Music Advocacy Blog

I have created a blog on my own time, my own computer, and through my own site (not linked from any school site). It is not designed to paint our school leaders as the enemy; on the contrary, it is designed to inform and persuade those that choose to listen and watch of the benefits of elementary arts education taught by highly qualified instructors as part of a comprehensive curriculum. It is designed to unite the parents, teachers, and leaders in a quest to find dollars without cutting music and art at our school. You may find it at www.fesmusicnewsandnotes.blogspot.com
There's not much to it yet, but I intend on adding to it feverishly this week.

This is where we are at school...

http://www.notonthetest.com/

Last night's board meeting produced classroom teachers and even a principal who referred to specials classes as "fluff". The union president claimed that she would take her kids on spring walks, do art projects, and perhaps play some music in the room so she could adequately meet arts standards. The proposal on the table is to close our building, move us to the intermediate school building, create K-5 elementaries, and take away music and art for grades K-3, tied with a shortened school day. "How can teachers meet all the standards during a shorter day if they struggle to do so now?", asked a parent. The answer: "It will be quite easy because all the fluff will be cut out", replied a principal. So just 4th and 5th graders getting the arts from a highly qualified specialist who travels between the 3 elementaries and a staff that is asked to meet the national standards for music and art out of the goodness of their heart for K-3rd grade. Yeah right; when pigs fly.

FINALLY, he's here!

MaryAnn finally convinced that baby to come out! We have a new boy in the family and I know Tim and MA are elated! Big Brother Trevor may or may not be as such, you never know...
Shane Timothy Walton was born Monday morning at 8:41am, 7 lbs. 15 oz. Welcome to your crazy family Shane; Joel can't wait to coddle you and play with you!

More derby pics

A couple taken by scout staff this weekend...

"9-1-1, What is your emergency?"

It happened..........again. Last night was a typical Sunday evening at the inlaws. We were watching football while Hanna had Grandma tied up in another room demanding her undivided attention. Then the phone rang. Poor Larry was SO confused! Then I faintly heard Hanna say "911" from the other room and we figured out what happened quickly enough to let the dispatcher know. So began a stern talk that we remember having when JOEL did the same thing when he was in preschool....at the other set of grandparents!! (What is it about trying this stuff at their places?) We had tears and the constant "Are they going to come take me to jail?" in between sobs. When Joel did this, my dad told dispatch everything was okay, blamed it on the grandkid, and that was that. This time, we heard the doorbell ring about 5 minutes later. Whoo, that lit Hanna and her jail fears right up!! Sure enough, a uniformed patrolman was checking the situation...Andy spoke with him; he made Hanna apologize in person. Boy was she mortified as that nice young man gently reminded her of the proper protocol regarding 911. A lesson well-learned I hope. (Joel's never done it since 2007, so here's hoping.) So I wonder how many similar stories we'd get if we polled all the parents of preschoolers out there. I'm so glad that they teach it during those years, but I'm glad we only have 2 in the system!

This n' That

Does this look comfortable to you? Me either. It must've been an especially rough day at preschool. This picture was taken at around 5:30pm one day this past week. She barely wanted to wake up enough for supper. How does she sleep like that?

Joel had his second ever Pinewood Derby for scouts today. This year, we dropped the ball a bit and started on his car a little late. So we ended up without graphite dust and the proper weights to insert into the body. He took it in good stride though...he made a "turtle shell" car. Well, at least it was aptly named... No spectacular finishes this time, but that's okay because he had to leave a half hour into the event to get to his basketball game........which they won 26-6. Next year, buddy!

Oh, My Achin' Back...

This driveway masterpiece is courtesy of yours truly. (Keep in mind that snow was still coming down when I was done, so it's not spotless!) Right after we got home from school today, I suited up and started shoveling. We had a good, solid 4 inches of snow (I know, a paltry amount) and the driveway was not discernable. Andy's a great bus driver, but he at least needs a visible perimeter. The biggest bummer was, while I was out there, the neighbor across the street plowed his drive in one minute flat and the next-door neighbor had a snowblower. Yes, I might have been a little envious. Even so, I got in a good workout, some slipping and sliding in Andy's work boots, and the whole thing was knocked out 20 minutes before he got home!

Okay, okay, so it was totally powdery and the push broom did just as well as the shovel.... and we did get early dismissal from school so I had plenty of time to do it...... But still, I'm proud of myself. Now doesn't someone owe me a backrub?