TAKS DAY NO LONGER APRIL 15

Well, it’s TAKS day.  Time to see if our kids will impress us or …. well we just won’t go there.  This is the time in which the state is testing us on how well we can cram a ton of stuff into these kids’ heads (along with at least 7 other teachers) all while working around their busy schedule with academic UIL, track, baseball, basketball, football, cross country, OAP, tennis, golf, stock show … and the list goes on. 

 

Today is their social studies test, tomorrow and Wednesday is math, then Thursday is Science.   I’ll keep you updated through out the afternoon.

   
    
 	
  	________________________________________ 	
 		 	NOTICE OF CONFIDENTIALITY:  	  	 	This electronic mail transmission may contain confidential information, belonging to the sender, 	  	which is legally privileged. The information is intended only for the use of the individual or 		  entity listed above. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any 		  disclosure, copying, distribution, use, or taking of any action on reliance of the contents of this 		  electronically-mailed confidential information is strictly prohibited and may violate Board policy 		  (legal) and the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). If you have received this 		  electronic mail in error, please notify us by telephone immediately to arrange for return and 		  correction of internal records; in addition, please delete the original message. 	    
   
  

Barbie Stucco Castle

Well the cake is done ... the monsterous Barbie Diamond Castle cake is finally ready to eat. No ... on second thought, nobody eats the cake, it too pretty and we have spent too much time on it. I will say however that i've never seen a castle made of stucco before. I am proud of Kathy though, she did have a good idea and saw it through to the end.
Love the cookies too. Coach F, even though they look exactly like the ghosts from Pac-Man, they're not ... they are princess crowns. Don't say they look like Pac-Man ghost be cause they don't, even though they do.
Pictures from the party to come.
Oh, and cross your fingers that the cake makes it to the party OK.

Twitter

Kathy and I are now Twitter Tweets, what ever that is.  Check them out.  Twitter home page here ... my ID is The_Anti_Lope and Kathy's is mamatownsend.

More to come

It's hard to start a blog with the frase ... come back tomorrow, but there it is.  We are headed to Lubbock and Kathy has a mission and a plan.  Dangerous combo or money saving genius.  

Spring Break! and Hobby

First day of Spring Break an we are at Hobby Lobby ...again. Granted, we r here to cheat the 'man' out of some $ by using a coupon. Ill update with our savings later. I did take this action shot of Mrs Evil Science Teacher in a rare scene ... when confronted with two products from different manufacturers, she choose the cheaper.

Observation

Not sure if its a baptist thing or what, but I'm getting the feeling that everyone assumes you get hungerier if someone in your family passes away.  Don't get me wrong I really appreciate everyone and what they did; you should see all the food! 

We love you Pop

Lendon B. Vaughn (L.B.) March 4, 2009 Beloved husband, father and grandfather, passed quietly to be with his Lord on March 3, 2009. He was born June 17, 1927 in Falls County, Texas. He was a long time member of the Ferndale Baptist Church. There he was a faithful deacon and Sunday School teacher. L.B. worked as a construction superintendent before he retired. He served in the Navy during World War II. He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Martha; children, Jim Vaughn, Paula Townsend, David & Alicia Vaughn; 5 grandchildren, 2 great-grandchildren; sister, Doris & Tom Humphus; and many nieces, nephews, and loving friends. Services are 1:00 pm Saturday, March 7 at Jaynes Memorial Chapel. Burial will follow at Laurel Land Memorial Park in Dallas. Visitation is 6:30 to 8:30 pm Friday, March 6, at the funeral home.

We'll miss you Pop!

HAZCOM Training

Chill'n out at the ESC for a HAZCOM education. Have you seen the stockroom? Honestly, I'm surprised that we haven't been shut down yet!

Complain Complain Complain

These kids this morning are in a complaining mood (more so than usual).  I give them a simple 6-question assignment to work on in class, so that they don’t have to take it home for homework, and half the class is complaining that I give them too much classwork.  So I say “fine … take it home and we will start on the next set of notes”  and surprise surprise … they don’t want to do that either.  I’ve offered to send them down to the comfy  chairs in the office, but alas … no takers.  I may have to insist on some going down.  I’m too tired to put up with some of these kids today.  Guess some are too tired to put up with me too.

   
    
 	
  	________________________________________ 	
 		 	NOTICE OF CONFIDENTIALITY:  	  	 	This electronic mail transmission may contain confidential information, belonging to the sender, 	  	which is legally privileged. The information is intended only for the use of the individual or 		  entity listed above. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any 		  disclosure, copying, distribution, use, or taking of any action on reliance of the contents of this 		  electronically-mailed confidential information is strictly prohibited and may violate Board policy 		  (legal) and the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). If you have received this 		  electronic mail in error, please notify us by telephone immediately to arrange for return and 		  correction of internal records; in addition, please delete the original message. 	    
   
