Farewell Noah Webster Academy

School ended back in May, but I stayed and worked three additional weeks in June to help get ready for the new year and to train my replacement. And when my time was up, it definitely was hard to say goodbye to the place where I had spent most of my days for the past seven years. 😢 

When we moved back to Utah for Dave's MBA in 2010 I had no idea what my future would hold. One day I was browsing job listings on Craigslist and found an office position for a charter elementary school in Orem. I was called in for an interview within hours of applying and then an offer was extended a short time after. I started the next day, which happened to be the day before the first day of school. Those first few weeks were an absolute whirlwind, but there's nothing quite like on the job training to get you caught up quick!

Fast forward to 2017 and the kindergarten students from that first year have now graduated and are moving on to Jr High. I guess it's only fitting I am moving on as well. I could not have asked for a better job and feel so blessed to have been part of the NWA family. Noah Webster helped support our family financially for seven years while Dave was in school, but more importantly it gave me the opportunity to do meaningful work in a great environment where I was able to interact daily with hundreds of amazing scholars, families, and staff. Change is hard, but we have exciting times ahead. I am looking forward to being able to spend more time with my kids while they're still little and the many adventures we will have in Texas!

The current office crew - I will miss these ladies! Heather on the left is my replacement, Caradon next over was my desk mate for the last year and so fun to work with, Angie was pretty much the best boss ever, and the Debra was also one of my desk mates for a few years before changing offices. 

My collection of badges from the last seven years

School Carnival

The school where I work had a carnival on Friday evening. Rather than drive home and then back again with the kids, we decided to just hang around Orem until it was time to party. The play space at University Mall closed down a while ago, and a new kids area just reopened this week so we went over to check it out. Sophie loved it! There isn't really a play structure, but there are lots of fun things to climb on, around, and under. There is also an outdoor area with some water fountains, stairs, and rocks that she had fun scaling. I see us coming back here often since it's only a few blocks from the school.

Sophie was in shorts because she had a potty accident at the babysitter's house and those were the back up clothes I had in the bag. It actually was a really nice day, however, so it didn't matter she had no pants. It is time for me to start rotating out the summer clothes though!

We sat on a bench and soaked up some sun while Sophie played. Davey really wanted to eat my phone.

After playing we went back to the school and Dave met us there with some Arby's for dinner. It was a well attended event and all the kids seemed to have a great time. Sophie had fun playing the games, but the bounce houses were a little too crazy and it wasn't long before we had to take her away in tears. It was nothing a cotton candy couldn't fix though :) There was also a silent auction to help raise money for the school and we won the bid for a Chick-fil-A basket. Unfortunately we didn't realize until later that the meal vouchers are only good at the Orem location, so we're going to have to travel a bit to redeem our prize. It will be worth it to not have to cook though!

Face painting always gets the longest line so we made it our first stop. All day she had been talking about getting a snake or witch painted on her cheek, but when she sat down she decided she wanted a rainbow instead. Later she went back and got a spider on her other cheek.

I wish I had taken a video of her playing bean bag toss because she went 4/4 and won a football!

There was this awesome pirate play ship that the kids loved. Sophie is somewhere below deck in this picture. 

The highlight for her was getting to eat some cotton candy!

Snakes, Snails & Puppy Dog Tails

At my school we regularly confiscate items that students bring to class against better judgement and hold them in the office for mom or dad to pick up. These items include footballs, skateboards, scooters, iPhones, iPods, Nintendo DSs, Nooks or Kindles, money, toys, etc. Today, however, we got something new...

Meet Lego, the snake (I didn't have a camera with me, so this is Lego's relative I found online)

Lego was found in the pocket of a second grade boy. When we asked him how he got there, the boy said that "he must have just crawled in" and that he didn't bring the snake on purpose, but we didn't need to worry because Lego was a trained snake and wouldn't hurt anyone.

We explained to him that pets do not come to school and Lego was going to have to stay with us. We got a container for Lego, sent the boy back to class, and called dad to come pick up our little friend.

We all had a good laugh and moved on with our day until two hours later when the same boy was brought back to the office because he had a snake in his pocket.  Again. Apparently Lego had a brother.

It was both hilarious and frustrating at the same time.  When asked why he didn't tell us about having another snake in his pocket, he explained that it wasn't in his pocket the first time he came down because he left it in his desk. Lovely. We reemphasized that snakes do not come to school - no pets, no bugs, no toys - they all should stay at home.

We called home, and this time we sent the boy and Lego's brother home from school. I'm sure he is going to have an interesting talk with his mother tonight. Oh boys....

One of those days...

Last week I had one of those days at work.... the kind where when I get home it takes me several minutse to tell Dave everything that happened because so many things had happened (most of them bad). It started off like any other day, but by the time I went home I had dealt with kids that:

• Were sick with the stomach flu (my personal favorite)
• Were sick with strep throat
• Were sick with pink eye
• Needed a change of clothes because they fell at recess and soaked every piece of clothing they were wearing
• Needed a change of clothes because they dumped lasagna in their lap at lunch
• Needed a change of clothes because their pants ripped not in the back, and not in the legs, but in the front, you know where (the poor boy was so embarrased to tell me this)
• Needed a change of clothes because they didn't make it to the bathroom in time (the poor girl was not at all embarrased to tell me this)
• Needed a change of clothes because they got a massive bloody nose at recess
• Did not want to go to class and tried to camp out in the office because they were "injured"
• Were sad because of a lost butterfly hair clip with pink sparkles
• Got checked out early for one of the illnesses listed above, but mom did not tell dad, and dad flew off the handle because he could not find his daughter after school and thought we had lost her

You get the idea...

