Taking on Alaska: Round Two!: Archive

Apr 25th

I know, its been forever...

I know it has been close to forever since I have blogged…year two has easily been a lot crazier than year one. So, instead of filling you all in on everything since my last blog, I will fill you in on the past few weeks. We have had a teacher transfer to Kivalina from another village to be our Pre-K teacher until the end of the year. We have had an aide come from another village to help me...

Apr 25th

Spring Break started yesterday, and as you can tell (since I am writing this at 12:21am my hours are already messed up! BUT because of that Emma left my house tonight at midnight and saw some amazing norther lights, so her Fonger and I went out to capture them. Here are a few pictures, nothing special but at least you will get the feel :)

Mar 17th

Feb 25th

Feb 9th

Well, I am sure some of you assume I have...

Jan 28th

Always Something...

This was the other morning before school, our kids were playing Eskimo Games, leg wrestling. Then there is Fonger, “hiding from the big kids, doing morning attendance”. Every morning we have cones out for each class and our Youth Leaders do the morning announcements and we all do the pledge together. We have our arrival and departure board in the office and this made my day...

Dec 15th

12.2.12

Of course I had to take another breathtaking walk today. Breathtaking due the the fact that is was 0, feels like -21 with the windchill and breathtaking due to the sights I got to see. As always, seen through the eyes of my camera lens…. Home.

Dec 3rd

Well, its coming quickly. Time for Christmas vacation, in 20 more days I will be headed to the lower 48. This is my home-made-cardboard-green-painted-chtirstmas-tree. :) This past week we had an awesome full moon, I tried to capture it the best I could but the picture really does not do the moon justice. So, something I have not talked about on my blog yet, is the fact that Rojo was...

Dec 2nd

Positive Attitudes All Around...

Yesterday we had our teacher-family Thanksgiving. There was WAY too much food, but, the company was great and we even played games afterwards! It was a great way to sped a long weekend. Today we took another walk out on the ice, in the past week the ice has spread further in to the ocean and even created an ice wall of sorts. It’s pretty amazing to watch all of this happen. We took our...

Nov 25th

Happy Thanksgiving!

Well, we all know what last years Thanksgiving brought…lots of puking after my traditional Eskimo dinner. So, I did NOT partake in this years events…well, the eating part anyway. Today started off with a lovely breakfast with Scott, Emma, Fonger and Dana while we watched the parade. Then…Emma and I ventured to Gary and Rojo’s to help make Eskimo Ice Cream to celebrate...

Nov 23rd

Nov 22nd

November.

If you’ve followed my blog for awhile now you know I am much better at telling stories by pictures. So here it goes. Today we took a walk. At sunset. 3:30 pm. The Ocean Freezing… There were people out hooking, this was the catch of the day! mmmm Holding the sun! -8 freezes your lashes and scarf! Signing off! Enjoy :)

Nov 18th

Nov 10th

Happy Halloween from McQueen School Staff!

It has been quite awhile since I updated you all, I will make it short and simple. Life. Is. Crazy. School has been really busy lately (school pictures, Red Dog mine visiting, Halloween, and many visitors in and out of the school for different reasons). But, I am still here—thanks goodness! Last week was Halloween, I’m sure some of you remember last year and how we has our...

Nov 3rd

adventures

Last week I ended up on airport pick up, yes, that exists in the arctic….it just means that someone needs to go to the air strip with the ‘honda’ to get an incoming teacher. This was a grand adventure for the weekend. This past Thursday we had another adventure, Ice Fishing! We didn’t catch anything, but our maintence man at school, Gary and his wife who is our pre-k...

Oct 21st

Oct 19th

Birthdays & Introductions

First of all, Happy Birthday Mr. Fonger! We celebrated with our family and a gluten free raspberry cake… Meet: Scott (MS/HS English), Andie (counselor) and you all remember Mr. Fonger Today after school we took a walk and had a little fun with our shadows. This is my Kivalina family, Scott, Emma and Fonger!! And….our annual jumping picture :) The lagoon is freezing...

Oct 10th

Sep 30th

1 note

Feels so good...

Well—The first week of school is over with! I didn’t escape without getting sick (of course)! Our new staff is a wonderful team, the first week ran very smoothly and I can predict this year will be even better than last year! Wednesdays as a staff we all dress in our Youth Leaders shirts and sweatshirts. Youth leaders is a program that runs here in our district and is a great deal...