  

Going to Fry's

Fry's Electronics is the most dangerous and the most amazing store in the world ... because you know I've been to them all.

View Larger Map

Movie Season

Below you (Coach F) will find a comprehensive list of the movies that are set to grace the theaters this summer. These movies are begging to be seen. I'll make this list, but if I miss any, I would be happy to add.  I count 12 blockbusters, each at $9 so if I do my math right ... Kathy and Mrs. Coach F are going to have to get a summer job. : ) 

March 6 - Watchmen

March 27 - Monsters vs. Aliens (in 3D no less)

May 1 - X-Men Origins: Wolverine

May 8 - Star Trek

May 15 - Angels and Demons

May 22 - Terminator Salvation

June 5 - Land of the Lost

June 5 - Year One

June 26 - Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen

July 1 - Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dinosaurs 

July 17 - Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

August 7 - G.I.Joe: Rise of Cobra

Fun With Google Maps

Any body reading this wondering where the Evil Science Teachers live ... here ya go.  Looks like Mr Evil was out.   More fun to come.

View Larger Map

POOP TECH

How could I forget this?!?  About 2 weeks ago, I was forced invited to go to Hobby Lobby to by stuff for Katy's invites to her Big 3 Party, and as we approach the car ... we notice there is a business card sticking out of our driver's side window.  As I read the card ... I notice that is is for a new business in the area.  Wasn't sure that this was even a need in the Lubbock metropolis for their survices.  When I got home ... I checked out thier web site and ... sure enough, for a small, reasonable fee they will do a job that Americans just won't do.  These fine gentelmen will come by our home not every now-and-then, but as often as twice a week and pick up the dog poop in your yard!

Basketball Tuesday ... Last One

Last game for the girls and last home game for the boys.  Tonight ... we face the Smyer Bobcats.  JV  girls won in a game that could have gone terribly, terribly wrong (not unlike seeing our Super. in drag, but that's a whole nother therapy session).  Update as the game goes.

UPDATE- WF 26 SM 28

UPDATE- I think Coach F has many, many clones ... he's walked by at least 5 times, but never back the other way.

UPDATE-  WF 41, SM 61

Tough game on senior night.  Boys are up next.

UPDATE- WF 30 SM 37

Boys played hard ... kept it close for a while, but in then in the end it was not to be

UPDATE- Coach F's youngest found some new friends and unbeknownst to him, I snapped these pics while he thought he was cleverly hidden.

TCEA - Day 3

Last day of the conference ... big door prize day ... or so I hear.  Session at 8am on creating a Moodle.org site, a pretty cool online classroom site I'm thinking about implementing for TAKS, more on this later.  There was this one guy that came in late, sat in listening and taking notes then, with five minutes left in the session and our speaker on a role ... he asks a blindingly brilliant question that brings everything to a stop.  He asks "I occurs to me that you have not yet shown us how to make a page from scratch.  Can you please show us?"  This just bring everyone to a stop.  The speaker tells him that's what we've been doing!  He nods his head and we end the session. 

From here, I went to explore the exhibits for the final time ... talked to some guys about an online calender hosting site which would be better than MS Office.

After that, down to the ballroom for the closing session.  The speaker was Dr. Robert Ballard, the guy who found evidence of plate tectonics, underwater sea vents, or black smokers, and the Titanic.  Really good session about his Jason Project and how they are live streaming deep sea exploration to thousands of kids in public schools.  

There was a plethera of door prizes ... none of which I was alowed to take home.  The best one was a $7500 Promethean classroom whith Promethean Board and attached projector, 34 active votes and free training.  Wouldn't have minded that.  Oh well.  I did sign up to win one of 50 iPods at the vender exhibits.  Probably only get junk mail.

After the convention came to a close (12:00) and before  I flew out (5:20) we stopped to eat at a Mongolian grill down town and killed 4 hours at the Texas History Museum.  It was there I heard the quote of the year from a 10 year old boy.  He looks at his mom and says "Wow, it's like I'm surrounded by history!"

TCEA - Day 2

Day 2 of the TCEA convention ... much like day 1.  Started out with a session at 9 about ways to use Excel, then on to one at 10.  The one at 10 was advertised as ways to make science lessons more interesting for kids by using new technology ... so it was PACKED!  What wasn't advertised was the fact that the grade level was K-3rd.  8/16ths of the group bailed.  

