Just getting over a terrible case of bronchitis, feeling down because of being sick, and suddenly we have the phone ringing off the hook with new students! We have three new kids starting on the Monday after Thanksgiving, 1 starting the first of January, and three more starting as soon as they can possibly transfer to Atala. What a fabulously great week this has turned out to be! We can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel on this miserable economy. Our parents are happy, the kids are happy, and we have new families calling and emailing every week. Definitely a good feeling!
We're working on our Winter Production, a fabulous show based on the theme of "Peace." All the kids are starting to learn songs for the Christmas Tree Lighting. And we're buzzing along with Thanksgiving preparations for next week.
Not much else to say. Life is good.
Spread Your Wings!
17 November 2011
23 October 2011
Mid-October Thoughts
It's been a month of ups and downs, but that's to be expected. One of the best things that happened to me was that I received a couple of "fan" letters! There are people who are reading my blog, responding, and even beginning to recognize how crazy academic life can be (especially in a state university) if you really want change.
A non-Atala note. One of our family's close friends was just fired. When you care only about yourself and do not realize you're a part of something bigger, when you act out because you do not have the place of honor you think you deserve, or when you don't remember that it's not about you, there are consequences. I was very sad this week to find out a family friend caused so much heartache and strife because he was so very self-centered and uncaring of others. Nothing can be done now since he refuses to take responsibility for how he acted.
Atala-related things: one of the other Atala owners was just honored for over 30 years of service to Montessori education. She was one of 48 women and men in South Florida--and the only one from Homestead!--to receive this honor. The whole staff attended the conference where the award was given, and believe me, we all stood up and cheered loudly as she was called forward to receive her plaque.
Times are tough. The economy stinks. There's no denying that. Things are definitely effecting the lower and middle classes a lot more than those with a lot money. Our school numbers are ahead of where we were last year, but we still would like to fill our rooms. Been spending a lot of time mulling over numbers, creating projections (budget and enrollment) and trying to figure out best to serve the children and parents of Homestead. Sometimes it seems impossible, but there's always a path. We just need to pick the best one.
Finally, Livya had an awesome costume party complete with bobbing for apples! My little girl is 6 and my big guy Liam is 10. Both are great kids and I am so proud to be their mom.
Spread Your Wings!
A non-Atala note. One of our family's close friends was just fired. When you care only about yourself and do not realize you're a part of something bigger, when you act out because you do not have the place of honor you think you deserve, or when you don't remember that it's not about you, there are consequences. I was very sad this week to find out a family friend caused so much heartache and strife because he was so very self-centered and uncaring of others. Nothing can be done now since he refuses to take responsibility for how he acted.
Atala-related things: one of the other Atala owners was just honored for over 30 years of service to Montessori education. She was one of 48 women and men in South Florida--and the only one from Homestead!--to receive this honor. The whole staff attended the conference where the award was given, and believe me, we all stood up and cheered loudly as she was called forward to receive her plaque.
Times are tough. The economy stinks. There's no denying that. Things are definitely effecting the lower and middle classes a lot more than those with a lot money. Our school numbers are ahead of where we were last year, but we still would like to fill our rooms. Been spending a lot of time mulling over numbers, creating projections (budget and enrollment) and trying to figure out best to serve the children and parents of Homestead. Sometimes it seems impossible, but there's always a path. We just need to pick the best one.
Finally, Livya had an awesome costume party complete with bobbing for apples! My little girl is 6 and my big guy Liam is 10. Both are great kids and I am so proud to be their mom.
Spread Your Wings!
13 September 2011
What an awesome week! We are well underway in our second year. Classrooms are fuller than they were last year. We have a great staff who all genuinely like each other and are working for the better of our great Atala kids. Enough said on that. Can't ask for anything more.
Starting to think about fundraising. Working on the 2nd Annual Atala Chili Cook-Off already. Promises to be bigger and more exciting (and hopefully drier!) than last year's.
Just found out I was commissioned to write a new composition for the Greater Miami Youth Symphony. The piece will be based on Marjory Stoneman Douglas' "River of Grass" and will have the GMYS orchestra wearing equalizer t-shirts. Should be very cool for a beach performance. Later in the year, they'll perform it down here in Homestead.
Also just found another calling--Media Consultant. Working on a great project with new friends. Lots to think about but can't say much at the moment. Will involve editing a book as the primary duties to start. Glad to be back in editing/publishing. I miss working on the journal and the encyclopedia project. Sounds like a great project to jump back in.
Liam's 10th birthday is this weekend. We're doing a video game (Atari) party. Hope he lets me play, too... ;)
Spread your wings and fly people!
Starting to think about fundraising. Working on the 2nd Annual Atala Chili Cook-Off already. Promises to be bigger and more exciting (and hopefully drier!) than last year's.
Just found out I was commissioned to write a new composition for the Greater Miami Youth Symphony. The piece will be based on Marjory Stoneman Douglas' "River of Grass" and will have the GMYS orchestra wearing equalizer t-shirts. Should be very cool for a beach performance. Later in the year, they'll perform it down here in Homestead.
Also just found another calling--Media Consultant. Working on a great project with new friends. Lots to think about but can't say much at the moment. Will involve editing a book as the primary duties to start. Glad to be back in editing/publishing. I miss working on the journal and the encyclopedia project. Sounds like a great project to jump back in.
Liam's 10th birthday is this weekend. We're doing a video game (Atari) party. Hope he lets me play, too... ;)
Spread your wings and fly people!
06 August 2011
Another year
Having an awesome summer with family and friends. While it hasn't been entirely relaxing, it's been a great time to rejuvenate.
