Ahhh! Week-end!

GB had her Bernina sewing machine in the shop for the past two weeks because the light bulb burned out and we couldn't get it out. She also had the machine tuned up -- first time in the 20 years she's owned it. Got it back this week, so she's sewing up a storm this afternoon! I ran some errands this morning, potted a shoot from our Rangoon Creeper for friends from church, and am just enjoying a mild afternoon -- sunshine and temps in the mid-70's. It's so nice to have the windows and slider open! This afternoon is especially appreciated; we had a busy week and an intense Friday.
I have averaged four parent / teacher conferences for each of the past 7 school days. They have been good, rewarding times with parents but they are intense and wearing. We have been required to do a Student Learning Plan for each student this year. It's a wonderful idea for communicating what we're doing with the students to their parents, and it is great for me to hone in on what exactly I can do to best help my students. We (my co-5th grade teacher and I) put in a couple of math and one or two reading goals, and the processes we will use to achieve them. Preparing these SLP's has been a lot of work, but they seem to be much appreciated by the parents. I think next year we should add a spiritual goal also...
So Friday we were moving nicely through the day, and then GB found out that her class had to have a head check for lice. The person who is in charge of our clinic did the check on all of GB's kiddos and then sent one little girl back with a shower cap on her head to get her books and then go home. The clinician said she didn't know if GB's third grader actually had lice or dry scalp but she wanted to be careful. GB was furious! She took the shower cap off her student's head right in the hallway. Couldn't believe how insensitive, heartless, and thoughtlessly cruel this woman was to her little girl! Might as well put a dunce cap on her head and shame her on the street corner...How stupid! Yes, kids, we do use the S-word once in a while. It fits, too!
And I had an e-mail from the mom of one of my 5th grade girls. Seems the girl had her foot stomped on by one of my boys. My kids have been following the political campaign and of course they took sides. The girl thought that the Dem was a good role model and was writing a paper on him. The boy was a dyed-in-the-wool conservative and couldn't stand that thought, so he walked back to her while the class was standing in line and stomped on her foot. He's a big, strapping young man and she's a thin little whippet. So I had to work through that discipline action, talking to the students, my co-teacher, my supervisor, and the parents. I think I spent an extra two hours on that little episode alone. I left school at 5:50 PM last night and was soooo ready for the week-end. The parents have been most supportive and appreciated my compassion and willingness to turn even this into a teachable moment for godly virtues.
We're going out for supper tonight with friends -- it's Garibaldi's Mexican food tonight! And they have a Mariachi band...Woohoo!