2012 Picture Day at Jefferson

Other than the "2012", this title could be as timeless as a 1967 Corvette. Aren't all picture days the same? The night before, thinking about what to wear. Be honest guys, even we did it. The morning of, your mom making sure you didn't wear your favorite striped shirt with plaid pants. The "walk of Fame", sporting your very best outfit as you walked into school for the day. The anticipation of when your class will be called down to the gym. Now, from the inside, I see that it has hardly changed.

Today was picture day at Jefferson Elementary School, where I work. What a day! The kids looked so great in their not so oft worn ensembles. It is funny though, some kids really do it up, and others just don't get into it that much. I understand that some of that is economic in nature, but I think there is more to it than that.

Some kids like the whole "dress up" gig. It's fun for them to get all fancied up. Some of the older kids come to compete, it is obvious. Many just conform to the group of kids they hang around. Some kids I am certain, think what they normally wear is already good enough, so why upgrade for a photo? I think I am in this camp.

Today was special for me though. Today, I was reminded of the most magical part about picture day for us guys. The FREE COMB! Sure, most of us had a comb or several at home. But this was the brass ring. The slim black beauty...and free! Some of us would even go to the bathroom before our turn and mess up our hair, just so we could land that tiny plastic piece of black magic. We would sport around all day with that thing hanging out of our back pockets, asking each male passerby non chalantly, "Did you uh, get the free comb?" Many of our friends would look back in horror, forgetting the whole reason for all of the pageantry, knowing that they would have to wait 365 days for this chance to present itself again.

Today, sadly, I was an adult. When asked by a bright eyed third grader, "Did you get the free comb?” I had to awkwardly reply, "Oh man!" Oh well, at least next year is not a leap year...only 364 days to go.

Chasing the Ice Cream Truck

As a parent, I think we spend too much time making rules for our kids.  I remember vividly, my dad saying, "You're too old for that!"  That is how we seem to be as a nation.  We can't be the Peter Pan character, so we turn into mean old Captain Hook.

Who can make this repulsive trend turn around?  Maybe we all can, with a little help from our inner child.

Let me ask you a couple of questions to get things started. 

1.  When was the last time you went to the playground to swing?  I get to push kids on swings everyday at my job.  I pull them back and let go with a little push and they are off.  That's all I do.  They giggle and laugh and laugh out loud as their tummy makes that uncomfortable, but pleasurable gentle lift.  It cracks them up and for a small time makes all of the school days problems go away.  When I am stressed out I usually get an aspirin or two and flip the TV on to the Drone channel.  Why don't I go to the park and swing?!

2.  When was the last time you had ice cream.  I don't mean the kind you get, made en mass at the grocery, I'm talking about the individually wrapped kind that you can only find waiting for you on the ice cream truck.  You hear the bells and that familiar jingle, and your kids may make a mention of it.  But why don't you chase that truck?  Remember how good that tasted on a hot summer day?  Remember how it made all the hassles go away?

I think it is up to us as parents to reteach our children on this issue.  When I am 80, would I rather sit around and complain about the old days, or  be seen swinging in the park with ice cream running down my arm?  The choice is easy and obvious.  As for me and my family, we will chase the ice cream truck!

Blessings in a Backpack Update!

Went to a great meeting last night with the people working with Blessings in a Backpack.  Last year they were able to serve 25 students, providing weekend meals for the entire school year.  In less than 9 months, they have increased their goal to serve 100 students!  This is where all of us step in. 

At the meeting last night, we were able to secure commitments from four people who will serve as coordinators at the school level in the Plymouth school district..  These people will pack the backpacks and work with the kids, making sure that the backpacks are returned each week so that they can be filled for the following weekend.  We are still in need of many volunteers, so contact Chris Garner or Ellen Stillson and let them know of your interest in serving this incredible organization locally.

To meet this aggressive goal, we need to continually tell people about this great program.  Once people see the great need this organization meets, people seem to want to help.  You can go directly to Blessingsinabackpack.org, or read my previous blog about the organization on this website.  The great thing, once again, about Blessings, is that ALL of the money raised goes to buying food for the kids.  The backpacks are supplied by the parent organization, so all of your money goes directly to feeding truly hungry kids.  This can mean the difference between a successful elementary school experience, and a very sad story later in life.  Let's go for the successful school experience, huh?

Some of us will be at the annual Plymouth Indiana Blueberry Festival this weekend, collecting donations and spreading the word.  Come by and see us at Jefferson Elementary on Saturday.  Put the word out and let's make that goal of 100 kids a reality by this weekend!

