Local Festivals and Such

Two weeks into the school year - it's going by so quickly! Very busy but having a wonderful year, I have great classes; the students and I are getting to know one another and they are getting used to me, my corny jokes and my vast shoe collection.

Big weekend in Vevay: our local annual Swiss Wine Festival is taking place as I type. Ostensibly, it's a celebration of our town's Swiss roots, but it always seems to be a class reunion/homecoming/party event by the time it's all said and done. So fun to see everyone and get caught up! It looks to be a great weekend, weather-wise, so we'll have a good turnout. I volunteer a few hours at the main gates with my Tri Kappa sisters and also with our high school's Key Club (I am the sponsor). It's busy, hectic and exhausting but I'm always so glad to be a part of it!

See you at the tasting tent :-)

So long, summer!

It's the official first day of school here! Can plaid skirts and sweaters be far behind? Dare I say it, boots???!!

The new year always brings challenges, the worst of which for me is remembering the new names and faces. I'm just not good at that. I'd probably be better at remembering numbers, should I just assign each student a number a la Dr. House? "Number 7, sit down!"

Otherwise, I am excited to start the new semester and to see my colleagues and former students again. It just makes me smile when a former student stops by to say hello and talk about what happened over the summer.

I'll miss sharing my first cup of coffee with Matt Lauer and Al Roker, but I'll be back to visit at Christmas and of course, we always have next summer!

Welcome!

New blogger here! This is the first of many posts, I hope. I created it as a forum for sharing my upcoming travel experience with my students, friends and family. I am the (very excited) recipient of a grant, courtesy of the Toyota International Teacher Program, that will allow me to travel to Costa Rica this fall with 25 other teachers from the US. Truly the opportunity of a lifetime!

Background info: I am a science teacher at my own alma mater, Switzerland County High School, in Vevay, Indiana (southeast corner of the state). I graduated from Purdue University in 1994, but worked in the pharmaceutical industry until 2007. I began my teaching career on an emergency license; I started as the Integrated Chemistry & Physics teacher and then added Honors Chemistry to my roster. I was also a student at Indiana Wesleyan University while I was teaching. I received my professional teaching license in late 2008. Busy times, but it was worth it! Last fall, I took over the Biology teaching position, which means I teach Biology, Honors Biology and Anatomy & Physiology. I love teaching Biology, but I sorely miss the previous teacher, Mrs. Ann Roller, who retired and recommended me for the opening. I am very fortunate to be colleagues with many of my former teachers! Sort of completes the circle for me.

At this point, I have no really exciting things to say, just wanted to get the blog started prior to the rapidly approaching school year. The blog will probably be required reading for my classes (cue the groans) as I hope to be able to update daily while I am traveling. I am also using http://www.edmodo.com/ as an assignment/grading resource, but that site is for students only.

Until August 12th...Cheers!