Week One, CHECK!
Posted by shouston on August 29, 2008
Don’t hate me, but as I started to write, Barry Manilow’s “Looks Like We Made It” is what I started to sing…
For those of you that haven’t heard me singing around the building– I guess it’s just gonna be one of those years! (At least this time it wasn’t a song I made up to the tune of “Fara Jaca”.)
The actual point of this post is to congratulate the best faculty in the UNIVERSE on a great start to what will prove to be the year of the WARRIOR!!!
Thank you to everyone who has made it happen:
Angel Cox for the chips and hot sauce on the first day! Way to go Hotties…
Donna Wyckoff for ALWAYS stopping what she does to fix everyone’s issues!
Linda Houston and Margaret Willoughby for taking part of the load off of the 6th grade teachers and picking up a Science and Math class.
Kathy Anderton for helping her Science cohort get ready for the first week of school.
Jennifer Norsworthy for running all those copies for everyone and for always helping out where we need her!
Chris Urquhart for scheduling and scheduling and more scheduling.
My soon to be interns: Joe Ward, Todd Tolbert, Van Ratsaphangthong, Travis Kidd and Deborah Crook for their patience when they have a “deadline” and I’m busy or distracted.
Carole Dyska for helping us in a time of crisis, remaining patient and always taking on the challenge!
Claudia Wilson for keeping me sharp and allowing me to help, offering advice and taking in the “outcast”.
Joe Ward and Tracy McCrary for handling the construction matters.
All the coaches for remaining calm and professional in athletic area crisis.
Gina Bergman and Deanna Boyd for being the 1st to call ALL their parents.
All of you for taking on the challenge of positive parent contact the first week of school.
Heather Blum and Elizabeth Cumbie for volunteering STUCO to do the “hat drive for Cancer”.
Michaela Gair for tackling the school supplies with such diligence and patience!
Zach Webb for handling books and keys and please please please with ease.
Thalia Ross (a.k.a. TaNayNay) for jumping in and helping in with all the registration paperwork and office mayhem.
Kathy Cushing for holding this ship afloat and getting everything we need and use to make it happen.
Karen Allen, Angelique Robison, Stephanie Roe and Eric Townsend for ignoring the noise outside and trekking on.
Christina Hunt for her ever after presence in every place we have!!
Travis Kidd and Karen Allen for helping the “newbies”. AND everyone else who helps those new to the building.
Kathy Sanderson for staying positive and keeping her chin up when the fire marshall took away her livelihood.
J Zamora, Ryan Cantrell, Wesley Poston and Michael Miller for not crying or quiting. Way to SMILE SMILE SMILE as you embark on a new profession.
Amy Allibon, Don Zolidis and Donna Herndon for joining our family with ease and jumping right in to the Warrior Way.
Diane Kissel and Kay Pratt for taking care of all the special education paperwork.
Lynn Breitinger for heading up the PTA drive, adding humor to awkward and funny situations.
Laurie Engelby for spilling the beans… She knows!
Thank you for all the sound advice you give, Susan Youngblood. You are a master!
Vanessa Seale, thanks for keeping things running smooth in girl’s athletics. I’m proud of your reputation and the program you run!
Cathy Blum and Ginger Huff for being our armored front and taking care of all that goes and some that doesn’t.
Gail Bailey for the outstanding job on Tracy and Deb’s vow renewal.
Diane Cowell for the cookies to make the first day of school “chipper”.
Suzanne Foxworth for “STAYIN’ Tough!”
For always getting the presentation station “raring” to go, Melanie Robertson.
Congratulations, Julie Pollard, on being the first female teacher to be selected to join the Teacher at Sea Integrated Ocean Drilling Program.
For trying to help me avoid all the “itis’” I have, Heather Blum. Thanks for the tea!
To Amy Gallegos for writing me a fabulous recommendation on things I can do to help our new teachers be successful.
Teresa Hughes, thanks for always having “the hook-up!” We’d be hot without ya. Not smokin’, just meltin’!
Tenille Miles, thanks for your wisdom with the asperger/autistic kiddoes.
Robin Kidd, thanks for dealing with the constant interruptions in a professional manner and for always getting right on top of ARDs and all else to serve the children of WMS quickly and proficiently.
Thank you for making Gifted and Talented fun for the teachers, Cyndi Nyvall. Also for bringing style, fashion and glamour to us!
Inita Steele, you rock at making Art fun and exciting. Thanks for offering all the time you do! I am so excited to see how the club goes.
Arlene, Arlene, Arlene Stotts: it may be hard and the road may be new and bumpy, but you are doing a FABULOUS job, dahling, at turning our transition program into something new.