Week Two- My Dogs are Barkin'

We started school last Wednesday in our school district. So including today, that makes four days of school complete, 176 to go. This being the first Monday completed on our schedule, I wanted to take a moment and share something with you all. You know how they say that when you are elected President of the United States, you stop aging at a normal rate. For every year in office the body ages anywhere from 2.5 years to 4 years. This is why President Clinton looked 47 when he took office. and eight short years later he looked closer to 62, than the actual age of 55 years. That's why we pay them the big bucks. You gotta pay to play, and all that.
Well, the same is true of teachers, but for shorter periods. Now, I can't back this up with any solid data, but I believe teachers age this way on the first week of school. Let's just say for the sake of argument, that teachers age in "Dog Years" during the first week of class each year. With the ratio of dog years to human years being 7 to 1, that makes the first week of school(5 days), equal to 35 days, or seven weeks of teaching. If we add that together over a forty year teaching career, we come to an additional...5.4 years of aging!  This would explain why some of our teachers look at bit more "frazzled", let's say, than we think they should by retirement age.

I'm not saying that teaching is like working in the coal mines, or even as stressful as being POTUS, but the first few days back are definitely a transition to a new way of walking, and bending, and stooping...you get the picture. So let's take a few minutes today to remember the unsung hero of the classroom, the Break Even Teacher, and give them a round of applause. Or maybe a massage, or soak their feet, or maybe a free week at the spa!

2012 Praxis II Business Education Examination Results

As I stated in my last post, the majority of planned activity time for me this summer has been spent studying for the Praxis II exam. Be it known, that on July 21, 2012 at 2:30am Greenwich Mean Time, I sat for the Praxis II Business Education Content test at Concord High School in Elkhart Indiana. After three agonizingly long weeks of awaiting the results, I am happy to tell you… I passed! Can you even believe it! I am so excited I can’t see straight! So after I jump through a few more hoops for the government, I will be licensed to teach High School Business in Indiana. Remember to keep that in mind, all of you who may be in a position in the near future to hire such a person! If you have a position open out of state, I assume I could jump through some hoops in that state and be licensed there as well. Although I have heard that can be a difficult thing sometimes. But if I can do it in Indiana, the world is my oyster! That is all for today, so I will leave you in peace, feeling as excited as a hungry dog in a beef jerky factory. I will remain at my computer, sitting with a smile ear to ear, and hoping beyond all hope, that one of the business teachers in one of the area school systems wins the lottery, moves to Europe, and recommends me to fill their vacant teaching position.

What I did this summer. what did I do this summer?

So, what did I do this summer? Actually, I'm not sure. Let's see, there was my son's graduation from High School, with parties and such. That took a couple of days. I studied for the Praxis test. That took a couple of weeks. We went to the Mall of America. That was a five day trip. We went down to Richmond for the weekend. That was three days. I had a pitch in and meeting at school. That took up half a day. In total, that comes to that comes to 24.5 days. So what did I do with the remaining 49 days? I have no idea!

That's what happens when you do something for a living that you love. It becomes a pleasure and a privilege to be doing it, and the time spent away from it seems less important. Now, I know this is coming off my first year doing this, so many of you think I am in the "honeymoon" stage of this job. You may be right. I will tell you though, that in 30 years of being in the full time workforce, this is the first time this has happened. Better late than never, I guess.

As I stated above, we did have a meeting and pitch in at school last week. It was great to see everybody again. All of teachers were getting their classes in order and a certain excitement was so noticeable. It seems that I am not the only one who has missed the kids this summer. And though I could tell that many of the teachers didn't take the entire summer off, they are just as ready to get back to school as I am. Summer, I bid you farewell. I will notice your absence, but will not long for you as I once did...unless I get to teach summer school!

Congratulations to Amy W! Winner of the Sesame Street Learning Fun 4 Activity Books and 4 CDs

Congratulations to Amy W! She is our first winner at Break Even Teaching! I will be emailing you soon so I can get your prize in the mail!  Thanks so much to all of you that entered, and keep your eyes open for your next chance to win!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blessings in a Backpack...Feeding The Future Of America

For most of us, life is pretty good.  Sometimes, especially living in this country, we forget just how good we have it.  I know I have been blessed by the fact that I have never really experienced hunger.  Sure, we all say things like, “Man, I’m starving!”  Most of us, thankfully, will never really have to know how that feels.  But for some of the families in our own communities, this is a reality.  Today I want to talk to you about a charity that my wife and I love and support, and that truly addresses this problem.  It is called, Blessings in a Backpack.

