Claire and I had our evaluations yesterday. A lot different than last year when we planned and prepared for days before hand. Johnson, our principal, came into our classrooms for something like 10-20 minutes. Only good things to report. We were supposed to be one of the last teachers to go since he was going to start from the early grades first, but he postponed them all for different reasons. Jill, the grade 6 teacher told him that he was doing hers, even if he was only in there for 10 minutes. Claire took the same approach for ours to get them over with.
It is has been frustrating of late in the school dealing with a couple issues. One that is bothering us involves duty coverage. Each teacher, with a partner, has a day that they must watch the students on recess and lunch. Teachers are forgetting about their duties or not coming in. Yesterday at lunch though, none of the primary end teachers came back to school in time for their duties. Jon, Jill, Claire and I were sitting in the staff room eating our lunches when two girls came to tell us that, "Jonah is bleeding." The four of us didn't know who Jonah was so we asked them. The on girl from grade three adamantly replied that he was, "Jonah." This went on for about thirty seconds, when finally I said, "Look, the only Jonah I know, was in a whale."
Our week is almost over, as is everyone else. We are heading out on Sunday afternoon to Winnipeg for a week-long conference. Needless to say this break comes at the right time.
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Just an Update
Sorry it has been awhile since we have blogged. It is not that we have been to busy but there just isn't a whole lot new to blog about. This week has been a full week of school, minus Monday afternoon. Monday afternoon there was a funeral in the community. On Friday a baby died. Basically what happened was the mother passed out at a Bingo event here earlier in the week, they sent her to the Nursing Station where they couldn't find a heartbeat. Then they sent her to Sioux Lookout where they found out the baby had died due to the cord being wrapped around her neck 3 times. She was born at 8 months and 4lbs. It is a really sad situation. This family's oldest son is in my class.
On a happier note it has been really nice here this week. Very warm. In fact yesterday we got up to +1. On Friday Greg's Mom was supposed to fly in but due to fog in Winnipeg her flight was cancelled. So she is hopefully flying in today. It is a nice day here and apparently it is nice in Winnipeg too. Our Education Director also tried to fly in on Friday but had to fly right over Deer Lake because they couldn't see due to fog. They tried to land in a few other reserves but for safety reason decided not to because of the fog.
Greg and I have started taking a course to further our teaching qualifications. We are each taking an Intermediate Additional Basic Qualifications course. This will up our credentials and allow us to teach up to grade 10. So now we will actually be qualified for what we teach. We have already completed our first paper and sent it in. Our course will be over on April 20th.
Well as for the baby update. All is good. I have definitely started to show now and I am 18 + 4 days. I have had a few appointments at the Nursing Station, where I have had to do all the usual pregnancy appointment things. The highlight of these appointments are definitely hearing our baby's heartbeat. The baby's heartbeat has been around 148-150 when we have heard it. Our last appointment made me really nervous though, because it took the nurse 5 minutes to find the heartbeat. It ended up that she was looking to high for it, but no worries, Greg set her straight and told her she wasn't going to find it that high and that she needed to move lower. I think I am having an ultrasound this week at the Nursing Station, they told me either Wednesday or Thursday, it just depends on when the ultrasound guy comes here.
Anyways I think that is all the new information for now. Hope everyone is having an awesome weekend!
Friday, January 20, 2012
Too Cold for School!
So we have been back in Deer Lake since Tuesday and it has been a very busy week of... resting and sleeping. Out of the 5 days of school this week the school has only been open 2 days. It was closed Monday because there was no water in the community and Thursday and Friday it was cold because the weather was to cold (this means with the wind chill it was -40 or below). Needless to say the week has been very relaxed except for the part where we wake up and get ready to go to school and just find out as we walk out the door.
On Tuesday we came back from Thunder Bay. We had a really early morning flight on Wasaya. The usual Wasaya flight consists of walking out on the tarmac to a small 11 seater plane, with one seat on each side of the aisle and 3 seats in a row at the very back of the plane. It is a very small plane with a pilot and co-pilot. Well Tuesday's Wasaya plane ride started off the same, we walked out onto the tarmac and to the plane, but the plane we saw was different. It was still a Wasaya plane but it was HUGE!!! It had 29 seats, 2 seats together on each side of the aisle. Not only that but it also had, get ready for it.... a flight attendant!!!! It was crazy. This flight attendant did everything a regular flight attendant does including giving the passengers a drink AND snack. I was blown away. I flights were smooth and we got lucky and didn't have to deal with going through the milk run on the way back. We were the fist stop after Sioux Lookout. It was great.
Anyways everything else in Deer Lake is going good. I have been feeling pretty good and have definitely started showing that I am now pregnant.
Monday, January 16, 2012
A speech for the ages
Claire and I have been in Thunder Bay for a couple of days to visit the high school featured in the Fifth Estate documentary from before Christmas. An opportunity for us to visit the school arose in November and was intended for us to connect with the teachers and get a feel for the procedures and expectations some of our students will soon face. We had an excellent day and are glad for little time spent at the school. We had the chance to see the five students from last year who are now attending the high school. Their reception of us was quite surprising, given some of their histories towards us.
