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09/17/08 09:50 PM #216     Vicky Lakes (Fuller) Diane, I reposted, is there a dumb ass section we can sit in at the Homecoming game? lol

09/17/08 09:58 PM #217     Diane Booth (Mabry) Vicky, I am there with you honey...I do a lot of math with my job but it has nothing to do with "two trains leaving the station at the same time going 70 mph.."...no I always make sure I see the #2 on a pack of pencils..my mother thought I was insane when I came home & told her mine said Star City Skate Center :)...too funny.... Wine...Perry & I went to Front Royal VA & there were quite a few wineries around...we took one afternoon & took all of them in...it was fun & boy did I have one heck of a headache :)....we still have a bottle from Oasis Winery that we are waiting to crack open on Oct 28 for our anniversary....

09/17/08 09:58 PM #218     Vicky Lakes (Fuller) Diane, you are planning on going to the game right? What about Saturday night? You up for another get together? Ken, Jess went on another tour of Temple...I think she has already filled out her application. Thanks for the advice on the contining on for her Masters in Social Work, that gave her something to really think about. It's a lot harder to go back to school than it is just to continue on.

09/17/08 09:59 PM #219     Angelo Tomaras Vicky- its the one with all the Eagles Fans..:)

09/17/08 10:00 PM #220     Vicky Lakes (Fuller) Diane, Ditto on the word problems. If anything could make you feel stupid that was it.

09/17/08 10:02 PM #221     Diane Booth (Mabry) Vicky, as far as I know we are going to Homecoming & yes we are up for Saturday...when aren't the Mabry's up for a good time :).....

09/17/08 10:02 PM #222     Vicky Lakes (Fuller) ANGLEO !!! ROFLMAO You are absolutely right. Oh, and I can count to 20. Expect a manilla envelope from NHS88 FFL next week...dumb ass has to go to the post office over lunch as the po in dairyland is only open from 9-3.

09/17/08 10:04 PM #223     Angelo Tomaras Keep the money and lets roll it to week 17. I would like that paper though. Im generous, cuz my old boss is sending me $20 too :)

09/17/08 10:04 PM #224     Vicky Lakes (Fuller) Angelo - There's always week 17. I have a McNabb bobble head just waiting to grace it's presence on your desk. By the way, Just how much of a Falcons fan are you?

09/17/08 10:05 PM #225     Vicky Lakes (Fuller) A bet is a bet, and I am a woman of her word...combine it with the other $20 and take your wife out for dinner.

09/17/08 10:06 PM #226     Vicky Lakes (Fuller) And yes, the Philly Inquirer Loser section is in there, but apparently went to print before the end of the game...so I printed out some of the online articles for you.

09/17/08 10:09 PM #227     Vicky Lakes (Fuller) Angelo - or save it for when Sean comes down and have a drink on me,. but only if you have nothing but nice things to say...like how I currently rank #2 in the league...lol

09/17/08 10:12 PM #228     Carla Boyd (McCabe) Faye...I will attempt this without cursing! I do not blame teachers at all! It is our government that decided to do it this way. Yes, there needs to be testing(yes, I remember SRAs), but the teachers are so worried about the scores that they can't slow down, even if the whole class is having trouble with something. They know what has to be taught, by a certain time...and at our school I usually feel like it ends up being my responsibility to teach about 75% of what they need to know. Anyone who ever had a math class with me is probably laughing at the thought of me trying to explain 5th grade math!! My oldest is dyslexic and this presents it's own challenges and keeps me stressed out! They hardly even use the text books! Last week Mason forgot to bring home his science study guide and I made him look in the textbook(dyslexics can have a set of textbooks at home) at the stuff they were being tested on. When the test came home I realized I had caused him to miss some things because it was worded so differently than the study guide! But the test is done according to the SOL cirriculum. Even our principal says that "No child left behind" actually CAUSES some to be left behind. I just don't think it is working very well. You are right about how stressed everyone gets. In 3rd grade the teachers talked about it so much that I finally called one and said "Mason is about to have a breakdown about the upcoming tests". She was a great teacher and agreed she was probably saying too much and backed off. Things got better...I just hate that the teachers are in the position to fear for their jobs! Soapbox is open for the next person...

09/17/08 10:16 PM #229     Carla Boyd (McCabe) Jolee...if I didn't have Matt's hoedown..uh...I mean reunion this weekend I would certainly be there for the crab legs...uuummmmmmmm. Another time!

09/17/08 10:21 PM #230     Vicky Lakes (Fuller) Apparently up here it's not quite that bad...our kids look forward to the week of testing because of all the cool snacks and stuff. And to be honest, I'm not sure where our school stands as far as overall testing scores. Carla, yes crab legs...yuuuuuuuummmmmmmm, that's probably the only thing I miss about not living at the beach anymore, the seafood:( Although the week before Mother's Day John was in Boston on business, stopped and bought a cooler and bought 3 live lobsters and drove home with them...He steamed them (apparently better that boiling) and grilled filet migon and a sweet potato for my Mother's Day dinner, best meal I've had in months...he's going back in 2 weeks, I told him to take the cooler.

