We had a sweet week at school. I really do mean sweet! There were chocolate strawberries made by the 6th grade. They gifted all the teachers with a dozen chocolate strawberries. In my opinion, they were the best I’ve tasted. There were brownies, soft drinks, suckers, and sweet valentines. It was a non-diet week for all.
The STEM lab people came to expand our science viewpoint. It was an impressive lab. My class had to build a bridge that would support weight. We were so primed to build a truss bridge with popsicle sticks. I was proud of my students and the sample bridge they built. Our attitude changed in a moment when they showed us the bridge supplies they wanted us to use. Since this was a STEM lab, they had to buy Supplies to cover the math portion; then they
covered the ' E' for engineering. Science and Technology were covered in the finished product. I thought the T should stand for time because they only gave us 30 minutes to plan, buy, build, and execute. The girls, Brinlyn, CeCe, and Karima were successful on their first attempt. The boys, Connor, Jaxon, Edgar, and Andrew had to do some redesigning after their original fail. Their second attempt was successful. I heard the same message from the other teachers: the lab was fun, educational, and challenging. I hope we do this again next year. Many thanks to Mrs. Staar, who oversaw this busy day.
The teachers had a professional development day on Monday. Each teacher was required to take a two-hour online course before Monday. On Monday, the professional mental health workers came and delivered a four-hour meeting to fulfill state requirements regarding youth mental health issues. The no phones mandate passed by the state government has been helpful. My opinion is: less time spent on the phone means better mental health for our young people. We must deal with AI and social media, but they have immense potential for good as well as harm. It will take parents and educational personnel to protect our students.
The RSPS had their community luncheon on Sunday. Thanks to all the severe weather, there hasn’t been a luncheon for a couple of months. I was surprised at how good I felt seeing so many community members laughing and talking with one another as they shared some delicious home cooked goodies. I enjoyed seeing so many friends. I’m so thankful everyone continues to support the efforts to restore the old bank building. A special thank you to Dalton Moats who showed up after everyone was gone and helped move tables.
The school is continuing to restore, and hopes are high that we can reverse the negative monetary trend of the past four years quickly. There are positives to be taken away from this problem. We will learn and improve, but we will never give up.
Please pray for our country, our President and Congress, world peace, and balanced reporting in the media. We need integrity and civility in our government. We don’t have to agree; we just need to be respectful. Pray for our sick and for grieving families. Pastor Holtzclaw from Goldthwaite has received serious news regarding his wife. He needs our prayers. Prayer doesn’t hurt; it just takes time. Can you spare some for neighbors who need some help? Most of all, pray for our precious troops and their families.