What wonderful shirts we have on order. Thanks so much for your innovation and drive on this year’s shirts! YEA, Sherri Taylor!
Samantha Perry, thanks for making sure our students and faculty are healthy and prepared for all “emergencies” that may arise.
Mary Hatley, thank you for always having great advice and for not spanking me when I don’t always take it 
. Thanks for helping make inclusion a success. You and Arlene are troopers!
Thanks for always making me smile and for telling funny jokes (or making them inadvertently, on purpose) Brian Farquhar. You are so funny!
Aja Kash, thanks for joining the WMS staff and for introducing us to new things. You bring a wealth of knowledge.
Thank you for always being upbeat and cheery and for working so hard, Katie Zeier. Also, thanks for always including my kids in things you do!
Cori McCauley, thanks for keeping it real. You crack me up! Keep up the posting… Practice makes perfect!
You are such a welcome addition and I’m glad to have you back! Kim Birkner, hope we don’t make ya crazy!
Karla Pogue, your help with the bathroom is much appreciated. Thanks for always sending me a message when I need it most!
Big Robert, you are the best! Thanks for helping me decorate!
Chris Mafana, thank you for all you do with our special kids. You are kind. caring and compassionate.
So if I forgot anyone who has helped make this a great start… I apologize. We make a great team!!!
GO WARRIORS!!!
What made your week GREAT?
August 29th, 2008 at 9:53 pm
I loved meeting all the 6th graders that I will be spending the next three years getting to know and work with. It was fun re-connecting with returning students who seemed almost glad to be back in school!
Having a boss who takes time on a Friday evening to say something nice about each and every person on her staff helps make working at Watauga Middle School a joy. Thank you, Mrs. Houston, from the bottom of my heart. Your thoughtfulness and sparkle are so contagious. You are such a blessing.
August 29th, 2008 at 10:14 pm
My kids this year are really awesome so far! I realize we’re in the honeymoon stage, but still! I found myself today standing and watching them work on their projects and just grinning like a fool!
August 29th, 2008 at 10:49 pm
Shannon let’s consider this: Leaders inspire others to do things they might otherwise not do. They help others to figure out where they want to go and then help them get there!! All of these accomplishmensts you have mentioned allow let us be mindful of where we’re heading. Just as a general has a vision and leads his/her company towards it, you are sharing and leading in much the same manner.
On another note: the beans that Laurie spilt have been swept up and properly disgarded. Let’s just hope that one of those beans doesn’t get thrown out the windo into fertile ground, grow, and turn into “Shannon and the beanstalk”!
August 30th, 2008 at 2:54 am
Travis- that could be #4… Awesome idea. Let’s see what Engelby thinks!!!
Julie- it will only get better! Keep grinning…
Diane- Where is everybody going??? I’ll save Zach’s line for him to use… But my favorite for the week was, “Who are you?”; “Ah, just the person I needed to see…”
August 31st, 2008 at 1:14 pm
It really was a smooth week! I am THRILLED with my 7th graders so far. As Julie said, it still may be the honeymoon phase, but we’re heading down a great road. I am excited about the possibilities this year in the Warrior Nation!
August 31st, 2008 at 10:49 pm
Special thanks to Greg Bicknell for letting me have the office that he always knew he would have. Thanks to him also for letting me vent and never giving me all the advice… just part… so I can fill in the blanks.
September 2nd, 2008 at 7:00 am
My gifted and talented classes made my first week wonderful. As the end of my masters program becomes a reality and I realize that orals are just about a month and a half a way (EEK!), I know they are the best way to study. Having the classes with just them may not be the most efficient for everyone (even my 2 on level classes are larger than normal because of them), but it is so beneficial for them to be together and to get to reach higher levels together.
This district is finally able to give gt students classes that it was not able to provide when I was this age and it’s gratifying that I get to be part of that process. I get to teach myself…if that makes sense…now if only I can find a way to survive that on level 7th period…
September 2nd, 2008 at 9:18 am
We have a great staff!
September 3rd, 2008 at 3:40 pm
I work with the best people in the whole, great big, ENTIRE world!!! They are patient, loving, kind, helpful, and understanding. I thank God each and every day for blessing me with WMS!!
September 18th, 2008 at 9:33 pm
I am impressed with you, Mrs. Houston, my friend. What a great post. I bet even when your teachers are mad at you, they love you.
September 25th, 2008 at 9:25 pm
HELLO… WEEK 4… CHECK!
September 29th, 2008 at 9:44 pm
two more days and you can check off week 5… you must be turning into Pekurney…
October 1st, 2008 at 5:37 pm
How about a new post of some type?
6th Weeks are up!!!!