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Sep. 17th, 2014 08:21 amLast night was curriculum night at Cordelia's school. It started at six, and her teachers had displays in one of the rooms talking about the specifics of the curriculum for the year. I winced at the one for language arts because they used 'affect' where they meant 'effect.' (Studying the affects of water might be an interesting sort of metaphysical undertaking, but I really think they meant they'd study the effects of water.)
Scott and Cordelia showed up about the time the teachers started talking. I hadn't expected them to come. Scott had still been in the shower when I left, and curriculum night is pretty tedious for kids. As it turned out, Cordelia was expecting a bunch of her friends to be there on the playground. Most of the kids she was expecting weren't there and didn't come later, but there were some kids, so she went out to play.
Scott and I had to stand through the teachers' presentation. There were only about twenty chairs, and there were at least twice that many adults squeezed into the room. The main thing I took away from the session, apart from noting that the teachers seemed to have a clearer idea of how the year was supposed to go than they did when they were first hired, was how to use PowerSchool. Middle school is the first time that they start tracking grades and such online. During the elementary years, we pretty much ignored PowerSchool because there wasn't anything really useful about it. Now, it's going to be useful. Teachers track assignments in PowerSchool and attendance and cumulative grades.
After the teachers talked, we went to the multi-purpose room for the school wide talk. Again, there weren't nearly enough chairs, but Scott and I managed to snag a couple. The principal went over, again, what is STEAM, talked about the renovations (with pictures), and introduced the staff. Several different people spoke, and, while it all sounded interesting, very little of it stuck with me. They are implementing a new take on project based learning, I forget the name of it, that's being tried out in a few schools around the country right now. They have one faculty member whose entire job is to take point on that.
After that, Cordelia rejoined us, and we went back upstairs to the classroom for a talk about sixth grade sports. There weren't anywhere near as many people for that. There were actually empty chairs. One of the kindergarten teachers is in charge of the sports program, and they're modeling it on the program in place at Ann Arbor Open, the other K-8 school in the district. For every sport except coed wrestling (for which Cordelia's school doesn't have the equipment), the school will attempt to form a team. If they can't, the kids who want to do that sport will have to go to Clague, the nearest middle school, to play on that team.
The assistant principal is currently working on getting a bus to take kids from the school to Clague for practices. Parents would still have to pick their kids up after practices. We asked about whether or not kids returning to Northside could take the bus that brings kids who attend Clague home after practices. That bus does stop at Northside, so it seems reasonable that kids could do that. Unfortunately, the assistant principal was really confused by the question, so we didn't get an answer or an assurance that he'll be looking into it.
Scott and Cordelia hadn't eaten before going to curriculum night, so they made up salads when we got home. Unfortunately, the lettuce appears to have been bad. It didn't taste good, and Scott's now sick from it. Cordelia doesn't seem to have suffered any ill effects from it, but Scott's digestion is easily upset. Scott actually called in sick today.
Neighborhood Roofing called ten minutes ago to say they're not coming today after all. The shingles will still arrive today, but the people to put them on won't come until tomorrow. I wish they'd make up their minds. Scott went out at six this morning to move the car out of the driveway so that they could work.
Scott and Cordelia showed up about the time the teachers started talking. I hadn't expected them to come. Scott had still been in the shower when I left, and curriculum night is pretty tedious for kids. As it turned out, Cordelia was expecting a bunch of her friends to be there on the playground. Most of the kids she was expecting weren't there and didn't come later, but there were some kids, so she went out to play.
Scott and I had to stand through the teachers' presentation. There were only about twenty chairs, and there were at least twice that many adults squeezed into the room. The main thing I took away from the session, apart from noting that the teachers seemed to have a clearer idea of how the year was supposed to go than they did when they were first hired, was how to use PowerSchool. Middle school is the first time that they start tracking grades and such online. During the elementary years, we pretty much ignored PowerSchool because there wasn't anything really useful about it. Now, it's going to be useful. Teachers track assignments in PowerSchool and attendance and cumulative grades.
After the teachers talked, we went to the multi-purpose room for the school wide talk. Again, there weren't nearly enough chairs, but Scott and I managed to snag a couple. The principal went over, again, what is STEAM, talked about the renovations (with pictures), and introduced the staff. Several different people spoke, and, while it all sounded interesting, very little of it stuck with me. They are implementing a new take on project based learning, I forget the name of it, that's being tried out in a few schools around the country right now. They have one faculty member whose entire job is to take point on that.
After that, Cordelia rejoined us, and we went back upstairs to the classroom for a talk about sixth grade sports. There weren't anywhere near as many people for that. There were actually empty chairs. One of the kindergarten teachers is in charge of the sports program, and they're modeling it on the program in place at Ann Arbor Open, the other K-8 school in the district. For every sport except coed wrestling (for which Cordelia's school doesn't have the equipment), the school will attempt to form a team. If they can't, the kids who want to do that sport will have to go to Clague, the nearest middle school, to play on that team.
The assistant principal is currently working on getting a bus to take kids from the school to Clague for practices. Parents would still have to pick their kids up after practices. We asked about whether or not kids returning to Northside could take the bus that brings kids who attend Clague home after practices. That bus does stop at Northside, so it seems reasonable that kids could do that. Unfortunately, the assistant principal was really confused by the question, so we didn't get an answer or an assurance that he'll be looking into it.
Scott and Cordelia hadn't eaten before going to curriculum night, so they made up salads when we got home. Unfortunately, the lettuce appears to have been bad. It didn't taste good, and Scott's now sick from it. Cordelia doesn't seem to have suffered any ill effects from it, but Scott's digestion is easily upset. Scott actually called in sick today.
Neighborhood Roofing called ten minutes ago to say they're not coming today after all. The shingles will still arrive today, but the people to put them on won't come until tomorrow. I wish they'd make up their minds. Scott went out at six this morning to move the car out of the driveway so that they could work.
