Monday Memo Musings

Such an interesting end to a school year! So much student, parent contact, it's nice actually!  Lots of things to consider this week: Some of our kids went through trauma when they were evacuated, no everyone stayed in hotels with pools. Mental Health has ramped up their presence in town. Some kids are still out on evacuation, that's the Paddle Prairie crew. That is two of our graduates.  There is a Mennonite holiday for two days, Monday and Tuesday.  all grad details need to be finalized in the next two days. All grads are proceeding unchanged except for High Level who has dropped the meal.  We purchase a hoodie for each grad. If your grad doesn't have one email me we will get them for you.  EA contracts will be drawn up today. I will email them to you. Please scan them back to  If you are feeling you have down time we are reorganizing courses there will be a list of things we need to do to make that happe...

Outreach and Learning Stores are not traditional schools. Outreach Programs are, by definition and practice, different from regular school programs. The differences are beneficial to and challenging for the students, school staff and school jurisdiction administration. Benefits for Students Benefits include:  • Students are able to follow a customized education program. All students work toward obtaining their high school diplomas, but they are able, in consultation with teaching staff, to choose which courses they take and when they take them.  • Students work at their own pace. Although the school may set minimum expectations for student progress (e.g., completion of two modules per week), students are given a great deal of flexibility to work at the best pace for their ability, their motivation and their personal, home and work situations. This flexibility attracts many students back to school and enables them to complete high school.  • Attendance expectations ...

We have become experts  at knowing our kids. Knowing what they like, what worries them, what they wish for. We celebrate with them when things are going well. We also, suffer with them when things are bad.  One of our full-time students, Paris was diagnosed last week with Hodgkins Lymphoma a blood adrenal cancer, stage 3. They can't start cheemo as there are fishy spots on his lungs, and they don't like that at all.  They want to check that out more.  We are wrapping  around Paris and his family.  Needless to say we are devastated by this news. We would see him every day, he had a joke for us without fail. He made us laugh everyday!  So now, we are going to text him jokes each day and bug him with jokes as he did us. The hospital staff will love him, he will be their blessing as he is ours.  Paris finished all of his grade 10 year by March so he is happy to not have to open a book while in hospital. He gets...

I don't ever recall a Wednesday Morning Blog!  Hoping your holiday was fabulous. Relaxing is fabulous, organizing is fabulous, getting your mind and body in order is fabulous, painting and renovating is fabulous, spending time with your kids is fabulous, spending time with grandkids is fabulous, getting a sunburn in the tropics is fabulous, spending time with your mom is fabulous, being on your own is fabulous.  What isn't fabulous is: Having flights cancelled for two full days,  there and back to Toronto. Do not fly Swoop! Had to pay for a night in a hotel on the way there.  Watched my first robbery in Hamilton Mall while my flight was delayed 27 hours. Well really I only saw the robbers with masks on running out the door. Should have stuck my foot out! They stole diamonds and jewels!  Paid for an extra flight on the way home to get to see my grandbaby on Easter morning. ( i wasn't waiting 27 hours in Hamilton) Plus paid a rental car ...

I have tried to include what some of us will be doing for our holidays. If you can match the picture to the person I will put your name in for a gift card draw. Bonnie won last time. Perhaps it could be your time.  Bonnie and I presented at the Collaborative Response Model conference on Thursday. We only had six people in attendance, however we realize we are specialized. Those in attendance told us they really enjoyed our story and complimented us. We will share the presentation with you sometime. It hinged on the premise that all of us in Learning Stores are mentors to these kids... every single one of us has the opportunity to have someone's heart. CRM's allow us to really delve into the question, how is this student doing with us? Are they moving forward and what must we put in place for him/her to move forward.  The supports we offer in each tier assist the student to keep moving forward with academics and socio/emotionally. Bonnie and I found several res...

Diploma week is getting to be a very busy time for all four schools. It used to be that only the two bigger schools were writing. Now Fort and Rainbow have students writing at all times. That is great news. Thank you to everyone who booked seatings, called students, gathered study materials, taught, motivated the kids to write and  supported them.  This week will be relaxing, we will be calm and cool. If there is a situation with diplomas we will get it solved and will err on the die of the student. If a student is 9 minutes late we will let them write. If a student breaks down while writing we will find another spot for him her to write. If a teacher has a migraine and needs to leave someone will just op in to take their place, now worries at all this week.  Staffing  Anne Monday- High level- diploma supervision and meeting with Scot Leys. Tuesday- LTM in Fort.  Wednesday- Diploma supervision in Fort am- Drive to Edmonton Pm Thursday- Edmonton wit...

This sunshine and heat is exactly what we needed, when we needed it! Spring is not here, we will take the prespring feelings or gratitude. I am grateful for being able to get outside and walk. I am grateful for the birds. I am hear them and see them. I am grateful for a job that matters. I am grateful for people who care deeply about education and teenagers.  So much to be grateful for. Soon we will be grateful for Spring break. Staffing Anne- It's complicated.- I am delivering diplomas this week. Plus evaluations will be completed this week.  Monday- CRM training Tuesday- High School Principal's meeting am,Rocky Lane student visit pm. Wednesday- Fort  Thursday- La Crete all day- meet with student 2:00 Home ED meeting 7:00 pm Friday- High Level- prep for diplomas What's Goin' On Diplomas- teachers are contacting their students who are writing diplomas and making sure they have everything they need to feel prepared. All accommodations ...