Sep 30th

Day 1, Year 2

The day has FINALLY come, day one of year two! I can’t believe today is already over with. As any first day of school today was….crazy; busy, hectic, and a bit stressful! But…all in all it was a great day! I got to see my kiddos, and use our beautiful remodeled school! Yes, always a first day of school photo—even as a teacher! Here is my beautiful new room …. ...

Sep 25th

Sep 23rd

Home Sweet Sweet Home

Tuesday I got back to Kivalina. Let me tell you..I haven’t realized how much I LOVE this place, or how it really is, home until I am away for 4 months. I spent last night unpacking, cleaning my house and cooking some clam chowder and home made french bread for Fonger (you all now his name) and Chad (new 5/6th grade teacher) and his lovely wife Chiraphorn. Today I spend the day at...

Sep 20th

Kiana

Since Monday I have been in the beautiful village of Kiana! If you haven’t googled this place yet you all should. Of course I get sent here and don’t have my camera with me! But I have gotten some great news…this up coming week I will be going home to KIVALINA!!!! Yes, finally…home! I have yet to receive travel plans but it should either be Tuesday evening or Wednesday....

Sep 15th

wayward teacher update

Hello Blog Followers, I am a live. I am STILL in Kotzebue. This past week was filled with IEP’s and Special Education paperwork. I am now done with that so I am not too sure what today will bring. I was supposed to eventually end up in Kiana but over the weekend there was a shooting and murder that took place in that village. Prayers for that family, the community and the region would be...

Sep 10th

I am feeling blessed...

Today has been filled with paperwork and more paperwork for me. BUT in the midst of all this chaos I am feeling incredibly blessed! Here are a couple pictures from my short 48 hours in the village..Thanks to my wonderful co-worker Dana! This is outside the school..water for cleaning. (sigh)…I am beginning to feel like there will be an end to this madness and I will soon be in...

Sep 2nd

Life is Good

First off I apologize for the lack of updates, but our district has blocked social networking sites so I have a difficult time updating my blog on a regular basis. So, here we go…. Tuesday they sent the 4 returning teachers out to Kivalina so we could pack our bags to be shipped to other villages until Kivalina gets water. Kivalina is pretty wet right now, lots and lots of mud and...

Sep 1st

Start out with reading this article: http://www.adn.com/2012/08/21/2596172/kivalina-floods-knock-out-water.html http://www.adn.com/2012/08/21/2595495/heavy-rain-creates-water-problem.html I am in Kotzebue…still. Our staff has been staying in the technical center dorms, and living day to day wondering what will happen. Last week we got word that we would be relocated to other villages...

Aug 26th

Here is what our district website is showing currently (www.nwarctic.org): McQueen School delays its opening day of the 2012/13 school year! Due to the water shortage/situation in Kivalina, McQueen School will be delaying the opening of the 2012/13 school year. Originally students were to return to school this Monday, August 20th, but will be delayed until a later date. Currently there is...

Aug 21st

Nothings simple in the Arctic

For those of you who do not have facebook and have been looking for an update here we go…. There has been a delay in our return to Kivalina due to the fact that there is no running water. The cause of this is due to the fact there has been 7 inches of rain since Monday (it is now Saturday), this has made the river we pull water from flood, over flow, and make the water very dirty. The...

Aug 18th

Well…the countdown is on! I will be leaving for Alaska on Sunday night. Can’t believe a whole summer has come and gone already and year 2 is about to start!! Here are a few pictures from the last half of summer vacation Hiking at Capa Alava fourth of July! We took Jeremy to ride the Ferris Wheel in Seattle!! We also took him to his first Mariners Game!! Then we took...

Aug 9th

Summer Vacation

Hello fellow blog followers!! Not sure if anyone is checking up on my blog since summer has been in session, if you’re out there I thought I would give you an update as to what is going on in WASHINGTON! I have been home now Since Mother’s Day (in May). I have made two shrimp fishing trips with my parents, one in the San Juans and the other on Hood Canal. I have been to Ellensburg to...

Jul 3rd

The last week....