And then while I was out handling one of the problems, one of our student's left this sweet note at my desk:

It reminded me that I am lucky to work at such an amazing school, and that I do love my job, and the kids, and most of the parents (there are some people in this world that still need to learn how to be a grown up).

My New Digs

A couple weeks ago my boss decided to have me take on more projects. The extra work and the front desk, however, would be too much for one person to handle. I am still working the front desk in the afternoons, but in the mornings I have been moved to my own office ...formerly known as the water heater room!

In addition to the water heater, my closet (as I call it) also has a filing cabinet and a small desk. I need to remember to bring a few picture frames and other trinkets from home to give it a bit more personality.

It really is as tiny as it looks - I wedged myself in the corner for this picture and still couldn't get a very good shot. The desk only extends about another foot to the left, and just beyond the desk is the door. Sometimes I feel like Harry Potter in my 'cupboard under the stairs', but thankfully there are no spiders in there! I'm not complaining though - it's cozy, warm, quiet, and I've been very productive.

 

Plus, I am the only person in the school that has a "skylight"! (I really have no idea what this long tube that runs up to the ceiling is for, but it does let in a good amount of natural light.)

 

Back Online!

We have been without Internet at our house for the last two weeks - ugh. Thankfully it came back online last night and I thought I'd celebrate by posting to the blog!

Unfortunately, nothing interesting has happened since our last update, so I don't have that much to write about. The highlight of my week was when the service club snuck in to the front office at my school to give us a "heart attack". There are now hearts with little messages taped everywhere - the doors, the counter, the chairs, the cupboards, even the case to the thermostat.

This one taped to my desk makes me smile every time I see it :)

 

School Spirit Day

The Friday before Thanksgiving my school had its first Spirit Day of the year. In the past we've had pajama day, crazy hair day, red shirt day, sports apparel day - all "normal" spirit days.

This year we let "Scholar Council" (3rd-6th graders elected to student government positions) choose the theme. What did they come up with??

Mustache & Talk-With-an-Accent Day!

I'm not that great with accent, but I can do a mustache. Rather than draw on my face, I ordered a 6-pack of stick-on mustaches online to share with the rest of the office.  During our calendar meeting on Friday it was impossible to get through our items of business without laughing. We looked so ridiculous - my boss looked just like Mario - and I wish we had taken a picture of us all together.

Modeling (if you can even call it that - I suck at modeling) my "Bandit" stache:

 

Some things I learned during my day as a mustached women:

• There were several parents that didn't get the memo that it was mustache day. When they came into the office, moms stared at me like I was a psycho. The first few times it happened I explained that it was spirit day, but after awhile I gave up, kept a straight face and just let them wonder...
• It's incredibly hard to eat or drink without making a mess. The 6th grade cooking class made smoothies, and I never knew drinking through a straw could be so difficult.
• If you're ever going to wear a stick-on mustache, make sure you are SMILING when you put it on or your face muscles will be frozen in a frown position like you've just had botox injections.

School Pictures & Me 20 Years Later

Part of working at a school means having your picture taken on school picture day. I had my mom send me my kindergarten photo for comparison. Below is my kindergarten self at 5 years old, and my present self at 25 years old.

How do they compare?

• Hair - still reddish and wavy, although now I straighten so you can't tell. Thank goodness the little wispy hairs up front either disappeared or grew into full length hair.
• Eyebrows - still dark and a different color from my hair. One of the most common questions my brother and I get is "Do you dye your hair? It doesn't match your eyebrows."
• Eyes - still brown, although now there's some green mixed in so they aren't quite as dark.
• Nose - exactly the same and still bleeds every time I get hit in the face, blow my nose, the weather's cold/hot/dry, or for no apparent reason.
• Freckles - I'm pretty sure I have more freckles now than as a kid. I don't really see any on my kindergarten self, but now after each summer I always have a good collection on my nose and cheeks.
• Teeth - improvement! Braces for a year & good dental hygiene have paid off!
• Skin - still pale
• Height - taller! but still on the short side. When we took the faculty picture I was on the front row, where I've always been my whole life.

Grab a photo of your kid self - it was fun to look at all the changes, or lack of changes. I guess I grew up alright :)

Fall Colors & My Colors

I haven't posted in a while... my laptop had a minor problem that I had just been living with for the past 6 months, but since my warranty expires in October I finally decided to send it in for repair. So I packed it up in a box, put it in the mail and said goodbye.

And now it's back!

On Monday my school had a half-day, and the staff went up to Sundance after the kids went home. We rode the chairlift up to the top for a picnic and some team building. It was a gorgeous day and the trees were just starting to change colors - so beautiful!

