Notes

I wish fragrances were outlawed.

I find myself holding my breath because I can’t stand it, then feel like I can’t breathe.

Fun Saturday!  Auntie Tiff joined us for baking cookies this morning followed by a fancy princess (& Prince Azri) tea lunch. Then we had dinner and spent the evening with Oma and Granddad.  Trevor played with the galium he bought for his birthday, Azri did multiple puzzles, I did one with Avalina, and the girls played dominos with Oma and Granddad. I can’t believe how big my kids are getting.

10-24-15

For Pastor Trevor
Need weekly update meetings with minutes to pass along to everyone (half hour on rotating day – can be led by him or me and Ros) – Other parent who does not facilitate could be in charge of childcare for the half hour right after school.  Could rotate, but all really need to step up.

Fairness concerns:
1/2 day K (and what it IS and is NOT)
Volunteer hours
Time spent during work hours- feels like getting paid for this

Back to our beginnings:
Whose school is this?
Why did we start it?
What was our intentions, vision…

Other needs:
We need detail oriented lead, how and who can facilitate that?
Communication
Figure out head and chain of command
Figure out what Ros and I both have freedom to do or not do.
Realizing T &R are married, being sure all is communicated beyond them to everyone else in need of information. (Only found out by accident from Ros that we were finishing grades Wed instead of previous Fri)
I feel intimidated, like my opinion and thoughts are less, like I’m not often being listened to, like my experience does not matter though so many times already we have realized that the way I had suggested or planned on (that did not happen) is what needed to happen.

What we need in these meetings:
Brief pertinent updates
Any key changes
Calendar

Little things, like:
Responsibilities for all:
Be sure daily folders are emptied, put in grade order, and returned to file in resource room before you leave on your day
Be sure you put the daily video manual papers, K folder, and any other pertinent info for your day back into the day’s file in the resource room (this takes us just a moment and Jan doesn’t need to unnecessarily spend time on this)
Lock bathrooms

Jan:
Maybe she grades K-2 tests

After school care 1/2 hour for dismissal and fac kids:
Allows all teachers to get work properly corrected, filed, and put away. Or if 3-6 facilitator doesn’t need the time, they can be that provider.
At end of half hour if tests aren’t graded, leave detailed note of instructions with key for Jan in resource room (in designated place)

Inequity/inequality:
Like bf school started – setting up the classroom – the one thing I communicated very clearly that I wanted to be a part of – we were told we could not come with children. Then Monday Ros comes and texts that we can meet and I can bring the kids. We arrange 3pm as the time. We wait for 3 to come, of course no one naps because they are excited. We arrive and Trevor and Ros and their kids have been here all day. I understand when this is them doing their church job, but this is school. And I am required to separate those things. Does this school thing and school tasks become part of your church job that it is established that you can use work time to help at school?  If so, you understand that you are getting paid for your work at the school. The difference is I don’t get paid for my work here on days other than my unpaid volunteer day.   I can bring a few things to do with Samantha that she would enjoy, but she is my priority. I need my kids and my family to be my priority. This is way more work than I had last year and I was paid for that. I didn’t need to bring work home every night and have to get childcare for Azri so I can try to keep up. I have lots of solutions, but some of this fairness stuff starts to let resentment and bitterness set in and I don’t want that.

If this is volunteer only then no one can be paid unless all who give the extra are paid.

Do you do grading and creating of stuff for school… during your work hours?  If so, I’ll leave that for Ros to do and get ready for me to simply look over it…

Trevor and I watched the movie Experimenter last night.  It was a very interesting movie!  I kept thinking about it today, the idea of how people follow the crowd and don’t think for themselves.  I showed the kids a short part tonight (minute 35:02-36:09) and we had a great discussion about knowing what is right and standing up for it regardless of what everyone else thinks or is doing. It was perfect in relation to peers and school, but also had much deeper relevance for life.

What would help make things easier or run smoother for you?  In a perfect world. 🙂

Another helper?
After school help?
Grader?
End of day supervisor?

If everything IS working, what do you attribute to that?

Lunch supervisor?
Chapel at end of day?
Working with spouse?
Help from someone else?

2 ways to offend God:

1. To think act or believe in a way that you do not need redemption

2. I need redemption, but I can find a way to address it ourselves.

Luke 18:9-14

I need to handle the kids’ sin the way God does with me.

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

The value of humility.

Ask Rosy if she can pick up and bring her girls to babysit all of the K-2 facilitators’ kids this Thursday or Friday afternoon or next?

Or Sunday the 25th

Empty dishwasher
Load dishwasher.
Pans in oven.
Clean up kitchen.
Start wash
Empty dryer and put away.
Have kids tidy living space for company.
Quick bathroom clean – both
Sweep bathrooms
Sweep hall and house

Costco
Target frosting

Prep food.

Beef
Chips
Tortillas
Cheese
Lettuce
Spinach
Ground turkey
24 hr gym membership
Wine blue label – la marca perseco dark bottle

O

Stuff left behind
Papers for next week
Leave papers for Aubrey if I make them tonight.

Leave 2nd grade work to be sent home
Put in clips.

Hi Angie,

I have been wanting to send a message to you for so long. I keep thinking of you and your sweet family and wondering how you all are doing. I miss you guys this year!  Ama so enjoyed having such a good friend in Maeve last year.  It was so hard to have to make the decision to make a change for our family for this year. It is bittersweet: I so miss PHCS: the sweet kiddos, families, and staff, but we know that the schooling decision for this year has been just right for our family.  We all often think of you guys and wish summer didn’t fly by so fast – we literally got together with no one for play dates. 🙁  It didn’t help to have illnesses and such.

I also have felt the need to tell you that when you approached me about us not returning this year, we really had not made any decisions about doing so.  Although my husband and I had just been involved in discussions regarding an idea of our church starting a school, children had never been included in the conversation. At that point, I was still expecting to return. It wasn’t until June, after school was out, that my husband and I made what felt like the right decision for our family, then we talked to the kids about it. I truly hope you didn’t feel deceived by me – I really was surprised that day to hear that Ama had said to Maeve that we may not return.  I wish we had known so proper goodbyes could have been said.

Anyway, I hope all of that is clear.  And I hope your family is doing well!  How is Maeve adjusting to 2nd grade?

Love,
Tawnya (Mrs. Smith) 🙂