09/17/08 10:33 PM #231     Diane Booth (Mabry) Okay..I have to go to bed..early meeting in the morning & have to make a trip to Abrocrombie after work because Luke wants a new shirt for pictures on Friday :)....as far as testing...I say we all have smart, intelligent, wonderful children that will grow up to be outstanding adults.....I am not worried about the tests it's the time that we have as a family & one & one that I worry about...time...it is just clicking by while we are running like crazy from one activity to another & I feel like I would rather sit down & play a game, or have a conversation, feed the ducks or watch the sun go down with my kid..tomorrow is another busy day but I want to remember to appreciate that sleepy little boy face in the morning instead of saying let's hurry up & get going...okay sorry I am getting a little sentimental here but I was helping Luke clean up his room tonight & found Goodnight Moon...with all the pages torn & I remembered him after a bath running down the hallway with that book in his hand saying mama read, mama read...I miss that little boy so much :)....now it's Mama I am not finished playing Mario Kart...anyway, let's all appreciate the little people we have while we can...they grow up way too fast :)....

09/17/08 11:02 PM #232     Susan Jones (Badger) Faye..i am not sure if I offended you or not..if i did im sorry i wasn't trying to do that. I don't agree with all of the testing that goes on. I am not a good test taker myself but the other side of it..we have to do it and the kids have to take it. It's like this to be a teacher I had to pass a test. To be a stockbroker I had to pass a test, in a lot of jobs, tests have to be taken. It's life. With that said, I haven't heard of 1 teacher that has lost his or her job because of test scores. If that has happened that is not the only reason. And if someone has said that if you look deeper into the situation there is more to that story. My students take their tests every spring. They have to pass it or I "look" bad as a teacher. Honestly I could careless about those scores. (I DON"T tell my kids this..I tell them they need to pass.) but just because I dont care about the scores, It doesn't mean I am a bad teacher. In my opinion, I want my kids to know how to do math, Algebra and when they get to Geometry next year or Pre Calculus next year their teachers will see what they can do. Here in Texas if they don't pass as a Junior they have to take it during their senior year. If they don't...they are NOT high school graduates which means they can not go to college and they can not go into the military. Do I agree with that? hell no but again that's our wonderful government and that's part of living in the US. I also tell my students and their parents, I don't expect parents to understand Algebra or Algebra 2. It's not the same when we were in school. That's why I have tutoring after school. That's why I am at school every day til 6 or 6:30 everynight to help them. Being a teacher is not an easy job at all. I am up at 5 at school by 8..classes start at 9 then tutoring starts at 4:15 I leave at 6 or 6:30 home by 7 and then i have to grade papers, lesson plans and whatever. And I don't have a family. I cant imagine teachers with families. Jobs change, expectations change, it's part of life. I am teaching someone's child and I am going to teach every child as I would want my child taught. I am not going to teach a child just to pass a test. If that's all I had to do, my job would be the easiest job in the world and it's not. That's NOT teaching in my opinion. And I would not want my son or daughter in a class like that. I dont think you do either.

09/18/08 06:35 AM #233     Melissa Weaver (Lynskey) Good morning...just getting caught up with all the SOL testing talk. I have to say that in Salem the testing is very important to the schools...it is something that is stressed from day one of the school year till they take the test. Although, when my first child, Brittney had to take them in 3rd grade it was a little different back then, fairly new...they talked about possibly not passing the child if they failed the test even if their regular grades were good. And they did mention that we would see less and less artwork and 'fun' stuff due to these tests when Brittney was in elementary school. As she has gotten older, I think that there needs to be something to measure if the child is actually learning. I am not sure if it should be so stressful to the children. Like Diane said...I am probably bragging but both of my kids have done well on the tests. My son has passed the Math part two years in a row with a perfect score of 600 which a lot of kids at GW Carver in Salem did. Which tells me that the teachers there are really giving these kids what they need to grasp the subject. I guess I have mixed feelings about it. I think there needs to be a guideline and a test somewhere in there but without all the 'stress' the teachers and the children go through. Okay...I am off my soapbox and getting to work this morning. Hope you all have a great day!

09/18/08 07:27 AM #234     Faye Sowers (Crute) Susie LOL no girl I don't get offended believe me go back and you will see I laugh I meant I am the one that usually sticks my big foot in my mouth and offends..........just don't send me a picture of myself with devil horns and a beard and I am okay...........:) (I had someone do that recently saving you from many posts back) I value everyone's opinion! and I totally agree teachers have it tough...........they are expected to discipline, without discipline, love without love, teach without teaching......meaning they are expected to teach children who in some cases don't even have food at home or get any kind of affection....I could really go on and on, some of the situations I see just as a volunteer makes me sad. I want to bring those kids home, feed them, bath them, and put matching hairbows in their hair (Trina and Missy will laugh at that) I mean teachers make way too little money and work way hard for it that is why I encourage people to volunteer because if a teacher could have a free hour here or there to work on grading and lessons they have parent volunteers to help in the class they love it........of course my daughter doesn't love mommy being there but oh well.......I want to see what is going on.......yes the OCD kicking in......

