Friday

Friday, Friday, Friday is my favorite day.
Friday, Friday, Friday is my favorite day.
Monday is a bummer, Tuesday's only fair.
Wednesday's gettin' better, Thursday's almost there,
But
Friday, Friday Friday is my favorite day.

The housing slump and Education

Housing slump affects sales tax collections | ajc.com:

Georgia's tax collections fell slightly last month, following a trend across the country where the housing slump has begun to affect state budgets and sparked talk of spending cuts for education and health care.

As houses depreciate, property taxes will inevitable be reduced. Not only will their be less property taxes collected, but spenders will also cut back on a lot of discretionary spending, causing a reduction in sales tax collections.

Education will be a primary target for local and state governments, when they look to make spending cuts.

The hardest hit areas are going to be large cities with a significant portion of poor and minority students. Reduced funding won't make all that much difference to well funded middle class suburban school districts.

How to tell if your local Gifted Program is worth a S%^#

Walk in to your local elementary school and observe a hour of the gifted program.

Ask yourself if they did anything in that hour that was beyond the capacity of an average child.

If the answer is no, then the chances are that you just witnessed your tax dollars going up in smoke.

Proud parents...

Our 2nd grader, who is a struggling reader, won an award Friday for "outstanding diligence".

We weren't quite sure what this meant and why she was chosen, but our daughter explained it to us.

"The teacher wrote everyone's name on a piece of paper and put it in the hat. Then she picked out four names, and I won. Aren't you so proud of me daddy?"

Actually I am very proud of her, but I don't need meaningless awards to justify it.

Vampire...

No, not a teacher, not the schools, me.

I am on grave shift for the next few months.

I go to work at 1130 at night and then get off at 730 in the morning. After the kids leave for school at 830, I sleep until they get home. Then its pick up the baby, do homework, cook dinner, and then put the kids to the bed.

Anyways... I am so jet lagged, my brain is mush.

I am so wrong...

The housing market crash has finally hit cable. I am sitting here watching "Please buy my house".

One woman desperate to sell her 3/4 of a million dollar home hired a feng shui expert, another family went on to a local real estate radio program and practically begged for someone to buy, while another couple hired their grandson to decorate.

Idiots. Lower the friggin price... this isn't 2005. The bubble is over. Homes are places to live, not investments.

Ok, I do feel a bit for the older couple... but its is a bit entertaining to see desperation in real estate instead of all those smug house flipper shows.

Good things about Aurora Elementary on Elmendorf Air Force Base

I know I complain a lot, so here are some really cool things about my kids school and classes.

My 4th grade girls teacher uses a wireless surround sound system so that all of the kids can hear. He is also setting up a class blog.

My 2nd grade teachers doesn't assign reading stories from their whole language text book, instead she sends home photocopies "decodeable" books on the sly. She also has assigned several reading groups in class based on skill level. My daughter is in the lowest, but is improving tremendously.

The school has a really active running club for all grades and puts on track meets. They also have a great P.E. program, and plenty of recess.

My 4th grade son's teacher doesn't overload with homework, which is great, even if he has to do the occasional poster.

The staff is super friendly.

Oh and the math teacher at my 7th graders school pulled out some antique "old school" math text books from 1991 to supplement the "integrated" math books bought by the district. She told the class that they would be mostly working out of the old books. Get this, the old books actually have math stuff in them.

Real homework!

My son got real homework today... a math worksheet. Of course it was only because his class was acting up, otherwise all they would of had was the project.

Would it be wrong of me to tell my son to act up everyday to ensure he actually learns something?

First Stupid Project of the Year

Today my son doesn't have any math, reading, or writing homework. Instead, he has to do a fire prevention poster, due by Friday.

The poster will be graded on creativity and neatness.

I am still trying to decide if I should question the assignment or literally have him shut up and color.