I will admit that I have only known about this organization for a short time, but they have been helping kids in local communities since 2006.  They are currently feeding over 55,000 children in 318 schools in 37 US states and three countries. This is what they do and how they do it.  Blessings in a Backpack provides a backpack for elementary school children whose families qualify for the Federal Free and Reduced Price Meal Program.  Each Friday, the backpack is filled with enough food for two breakfasts, two lunches, and snacks for the weekend.  On Monday, the students bring the empty backpack to school and on Friday it will be filled for them again.

The thing that really appeals to me about this group is the way they are organized.  They are a 501C(3) non-profit organization, which means that when you make a donation it is also tax deductible.  When you donate money for a child though, the money goes directly to buying the food for the child, in the community that you choose.  The cost of the backpack is part of what the parent organization provides.  So, your donation is transferred to a debit card that the local organization uses to buy food for the kids in your community from the stores in your community.

This organization was brought to our community by two wonderful women, Ellen Stillson and Chris Garner.  They started last fall at one elementary school in Plymouth Indiana, striving to meet the needs of 25 children.  This year they expanded that to cover all four elementary schools and their goal is to feed 25 students at EACH school!  This all in the span of less than a year!  Great things are happening with this program in our community and I hope you will help spread the word.

If you want to donate and sponsor food for a child, you can send a check, made out to Blessings in a Backpack, to Chris Garner, 12954 6^th Road, Plymouth, Indiana  46563.  Please include your name and address if it is not on the check so that they can send you a tax receipt and a thank you.  Also, be sure to let them know which school you would like the money to go toward.  If you are out of this area and you would like to donate, go to Blessingsinabackpack.org, for more information.

Believe it or not, $80 will provide enough food for a child for an entire school year of weekends!  This year my wife and I could only afford to provide enough for one child.  Hopefully next year we can up our donation and begin to help more children, but we had to start somewhere.  I challenge you all to do the same.

Break Even Teaching "Getting to Know You!" Giveaway

Since I am just starting out, I thought I would have a little contest to "Get To Know You!" Here's what is up for grabs for the lucky winner!

Activities include: matching exercises, number tracing, pictures with color keys and more! 4 Silly Song CDs with 102 Silly Songs total Songs Include: Can You Name That Animal Sound?, The Muffin Man, Sally The Camel, Silly Shapes and More! Activity Books recommended for ages 3 and up Package Includes: 4 Activity Books: Learning to Cut & Glue, I Like to Color & Trace, Fun with Numbers, Fun with Letters; 4 Silly Song CDs. So follow the directions in the rafflecopter, and good luck!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Olympians Were Once In Elementary School...Any Stories?

Growing up, I can remember idolizing a certain speed skater named Eric Heiden.  He was the fastest skater I had ever seen and only lived two states away, so he was very real to me.  I watched the "Up Close and Personal" segment with Jim McKay and got to see all of the inside secrets as to how he trained.  Then I went out to the barn and tried to recreate the sliding panel he had on his workout room floor in Wisconsin.  Then, in the sub zero Indiana winter, I took my shoes off and struggled to imitate what I had seen my idol do, so effortlessly, on TV.  To say it was a mess would be an incredible understatement!  I can tell you it was much less painful than trying to learn the "Fosbury Flop" in my  homage to Bruce Jenner in the summer of '76!  But Olympians do that to us as kids...and sometimes as adults too.

Here in Plymouth Indiana, we have an Olympian, I believe, for the first time.  Her name is Morgan Uceny, and I can bet there will be girls all over the country watching the Olympics that will try to train just like her, and be just like her. 

I've never lived in a town that had an Olympian and I can tell you it is really exciting.  Seeing people wearing the wrist bands in support of her and her family makes me feel good about the community in which I live.  I can't wait to sit around the TV with friends and watch her run.  It doesn't matter if she wins or not, at least not to us.  She is an Olympian no matter what happens now, and no one can take that away from her.  An incredible accomplishment to say the least.

So what stories do you have?  Did you train like a champion after seeing your first Olympics?  Did you have an Olympian in class at some point?  Was Morgan your student?  This is your chance to tell the world your story and share your experience with friends. Nothing inspires us as Americans like these stories, and nothing brings us closer together as humans than these two weeks, every two years.

Image:  Courtesy Patrick Hoesly via Flickr

Hot Summer Day Missing the Kids...

