You've Gotta love kids!

I only have 8 students today, because many are staying home or visiting with Chris' family. So, after lunch we went to my house for an impromptu music jam session for 45 minutes. They're so so fun! Before we left, I had them taste the organic herbs from my hydroponics garden. They tasted sweet basil, thai basil, sage, whispy lettuce-I don't know the name (it tastes like celery),
lemon balm & mint. These are the days....

Yesterday

The first kid that talked to me this morning said, "Somebody was ppough, ppough last night. I know." He did this as he grabbed his head & smiled.

Yesterday was just kind of a weird day with a bad ending. I woke up at 4:00am b/c I was due at school to use the Internet for a 5am live chat with my classmates. That never happened. So, I just stayed at school surfing the net & having a nice slow morning. In the classroom, it was stressful, but a really good day b/c overall we accomplished a lot of stuff. Two of my most studious students were even absent. That evening, we interviewed, & I think hired, for the open SA (principal) position.

Following that meeting we were informed that one of our junior high students Chris, maybe 16 years old, committed suicide. He used a gun, to the head, in his dad's shop right outside their house. There are probably 10 people who live there; lots of kids, one which is a student of mine, in foster care. At about 5pm my face felt all flushed, hot & red, & I had a sinking feeling in my stomach. I wonder if that's when they found him. The kid who greeted me this morning is his cousin. Obviously, he isn't torn up about it. I'm really concerned about how our student body, mostly those kids close to him in his age & the multiple cousins he has here. My students are usually pretty mater of fact about death. I also play basketball & I'm pretty good friends with two of his sisters. I'm going to go see the family & the body in his house today. Chris always had a great smile!Photo by Christina ('06?)

The Treeline

So, it might be a while before I get around to writing a little synopsis of my two trips to the treeline this year. It's 54 miles each way, that's about 2.5 hours on the snow machine each way. And... there are trees! ... & knee to waist deep snow!

Shibby did a nice write up & I pirated some photos from his site. Maria also had a nice blog post on MySpace. (Thanks, Shib)

Shibby's Sunday, March 23, 2008 "Following the North Trail to the Yukon"

http://shibbyalaska.blogspot.com/

Currently...

Well, I've signed my contract for next year here in Nunapitchuk. It will be my 6th year here in LKSD, Alaska. If you get a chance to explore on the Internet, our website is www.lksd.org. A class is updating our school webpage. At this point, I figure I can try to commit myself for the 8 years that will help my retirement. Although, if I’m unhappy I refuse to stay, for retirement.

My tutoring kids from other classes after school & the odd volunteer jobs around the school are fizzling out. Also, coaching Jr. high/HS cross-country & NYO (Native Youth Olympics), including traveling to other villages with them is coming to a close within the month. So far, I've visited 13 LKSD villages, some several times. I hope to make it to all of them by the time I leave here. Though, I still see it as “possible” that I could stay here. It just depends on how things roll.

Tonight I'm getting paperwork & organization squared away for our NYO meet here tomorrow. We're expecting around 7 schools to come out to compete. I hope that weather allows them all to make it here! I also just finished sending off the Writing phase descriptions to my commander in chief. I've been working on this writing curriculum review committee & although it was hours of fun, I'm glad it's coming to a close. Some suckers, I mean folks, are going to be working on it in the summer to refine things. But, I won't be staying around lovely Alaska for the summer.

I may be able to stay for an arts workshop in Bethel for 3 days. Then, I'll promptly hope on a # of jets to go to Australia with my roommate & a friend of hers! I might be able to visit my distance ed. college in Portland prior also. We’ll be visiting another college buddy of hers in Sydney. In my spare time, I’m also looking at houses on the market in Colorado. I’ve been thinking about it for over a year now & so I’m trying to learn more about real estate in general. I’m not sure yet if I’ll visit there this summer to actually view some houses as well as some hiking & camping. But, that's a possibility. I’m sure my pops would love to tag along. Other than that I'll be livin' it up with friends in NC & making the annual (19th this year) trip to Pawley's Island beach, SC with Pops' side of the family. My cousin also mentioned that I could fly over to Nashville, TN to visit their place before driving down to the beach with them. Oh yeah, & I'm thinking of hiking Crow's Pass (Girdwood to Eagle River) in the fall.

I Always try to spend more time in NC & inevitably other places to visit keep popping up. There are only a few things that are certain for my summer: Australia, NC (who knows how long) & Pawley's.

"First you turn the music way up loud,
Then you nod your head up and down
And wag your loco tail, back and forth,
To the chimichanga rumba
and the cha-cha-cha." ~ Skippyjon Jones (Schachner) :-9

Under Construction

I'm in the process of updating this blog. It seems like this might be a nice alternative to MySpace when I'm shackled away from it, due to school firewalls.

I always feel like the same old thing is happening. But, really my life is more interesting than that. I just don't always make the effort to put it in writing & get it out there so you guys can read about it.

New post coming soon....