Sunday, April 5, 2009
I recieved a new girl in my class who came from Lake Havasu City about 3 weeks ago. After a week of confusion because she has the same name as another girl in my class, I have given her the nickname Arizona - she even writes it on all of her papers now. So Arizona's mom moved her 6 children here from Lake Havasu because her fiance got a job here that pays well enough so that she will not have to work and can spend more time with her kids. The thing is, she had no idea of the state of public education in NO. Can you imagine...moving your family into the lowest achieving school district in the country and having no idea? The mom came in to talk to me after school during the first week and after about two minutes the tears were flowing - from her eyes and mine. I work here, so I should support this school, right? But how can I look at this woman and tell her it is going to be all right? That her children will be safe and challenged academically? I am here everyday, I know what its like. So I told her the truth. I told her needs to get her kids into one of the charter schools that is already seeing great progress. We researched the highest achieving schools and are hoping that all six of her kids will be placed for next fall. For now, I do my part pushing forward with adorable Arizona and the rest of my class.
Friday, April 3, 2009
The Happy List
This is a list that The Cooneystavan's (Kels, KJ, Aubs and I) created through many e-mails over last year. There are so many things to be happy about and its good to remind ourselves everyday:)
THINGS THAT MAKE THE COONEYSTAVAN’S HAPPY:
1. Peanut Butter (after its all stirred up)
2. The smell of home baked bread and then eating it of course.
3. The tired feeling after you exercise really hard where your muscles seem to make complaining sounds if you try to move and then you sleep really, really well.
4. Bunny Cakes (I found our Easter cake in my pile of pictures)
5. My hand mask with Burt’s Bees gloves that have bees on them and when I wore them out of my room my roommates thought I was crazy (nothing new, miss you guys)
6. You three.
7. Dinners with Tom.
8. Movie dates with Carl over the phone.
9. Long walks on beautiful Seattle days.
10. Blueberry muffins.
11. Good mail.
2. E-mails like this one...
13. Mardi Gras parades.
14. Colorful sunrises.
15. Hard work-outs.
16. BBQing.
17. Sporting events.
18. Margaritas.
19. Hot yoga.
20. Cuddling.
21. Back massages.
22. Dancing.
23. The number 23, and Michael Jordan.
24. God.
25. Inspirational Quotes: "Don't ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive." - Howard Thurman
26. When it looks really warm outside, but its really only 9 degrees!
27. Long Showers.
28. Pets like Blanca who live to be 14 years old.
29. My students telling me who is "going" with who during our lunch party.
30. Sunshine and blue sky in January.
31. Hot Cocoa.
32. In some strange way... the way that life never goes the way you plan it to.
33. Snow/Montana's Beauty/Sunshine all illuminating at the same time.
34. Seattle T-shirt Days.
35. My Scrapbooks.
36. Cider Beer.
37. Those once in a while days that you take a look at your life and realize how much you are loved.
38. When Tom comes to visit, I will be an even happier girl when he is here for good!
39. June 21, 2008.
40. Packages from my favorite people (i.e. scarf/hat from KJ, our keep in touch book- from Sar)
41. Days that I feel I have control of my life.
42. Sweets.
43. Sweats.
44. My bed and a goodnights sleep.
45. My Tommorow book that KJ gave me.
46. Pictures .
47. When I hear that all my closest friends are super happy.
48. Planting seeds and watching them grow.
49. Snowbows.
50. Cheese.
51. The smile that comes to my face when I think of the three of you.
52. Looking at old pictures and remember how much fun we always have!
53. BIRTHDAYS!
54. Making dinner with friends
55. Pregnant bellies (did you all hear that Jaynie and Earl are pregnant?)
56. The first sign that spring is coming... the crocus.
57. Crazy letters from all of my little pen-pals!
58. Dinner dates with friends.
59. Tomato basil soup and bread from Metropolitan Market.
60. Chocolate Zucchini Bread (its even good after 2 weeks in the mail, hahah!)
61. Happy Feet!
62. Mugs with special pictures all over them.
63. Competing bars with my parents there to see it.
64. Easter with family
65. 4.0 gpa for winter quarter (better be happy about this one while I can, cause I know it's only going to get harder)
