That Time of Year Again...

[wbill76]

August always means the countdown begins to the start of the next school year. This summer went by pretty fast, just have a couple of weeks left before reporting for the next tour of duty teaching 8th graders US History on the 20th and students begin on the 27th. I have some hope that maybe, just maybe, I will be able to get in some build time here and there instead of having to fully shut down the workbench like I did last year, but that remains to be seen. I'm hopeful that much of the heavy lifting from the previous year won't have to be repeated and this year I can focus on lesson refinement vs full-blown creation from the ground up. I'll do my best to pop in here as often as possible but if you don't hear from me, it just means I'm heads-down in the trenches once again! Now if I could just convince Andy to loan me one of his helmets...

[afvfan]

I taught 9th grade for couple years many moons ago, Bill, you'll need more than just a helmet!

[sturmbird]

Aug 2, 2018 9:12:42 GMT -5 wbill76 said:

August always means the countdown begins to the start of the next school year. This summer went by pretty fast, just have a couple of weeks left before reporting for the next tour of duty teaching 8th graders US History on the 20th and students begin on the 27th. I have some hope that maybe, just maybe, I will be able to get in some build time here and there instead of having to fully shut down the workbench like I did last year, but that remains to be seen. I'm hopeful that much of the heavy lifting from the previous year won't have to be repeated and this year I can focus on lesson refinement vs full-blown creation from the ground up. I'll do my best to pop in here as often as possible but if you don't hear from me, it just means I'm heads-down in the trenches once again! Now if I could just convince Andy to loan me one of his helmets...

In the Greenwood and Center Grove School Systems, they started either today or last Monday. Yet some have been in class for almost a month here (Band, Orchestra, and of course sports). When I went to school, we got out the Friday of the first week in June (usually around the 7th to the 10th), and then went back the day after Labor Day.

Next month, I'll be chasing Muskies in the rain.
gary

[wbill76]

Aug 2, 2018 13:08:33 GMT -5 afvfan said:

I taught 9th grade for couple years many moons ago, Bill, you'll need more than just a helmet!

I've worked with 8th graders for several years, so that's nothing new! They are a special age, no doubt about it, and freshmen are just older versions of the same kids.

Gary, what you remember is pretty close to the schedule we have...although other districts in our area can vary widely. My wife's district has students reporting this Monday for example and another district follows a 9 weeks-on/2 weeks-off rotation that had students begin last week. Good luck chasing those muskies!

[sturmbird]

Aug 2, 2018 18:43:16 GMT -5 wbill76 said:

Aug 2, 2018 13:08:33 GMT -5 afvfan said:

I taught 9th grade for couple years many moons ago, Bill, you'll need more than just a helmet!

I've worked with 8th graders for several years, so that's nothing new! They are a special age, no doubt about it, and freshmen are just older versions of the same kids.

Gary, what you remember is pretty close to the schedule we have...although other districts in our area can vary widely. My wife's district has students reporting this Monday for example and another district follows a 9 weeks-on/2 weeks-off rotation that had students begin last week. Good luck chasing those muskies!

Eventually they'll be having classes 11 or 12 months a year in Indiana. Kindergarten is now an all day affair, and I suppose the next thing is a 13th grade for high school.

I've got to buy a few specialized items for musky fishing, and maybe some armored gloves. They can take our fingers off very easily. When I finally get the hang of this, I'll be after regular muskies. That'll mean a ten weight rod and some bullet proof equipment.

gary
P.S. I saw what Meng has instore for us yesterday, and this is going to take it's toll on my checking account

[wbill76]

The transformation in the education system (a loose definition since it varies state-to-state widely) here in the US has been pretty significant in the last decade in particular. There are now 10 periods in a day for middle-school, at 8th grade in Texas they take 4 state exams (Math, Reading, Science, and Social Studies) but only 2 of those (Math and Reading) can be used to hold them back a grade, so they get 3 chances at those tests vs only 1 for the Science and Social Studies.

Speaking of a '13th grade', our district also has what are called 'early college' high schools where students get dual credit for classes (high school and college credit) in addition to the usual AP-style offerings.

Sounds like Muskies are the northern version of alligator gar...but more aggressive! Used to always hate hooking a gar when fishing for virtually anything else...you almost always lost your gear in the process.

[sturmbird]

Aug 3, 2018 12:31:53 GMT -5 wbill76 said:

The transformation in the education system (a loose definition since it varies state-to-state widely) here in the US has been pretty significant in the last decade in particular. There are now 10 periods in a day for middle-school, at 8th grade in Texas they take 4 state exams (Math, Reading, Science, and Social Studies) but only 2 of those (Math and Reading) can be used to hold them back a grade, so they get 3 chances at those tests vs only 1 for the Science and Social Studies.

Speaking of a '13th grade', our district also has what are called 'early college' high schools where students get dual credit for classes (high school and college credit) in addition to the usual AP-style offerings.

Sounds like Muskies are the northern version of alligator g,ar...but more aggressive! Used to always hate hooking a gar when fishing for virtually anything else...you almost always lost your gear in the process.

We have a pre college program in many school systems here. Kids can take college courses, and are given college credits for them. A lot of push in that area around here. What's interesting here is the college entrance testing. The ones used ten years ago are no longer used, and I can't think of what it's called now. Center Grove has well over 90% passing rate (93% last year), and Greenwood is right on their tail. The actually publish the pass/fail rate as well as the scores for all the high schools around here in the local papers for the state exam.


We have gar around here, but most you'll see are three foot or smaller. Once in awhile you'll here about or see a four footer.
Never tried to catch one. We do get some big northern pike in the upper part of the state. I good for one of them; no matter how big he is.

Was on a Japanese website the other night looking at a new kit from RFM. Then I noticed at the bottom of the page, there were several kits from Meng. A new Jagedpanther G1, a real Kursk Panther D (very early block), and a mid/late Panther D. I have a Meng Panther D right now, and the kit is outstanding. Was going to build an early Kursk Panther out of it, but why bother when one is looming on the horizon.
gary

[wbill76]

Aug 3, 2018 15:08:55 GMT -5 sturmbird said:

We have a pre college program in many school systems here. Kids can take college courses, and are given college credits for them. A lot of push in that area around here. What's interesting here is the college entrance testing. The ones used ten years ago are no longer used, and I can't think of what it's called now. Center Grove has well over 90% passing rate (93% last year), and Greenwood is right on their tail. The actually publish the pass/fail rate as well as the scores for all the high schools around here in the local papers for the state exam.


We have gar around here, but most you'll see are three foot or smaller. Once in awhile you'll here about or see a four footer.
Never tried to catch one. We do get some big northern pike in the upper part of the state. I good for one of them; no matter how big he is.

Was on a Japanese website the other night looking at a new kit from RFM. Then I noticed at the bottom of the page, there were several kits from Meng. A new Jagedpanther G1, a real Kursk Panther D (very early block), and a mid/late Panther D. I have a Meng Panther D right now, and the kit is outstanding. Was going to build an early Kursk Panther out of it, but why bother when one is looming on the horizon.
gary

Texas has moved to a 'letter grade' system for all the districts in the state now and those are published as well. This year they are going to do the same at a campus-by-campus level. The letter grade system has a complicated set of scoring elements behind it that I won't bore you with, most of which are based on state exam score performance. Our campus would've received a "B" rating for 2017-18 had it been a live-fire year for the scoring system that will be used. It's all a numbers game for sure!

Sounds like Meng is going to put a big dent in your bank account...or perhaps someone else's when it comes to Christmas gifts!