UPDATE- Killed some time in the exhibit hall talking to some folks about stuff they want to sell.  Got some good ideas and some gadgets I wouldn't mind having.  Nobody volunteered to come and convince the school board to pay unfortunately.  They kept telling me that was my job.

Went to the state capital building last night and got some great pics.  Here's one.  

More will come when I get back home ... I forgot the cable for my phone/camera/pda/theft deterrent system

UPDATE - Ate at a really good bbq joint.  I heard from a reliable source I listened to yesterday morning that it is one of the oldest in town ... and is frequented that none other than our own Gov. Perry.  Didn't see him unless he was upstairs in the VIP room and not out on the patio with us peons.  Great food though ... the place is called Iron Works Barbecue.

View Larger Map

Day 1

Day 1 and I'm starting off with the TECA Starters class ... Woo! No indegestion and free coffee so its a good start.

UPDATE- 230, taking my 1st break. Sevral free pens and shirts and I signed up to win a bunch of junkmail advertized as a TV or computer. Back for more.

Blogging from A-Town

I'll be updating everyone back home from Austin as the week goes on. Hanging out at the airport now ... flight leaves at 4.

UPDATE- Flight was early, got lost on the way to the convention center ... made our way to the hotel ... now on our way to Papadoux's. Updates and indigestion to follow.

Hobbies in the Lobby!

Well, little evil Hybrid will be starting her third trip around our sun in March and Mrs. Evil Science Teacher has taken me to Hobby Lobby in search for the perfect invitations. I'll let you know if I survive.

UIL Tripping Champions

While I thought I had stumbled onto the District Champions of Face-Plants at Smyer I had no idea that right down the street ... in my own home town ... at my District Arch-Rival's not-so-humble gym (there was a sale on hyphens) ... rests not the District Champion Trippers, but the STATE Champions!  Wow!  Check out these really cool trophies I "stumbled" on during tonight's game. 

1983 District Tripping Champions

Sundown High School

STATE UIL 1983 Face-Plant Champions

Sundown High School

They know how to grow'm talented in Sundown!

What a week or Basketball Friday (finally)

Wow ... what a week. Started really last Friday at the Smyer game. Evil Hybrid just about collapsed with a pretty high fever which culminated in long, restless nights through the weekend. I took a leave of absence from the slave camps work to take the Hybrid to the local medical professional where she was diagnosed as having a Streptococcus pyogenes infection of the pharynx and needs antibiotics. She's better now. Of course now Mrs. Evil Science Teacher and I are sick, but that's the way Strep works. The week is ending at the varsity b-ball game in Sundown. Updates to come.

UPDATE- Coach G must have been in the Secret Service in a past life ... he keeps yelling "GET THE SHOOTER! GET THE SHOOTER!"

UPDATE- Girls lost a great game, WF- 37 SD-41

UPDATE- Boys ... not so much ... WF- 25 SD-61

Basketball Friday

B-Ball time ... in Smyer tonight. JV looking good so far. WF- 35 SM- 21, 3 left in the 3rd.

Coach F is busy focusing on the game ... thinking through various straigies ... debating which way each player should go ... did I mention he was focusing on his Nintindo DS and the game was Lego Indiana Jones ?

UPDATE- JV WON! WF-43 _SM-30
Time for the Varsity Girls

UPDATE- WF- 21 SM- 40 at the half

UPDATE- WF- 36 SM- 58 ... somebody told somebody and I over heard in the bathroom that the ref lost his contact trying to read the rule book before the game.

UPDATE- WF-47 SM-82
You know ... its pretty bad when I can see blatant fouls that are ignored by the 'refs'. Smyer girls can tackel ours, but we can't break the 6' rule or its death by ref

Time for the boys game

UPDATE- WF- 20 something SM- 30 something

This was the best I've seen our boys play against a district team.  Too bad they still lost

On the way out ... I noticed that, not only does Smyer have a pretty talented basketball team and referee training school, but they are District Falling Champions ... didn't know that was a UIL event.

I fear this is the way we are heading.  Apparently, in the great country of France … a dog can be declared clinically depressed.  That’s crazy (pun intended).  This got me thinking, how much money would Mrs. Evil Science Teacher and I spend on our dogs.  One forgets that he went to the bathroom over a span of 2 hours … one is so paranoid that he can’t have another animal standing behind him and heaven forbid touch him … and the third an some sort of nervous tic, she can’t keep her tongue in her mouth!  And don’t get me started on the cats!

Kids are drawing dead animals on the wall (Fossil Record Project) and not complaining … good day so far.  I got in a fight with our printer in the copy room … again.  Coach F laughed to see such a sight … the stupid machine either couldn’t figure out how to print fossils or it did know and was having a bit of fun at my expense … again.  I showed it though.  I spent 15 extra minutes saving each picture, one at a time, copied them all to MS Word and printed them off in my room.  That will teach it.