Today I am sitting at home doing nothing.  It seems like such a long time since I have had this opportunity, but today it feels less like an opportunity and more of a chore.  I have talked to several people this week that have commented how fast the summer is going by.  I find it to be the exact opposite for me.  For the first time in my life, I feel like the summer is never going to end!  I think it is mostly because I just miss the kids.  Most of the people I have shared this with assure me that this feeling will pass the more years I spend working with the kids.  I have my doubts.

This is my first summer to experience this.  All those little ones at your feet all day, then BOOM, nobody.  No one to send to the nurse with a scraped knee.  No one to have stand on the wall for disobeying a rule.  No one asking those great questions that we adults love.  You know, the ones that make us feel so smart to that second grader, who looks up with that grin like, "Mr. Ringenberg is soooo smart."  Yeah, I kind of miss all of that.

Registration is only a week away, and then only a couple of weeks until school starts.  I think I can make it.  Maybe I'll read a picture book or work on some fractions.

Neat Site-Teachers pay Teachers!

This is a really cool  site I just stumbled across, and it looks like it is legit.  If any of you have used or are members of this site, please leave a comment or review if briefly below.

It seems to be an open source for teachers to buy and sell materials from other teachers.  There is a marketplace, but also a request area, where teachers ask if anyone has something out there that they need, specifically.

There are three types of memberships, only one of them with a cost.  I opted for the middle of the road (which was free), and sign up took a mere three minutes.  Now I can buy and sell on their site with the only fees being listing fees, which you get on every online sales channel you may use.(eBay, Amazon, Buy.com)

Having worked with some teachers this year that have some lengthy experience behind them, I know some of you have massive amounts of teaching resources that might be old and outdated to you, but can be new to someone else.  This could be a great opportunity to help you break even.

Their site is TeacherspayTeachers.com.  So check them out and let me know what you think.

My Favorite Teacher!

Anyone out there have a favorite teacher? Of course, I think we all do. When I was in sixth grade, my family moved to a farm just outside of the town in which we lived. I could no longer go to the city schools. I had to go to...Boston Junior High, DAH, DAH, DAH! Well, I thought it would be that bad. Actually, it turned out to be an incredible experience.

That same year, 1976, for those of you keeping score at home, a new teacher entered the hallowed halls of BJHS; Mr. Joe Hellrung. Mr. Hellrung wasn't like the other teachers I had experienced up to this point. He was cool. In the summers, he taught tennis, and was from Collinsville, Illinois, which of course was a much cooler place than Richmond, Indiana! He was good looking and even though he was the new guy, all of the other teachers seemed to want to be a a part of the phenomenon.

 Mr. Hellrung was more than that to me though. I am not sure I even remember what he taught. For some reason English and History come to mind. What I do know is that he taught me to LOVE history, and through that connection, how to love literature. The way he talked about our world made it seem like we had a chance in life. During these times we didn't get much hope from what was going on all around us. When I was in Mr. Hellrung's class I felt safe, and that someone had my back. I have a feeling every kid felt that same way.

 Mr. Hellrung was funny too, but in a very subtle way. He wasn't trying to make you laugh, he just did. We always compared him to Mr. Kotter of Welcome Back Kotter, but he wasn't really like him at all. One time we were discussing Thomas Jefferson and he had said that he was also an inventor. I asked him if our last elected President, Richard Nixon, had invented anything. He immediately responded, “I don't know...maybe the 'Secretary Stretch'." (For those of you not of this era, look this one up, or ask me. It is much more clever than you realize!)

 I'm pretty sure Mr. Hellrung is still out there, probably having the same impact on kids that he did back then. I know I never got a chance to say thank you to him. I also assume he doesn't realize what an impact he had on my life, or on the lives of countless others. He probably would be embarrassed to even read this about himself, because he was truly, all about the kids. Thanks Mr. Hellrung!

Back to School Shopping-A Random Act of Kindness

Good Afternoon Everyone!

The other day I went on a huge journey to the civilization located a mere 25 miles-ish north of my home...a land we call Mishawaka!  They have a Super Target.  We don't have a Super Target.  We have a Super Wal-Mart, which puts us slightly lower on the food chain in terms of shopping I think.

As I was strolling through the aisles, salivating over the selection, that just a "normal" Target doesn't have, a thought occurred to me.  Why not put a little "care package" of school supplies together for my favorite teacher's classroom?  This would only cost me maybe another fifteen bucks, and it might put a smile on the face of some student who didn't get to do their BTS shopping at a Super Target. 

