Favorite Things Part Two

This week’s blog is a continuation of my favorite things…if I knew how to post a video, I would sing it for you…yes, yes…lucky you…you are probably better off!

So it should just go without saying that my week started off at the Community Garden…although…that won’t be the case for much longer, I suppose…at some point Winter will officially keep us away.  Join us tomorrow at the garden tomorrow at 11.  I heard that we might have some potatoes to pull…please come join us lest there be a great potato famine!

As I told you last week, the Board continued to have invites this week as well to various classrooms and programs in honor of Board Appreciation Week.  Tuesday I visited the new Mandarin Chinese class at the Middle School.  WOW!!!  The kids already seem to have a grasp on what is going on in there but I was lost!!  They spent a good ninety percent of the class speaking only Chinese!  The class was fast paced and fun and although I was lost I still enjoyed it very much!!!  Afterwards, I went over to Hewlett Elementary to watch the Chorus rehearse.  Let’s just say that we will all be in for a treat at the Winter Concert!  Favorite things, favorite things!

Wednesday was a day on Rollerskates…only some of which I will tell you about.  The day started off at WMS to watch the Wellness speaker at an assembly in the gym.  Chris Poulos, a former BMX stunt champion performed some of his tricks for the kids while relating them to real life challenges.  He rode back and forth in the gym and gave them important messages on how to be kind, thoughtful, and caring.  He talked about safety and a host of other topics and at some point called up volunteers from the audience to act out various scenarios.  I enjoyed being there, although, I must admit, some of those tricks really made me nervous! 

Skipping some things here…later that day we had a Budget Session where we talked about long range planning and use of the reserves, as well as some other Budget Issues.  From there we went straight into our Work Meeting.  As part of the meeting we went over the schedule of reports, topics, and presentations that will definitely be on the agenda for each monthly meeting.  Of course, the agenda will not be limited to these items…it is just good to have a plan.  Afterwards, we went into Executive Session for a short time.  This was not one of our later nights but we got an awful lot done!

Thursday morning the Board Legislative Committee met with Assemblywoman Solages who is the Assemblywoman for the new Legislative District in our School District.  After the last Census was completed Legislative lines were redrawn.  Because of this, some people residing in our School District have different representation and the area of North Woodmere and a little bit of Hewlett is now represented by Assemblywoman Solages.  The Legislative Committee has met with almost all of the people that represent our area at some point or other and it was nice to introduce ourselves and vice versa.  For almost two hours we talked about local and current issues, as well as some broader ones as well.  It was time very well spent.  I personally feel that we have established a very good relationship there that will be an ongoing one.

On Friday, we were invited to work with the Youth Leadership Forum students.  I know I have talked about these kids before in relation to the Garden but they do so much more as well.  Unfortunately, I had to leave them before they broke out into their action groups because of a personal appointment but I still had plenty of time to work with the kids at my table.  They had an assignment to read an article on Servant Leadership and this was a topic on their agenda before I left.  We had some great conversations about Servant Leadership, which is essentially what they do and…even though elected officials…it is what Board Members do!

Except for sporting events and reading, we don’t usually have anything on a Saturday…today was different!  Today we started our Annual Facilities Tour and visited the Woodmere Middle School and the High School.  Every year the Board tours all the facilities in order to assess the needs of the District.  Sometimes it is done in one day but this year we are doing it over two days…today being the first one of the two.  You might have seen our group on the Fields or at the pool or outside the buildings and wondered why we were there…now you know…we were checking it all out!  Next week we will do some more.

Speaking of next week, I just glanced at my calendar.  It is going to be one of those crazy ones…a lot on my plate and one which will require thoughtfulness on my part when I blog next week because there will be some things I will be at because of PTA or because I am just a Mom and not all are going to be Board related but might have been in some way...I am babbling… anyway, don’t worry…I don’t want to confuse you…I will work it out. 

 I hope to see you at our Regular Board Meeting on Wednesday at 8 o’clock.  And I have sorted this one out fully but I am still going to use my blog as a shameless Mommy plug for my daughter and her friends in the musical “A Chorus Line” at the High School next week…it is not too late to get tickets…go on the District Website for information!  Go see it for yourself…I may or may not tell you all about it next week!  But you can be sure…it could be on the list of my favorite things!!!