09/18/08 08:06 AM #235     Jolee Clarke (Preston) I cannot stand the SOL's. However, I will give it up to Salem. They are very constructive in how they approach them. Their website provides 10,492,740 avenues for the kids to practice...and they are counted as homework or quiz grades. Here's what I didn't like: Kenzie had a History class that she got an "A" in, but failed the SOL's one year. There were 120 KIDS WHO FAILED!! Something fishy there...they required remediation during the Summer....I refused to take her...call me a haint. If she had failed the class...okay...but not with an A. Susie~I HEAR YA ON MATH SISTER!!!! Here at the college, I teach Dosage Calculations...the doctor orders 500mg, you have 250mg tablets on hand...how many do you give? There are people who cannot even begin setting up these problems...they don't know how to read rulers, or do simple "solving for x." I have 57 students in this class and about 40 of them want me to tutor them...um, sorry people, I teach another different class and am in clinicals.... okay, off to do some work today....well, maybe....

09/18/08 08:50 AM #236     Faye Sowers (Crute) okay I don't know why this happened today but here goes: I just got back from taking Maggie to school, happened to be talking to the cafeteria lady and a student was going thru the line with breakfast. Cafe lady says "you have money for lunch or breakfast not both" he walks away defeated and with his head down. She asks his sis did you have breakfast "no" she looks at me and says their account is already overdue well he got his breakfast and he will get his lunch does he care about SOL scores or how hungry he is and when he might get his next meal.....teachers see this all the time and probably pay all the time. I guess my point is I don't know what the answer is but some kids have problems bigger than Sol tests scores and doing their homework its survival for them. While the Child Left behind act might have been a great concept the follow thru or process has not been great, now my soapbox is this. I believe NCLB act started right away in Bush's office and than there was 9/11 well of course that has to take priority. Not to get into politics but from a state level they can work on this (NCLB) so the big boys can focus on the safety of the people of this country. No matter what anyone says I believe 9/11 was the beginnning and I do believe other attempts have been stopped; now does the economy SUCK yes (Diane I cussed :) but the things that happened that day was meant to create utter chaos to our country and we are still continuing on with life, its tough times but we are continuing. The NCLB act or SOL tests are something that people can act on and research with teachers and advisors help and come up with a solid plan to help these kids in all the areas they need some areas are not going to experience the same as others. (Do the kids in New Orleans have to take SOLS and worry about them when they are trying to recover from devestation? Every area is going to be dealing with different things, focus on that need from a state level. Parents do make the difference, teachers have to be careful with what they say because of their jobs.......... okay turbo out.....

09/18/08 09:28 AM #237     Jolee Clarke (Preston) A final count for hoodies will probably be submitted tomorrow...the color we have picked is the "light gray." Then it will have some sort of green, yellow, and black within the artwork...very professional, quite awesome. I suggest no one miss out on it. I will buy a few extras...but not many....Carla, please correct me if any of this information has changed...

09/18/08 09:47 AM #238     Trina Schossow (Folden) Jolee...the answer to your med problem is...2!! See, Trina can do math!! Sorry, I had to pipe in on that, because I need to join the dumb ass section with Vick and Diane. My elementary math skills are terrible...however, my work with percentages, loss ratios, and ability to write compound formulas in excel would blow your mind!! Still I have to call on the hubby with area and volume and such for our kid. Hell, they don't even add and subtract the same way we learned (I love the touch counting method and have adopted it, letting go of finger counting)!! Turbo...loved the hair bow comment. What color is Mags wearing today...and do they match her outfit? Did she go rebel this morning and wear the wrong color? Hee hee. I too have seen what you are talking about with the kids having it rough at home. When we lived in Moneta, one of Nicky's friends (lived in our neighborhood)was in the same situation. Dad never worked, house looked like crap and was being paid for by his mother, kid was always dirty and hungry. I totally adopted that kid, fed him, clothed him, even took him on vacations with us. Would have taken as our own in a heartbeat. We still keep in touch, as he spends a good deal of time in Roanoke with his grandma. It is heartbreaking...

09/18/08 10:02 AM #239     Jolee Clarke (Preston) Trina~ Yayy! Wanna be a nurse?!?! You're farther along than almost half of my class!!! Eeeek!

09/18/08 10:09 AM #240     Trina Schossow (Folden) Thanks for the vote of confidence, but don't think I could hang. Remind me to share my student nursing story with you next time I see you. She was great, but her face was priceless. I was her first post-hysterectomy patient, and she had a couple of "firsts" with me. Poor girl, her eyes were like saucers and seemed to say "she has a what, I gotta do what?!?!" I have two non baby delivery inpatient stays, both at Lewis Gale, both with student nurses, and both times...excellent care! I was most impressed!!

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