The End of Another School Year

School officially ended on Wednesday, and just like that I've wrapped up my fifth year of teaching, my first year of teaching in Pilot Point, and my first year as a Head Teacher. It's been a wild ride, but I'm so happy with how successful this year was.

We celebrated the end of the year in a variety of ways. The first celebration was on the Friday before school ended and we hosted a preschool graduation (we had no graduating high school kids this year), an awards ceremony, and a potluck. At this potluck, we had a video tribute to our school year, which was beautifully created by our high school teacher Melissa. I think everyone really loved the video, so I thought it would be fun to share it here too.

On Wednesday, the last day of school, we hosted a cookout on the beach for all of the students. It was such a fun, special way to end the year. The weather was perfect - sunny and in the upper 50's. We cooked hotdogs, played football and frisbee, and climbed some of the big hills surrounding the sandy beach. I loved getting to celebrate the final days of our school year together in such a neat way. It will definitely be a memory that I carry with me.

Our first official day of summer vacation brought about ultimate relaxation for Cody and I. We had planned ahead of time to stay in the village for awhile, which has turned out to be a great decision because we've been doing some really fun stuff. Melissa and Ben, the other teacher and her husband, left on Thursday afternoon, so we sadly had to say goodbye to them as soon as school got out. Unfortunately, they won't be returning next year. They definitely helped shape our year out here though, and I wish them all the best in their next adventures.

As the final days of our first year of adventures in Pilot Point draws to a close, I can't help but think about how thankful I am for this experience. This has probably been my best year of teaching, so far, and I know that Cody feels that he has really found a job that he loves too. In fact, Cody enjoys it so much that he is starting a teacher certification program in August, which he gets to attend for free thanks to two wonderful tuition reimbursement programs (one funded through our school district and one funded through our village). This experience has opened many doors for both of us, and I am happy that we will be retuning again next year.

Your turn...What are your summer plans? 
Currently listening to...Electric Feel - MGMT

Pilot Point Needs a Teacher!

This past year has been a wild adventure, and Pilot Point has been the central setting to that adventure. Our time here has been largely shaped by the people, and more specifically the other teacher and her husband. Unfortunately though, Melissa and Ben will not be staying in Pilot Point next year. This means that the secondary position at our school is open. I, of course, am anxious to see who will fill the role. Pilot Point is a wonderful little community, and I want the very best for our kids. It's hard to recruit good teachers for the bush, and it's harder still to recruit for such a small site. However, even though we are small, there are a lot of good things about teaching in Pilot Point.

Lake and Peninsula School District is one of the best rural districts in the state. LPSD is the third district I've taught for in my career, and it's the best by a mile. The benefits package is great. The administration is supportive, consistent, and easy to work with. There is very little turnover, which is a HUGE deal for a bush district. Plus, we use a standards-based system of grading, which in my opinion trumps traditional grading in every way. 

The class sizes are small. If everything goes according to plan, Pilot Point should have fourteen students (K-12) next year. The secondary position would most likely involve teaching 7-8 students. Imagine how many cool activities you could do with a class that small! Not to mention, the relationships you'd form with your students would be non-comparable to those you'd form in a big school. 

With only two teachers, we are really free to design the school to be what we want it to be. Honestly, Pilot Point's size gives us a lot of freedom that even many of the other sites in our district don't have. Our principal is on site about 3-5 days per month, but the rest of the time we run the show (and our principal is great too, which helps). Curriculum, class set-ups, schedule, and everything else is completely up to us. This year we've had a blast getting to make the school into exactly what we want. At any other school you definitely wouldn't have this level of freedom. 

The kids are super amazing. Our kids are awesome! Seriously, our biggest behavioral issue is kids throwing the basketballs too hard in the gym. The relationships that we've been able to form throughout the year have really made a difference in the school climate, and now there really aren't any big problems. That being said, they're kids and they will push your buttons, but they are SO GOOD. 

The community is nice, safe, and supportive. I never feel unsafe walking around in Pilot Point. In fact, half the time I'm out walking people stop me to say hello or to ask me if I need a ride. Cody and I get invited to do stuff fairly frequently, whether it's dinner at someone's house or ice fishing on the weekend. It's quiet and very non-rowdy. We also have a VPSO, which definitely adds to the feeling of safety in the community. 

You'd get to work with ME! That's right - you get to work with me, and Cody, and I'll even let you play with our dogs. That right there - total selling point (ok, maybe not...still throwing it out there though!). 

Pilot Point is an awesome little village, and we need a teacher who is going to be the right fit for our school. A single person, a couple, or even a small family (our students would LOVE more kids to play with) would be great! If you or anyone you know would be interested in teaching in our little community, please feel free to contact me! 

Your turn...What are some of the "pros" to working at your job?

Currently listening to...Empire - Trampled by Turtles 

Lake and Peninsula School District

In my last post I announced that I would be accepting a job teaching in the Alaskan bush for the upcoming school year.  The school district that  I will be working for is the Lake and Peninsula School District.  I'm super excited to be joining the LPSD team and thought I might share a little bit of the information that I've learned about them, so far.

1.) LPSD is located on the Alaska Peninsula.

2.) None of the communities in the district can be reached by road.

3.) There are three national parks and two national wildlife refuges within the districts geographical boundaries. 

4.) The main office is located in King Salmon, which is where I used to live, but none of the district school sites are located there. 

5.) There are about 10,000 brown bears living in this region, which is more than the number of people. Eek! 

6.) Wolves, wolverines, moose, caribou, otters, whales, red fox, harbor seals, and sea lions are just a few of the other animals that call this region home. 

7.) The yearly staff inservice will take place at Katmai Lodge in Katmai National Park in early August.  I visited Katmai National Park in 2010 and wrote about it here.  It's also the place where the infamous Grizzly Man documentary was filmed. 

8.) The district operates on a standards-based system.  For you non-teachers, this means that students master skills/standards and move on to new grade levels, as opposed to receiving traditional grades. This allows for more flexibility and individualization.  Last year, the school I'm currently teaching at adopted this system, so I'm feeling pretty confident about using it. 

9.) Winters are not as extreme as they are in the interior region of Alaska. In fact, the winters will be milder than the ones we've grown used to experiencing here in northern Michigan. 

10.) Fall and spring are very muddy seasons and require a good pair of rain boots.  (Thankfully, Cody and I invested in Xtratuff boots when we lived in Juneau.) 

11.) Housing is provided to all teachers, with basic furnishings and utilities included. 

12.) Many people get around on ATV's or snowmachines because there isn't a need for cars at most sites (no roads). 

13.) Hunting and fishing are very popular because families in the villages still live very subsistence-focused lives. 

14.) Berry picking is another popular hobby, which I am stoked about because I love berry picking and canning. 

15.) There are thirteen schools in LPSD and I'll be working at Pilot Point!

Your turn...What are some unique things about your job/job location?
Currently listening to...Big Black Nothing - Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band