The high school is pretty small. The enrollment in September was 156 and is now down to 100. The principal, in a meeting with us, said that they had told 25 students to not come back after the Christmas break. Many of the 56 students that are no longer at DFC were removed for 'health and safety reasons.' The principal showed us a cache of needles (at least 75), small propane tanks, and several other contraband items that were taken from a student just before Christmas.
During the day the school had a short assembly to go over expectations and help motivate the students for the second semester. What a job the principal did! Claire and I sat back and felt like we were at the movies watching a Hollywood scene where the coach is rallying the troops. The principal stood up at the front and told it like it was. He started by explaining that there was a noticeable difference in that 25 people were missing. He then congratulated the students who had any success last semester. One student had received all four credits, his first time in 6 years. Another student is on pace to graduate this May, after 7 years at the school. The principal then went into a speech about how they are looked down upon by the outside and how they are different. He noted the successes the teams have had the past year. Earning a 4th place finish of 20 schools in a boat race and a 6th place finish of 12 schools in a city-wide Science Fair. One student was going to Minneapolis to compete in a large Judo tournament. The assembly was short, only 20 minutes, but he had managed to get the blood pumping in at least two audience members.
It was refreshing to see a school where the leader is competent. Our principal had accompanied us for the trip, even though there was nothing for him to do. We had not received any information regarding the start time for school so we decided to go for 8:45 am. When we arrived and our contact finally showed up he had asked if Johnson had given the agenda he had faxed up last week. Of course Johnson knew nothing about it.
The school was quite unique. With the advantage of only having 100 students, there was a sense of community that would not be present in a larger high school. After only 1 day, Claire and I had already connected with most of the students and staff. In the assembly there was a sense of pride among the students. They clapped for each other and seemed to care for the little achievements.
We were thankful for the opportunity and chance to see first0hand the next step for our students. On a separate note, Deer Lake had a day off because the water was not working during the morning. Figures...the one day we are out of the community, the school is cancelled.
The high school is pretty small. The enrollment in September was 156 and is now down to 100. The principal, in a meeting with us, said that they had told 25 students to not come back after the Christmas break. Many of the 56 students that are no longer at DFC were removed for 'health and safety reasons.' The principal showed us a cache of needles (at least 75), small propane tanks, and several other contraband items that were taken from a student just before Christmas.
During the day the school had a short assembly to go over expectations and help motivate the students for the second semester. What a job the principal did! Claire and I sat back and felt like we were at the movies watching a Hollywood scene where the coach is rallying the troops. The principal stood up at the front and told it like it was. He started by explaining that there was a noticeable difference in that 25 people were missing. He then congratulated the students who had any success last semester. One student had received all four credits, his first time in 6 years. Another student is on pace to graduate this May, after 7 years at the school. The principal then went into a speech about how they are looked down upon by the outside and how they are different. He noted the successes the teams have had the past year. Earning a 4th place finish of 20 schools in a boat race and a 6th place finish of 12 schools in a city-wide Science Fair. One student was going to Minneapolis to compete in a large Judo tournament. The assembly was short, only 20 minutes, but he had managed to get the blood pumping in at least two audience members.
It was refreshing to see a school where the leader is competent. Our principal had accompanied us for the trip, even though there was nothing for him to do. We had not received any information regarding the start time for school so we decided to go for 8:45 am. When we arrived and our contact finally showed up he had asked if Johnson had given the agenda he had faxed up last week. Of course Johnson knew nothing about it.
The school was quite unique. With the advantage of only having 100 students, there was a sense of community that would not be present in a larger high school. After only 1 day, Claire and I had already connected with most of the students and staff. In the assembly there was a sense of pride among the students. They clapped for each other and seemed to care for the little achievements.
We were thankful for the opportunity and chance to see first0hand the next step for our students. On a separate note, Deer Lake had a day off because the water was not working during the morning. Figures...the one day we are out of the community, the school is cancelled.
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
A Sad Day
Some sad news from today. A plane crashed near Deer Lake this morning. The crash occurred at the next reserve over and was on its way to Deer Lake for a meeting with Chief and Council. A lot of people here have a connection with someone who was on the plane.
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
"About Time"
Another Christmas season has come and gone and Greg and I are back in Deer Lake. We arrived yesterday and 2:30pm and started school already today. Although we had an awesome Christmas break I did feel it went way to fast.
We had many highlights over the break but our favourite one was telling our family and friends that we are expecting. Greg and I are really excited about and are looking forward to the future. Today, we were able to tell our boss and co-workers. Everyone up here is very excited for us and I am sure the thought a lot of them had was "about time". We also told our students today and Greg got some very funny comments this afternoon. One student walked up to Greg and recess very nonchalantly and said "Sup" and waited a few seconds, then continued by saying "so you knocked up Claire". Another student commented to Greg that he "finally stuffed the turkey". I laughed so hard when Greg told me about these comments.
Anyways Greg and I hope you all enjoy 2012!
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