Homelessness

On any given night in America, anywhere from 700,000 to 2 million people are homeless, according to estimates of the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty.

According to a December, 2000 report of the US Conference of Mayors:

* single men comprise 44 percent of the homeless, single women 13 percent, families with children 36 percent, and unaccompanied minors seven percent.
* the homeless population is about 50 percent African-American, 35 percent white, 12 percent Hispanic, 2 percent Native American and 1 percent Asian.

According to the 1996 National Survey of Homeless Assistance Providers and Clients (NSHAPC):

* single homeless individuals in 1996 reported an average income of $348 during the last 30 days, about 51 percent of the 1996 federal poverty level of $680/month for one person.
* 28 percent said they sometimes or often do not get enough to eat, compared with 12 percent of poor American adults.
* 44 percent did paid work during the past month.
* 21 percent received income from family members or friends.
* 66 percent of the homeless have problems with alcohol, drug abuse, or mental illness.
* 22 percent have been physically assaulted.
* 7 percent have been sexually assaulted.
* 38 percent say someone stole money or things directly from them.
* 30 percent have been homeless for more than two years.

http://www.policyalmanac.org/social_welfare/homeless.shtml

The Acorn People

Even though he knows the camp is for disabled children, Ron Jones anticipates sunny days of hiking, swimming, and boating as a counselor at Camp Wiggin. But he arrives and realizes how severely disabled the children are, it seems too much to bear. Until he meets his campers-The Acorn People. A group of kids who teach him that, inside, they are are the same as any average kid, and with encouragement, determination, and friendship, nothing is impossible."A fantastic and beautiful story."-Seattle T..

Welcome back to school!

Welcome back to WMS! For some of you, this is your first year here! Enjoy! It's a great place to be! Also, welcome to my classroom blog. In due time, you'll have your own blog and we'll be able to interact with each other and post assignments on blogs. Great fun! To kick off the year, we'll be learning a great new reading strategy straight from our own Kansas University. This reading strategy is called Word Identification Strategy and enables you to pronounce big, hairy words that we encounter while reading. Thus, we'll read better and understand what we're reading. After learning this strategy, I'll be asking you to practice it for the rest of your life until it becomes as automatic as riding a bike or tying your shoes. In seventh grade math, we'll be practicing basic facts and reading large numbers like 432,567,387,005. Can you read that? The first five sevies who can correctly read that number to me, wins prizes! ;) In eighth grade math we'll be operating with negative and positive integers. Sounds simple? It really isn't so simple. This will be a foundation for more difficult Algebra skills which you will need to pass the assessment and be successful in high school math! Hang with me! We'll have a fun ride! Glad you're here! Leave a comment. Ms. Rich

The Two Loves of My Life

What would I do without my "boys"! My "boys" are my two pet doggies, Walaby and Aesop. Walaby is a black and white Shih Tsu and Aesop is a fluffy, white Maltepoo (three fourths Maltese and one fourth poodle). Walaby came into my life four and a half years ago. My mother had bought him after my dad died. She couldn't handle his "puppy messes" and was going to give him to her house cleaner. By that time, I had a great affection for cute, little Walaby so I said I would take him. The transition wasn't so bad as we (Mr. Walaby and I) had already formed a very strong bond. Three years later, I just happened to walk into the Green Bush animal store and just happened to encounter a litter of puppies. The runt of the litter was my Aesop and without hesitation, I fell in love and put down a deposit. He was too young to take home so for weeks, I stopped by and held him everyday. He was so small, just fitting into the palm of my hand. Walaby was a little threatened by the tiny, tiny "thing" I brought home but they quickly bonded and now follow each other where ever they go. Sometimes they chase each other one hundred miles an hour, zipping through furniture, sliding on the hardwood floors. It's very entertaining. I don't know what I'd do without my canine love!

Liar, Liar

"Liar,Liar" is the funniest movie I've ever seen. The hilarious Jim Carey plays a divorced lawyer who has a little son. He's always too busy to spend time with his little son and misses his birthday party. When the son blows out his candles on his cakes he wishes that for just one day, his dad would not lie. The wish comes true and Jim Carey has to tell the truth for an entire day which does not bode well for him, professionally nor personally. He's defending this unsavory woman in court who wants a lot of money from her ex-husband. He has a difficult time as his case was all built on lies. At one point he goes to the bathroom and beats himself up, slamming his head with a toilet lid. Someone comes in and he asks, "What are you doing?" J.C. says, "What does it look like I'm doing? I'm kicking my own #%$$!" At the end, he learns that his son should be more of a priority in his life. If I'm ever down or feeling blue, I get out "Liar, Liar" and laugh my #%$$ off!

