Week 23: Feb 17-20

Sewing Down the Letters of My ODD and EVEN life

After a week’s hiatus, which my oldest son Matt told me not to feel guilty about, as the ability to not post constantly was the beauty of the blog, I find myself inside an analogy. You see, someone took Benton’s ODD and EVEN signs. It’s not vital to the day-in, day-out operations of our school, but it’s amazing how many people rely on those silly little signs. I’ve had the remaking of those signs on my list for almost two months now. That and about a thousand other things. Now, I try not to whine about how busy I am – no, really – and I know I am in good company (yes, I hear you say it too). I felt like I got beat up week before last and so my response was to fall back, lick my wounds, and come back stronger and smarter.

Here I am. No longer at ODDs with what has got to be progress (what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger); but more on an EVEN keel. I realized that I have a gazillion things I want to talk about with everyone – the very everyone’s that I run out of time to talk to during the school day. So, with that said, I will begin my series of posting on the following idea: BUT… before I start (and that might even be as soon as tomorrow), promise you will respond. Benton High School has blogable issues that we must communicate about. We HAVE TO, and I really mean HAVE TO, hash these things out. We have two weeks before we our walk through. One week later, our BIP (building improvement plan) is due. We have six weeks before the community VOTES about our future. We have two months before we MAP. Throw in master scheduling, five more grading cycles, prom, finals and graduation – geez, we need to talk!

Okay folks, here’s my tentative list of topics for the next few weeks:
1. Grading – where is it getting us?
2. School and Department Improvement Plans – paperwork or improvement?
3. To Survey or Not to Survey – what do we want to know?
4. Technology – Our future, kids’ future – You in or out?
5. Fighting the Frustration and Fatigue