Yes, that is correct. The last, and final week of the school year. This last Friday we got to hand out two books to each kid for “summer reading”, the kids were given the books and then sent to the gym to read and participate in activities. Here are some pictures Then on Saturday I got to chaperone the “senior dance”, the kids were so cute! Seeing them in a different...

May 7th

Activities!

Last night was the end of the year school year potluck where we recognized all the students who participated in after school activities and had dinner with the community one last time. Today we hand out books to the kids for summer reading, then I have one calm night before I am chaperoning prom on Saturday night from 9-2am! The kids are excited..me, not so much—ha! Next week will...

May 4th

May 3rd

New Beginnings

Remember my classroom at the beginning of the year? If not, here… Well, this used to be the library, so, there are many shelves and lots of “junk”. Over the last 9 months I have thrown most of this stuff away or boxed it up and stored it upstairs in the school. I have done a lot to this little room over the school year. BUT, this school is going through some growing pains...

Apr 22nd

The final haul

I should deeply apologize to my avid “followers”, I have not written forever. Let me tell you what its been like the past few weeks!! Testing was the first week in April-over and done with! The second week in April we had science testing and district testing-over and done with!! This week I was sent to Anchorage for some training for special ed. It has been SO nice to get out, spoil...

Apr 18th

Blessings

This was Sunday morning (my birthday) at about 8:10am. The sun is starting to peek over the horizon so much earlier these days! This is out over the lagoon looking towards the hills. My birthday was spend reading and lazing around. Fonger and Emma come over on Sunday’s for dinner and Frozen Planet on the Discovery Chanel. So we had a wonderful Sunday/Birthday dinner of lasagna corn and...

Apr 5th

Good Morning

Oh the joys of “spring” the sun is coming up BEFORE school ever starts now. I am in heaven! We now have 14 hours of day light—THANK YOU for the sun who ever is in charge of the weather in the Arctic. This picture is of the sunrise coming up over the Lagoon this morning. You can also see how HIGH our snow drifts are. Literally almost touching the telephone wires and in line...

Mar 30th

Famous Kivalina

http://www.alaskadispatch.com/article/rural-alaska-village-kivalina-pummeled-winter-declares-disaster To tell you the truth I just thought there was a lot of snow….

Mar 27th

Reading Corner

If any of you are avid readers and would enjoy to get a glimpse into the world I live in you should look into the book “Ordinary Wolves” and “My Names Not Easy”. Both a great books and give you a background of the language and the culture. Also, on Sunday afternoons on Discovery Chanel there is a new special called “Frozen Planet” it is fascinating and really...

Mar 21st

Update! Update!

This past “weekend” was spring break here in the Arctic. Now I know you are picturing the students running amuck with their shorts and t-shirts on (not)! Spring break started Wednesday after school and we got 4 whole days off! It was great to get my house cleaned and relax a little bit. Now its back to school—state testing happens in 2 weeks. I have this week to prepare my high...

Mar 19th

Mar 12th

Mar 9th

Mar 7th

Tribal Newsletter

http://www.jamestowntribe.org/announce/newsletter/tribal_newsletter_2012_03.pdf Today the Jamestown Tribal Newsletter was sent out. Above, is the link to view the article! Its another great write up and is on page 3 and page 12 <3

Mar 6th

I know I have promised some of you pictures. I am sorry to say but I must apologize that I have not gotten out and taken picture in quite some time. This weekend our girls and boys high school basketball teams were in Kotzebue playing in the reginoals tourney. I would like to tell you that when the teams left—so did the WHOLE village. Basketball is a huge sport here and I witnessed that...

Mar 5th

In the great tundra is has been a tab bit stormy. Yesterday the wind started howling causing my arctic entrance at home to become covered in snow (sigh) and that ever dreadful snow drift is now covering my windows again. Today we are expected to have a windchill of -55 (that is some cold wind). I have meant to do this forever now…but for some of you that are interested here are some links...

Feb 27th

Contracts Have Come Out......

and my decision to stay or go has been made. I know some of you have been in contact with me during this decision making time, taikuu for that!! With that said……….. I have decided to come back to Kivalina next school year!

Feb 24th

Please check out this day light!! Not to mention is has been BEAUTIFUL sunshine lately…I LOVE IT!!!!!

Feb 23rd