Then I had another thought.  What if something like this is already in place?  What if the PTA or another organization already organizes something like this to help the students?  After a two minute search on the web, I found that this is a very common practice.  Communities and school systems are doing this all over the country!  This is great!

Alas, another thought came to mind.  I had a lot of thoughts in that Super Target.  SO What!  What if it's not being done in my town?  Then the kids will suffer!  So I decided to do it.  And I encourage all of you to do it as well.  You don't have to spend a ton, just get a list of the required school supplies for a child in a specific class and make it happen!  If you can afford to, make it happen multiple times!

Folks, with unemployment and underemployment and the economy and all of these factors going against us, we can only count on one another.  Do this small act if you can and I know you will make a huge difference in the life of a child on the first day of school!

Thanks for reading, and acting, and Peace to you all! And remember, if you like what you are reading, don’t forget to follow me on Networked Blogs, or Google Plus, or subscribe on the top right, and recommend posts at the bottom of each post using Google Plus, Twitter and Facebook etc.  Thanks again for reading!

Back To School Shopping? Already?

The other day I was having lunch with some friends and we got on the topic of "Back to School" shopping.  I know it seems early, but if you go into any store that sells anything remotely close to school supplies, like pencils, crayons, dog food, you will see what I mean.   In our discussion, two stores came up; Walmart and Staples.  One of my friends claimed that Staples had much better deals than Walmart, which of course, took me by surprise.

When I think of back to school shopping, I think of just popping in the car and heading to Walmart, like everybody else, right.  After thinking about it for a while, I realized that the reason my mind goes to Walmart, is that Walmart is my only choice for local deep discount shopping.  I don't want to drive 24 miles to the nearest Staples!  But do I have to?

After lunch I decided to see if the Staples deals were all that great, and to see if I could get those same deals online.  To be fair, I also checked Walmart.com to compare.  So, here we go.

Walmart is a true American success story.  They started out as a five and dime and have become the worlds largest retailer.  Their 100,000+ square foot stores can save you money on almost anything you purchase.  Sometimes the quality is a bit in question, but, you get what you pay for I guess.  As an online store, they really don't have a clue in my opinion. 

For being the worlds largest retailer you would think their web presence would be astounding.  You would think they could find the best of the best to program their sites.  Apparently they are shopping at the programmers equivalent of Walmart to get their discount programmers.  What an incredibly boring website.  It is also very confusing to navigate. This could be because of the amount of products they sell, but that should not be the consumer's problem.  You would think "Back to School" would be highlighted immediately on the first page.  I have a 22 inch screen and I had to scroll down just to find it, which is a cardinal sin of website design.  Overall, I decided to not make a purchase and if I need anything from Walmart, I'll just get in the car and make the trip.

Staples on the other hand has been paying attention the last fifteen years.  They have come from being a great retailer to becoming a great e-tailer!  Not only is their site striking to look at, it leads you to your products and allows you to explore their store quite easily.  Best of all, the "Back to School" deals are good on the website, and, if you spend $45 or more, shipping is free!  Who of us won't be spending that much this fall?

Just a quick note to add to all of this.  I am all about shopping locally and supporting the local small business owner.  At this time of year though, when you are buying multiple items and possibly a good quantity of them, you need to find the best deal.  If your local merchant can compete, wonderful, shop locally.  If not, you might find the best deals right on your laptop.

So, think outside of the box this year and look around for your back to school deals.  You may be surprised at what you find.

Volunteers! Come One, Come All!

One of our readers from yesterday brought up a good point in her post to me.  What about all of the people who volunteer at our schools to help carry the load.  Absolutely!

We have several volunteers at our Elementary school.  Some, you know very well, because it seems they are there as much as all of the rest of us.  Some, you don't know quite as well, maybe a familiar face in the hallway or at recess.  And some, you would have no idea that they make a great contribution on a regular basis, just because they work behind the scenes.

We have one parent who comes in to volunteer, I would say, three days a week, on average.  When I first started working there, I really wondered about this woman.  "Do you really have nothing better to do than hang around a bunch of Kindergartners?", I thought.  But then, I got it.  She had better things to do, sure, but she was hooked.  The kids gave her energy and enthusiasm.  They gave her as much as she was giving to them.

Another parent I see weekly is one of those, "Do I know you?" volunteers.  She is seen in the halls occasionally, but most of the time she is working with the front office or in the lunchroom during off peak eating time.  I don't see exactly what she does, but I see the results of it in the school.  I see the people she has been helping feeling a bit less burdened by their day.