Basketball Tuesday

Basketball Tuesday again ... this time at home against Seagraves.  I had varsity gate duty which means that I sit at the door and take money from the 10 - 12 people who trickle in late.  But I get paid for it so not a total loss.

Missed the girls game ... heard it was pretty good ... we lost 49 - 48.  

Saw the boys game ... don't remember the score but we pulled it in to within 40 by the end.  Don't think our boys stood a chance ... let's just say "White men can't jump"

LOVED the ref's outfit - didn't know that they still made pants with that much fabric.  Realy not sure how he could run down the court and not cut himself in half via atomic mega wedgie.

Kick'n it at the JH B-Ball game

Blogging live (in the sense that I am alive, not that the blog I live, terrible reception you know) from down in the enemies back, back yard (Sundown's old gym) watch'n Coach F' Jr High boys start a contest that will last the next 6 years.  No pressure coach.

 

UPDATE- End of the 1st- WF 5 - SD 8

UPDATE- End of the 2nd-WF 13 - SD 19

UPDATE- End of the 3rd-WF 16 - SD 28

UPDATE- End of the 4th-WF 24 - SD 41

UPDATE- The fam and I migrated over to the gym Sundown wants people to see to watch our 8^th grade girls play a good, yet unfruitful game

This is a test

This is a test of the emergency blogging system.  This is only a test.  If this was a real emergency, I would be teaching something to someone instead of blogging about not teaching anything to anyone.  This was only a test. 

 

UPDATE- Relax Mom, they are taking a TAKS benchmark and I am “actively” monitoring the situation. 

Situation is:  Half are pretending to work, the other half is asleep.  I actively noticed that for any TEA people reading this.

   
    
 	
  	________________________________________ 	
 		 	NOTICE OF CONFIDENTIALITY:  	  	 	This electronic mail transmission may contain confidential information, belonging to the sender, 	  	which is legally privileged. The information is intended only for the use of the individual or 		  entity listed above. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any 		  disclosure, copying, distribution, use, or taking of any action on reliance of the contents of this 		  electronically-mailed confidential information is strictly prohibited and may violate Board policy 		  (legal) and the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). If you have received this 		  electronic mail in error, please notify us by telephone immediately to arrange for return and 		  correction of internal records; in addition, please delete the original message. 	    
   
  

A Nap would be Nice

I just finished my notes for biology for the rest of the week.  Woo hoo!  Now on to the power points.  I hate having a new class prep, with new notes and slide shows - TOUCHDOWN STEELERS! never mind, they called it back - anyway as you can tell I'm taking a break.  I'll have to get back here in a few minutes.

UPDATE- Looks like it is snowing in Pittsburgh

UPDATE- Steelers Touchdown does not count and they lost the catch all together and ruled incomplete ... that's OK, Holmes isn't on my fantasy team anyway.

Evil Mutant Hybrid

Little hybrid and I went shopping at the local Shop-and-Spend where, once she noticed Dad had neither a juice bottle or a Mama, a fit was to be had. The fit was soon resolved when Dad was replaced by Nana and orange extract was bought. Updates to come.

UPDATE- Saw Coach Fortner ... said "Hi"

UPDATE- Went to Beall's for granny clothes for ... well granny.  Then off to home base.

UPDATE- Suprising developments at home.  Evil Hybrid is told she should take a nap ... hybrid responds with expected "I don't wanna nap!" ... Hybrid is told she needs a nap and responds with "where are my jamas?".  Thirty minutes later she's out.  Nice.

Basketball Fridays

Basketball Fridays ... almost like Basketball Tuesdays, but on Friday. Girl JV won 30-29 at Tahoka. Updates later

UPDATE- Girls V ... not so much. Boys turn to throw down ... or up ... whatever

UPDATE- Guys V didn't fair any better than the girls.  Both lost by 30+, Tahoka girls were ranked 16th in the state, the Tahoka guys bought the refs dinner at the concession stand before the game.

Katy loves these games.  She has adopted a few of our cheerleaders as big sisters and loves to cheer with them.  Next week we play Seagraves and I have "gate duty" which means I can't watch the game, but I get paid to sit and take other people's money so it's not that bad.  

My Preliminary Entry

Guess everything had to start somewhere, sometime.  With this preliminary entry, we can set up what this whole thing is suppose to be about.  Nothing I guess.  Probably for venting about "problem" students at my school.  For future reference, all names of students in this blog will be changed to protect the not-so-innocent (them) and the innocent (me).