66. Acceptance into the OT grad program at UNM.
67. The arrival of spring and reading in the sunshine!!!!
68. The amazing gift of Easter.
69. Floppy eared dogs with their heads out of the car window.
70. Homemade cookies warm out of the oven (with a cold glass of milk of course).
71. Little adorable turtles (check out the attached picture - he was walking down the sidewalk at school!)
72. Dinners at Station 20.
73. Trips to visit good friends.
74. Long bike rides.
75. Wonderful spring days filled with friend time, laughter, and not having to accomplish much.
76. Mercy and forgiveness.
77. Hot tubs and the refreshing feeling of jumping into a pool afterwards!
78. A good nights sleep.
79. My chocolate puppy, "Rudy".
80. Happy Hour.
81. All Saints.
82. Watching boats on a sunny day.
83. Seeing your friends in the newspaper and getting the recognition they deserve.
84. Jazz Fest - a day in the sunshine with good food and great music!
85. The anticipation of trips and visits from good friends.
86. Running in the rain.
87. Knowing that two of you have found the love's of your life.
88. My cowgirl boots
89. Triathlons (we should really all train and do one sometime. We can make it a reunion and go somewhere fun!)
90. Enjoying a cooling rain from the porch.
91. Invitations to spend time with quality people you do not yet know well.
92. Getting engaged to my best friend on our favorite mountaintop!
93. Organizing and preparing for new beginnings.
94. Waking in my bed with one lab at head and the other curled at my feet.
95. Good health and fitness, especially after losing all my strength in the hospital for the past 5 days with a nasty intestinal infection that was poisoning my body.
96. Helping, loving, motivating, and caring.
97. Getting all dressed up for a night on the town.
98. Coffee dates
99. Hot air balloons floating in blue sky--And watching one be blown up on campus for an audience of children with special needs/ terminal illness from our children's hospital (It gave me goose bumps to see their excitement)
100. YOU!
I miss these days!
THINGS THAT MAKE THE COONEYSTAVAN’S HAPPY:
1. Peanut Butter (after its all stirred up)
2. The smell of home baked bread and then eating it of course.
3. The tired feeling after you exercise really hard where your muscles seem to make complaining sounds if you try to move and then you sleep really, really well.
4. Bunny Cakes (I found our Easter cake in my pile of pictures)
5. My hand mask with Burt’s Bees gloves that have bees on them and when I wore them out of my room my roommates thought I was crazy (nothing new, miss you guys)
