided into the gathering storm. Five minutes from our destination, the sky became literally as dark as dusk, and thunder rumbled in the not very distant distance. Another teacher turned to me as lightening flashed. "I'm guessing no zip line?" he asked.

"No, but there might be a zap line," I answered.

Torrential rain followed, but it was mercifully brief and only a drizzle by the time we disembarked. The kids dashed to the cover of a white-tented deck that was quite obviously used for weddings. Our guides were prepared, though, and led the group through a couple of fun games. Still, as our 100 students roamed the area, challenging each other and pounding their fists to their palms, another of my colleagues came up to me. "They paid forty-five dollars to play rock-paper-scissors in a tent in Maryland?" she asked.

I laughed and shrugged. "Well, if you put it that way..." I raised my eyebrows, but just then one of the camp leaders announced that the storm had passed, the thunder was through, and adventures awaited.

And he was telling the truth. Despite the fact that our school system back home was pondering whether or not to close early, for the next 2 1/2 hours the kids had a blast, and they even got to ride the zap line.

Over the Rainbow

As if the end of the year is not stressful enough, tomorrow, the day of our team's big outdoor field trip, they are predicting EXTREME weather. Allow me to quote from the forecast:

Ingredients are coming together for a possible large outbreak of severe thunderstorms in the area Thursday, capable of producing damaging winds, multiple tornadoes, and flash flooding.

A complex of violent thunderstorms, some tornadic, may or may not coalesce into a derecho sometime this afternoon or evening. Late this afternoon and overnight some severe storms are possible as well, but Thursday’s severe weather risk is particularly serious.

To which the school system put out the following alert:

The National Weather Service has forecast severe weather in our area through Thursday. The forecast includes the possibility of thunderstorms and high winds. We are actively watching weather reports to stay up-to-date.

If an alert is given at any time during the day, schools and transportation will respond accordingly to ensure student safety. Schools may hold walkers if warranted until conditions improve.

If there is any change in operations or transportation due to the weather, families will be notified through School Talk.

As a result of all of these predictions, I spent the afternoon talking to stakeholders-- administration, adventure park, charter bus company, teachers, and parents, trying to figure out the best course of action. Around 5:30 I got a call from the AP telling me the ed center left it up to us to decide in the morning. "We'll put out a message to families advising them to have the students dress appropriately," she said.

"Good idea," I answered. "How about, 'Pack your ruby slippers kids! The field trip is a go!'?"

Benefits of Age

"How do you do that?" A young colleague pointed at the interactive white board in my room. It was displaying the TV signal of our morning announcements.

I was only too eager to explain. "You need a VCR," I started. "You know, the old kind with a TV tuner in it."

She looked at me quizzically, and then waved a hand like such a thing as that was an impossibility.

Still I pressed on helpfully. "Remember when we all used to program our VCRs to tape our favorite shows? I had that one left over from then."

I laughed and she laughed politely, too.

"Well," she shrugged, "I do remember hearing about that, but I certainly never did it myself. Thank you anyway!"

Cue Gene Kelly

Once your garden's in, you have a whole different perspective on the weather.

Growing

We finally got our vegetable garden in this weekend. What with the weird cold weather, then the weird warm weather, and other personal and professional commitments and demands, we're a bit late this year. Still, I'm hopeful that those little tomato, pepper, and squash plants that were just a few months ago only tiny seeds in the palm of my hand will thrive, despite how fragile they looked all spread out, mulched, and caged.

Before we left tonight, I was weeding out the perennial garden. We put our annual herbs in there, too, and as I pulled to clear a space for them, a little plant with fringed leaves caught my eye. It was cilantro that had reseeded itself from last year. Choked by this weed and that, it was four inches tall and looking good.

I'll take that as a positive sign.

Centurions

Today is the 100th day of the writing challenge I posed to my students on March 1. There are 8 kids left standing, and without exception, their final posts have been tributes to the experience. They have made me proud.

Here are a few of their unprompted reflections on completing the challenge:

I am a Centurion. With a capital C! I am disappointed that I have to end this challenge; it has taught me so much and I will never forget it. I doubted it at first, but I have no doubt in my mind now. I feel like a better writer; but there is something else I learned about myself too. I might take longer, but I can write just as well as anyone. If I try I can.

And

Today I have written for 100 days straight without missing a single day. I remember in the beginning I thought I was going to fail, but I never gave up, I at least tried. Well at the end, to my surprise I did it, I just needed some courage and confidence. This taught me a really good lesson, to give it a try instead of deciding from the beginning if I could do it or couldn't do it. This challenge was really helpful for me, because now I am a better writer which is the number one prize I wanted to earn this year. It was the first goal I wrote in TA in September. THANK YOU MS. S. FOR MAKING THESE CHALLENGES. This has really inspired me, to keep writing every day and thank god there are 2 more bonus days. This isn't the end I will keep writing until Ms. S. stops posting. THANK YOU AGAIN!!!!!!!! IT HAS BEEN A GREAT EXPERIENCE WITH YOU THIS YEAR, WE WILL TRULY MISS YOU. I WISH YOU COULD MOVE WITH US TO 7TH GRADE!

And

Today, as we know is the last day of the challenge. Many have failed, but others (like me) have triumphed and become centurion. This end is supposed to be happy, but it is not.I am glad that it is over, but am also so so sad to see the challenge go because you can write about whatever you want (within reason). Take the words from Robert Frost:

"I shall be telling this with a sigh, somewhere, ages hence. Two roads diverged in a yellow wood and I - I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all of the difference."

And now, I want everyone to have a beautiful flash back of the times of the challenge as we say farewell to it.

Puddle Jumping

It was a stormy day here today. The remnants of Tropical Storm Andrea pushed up the eastern seaboard spreading gray skies and warm wind and rain. In between classes and meetings I watched the weather through my window: birds beat through sheets of rain to land on swaying targets of bent branches. By the time I left the building, the worst of it was over-- the unrelenting flat iron sky had given way to huge leaden clouds and there was little more than a spatter falling. On my way home, though, I witnessed the aftermath of two head-on collisions, and the streets were still treacherous, rainbow-slick in the center and deep puddles in the gutters. Stopped at a light, a bright movement caught my eye and I turned to see red boots, bare legs, and a silver splash as a little boy of perhaps six made the best of this dreary day.