Things That Make Me Smile

-Dante
-Babies
-Dogs
-People falling down
-Pretty toe nails
-Mistah Huff
-Dolphins playing
-New car smell
-New car
-New outfit
-New shoes
-Paycheck
-Beautiful flowers
-Children playing
-People I haven't seen for a while
-Old boyfriends (glad they're not mine!)
-Watching "our team" win
-My daughter smiling
-My brother's dumb jokes
-Memories of my dad

NUTS!

My daughter, Kalen, the "health nut" has been home for two days and she's on my case! She thinks that I eat way too much junk food...pop, chocolate, ice cream, etc. So this is my second day of giving it up. She says I'll look better and feel better. I'm waiting!!!!!! ha! Anyway, Oprah Winfrey says it takes 21 days to break a habit so I have 19 more days to go before I'll become a changed woman...a "health nut"...can't imagine. By the way, she's making me eat Brazilian nuts because they prevent cancer. Oh boy!

Weather and the Weekend

It's really good to be here this morning and see everyone! We're halfway through summer school and it's gone fast, hasn't it? I thought that on Wednesday we could go grocery shopping for Hawaiian food and play dodge ball and the church. What say you? I'll put up a gadget vote for that so be sure to vote.

Now, the blog topic...the weather. Hmmmmm..... I was so very grateful for yesterday's "cool" day. It wasn't really cool but it seemed like it have a string of 100 degree weather days. I went riding in my boyfriend's SSR hot rod convertible and we went down to the antique car show. I ran into a former student there who is now a MAN and he recognized me; I did not recognize him at first. We had such a nice, long conversation, remembering all the fun times when he was in my class. He was the "Dante" of my class many years ago and used to do a perfect Michael Jackson imitation. It was kind of uncanny because I had been thinking about that with MJ's death.

The storm was a little scary. We (boyfriend and I) were at El Maguey when it hit and didn't have umbrellas. We were parked a hundred miles (exaggerated) away and had to make a run for it. We were soaking wet. Then we went to Mega Movies. We watched Slumdog Millionaire and I really liked it.

Have a great week! I love you! ;)

My Dad

I don't even have to consider this one. Losing my dad four years ago was by far the worst loss I've ever had. He and I were as close as a father and daughter can be. I miss him more today than I ever have. He was my hero. He smoked cigarettes for decades and died early as a result. He died of heart failure and emphazema (sp?). It was a slow, miserable death. But before he died, we talked about his death and planned out his funeral. He died with grace and taught me a lot about death.

Scott Rice

I lost my cousin, Scott Rice, on Father's Day. He was celebrating Father's Day and his oldest daughter's birthday at Wellington Lake when he made a bad decision to jump out of the boat and swim to shore. He and another lady jumped out of the boat to swim to shore. The lady made it and Scott went down. They combed the lake for four hours and finally found his body at 8:00 Sunday evening. By this time, many, many people from Caldwell were on the shore holding hands. He has three children: Lexi, Logan, and Corbin. He also left behind a wife, Kirsten. He was very popular and will be missed by many. I want you all to remember how fragile life is and how important it is to obey safety rules and make good decisions. Even then, none of us really know when our time is over, so be kind to everyone and enjoy each day as it is a true gift. I will see you all on Thursday when we cook Asian food and celebrate life! Love to you all!

My Weekend

When I look back on my weekend, I mainly think of sweating! I worked out in the yard most of the time. It seems that there's always something to do in the yard: pull weeds, water, replant, fertilize, etc.. But I have to admit that I love it. The problem this weekend was that it was so humid and hot! Holy cows! I wasn't used to that! I was a little bit sad on Father's Day as I no longer have a father who is on this earth, and I miss him very much! He's been gone four years and I miss him more than ever! So that was a little sad. My boyfriend, Steve, however, is a father to two adult girls so I celebrated his fatherhood by going to El Maguey. The funny thing is that he picked up the tab...he! he! Isn't that what father's are for? I also took a long nap yesterday which is very unlike me. (Too much yard work!)

If you've taken the time to read about my weekend, here's a secret for you! Please look up a recipe from Asia. Please give it to me after you've printed it off!

My Biggest Worry

My biggest worry today is the country's economy. It seems like I know a lot of people who have either been laid off or hours cut way down. College kids are having a difficult time finding jobs in the chosen careers. I hope the economy turns around soon. And I'm glad to have my job and have the opportunity to work with all of their wonderful students I get to work with in this class.