6. You three.
7. Dinners with Tom.
8. Movie dates with Carl over the phone.
9. Long walks on beautiful Seattle days.
10. Blueberry muffins.
11. Good mail.
2. E-mails like this one...
13. Mardi Gras parades.
14. Colorful sunrises.
15. Hard work-outs.
16. BBQing.
17. Sporting events.
18. Margaritas.
19. Hot yoga.
20. Cuddling.
21. Back massages.
22. Dancing.
23. The number 23, and Michael Jordan.
24. God.
25. Inspirational Quotes: "Don't ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive." - Howard Thurman
26. When it looks really warm outside, but its really only 9 degrees!
27. Long Showers.
28. Pets like Blanca who live to be 14 years old.
29. My students telling me who is "going" with who during our lunch party.
30. Sunshine and blue sky in January.
31. Hot Cocoa.
32. In some strange way... the way that life never goes the way you plan it to.
33. Snow/Montana's Beauty/Sunshine all illuminating at the same time.
34. Seattle T-shirt Days.
35. My Scrapbooks.
36. Cider Beer.
37. Those once in a while days that you take a look at your life and realize how much you are loved.
38. When Tom comes to visit, I will be an even happier girl when he is here for good!
39. June 21, 2008.
40. Packages from my favorite people (i.e. scarf/hat from KJ, our keep in touch book- from Sar)
41. Days that I feel I have control of my life.
42. Sweets.
43. Sweats.
44. My bed and a goodnights sleep.
45. My Tommorow book that KJ gave me.
46. Pictures .
47. When I hear that all my closest friends are super happy.
48. Planting seeds and watching them grow.
49. Snowbows.
50. Cheese.
51. The smile that comes to my face when I think of the three of you.
52. Looking at old pictures and remember how much fun we always have!
53. BIRTHDAYS!
54. Making dinner with friends
55. Pregnant bellies (did you all hear that Jaynie and Earl are pregnant?)
56. The first sign that spring is coming... the crocus.
57. Crazy letters from all of my little pen-pals!
58. Dinner dates with friends.
59. Tomato basil soup and bread from Metropolitan Market.
60. Chocolate Zucchini Bread (its even good after 2 weeks in the mail, hahah!)
61. Happy Feet!
62. Mugs with special pictures all over them.
63. Competing bars with my parents there to see it.
64. Easter with family
65. 4.0 gpa for winter quarter (better be happy about this one while I can, cause I know it's only going to get harder)
66. Acceptance into the OT grad program at UNM.
67. The arrival of spring and reading in the sunshine!!!!
68. The amazing gift of Easter.
69. Floppy eared dogs with their heads out of the car window.
70. Homemade cookies warm out of the oven (with a cold glass of milk of course).
71. Little adorable turtles (check out the attached picture - he was walking down the sidewalk at school!)
72. Dinners at Station 20.
73. Trips to visit good friends.
74. Long bike rides.
75. Wonderful spring days filled with friend time, laughter, and not having to accomplish much.
76. Mercy and forgiveness.
77. Hot tubs and the refreshing feeling of jumping into a pool afterwards!
78. A good nights sleep.
79. My chocolate puppy, "Rudy".
80. Happy Hour.
81. All Saints.
82. Watching boats on a sunny day.
83. Seeing your friends in the newspaper and getting the recognition they deserve.
84. Jazz Fest - a day in the sunshine with good food and great music!
85. The anticipation of trips and visits from good friends.
86. Running in the rain.
87. Knowing that two of you have found the love's of your life.
88. My cowgirl boots
89. Triathlons (we should really all train and do one sometime. We can make it a reunion and go somewhere fun!)
90. Enjoying a cooling rain from the porch.
91. Invitations to spend time with quality people you do not yet know well.
92. Getting engaged to my best friend on our favorite mountaintop!
93. Organizing and preparing for new beginnings.
94. Waking in my bed with one lab at head and the other curled at my feet.
95. Good health and fitness, especially after losing all my strength in the hospital for the past 5 days with a nasty intestinal infection that was poisoning my body.
96. Helping, loving, motivating, and caring.
97. Getting all dressed up for a night on the town.
98. Coffee dates
99. Hot air balloons floating in blue sky--And watching one be blown up on campus for an audience of children with special needs/ terminal illness from our children's hospital (It gave me goose bumps to see their excitement)
100. YOU!
I miss these days!
Sunday, March 15, 2009
It's Official...
I am moving back to Seattle! I will begin graduate school in June at the University of Washington. I will be working towards a Masters in Education in Intercollegiate Athletic Leadership. I am so pumped:) So many adventures ahead...
I took this picture from Alki Beach...I couldn't resist moving back to a place like this!
I took this photo off the internet. This is the UW football stadium. Maybe the football players are too amazed by the beautiful view to concentrate on their game. Don't worry, I'll get them into shape for next year!
I took this picture from Alki Beach...I couldn't resist moving back to a place like this!
I took this photo off the internet. This is the UW football stadium. Maybe the football players are too amazed by the beautiful view to concentrate on their game. Don't worry, I'll get them into shape for next year!
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Too funny.
Malik: Miss Sullivan, all the girls keep touching me.
Sullivan: Thats beacuse they all love you Malik.
Malik: But Miss Sullivan [puts his arm around me] I don't like them like that - I only like YOU like that.
Friday, March 6, 2009
Mardi Gras is so amazing because it can be whatever you make of it. Its probably not quite like you imagine - definitely not all drunken chaos. Although, if that's what you want, I know where you can find it;) We tried to mix it up and check out all the sights this year. Here are some of the best moments:
The first parade of the season, Krewe de Vieux, and our incredibly large beads!
Sporting our handmade Tu Tus on the roof of Willy's school. A great view of the Endymion Parade!
Willy and I took the little neighbor girls to Bacchus. This darling girl spends so much time hanging out with me that she calls me mama.
Courtney's friend from UVA and I right in front of my favorite, Trombone Shorty!
After Jazz Sunday at church we made our way to Magazine Street to catch Thoth
The need for beads is hard to explain, but we got our fill and afterwards we really just needed a nap!
With Courtney, my beautiful little sprite, at the Zulu parade, nice and early on Fat Tuesday.
The first parade of the season, Krewe de Vieux, and our incredibly large beads!
Sporting our handmade Tu Tus on the roof of Willy's school. A great view of the Endymion Parade!
Willy and I took the little neighbor girls to Bacchus. This darling girl spends so much time hanging out with me that she calls me mama.