Of course you don't have to be a parent to volunteer.  My ideal volunteer would be a ten foot tall person with sticky hands.  This would come in mighty handy getting the balls off the roof during recess.  Yes, you can even volunteer for recess duty!  We have one regular recess volunteer that is in great shape and he runs the kids until they are exhausted!  I love that.  I tried to run with him once and gave up before the first muscle on my leg had moved.  He makes me tired just watching him.  But man, does he help me with the kids.  His presence allows me to really watch the kids and be a better recess aide.

So, how do YOU get involved?  It is very simple.  Come to the school of your choice and ask!  If they tell you they have plenty of help, they aren't looking hard enough.  There may be a bit of paperwork or maybe a short background check, but it will be worth it, trust me.  These kids will pay you in hugs and smiles more abundantly than you will be able to handle at first, so be prepared!

Now, go volunteer!

PAEWX2KFYWBU

Why "Break Even Teaching"

My wife is a Teacher's Aide at a small elementary school in Northern Indiana.  She is a GREAT aide to these kids!  I started out my career in education working in College Admissions,  but "went to the dark side" with banking several years ago. I am a Lehman Brothers survivor, to the extent that any of us really survived. Over the years I slowly lost touch, and if I am honest, interest, in what my wife did on a day to day basis.  Until last fall...

With my life on a bit of a hold while I searched out my next vocational venture, I was sitting home posting resumes and scanning employment websites when the phone rang.  It startled me, because the only people that ever called me, well nobody ever called me.  The phone sat dormant most of the day.  I assumed that this was going to be the call I had been waiting for.  The job that was going to bring me back into a cushy job(sarcasm) in education!  No, this was my wife telling me of the woes of the school.  Really selling the fact that two of the other aides were out sick and she needed me to come fill in for a couple of hours.  Begrudgingly, to say the absolute least, I agreed.

Now, first you must understand some things.  I am 48 years old and am 6'1" carrying over 250 lbs of not unintimidating corn fed human.  I don't frighten easily, and can honestly say there are very few things that I don't feel I can do reasonably well.  Sword Swallowing!  Now that is something I don't think I can do well.  Huge gag reflex, and not fond of paper cuts, let alone gaping wounds.  But one of the other few things that really scare me...little kids.

My sons have been raised and are now off to other places and adventures, so I hadn't been with "little" kids in quite a while.  So for my wife to plead with me to come and fill in, well, I really must love her to oblige. 

All that day, I waited. Patiently.  Where were the crying children?  Where were the fighting boys?  Where were the kurschmackers with the clinkedy clackers, making all of that noise, noise, noise noise!?  Sorry, but I did feel like the Grinch that day.  But regardless of all of my worst and most foul expectations, nothing bad really ever happened.  In fact, I ended up really falling in love with the kids, and the job, and the whole nine yards.  So much so, that when an opening came up as an aide at that very school...I applied.  And the rest, as they say, is History.  Well, more like current events, as I am going back for year two this fall.

To say that that one day changed me would be a grave error.  That one day allowed me to take a step in life that I would never, ever have taken.  A step that ultimately gave me back a sense of hope and happiness in my life.  But what amazed me even more, were these amazing professionals that I worked with.  From the Principal to the librarian to the custodians to the teachers, these people really cared!  I mean,  "drop everything else in your life and let's sit down and discuss how we can touch lives", cared!  Not the bank slogan type of care.

Budgets are tough for everybody these days, cuts must be made, but what will we do for the needs of the school?  I'll tell you what these people do...they pay it out of their own pockets!  I know!  That's what I said!  Until I spent every day with these same kids, that HAD gloves, because someone was willing to donate them.  These same kids, that HAD crayons because one of their teachers knew they needed them and slipped them into their desk overnight, like a little wax elf making a special delivery.  These same kids that HAD lice treatments because someone cared enough to not let them go home itching again for the third day straight!

So, here is my point and the point of this entire blog.  These educators, I am certain, are amazing, yet, I am even more certain, more typical than we care to believe.  They didn't get in to education to make money, and due to the fault of legislators everywhere, that has been more than granted.  But these people go above and beyond, everyday.

So, let's raise a glass, tip a hat, or put our hands together, for all of the teachers, custodians, administrative assistants, school nurses, Principals, and yes, even aides, that go out there every day, not to make money...but just try to break even.

I am in awe of you daily, and I salute you!

PAEWX2KFYWBU