Test Results

Super Big State Testing results came yesterday and ...... only 5 of our fifth graders didn't pass. Five - omgosh - I can remember one year when I had eight in my CLASS. I only had two and each of them only missed one section. One messed up the math and one messed up the reading.

I wasn't allowed to tell my class about their results because the principal hadn't gotten ahold of my students who had failed. Two whole classes of fifth graders passed and their teachers told them; my students got wind of it and began asking me about their results. Well, I had been told not to give those results out yet, so I had to tell them that the principal was calling the people who had failed. My kids began to wilt - and I just asked them over and over if they heard from the principal last night. How long did it take to sink in? If you hadn't gotten a call from the principal, you were fine.

Tequila tonight. Celebrate with the teachers at the big Spring Fling. (You know, I sound like a rowdy drunk and I'm really not. I will probably have a drink. But that will be enough. Because I work with these people and I don't need these stupid stories following me around. Like the toga story.) Happy Weekend. Five more days.

New Student Update

I lost the student who came to me during the middle of testing; she left Friday.

And guess what? I got a new student today. Uh huh. TODAY. One more Monday left and I get a new one. He's a great student, I was assured, but let me assure you that no one is a great student nine days before school is over. Because, really, I am trying to involve them in meaningful work, but they aren't cooperating. Would you?

My principal told me that the results for those who failed the Big Test would be available on Friday. Well, yippie dippie. No wonder I haven't been sleeping. We're having a big teacher party on Friday - margarita city, here I come. I hope LawyerBoy is coming, because he's going to be a-driving.

Art Auction

After having recovered from that field trip, I sauntered into Ann Taylor Loft for something to wear to tonight.

First, Ann Taylor Loft is my new crack. And I spent literally over an hour in there, trying on and trying on and trying on. I needed to find something cute to wear to tonight's soiree, the Art Auction. Let me just say, that if you see me tonight, be impressed. I bought a pair of 2 1/2 inch wedgie heeled shoes that say you don't look like my kid's 5th grade teacher. I also got something to wear with them. OMG - I don't look like myself, which was the plan.

Second, tonight's Art Auction is the huge PTA fund raiser. I have been going to this thing since before I was a teacher at this school - since PrepGirl was a kindergartener. This is where parents and teachers and margaritas and principals mingle freely. Classes do large art projects and many, many people and companies donate services and lots of nice things that we silently bid on. Teachers also donate something to do with a child and the parents get to bid on that - things like going to lunch and or shopping or getting ice cream and stuff like that.

Mixing tequila with teachers and parents is bold. It sealed the deal for me when I was interviewing for my job four years ago, but it can also be your undoing, too. I've seen drunk teachers say too much to parents or other teachers' dates, and I've heard the great story about the drunk fourth grade teacher who took a tablecloth and wore it like a toga. He came out that year, at that party. I don't think he meant to.

Finally, this year, my class has made an amazing art project. The art teacher saw LawyerBoy at a yard sale last year (LAST YEAR IN MAY) and made him buy a hall tree after she strong armed the owners into selling it for $5. "Tell Teachergirl it is for her class' art auction project." So, he bought it, carted it home and stuck it in the garage. Every few weeks, he would ask if he could take it up to school for me and ArtTeacher.

Finally, after big state testing, we used some Sculpey clay and they made bugs and flowers and all kinds of gardeny critters. I baked them and attached them to this white hall tree thing and ArtTeacher potted some lovely plants and they are all over this thing.

Y'all - it looks so good. Finally, my dry spell is broken. Usually, one of the second grade teachers has to buy my project because they are a little dismal. I usually buy hers, too, but this year, we both have something great!!!!!

So, I'm off. In my sassy shoes. To behave in front of parents and my boss. With tequila. Good times.