Ever have one of those days when you are booked for meetings from the moment you step into your office until the moment you go home? Today was one of those days. We have been working very hard to improve our services and evaluate our results through statistical data in order to provide the sort of "every experience matters" service that will help our faculty and students do well in their work.
It requires tons of behind the scenes planning, learning to use new resources, massaging the wrinkles out of new services, being honest with ourselves about how things are or are not working. It is downright tiring at times. Rather like running on a treadmill for hours to lose a half a pound. But then you get the breakthroughs that make it all worth while.
Today when I came into the library, I was greeted by a huge banner hung from the balcony that reads:
B. Thomas Golisano Library: Academic Library of the Year
Complete with the RRLC seal and logo. Oh, yeah! Our students and faculty voted us as top notch. That's why we keep having days of meetings from one end to the other. That's why we keep working to do better even though we do well. Because our students and faculty need a great resource to help with their academic endeavors, and they appreciate us!
Still, I'm kinda glad its Friday and I get to rest up a bit tomorrow!
Friday, September 3, 2010
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Finney Orientation
Unusual for a high school to invite their students, returning and new, to come in, meet their teachers, check out the classrooms, and bring their parents to hear the guidelines and regulations about conduct and dress. But Finney does it every year. Drew has gone ahead of me to help set up the Robotics display and recruit new students.
I am careful to make sure I can get away from work to be there. So often I cannot attend these sorts of parent events. Usually, they schedule them on Thursday evenings, and I have choir rehearsal then and cannot go. Perhaps that is a blessing in disguise. If I went to a Parent Teacher Organization meeting, I would likely end up volunteering for something, and really I do not have the luxury of adding anything else to my schedule.
We do the usual awkward thing of not sitting with our kids and trying not to embarrass them by saying something dumb. I listen to the litany of do's and don'ts, remembering from last year the long explanation about no gum chewing, and being surprised to discover that I can send in a note ahead of time when Drew has a dentist appointment. That way I don't have to come in and request he be pulled from class. Good.
We wander around from room to room, meeting teachers. I am beginning to know these teachers a bit after three years. There have been recent changes, some good, some the value of which remains to be seen. The school repaired the roof over the summer. That was good. They moved the Spanish teacher into the English literature position. They rented the facility to a church on the weekends to help with expenses. They hired a new Spanish teacher. They added bleachers in the gym.
We will see how this year goes. At least they get to start with a clean record. No zeros to be overcome. Drew tried to connect with his locker and put his supplies safely away, but wasn't able to. So on the first day of school, I will have to drive in so he can fish stuff out of the trunk. There is no way he can cart all that heavy stuff on the bus. Ah, well. At least its early in the morning and I will still be able to get to work in a timely fashion.
Only two more years of high school for Drew. He is already strategizing about college. We will likely be making some trips this year to check out a few places. Yup. Good and remains to be seen. Stay tuned.
I am careful to make sure I can get away from work to be there. So often I cannot attend these sorts of parent events. Usually, they schedule them on Thursday evenings, and I have choir rehearsal then and cannot go. Perhaps that is a blessing in disguise. If I went to a Parent Teacher Organization meeting, I would likely end up volunteering for something, and really I do not have the luxury of adding anything else to my schedule.
We do the usual awkward thing of not sitting with our kids and trying not to embarrass them by saying something dumb. I listen to the litany of do's and don'ts, remembering from last year the long explanation about no gum chewing, and being surprised to discover that I can send in a note ahead of time when Drew has a dentist appointment. That way I don't have to come in and request he be pulled from class. Good.
We wander around from room to room, meeting teachers. I am beginning to know these teachers a bit after three years. There have been recent changes, some good, some the value of which remains to be seen. The school repaired the roof over the summer. That was good. They moved the Spanish teacher into the English literature position. They rented the facility to a church on the weekends to help with expenses. They hired a new Spanish teacher. They added bleachers in the gym.
We will see how this year goes. At least they get to start with a clean record. No zeros to be overcome. Drew tried to connect with his locker and put his supplies safely away, but wasn't able to. So on the first day of school, I will have to drive in so he can fish stuff out of the trunk. There is no way he can cart all that heavy stuff on the bus. Ah, well. At least its early in the morning and I will still be able to get to work in a timely fashion.
Only two more years of high school for Drew. He is already strategizing about college. We will likely be making some trips this year to check out a few places. Yup. Good and remains to be seen. Stay tuned.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Convocation
Attendance was a bit skinny this year. The bookstore has a new policy that prevents you from renting your regalia for the entire year. Instead, you rent for each event and pay each time. Adds up to a lot more money, and people are being selective as to which event they will attend. Of course, for those who own their own gown, hood and hat, its not an issue. But for those of us who never bothered to purchase one (especially if we are still working on degrees!), it adds up.
Its always wonderful to see all our faculty come together to mark the beginning of the academic year. Bright hood colors decorate our serious black gowns, sleeves fluttering, flags flying. It is our moment to remind ourselves just why we do what we do before we get into the thick of it, buried in workloads and lectures and papers and all. Why do we come back year after year, always hopeful, always striving to do better, to make a difference?
Because we believe. We believe the next generation will have answers to address the broken pieces of past eras. We believe that this year's crop of kids will get farther down the road quicker than we did, that they will learn from the past and pave the way for the future. That all is not lost and there is hope.
Well, enough rose colored dreaming. For now, I am content to be part of something larger than myself, to be surrounded by a caring and positive community with all its foibles and characters and machinations. I already feel an urge to pray for these students, to want them to succeed, to encourage them to step up. It will be a good year. I can feel it. Great kickoff! Let us convote away.
Its always wonderful to see all our faculty come together to mark the beginning of the academic year. Bright hood colors decorate our serious black gowns, sleeves fluttering, flags flying. It is our moment to remind ourselves just why we do what we do before we get into the thick of it, buried in workloads and lectures and papers and all. Why do we come back year after year, always hopeful, always striving to do better, to make a difference?
Because we believe. We believe the next generation will have answers to address the broken pieces of past eras. We believe that this year's crop of kids will get farther down the road quicker than we did, that they will learn from the past and pave the way for the future. That all is not lost and there is hope.
Well, enough rose colored dreaming. For now, I am content to be part of something larger than myself, to be surrounded by a caring and positive community with all its foibles and characters and machinations. I already feel an urge to pray for these students, to want them to succeed, to encourage them to step up. It will be a good year. I can feel it. Great kickoff! Let us convote away.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)