We are getting ready to start another year at Atala. We are starting the year with more children than we started last year, and we're expanding up to 7th grade. The toddler room only has one space left! I've met some wonderful parents and gotten to see our first class of Atala kindergarten students graduate into elementary school. Livya was among those children--I am so proud of her!
It was a year of firsts, which was awesome and tiring all rolled into one. This year we can work towards perfecting some events, and adding new ones. We are going to do the Chili Cook Off again in the fall. And in the spring we're adding a Renaissance Faire. I've spent the latter part of the summer honing my recorder skills and will play in a Renaissance consort as part of the entertainment. Can't wait!
In the meanwhile, I enjoy scanning articles in the Chronicle of Higher Education. Universities and colleges live in a bubble and it seems to be catching up a bit, at least with a few. So much corruption--padding enrollment to receive additional funding from the state, charging students for services they never received, plummeting admission standards to try to fill seats. Tenure is fast becoming a thing of the past, which is a good thing in my opinion. Why guarantee someone a job for life? Shouldn't you have to earn your job and work to keep it?
Spread your wings!
We are getting ready to start another year at Atala. We are starting the year with more children than we started last year, and we're expanding up to 7th grade. The toddler room only has one space left! I've met some wonderful parents and gotten to see our first class of Atala kindergarten students graduate into elementary school. Livya was among those children--I am so proud of her!
It was a year of firsts, which was awesome and tiring all rolled into one. This year we can work towards perfecting some events, and adding new ones. We are going to do the Chili Cook Off again in the fall. And in the spring we're adding a Renaissance Faire. I've spent the latter part of the summer honing my recorder skills and will play in a Renaissance consort as part of the entertainment. Can't wait!
In the meanwhile, I enjoy scanning articles in the Chronicle of Higher Education. Universities and colleges live in a bubble and it seems to be catching up a bit, at least with a few. So much corruption--padding enrollment to receive additional funding from the state, charging students for services they never received, plummeting admission standards to try to fill seats. Tenure is fast becoming a thing of the past, which is a good thing in my opinion. Why guarantee someone a job for life? Shouldn't you have to earn your job and work to keep it?
Spread your wings!
29 May 2011
Year One
One year ago yesterday I left FIU. No more bologna, no more blatant sexism, no more "Peter" principle, and no more stress. Well...that last one probably doesn't really hold true, but this is a totally different kind of stress. That was then and this is now.
Living and breathing all things Atala has been fabulous. Kind of makes me want to get up in the morning and figure out how we can X, Y, or Z better. You name, we have tried it this year. And next year is going to be even better.
We ended our first year making our payroll every month, paying all our bills every month, and with a track record that includes a gubernatorial proclamation, a mayoral proclamation, a lot of happy families, new friends, and a feeling that this is going to be a lot bigger than all of us put together!
Thank you everyone who made this possible. Spread Your Wings!
Living and breathing all things Atala has been fabulous. Kind of makes me want to get up in the morning and figure out how we can X, Y, or Z better. You name, we have tried it this year. And next year is going to be even better.
We ended our first year making our payroll every month, paying all our bills every month, and with a track record that includes a gubernatorial proclamation, a mayoral proclamation, a lot of happy families, new friends, and a feeling that this is going to be a lot bigger than all of us put together!
Thank you everyone who made this possible. Spread Your Wings!
23 April 2011
Strange, but true
So it's been nearly 2 months since I sent my letter of resignation to FIU. I have not received official confirmation that they got the letter let alone got the letter. When I wrote her, my friend who works in the dean's office did email me back to let me know that "they" received my letter and were working on a response. Two months and still no response at all? I know it's too much to ask for someone to actually thank me for my 14 years of work, but a simple breakdown of the sick leave pay the owed me would have been the professional thing to do. I had a mysterious deposit from FIU in my bank account, but I have nothing to let me know how many sick-leave hours I had, how much tax was taken out, and what the rate of pay was for the sick leave. It's not at all surprising given the lack of professionalism in the College of Architecture + The Arts, but it is disappointing.
On a happier note, several of my former students got accepted into great graduate schools including University of Oregon and Brown.
And coolest of all, Colby and I had a terrific article written about us in the Miami Herald: http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/04/02/2145726/the-sound-saver.html. Strange thing was I received a call from a former boss at FIU telling me that it's too bad the author didn't mention that I'm a composer and not giving me enough press. Apparently he didn't read the article and completely missed the point. We collaborate on things. It's not about who gets the top line of the article, it's about the difference you can make in your community.
Spread your wings!
On a happier note, several of my former students got accepted into great graduate schools including University of Oregon and Brown.
And coolest of all, Colby and I had a terrific article written about us in the Miami Herald: http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/04/02/2145726/the-sound-saver.html. Strange thing was I received a call from a former boss at FIU telling me that it's too bad the author didn't mention that I'm a composer and not giving me enough press. Apparently he didn't read the article and completely missed the point. We collaborate on things. It's not about who gets the top line of the article, it's about the difference you can make in your community.
Spread your wings!
01 April 2011
Science Fair and Art Show
This has been a year of firsts and tonight was no exception. The 1st annual Atala Science Fair and Art Show was awesome! The kids focused on recycled art, found art, reusing and repurposing materials, and everyone did a great job! I'll post pictures on our Facebook account.
Had two more registrations for next year just today and a lead on several properties for our permanent home.
So glad it's Friday! Spread Your Wings and breathe!
Had two more registrations for next year just today and a lead on several properties for our permanent home.
So glad it's Friday! Spread Your Wings and breathe!
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