Week 35

Week 35 is another page turned.  Even though the week went quickly, it was packed full.  It was swim week for the first and second graders, city clean-up, and kindergarten graduation.  And, I even managed to turn in my classroom requests for next year's supplies--a simple task, yet I really struggled with it.  Here I am about to dive into my second year of teaching and I still don't have a grasp on all the things I'll need just quite yet.

City clean-up day starts in the morning and ends at lunchtime followed by burgers and dogs on the grill--and prizes.  Normally, the entire school participates at the same time, but this year the elementary went a day early due to a forecast of 50% rain.  My kids and I went on Thursday and our mission was to clean behind the tavern, the church, city building/playground, and then meet up at the post office.  It was a blast.  My kids powered through and they were such good sports with my constant picture taking.  After the clean-up, we swam, then joined the first graders in a pretty intense softball game.  I never really thought of myself as someone that is into sports but as I join the kids in various athletic activities, an intensity comes over me and I'm into it.  Yikes, I become super fan--on a healthy supportive level--not that of the hockey games back home.

On Friday, while the rest of the school cleaned up their trash zones, the elementary, swam, watched movies, and then joined up at noon for the BBQ and prize giveaway.  Students, community members, and staff are put into separate pools for a chance to win something for participating in making the city look beautiful.  Prizes range from fishing poles to gift certificates and even $500 worth of freight to be shipped here for free.  It is worth it to help clean up the city.

Overall, a fantastic week.  I even managed to get academics in despite the fun.

Walking down a boardwalk.  A lot of the area is pretty saturated with water, so there are boardwalks laced throughout the city.  As we reached the end the kids yelled, "Teacher, this is where xxxx had his ear ripped off by an eagle last summer, we're scared!"  Seriously.  Just before Nate and I had got on the island a guy was up on his roof doing some kind of repair and an eagle thought he was too close to his nest.  His ear was ripped off shortly thereafter. 

America perched on the steeple.  Though he was neat, his presence was off putting.  We spotted him on an adjacent building shortly after the kids mentioned the ear loss story.  He moved/followed us three times as we traveled along the boardwalk.  Territorial maybe, but a lot of people feed eagles around here.  One couple was even sold a house under the condition that they would continue the tradition of feeding the eagles a bag of raw chicken each week; the owner just didn't want to abandon his birds.