Sorry to be all fatalistic about correcting people on the internet. I've had a week of sort of bad-interactions at school.

Actually, that's not true.

We had accreditation visits early in the week. And we had a prelim report from WASC which said they think we're doing well, here are the critical areas (more music --too bad the district RIF'd almost 90% of all music teachers!, get rid of insane-o crack schedule, more time for collaborative time during the day). I was surprised by the positivity they saw.

Then I had an annoying run-in with the college counselor who is new this year, hasn't been a college counselor before etc. S, one of my AP students, doesn't qualify for a Title 1 waiver and has to pay the full $87 for the AP exams (he should be taking 3 but is aiming to take 2). He's also the only kid I have who is sort of a sure thing in passing. I have been drumming up support for him including going to the principal, using the $30 I have from recycling, asking his Academy Lead Teacher. The Lead Teacher told him to go to the counselor with a payment plan ($60 up front for the $178 tests and by May, when we have to pay for all the tests, we'll have the money cobbled together).

The counselor said NO! and he had to bring his parents tax forms in etc. Um. Kid DOES NOT qualify for a waiver. Hence he has to pay in full. the AP Gov teacher went down and paid for his tests and SHE was just pink slipped two weeks ago. I could have smacked the counselor.

lisah, the long bangs look good on you. I had to have bangs recut because I have a fivehead instead of a forehead. And they still look like shit.

Baltimore types: There's a new charter opening next fall (Roots and Branches School: [link] which looks interesting. If they were doing full bore K-12, I'd almost be tempted to move to teach there. As it is, they are hiring K-2. A progressive school so you have to be open to that sort of thing.

Sorry to be all fatalistic about correcting people on the internet.

No, you're right. It's just irritating. I'll let it go. She doesn't intend harm.

Blargh, bad counselor. I hate that shit. As if there weren't enough barriers to success as things are.

In consolation, I offer this video of a deaf baby getting his cochlear implant turned on for the first time.

I think I like the long bangs too now that I'm seeing them in a picture. What to do?! Of course the bang bangs hide the forehead furrows my job is currently giving me (ai the government! What a client!)

kat, that's great about the accreditation review and nuts about the counselor!

sigh. guess I better get back to cooking/cleaning/bill paying before my husband gets home and gives me whatfor.

I just heard something about that charter school today. Maybe about the lottery?

If they were doing full bore K-12, I'd almost be tempted to move to teach there.

That would be so great!!! There's a Mennonite school opening across from Atomic. Maybe check that out?

I feel especially put upon by the counselor's response because I have been working for two weeks to come up with a solution and that was it. Agreed upon by the lead teacher, who was going to use academy funds to pay for his tests.

So the teacher who's been laid off is essentially the one who wrote a check. BLARGH.

LOVE the baby. So damned cute.

I just zipped up a pair of pants a size smaller than what I've been wearing! That better not be an early April Fool's joke from my body, because if I can't fit into them tomorrow I am going to cut someone.

For an actually amusing April Fool's thing, one of the small towns that make up metropolitan Salt Lake City "declared war" on its neighbor so that they can seize the new steakhouse and take it home. The mayor of the town really likes that steakhouse, but the neighboring town has better traffic patterns. Kind of like Chelsea declaring war on Soho, or something.

He's ordered out the local high school, ID'd as Spartans, to prepare to invade from the north, while the middle school, the Wolverines, is to mount a defense at the river, just in case. Two other towns are willing to provide their high schools in return for a couple of other restaurants.

Edit: the target town has said "Bring it" and called out their local team, the Tigers.

Liese, I wish I knew how to reassure people who are freaked by that kind of video. They have offsite power available at all units and have established fresh water cooling circulation in three units and cooling water spray on the spent fuel pools. Fresh water is a step forward because salt can build up from sea water. The biggest challenge now is pumping contaminated water out of some buildings. They're pumping it into containers for later disposal. A lot of things were damaged by the tsunami and there's still high radiation some areas, which slows down repair. It takes longer to work in radiation suits, because they're awkward, and they'll be changing out workers frequently. At any rate, it's pretty stable, but they have a lot of work ahead. It looks like they're writing off units 1-4.

They're doing extensive surveys for radioactive materials downwind of the plant, and have found a few small areas of fairly high concentration. Again, the good thing about radiation is that you can always find it. It's too early to know how it's going to affect the land in that area. If it ends up being limited areas, they can scrape off the topsoil and store it as radioactive waste.

Maybe you could just say to her that the situation has stabilized a great deal since that video was made, and nuclear plants around the world have already started on plans and possible upgrades to deal with lessons learned from this event.