Five Years

If I were five years older, I would be fifty-seven! Yikes! Why does that sound so old? Because it's close to sixty? Oh my! Hopefully life will be better in five years. Most importantly, I want to still have everyone I love in my life...Mom, Walaby & Aesop (canines), Wade (brother), Steve (boyfriend), Terri, former students, etc.. Also, I want to have retired and hopefully "double dipped" by continuing my teaching career but with more money. Come to think of it, maybe fifty-seven won't be so bad! ha! As I've become older, life becomes a little sweeter. It's a little bit strange. You don't worry as much. The old adage, "don't sweat the small stuff and it's all small stuff" is so true! I hope all of you learn that someday. Getting older is better than the alternative, dying young. Sorry, I didn't make that up either; I've heard it somewhere! (Notice the I;I compound sentence!) Have a good day; we're going to do something different here in a few. ;)

Father's Day

My father died four years ago and I miss him very much! In honor of Father's Day next Sunday, we're going to make magnetic bookmarks. Ask me to show them to you! You can pick the pattern you like and then put what you want on the inside. I think if you type a poem or a short note and reduce the font size as small as you can, it might fit. I also got some scrap booking stickers about dads from Walmart you can look at. The world wouldn't exist without dads so make your dad's Father's Day extra special this year!

Welcome!

I had so much fun yesterday "blogging" with all of you! If you have not made a blog list with everyone on it, you might do that! It is really cool to see everyone's blog.
More than that, it's really fun to hang out with all of you! A week from tomorrow, we go to the church and pack commodity boxes. Meanwhile, we're going to study bees. I have been planning a bee theme for a long time because we are so dependent on bees for food, yet the bee population is dwindling. It's a huge concern in the world! From reading your blogs yesterday, you have a lot to learn about bees. I have learned a lot preparing the unit. I have six "bee hives" or learning centers. Three of them (half, 1/2) are hands on activities that will be really cool! Also, with Ryan's help (ahem!), we are going to do a scale drawing of a giant bee. After all, we have to throw a little math into summer school! I'm going to divide you into groups of two and each group will produce or "blow up" or enlarge a section of the giant bee. If everyone does their section correctly, it will be something we can be proud of and hang in the hall. Imagine that! Also, sometime today, I want each of you to submit a honey recipe for Thursday! Stay tuned for more fun activities and beeeeeeee a good person! Always!

To Bee or Not To Bee

If you want to beeeeee a winner, join us for summer school! We will be studying bees, eating honey, making honey products, etc. Here are some bee websites for references:

http://www.kamali.k12.us/EBC2000/bugs_3.htm

disappearingbeeshttp:www.nytimes.com/2007/04/24science/24bees.html

http://balderdashandblokus.blogspot.com/2007/10/education-pages-httpcals.html

Upcoming Fun Stuff...Don't Miss Out!

• April 29: Present Habitat for Humanity money, $1000!!!!!
• April 29: Casa Trivia Night, Go Fruit Loops!
  
• April 30: Lunch at Southwestern, Happy Birthday Kaitlynn Sutton!
• May 4: Sienna's Birthday!
  
• May 8: Picnic at Island Park, all day long! Bring your fishing rods!
• May 19: Eighth graders last day (if you're in good standing)!!!
• May 21: Last Day of School
• June 8: First Day of Summer School!
  

Spuds for Habitat!

You guys are amazing! With the Legacy's dollar for dollar match, you made approximately $940 to donate to Habitat for Humanity! This is a record high! Along with raising our admission price $.75, we also had a fabulous turn out for the event! The people who attended said your behavior and restaurant skills were impeccible! (For extra credit in theme, tell me what that word means. ; )

Habitat for Humanity Potato Bar

is finally going to happen! Come tomorrow looking your very best, smelling good, and knowing what your role is in making this year's fundraiser a huge success! It will be something that you'll never forget!

Be a positive contributor or be a
potato head! The choice is yours!

Eighth Graders Soar on Math State Assessment!

I couldn't be any more proud of you guys! One student scored a 93, Exemplary!!!! (I won't divulge the name but his first name rhymes with jock!) We have three other eighth graders who scored in the "Exceeds Standards" category....way to go! Three other students scored "Meets Standards" which is something of which you should also be proud. One student is "Approaching Standards" and was very close! He came to our school late in the year and so had a disadvantage of not being here all year long. We're proud of him too! The two eighth graders in our "family" from regular education classes passed too!