Earlier in the week, the staff had all taken personality tests and were given a 20-page profile based on the results. It was very comprehensive - my personal style, how I interact with others, how I make decisions, my strengths & weaknesses, what value I bring to a team, my communication style, suggestions for development, what motivates me, how to manage me, etc...

I didn't agree with some of the results, but I was surprised by how accurate most of the profile was!

Some parts were great to read:  Melanie is logical and analytical, an ingenious think and long-range planner, and good at anything that requires rapid reasoning. She is a good decision maker and thinks clearly under pressure. Melanie shows loyalty to others and is a pillar of strength for those around her... 

Other parts were a little unnerving: Melanie dislikes being told what to do or how to do it. Her tendency to detach herself from her emotions allows her to retain objectivity, but can make her seem somewhat inconsiderate towards both herself and others. Melanie could benefit from being more open about how she is feeling...

It also gave you a summary of your "color" composition. My strongest "color" was red - competitive, determined, strong-willed, & purposeful. I am the only "red" at the school.  My lowest color was yellow - sociable, dynamic, enthusiastic & persuasive, but that's ok because I married a yellow and we make a great team :)

 

Quiz Time

1. Pretend you are 10-year-old child. Your mom told you she would drop off a sack lunch for you because you forgot your lunch at home. What would you do when lunch time came?

a. Go check the lunch bin where all the other lunches live
b. Go ask your teacher if a lunch was delivered for you
c. Go ask the office if a lunch was delivered for you
d. Do nothing, say nothing, and eat nothing.


2. If you were the parent of a 10 year old that selected choice (d) from the list above, who would you choose to unleash your fury upon after school got out?

a. The office lady who wrote your child's name on the brown bag with a fat sharpie and hand delivered the lunch to the teacher
b. The teacher who placed the lunch in the lunch bin where all the other lunches live
c. The lunch manager who offered your child a lunch when she saw they had nothing to eat, but was turned down
d. The child who did nothing, said nothing, and therefore ate nothing

If you believe in yell first, ask questions later, then I guess (a) is a logical choice, but I hope you are more sensible/sympathetic/grown-up than some people...

Happy Administrative Professionals Day!

Hello, my name is Mrs. Howe and I am an administrator

I know the names of 500+ kids, along with their grade, teacher, brothers/sisters, allergies, who is late, who forgets their lunch every other day, who is sick, and who is "sick." 

I have band aides for your paper cuts, ice packs for your "sudden crucial" pains, and safety pins for your skirt that is falling down. I can stop a bloody nose in record time, and if you feel like you might throw up, you can borrow my trash can until mom arrives.

My lost and found drawer is a little treasure trove - 6 pairs of glasses, about $20 in bills and coins, 2 cell phones, an inhaler, 2 watches, several earrings, rings, and bracelets, a headband, a flashlight, a Gold's Gym membership card, and much, much more - come claim your stuff!

Are you interested in attending our school? I am the enrollment expert. What do you want to know? The waiting list for kindergarten is currently 105 kids long. If you want to be added to the wait list, you need to fill out an "Intent to Register" form on our website (but your chances don't look very good). You must have had 5 doses of DTaP, 4 Polio, 3 Hep B, 2 Hep A, 2 MMR, and 1 Varicella (unless you had chicken pox) before the first day of school or I will very politely, but firmly request that you stay home.  And please don't provide emergency contacts with no phone numbers on your registration packet - in the event of an emergency just a name isn't very helpful.

My job is to find the happy middle ground between enforcing the rules and making exceptions. If you're a respectful, friendly parent who is willing to work with me, then I will go the extra mile to help you. If you are angry, rude, or condescending, I will still be pleasant, but will definitely be less motivated to bend the rules for you. If you are a student, you'll know that for the most part I'm a nice office lady, but I can tell when you're lying and don't like it when you mess around. If you're trying to call your mom from my phone to arrange a playdate with your friend, you better have an office pass. And don't try to sneak under the rope to run out the front door after school because I am watching and will catch you every time.

Let's just say my job is never boring, I love where I work and could not be happier!!

We are still here!

So it appears I've fallen a bit behind on the blog... Things were going along nice and slow and then Halloween hit and time just flew by - hence no post for the last five weeks. All those missing entries will be posted shortly, but here's a little something for the interim:

So every week at work I check the calendar of events, grab my box letters, don an apron, and climb a ladder to change the marquee on the side of the school. Lately it's been pretty cold so I change out the letters as fast as my little frozen fingers can go.

As I was leaving the school last night, I looked up and noticed that the inevitable finally happened - my self spell check failed. It's especially awesome that my mistake follows the announcement for the spelling bee.

MERRY CHISTMAS EVERYONE!

 

Pull!

Have you ever thought about what it would be like to pull a fire alarm? Well today I joined the ranks of people who have actually done it. It was for a fire drill at school, but still pretty exciting!

Turning on the alarm is easy - pull. Turning it off again, however, is not that simple. Working through the reset sequence is a little nerve wracking while the alarm is blaring and the entire school is waiting out in the cold for you to silence the system. And it's not really like you can practice before hand...

I did ok though, I did ok.