Courtney's friend from UVA and I right in front of my favorite, Trombone Shorty!
After Jazz Sunday at church we made our way to Magazine Street to catch Thoth
The need for beads is hard to explain, but we got our fill and afterwards we really just needed a nap!
With Courtney, my beautiful little sprite, at the Zulu parade, nice and early on Fat Tuesday.
Sunday, February 8, 2009
It's a record..
We set a record at school this week, and not in a good way. I think all can agree that this past week was officially the worst week ever. Let me just name 5 incidents that happened out in New Orleans East this week...
1. I got punched in the face.
(You may think that is enough to make it the worst, but there is so much more)
2. A student was talking about this teacher's mama so in turn the teacher yelled some comments about the sexual favors that she has been performing on another student in the class.
3. A student started a garbage can on fire.
4. A teacher had a minor heart attack.
5. A paraprofessional was arrested for fraud, drugs, and a couple other things...
In the midst of all of the chaos I tried hard to focus on all the little successes and funny things that happened each day. This conversation really made me laugh at the end of a long day:
Student: Oh, White Jesus!
Teacher: What?!?! What and why are you saying that?
Student: Oh, Miss Sullivan you never seen First Sunday?
Teacher: Nope
Student: Oh, White Jesus! They say that in that movie, its so funny.
Teacher: {insert confused look}
Student: Have you seen Lil' Man?
Teacher: No
Student: Miss Sullivan you been in Oregon too long.
Student 2: Oregon don't got nothin' on us.
P.S. We went to the first Mardi Gras parade of the season last night and I got some beads as big Christmas ornaments:)
1. I got punched in the face.
(You may think that is enough to make it the worst, but there is so much more)
2. A student was talking about this teacher's mama so in turn the teacher yelled some comments about the sexual favors that she has been performing on another student in the class.
3. A student started a garbage can on fire.
4. A teacher had a minor heart attack.
5. A paraprofessional was arrested for fraud, drugs, and a couple other things...
In the midst of all of the chaos I tried hard to focus on all the little successes and funny things that happened each day. This conversation really made me laugh at the end of a long day:
Student: Oh, White Jesus!
Teacher: What?!?! What and why are you saying that?
Student: Oh, Miss Sullivan you never seen First Sunday?
Teacher: Nope
Student: Oh, White Jesus! They say that in that movie, its so funny.
Teacher: {insert confused look}
Student: Have you seen Lil' Man?
Teacher: No
Student: Miss Sullivan you been in Oregon too long.
Student 2: Oregon don't got nothin' on us.
P.S. We went to the first Mardi Gras parade of the season last night and I got some beads as big Christmas ornaments:)
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Every once and awhile...
Every once and awhile something happens that reminds me that I am doing something in my classroom. I gave my students an assignment to write a letter to someone who is a role model to them. They had to thank that person and let them know why they admire them. Here are a couple letters that some of my little girls wrote to me:
Dear Miss Sullivan,
I really want to thank-you for makeing me a better read and learner. You are my role model. Miss Sullivan. I admire you because you are a great teacher. I want to be a teacher now. I admire how you help everyone and you try to be good and you try to get everyone to work. Yes again thank-you and that is why you are my role model. That is why I admire you!! Good-bye.
Dear Miss Sullivan,
Thank you for being my teacher. You give me homework. You give me a lot of homework. I admire you how you teach me. Thank you for helping me.
Dear Miss Sullivan,
Thank you Miss Sullivan for teaching me. Miss Sullivan you are a really good at teaching me. Miss Sullivan you are a nice woman and a gentle woman. Again, thank-you so much Miss Sullivan for teaching me. I love you Miss Sullivan.
Dear Miss Sullivan,
I really want to thank-you for makeing me a better read and learner. You are my role model. Miss Sullivan. I admire you because you are a great teacher. I want to be a teacher now. I admire how you help everyone and you try to be good and you try to get everyone to work. Yes again thank-you and that is why you are my role model. That is why I admire you!! Good-bye.
Dear Miss Sullivan,
Thank you for being my teacher. You give me homework. You give me a lot of homework. I admire you how you teach me. Thank you for helping me.
Dear Miss Sullivan,
Thank you Miss Sullivan for teaching me. Miss Sullivan you are a really good at teaching me. Miss Sullivan you are a nice woman and a gentle woman. Again, thank-you so much Miss Sullivan for teaching me. I love you Miss Sullivan.
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