An Interesting Site

If you go to http://akweathercams.faa.gov/?submit=Alaska+Cams and then choose southwest Alaska, and then choose Pedro Bay, you can see our weather!  The new cams have been up a couple of weeks now.  One shows the school and if you just go right on around that building  --- that's where we live!

If you look at Sitka --- southeast Alaska --- you can see the weather at the Girl's school.

Have fun.  I thought it was pretty interesting.

Oh, yeah .... if you want to leave a message about any post, just mouse over the "0 comments" and click.  It should let you comment ---- only nice messages, please! 

First of Many Firsts

Mt. Edgecumbe emailed this week.  They sent an announcement for the first-ever state-wide teleconference.  It was Thursday night.  All the parents called in and then the superintendent, the housing principal and I think, one of the nurses plus the lady who is over home/school relations.  It was strange to sit and listen to parents call in and tell their own name and the name of their child and then where they were from.  People called in from all over the state.  Some parents we recognized.  They are teachers in other districts whom we have met before.  It helped me in knowing that they are all parents, too, who are wanting to know if their child is okay --- not just academically, but socially, too.  We talk to our Girl about 2-3 times a week.  Sometimes we use SKYPE.  It is a life-saver.  It really helps to be able to see her face!

The superintendent gave some numbers.  Here is that info:

Enrollment      412
Freshmen        113
Sophmores     95
Juniors          115
Seniors           88

Girls        257
Boys        155

Returning Students      220
New Students             192

Mt. Edgecumbe DID make AYP last year.

We felt that the teleconference was well worth the time.  It was very informative.  The next one is scheduled for November. 

Classes

Well, I've had one online class this week and I'm afraid it's going to be a LONG semester.  Science left me behind a long time ago!

On the other hand.... I have now finished 5 of the 10 activities I need for my Intro. to Educational Technology.  And... I have an "A" so far! 

It looks like we may just make the counting cut-off.  Everyone has to be enrolled by the 27th here in Alaska so that schools can count the students and find out how much money the government is going to pay up for next year.  We "think" we're going to get to stay here in Pedro Bay for the rest of this year.   That will be great!!

Went bear "hunting" last night ---- nothing.  BUT, the salmon are STACKED up in the little creek that goes through the village out to the airport.  Last night they were just lined up like people waiting in line.  Side by side..... not going anywhere.... just waiting.... I'm going to try and get a picture of it.  There were hundreds of fish in that little creek.

Just Pics

These are pics I took yesterday.  After a week of rain we have enjoyed 3 days of sunshine.  The water is running off the mountains and you can hear it throughout the village.  The waterfall above our house was roaring yesterday!

Can you see the salmon?

We were about 100 feet away --- in the safey of the truck!

It seems that it's getting more difficult to find the bears.  Our record for one night is 7.  We haven't seen the Mama and her 2 cubs in over 2 weeks now.

A view of Rainbow Lodge, located here in Pedro Bay.

This is the old airstrip. Now it is part of the 3 mile loop around the village.  The Boy was at party on this road last week.  They were playing volleyball when they looked up and saw a bear coming to join them.  Everyone hopped on their 4-wheelers, screaming, "Bear!!!!" and went home.  That party ended rather early...

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This is from the sandy beach on Lake Iliamna.  Have you heard about the Lake Iliamna Monster?

If today is a holiday, why am I working so hard?

Today is Labor Day and we are laboring.... We stayed away from school all weekend so I guess it's right that we have to do something today.

When I started the blog today I didn't think I had anything to write, so I decided to pull some pics from our trip this summer.  These pictures are from Amarillo.  This RV place was great.  It was incredibly clean, had pool, laundry rooms and it was really quiet.  BUT, the best part, is that it was super cheap.  I think we paid $20.00!!  They are on I-40 and they're on the west end of the city.  We just happened to drive out that far and found them.  We just got our member's card this week from them.  It's good for 20% off, I think.  Anyway, the owners were really putting out a plea for custormers.  Sooooo.... if you happen to drive your RV out that way..... stop at the Oasis.  They're great.

The picture of the Boy gives you an idea of what went on for miles and miles.  Really, for all the miles we drove, we couldn't be prouder of our Kids.  They are great travelers.

The last pic was taken as we entered into New Mexico.  I'm trying to remember the heat and dryness but it has been wet, wet, wet here in Pedro Bay.  The temps have been mid-50s with a lot of fog.

We went to a wedding on Saturday.  It was good to get out and visit with community members.  The ceremony was very touching and the food was great.  I sure was tired by the time we got home that evening.  The former pastor married the young couple and then he also preached on Sunday morning.  We enjoyed going to church with our neighbors.

Classes Online

Back in the spring when we took this job at Pedro Bay, I thought it would be a good time to go back to school and work on my elementary endorsement for the state of Alaska.  So, this summer I spent two or three whole days trying to get online and get enrolled.  Part of my problem was that I didn't understand that the University of Alaska is HUGE!  There are campuses in Juneau, Anchorage, Fairbanks and lots of smaller schools in the major hubs across the state.  You might take a class here or there, but on your transcripts it all says University of Alaska.  And then... there's a site to enroll and a site to keep up with your classes and a site for this and a site for that..... and of course, all the cute little things that your computer can do to show off how smart it is and you aren't!  I did finally get enrolled in 2 classes but I was a frazzled mess.  I paid my tuition and fees and closed up the computer. 

Fast forward to this week.  I remembered that I didn't have my book yet for one of the classes so I sent Amazon some money and they shipped a used copy.  Saved me over $40 so I was happy.  Then, I took a looksie to see that everything was ready and get the scoop on these classes.  I finally found syllabi and I read that I would be using Elluminate for one of the classes.  It's a program that lets everyone in the class hear the instructor and whoever else wants to talk.  I used it last year but on a different computer.  So I had to download that program ---- no, it didn't go smoothly!  Then I wanted to print out the assignments for the other class.  I don't know what happened but the Mister had moved printers around and my computer didn't like the new printer and it took 3 hours to print out 10 class assignments.  I was not a happy camper. 

Now, I've read the assignments and I realize that this class isn't so much about teaching me but about me showing how much I've already figured out on my own.  The class is "Introduction to Educatioanl Technology."  My other class in "Introduction to Oceanography."  I don't know if a computer classroom is for me but it IS paid for..... guess I'll show up.....