So many new names and faces!

This is the first full week of school (with students). I am still feeling handcuffed to my computer! We are finally finished with schedule changes. I actually finished them last Friday with the exception of a few stragglers. Today, there was one class with more students than desks and no room for more desks. It was time to move some kiddos. I went through the entire Freshman class. I was looking for a student who didn't have Spanish 1 so I could just put classes in a different order. I found three girls. I didn't have to completely rearrange their schedule. I only had to move them from Algebra II to Geomentry and put the other class where the math class was. Easy, easy, easy. The three girls had a great attitude about it, which I was very thankful for and told them so many times. I was able to get some transcripts corrected that contained errors from switching from one student information system on the computer to another and things not rolling over like they should. Now all that is left to do regarding schedules and transcripts is obtaining state course numbers for career tech classes and subject credits for things that might be contained within the programs (such as a Science credit being in the Health Careers program). I won't be able to get this accomplished until next Tuesday as the career tech person will be out until that time. I was able to visit with some students here and there throughout the week thus far, just by working with schedules. The office aides are getting used to me (learning my personality), as I am getting used to them also. I started surveying students for Career Cafe. For 9th through 12th grades I just passed around a class list where students wrote what they wanted to do. If they didn't know, I had them write that information on the list and told them I'd call them in next week (maybe this week) to do an interest inventory so we could get a better idea of what they liked or what they were good at. The 7th and 8th grade I feel like we should go ahead and use the MyNextMove.org website since they are young and typically have no idea (though many of them know what they are good at). I hoping to be able to host my first cafe the week after next. I had a six foot table brought in to my office. It's folded up against the wall and I plan on just setting it up for the cafe each week. I'm so glad I took the time to clean up and clear out my new office so that there is now enough room to host this in my office. It just makes things easier on everyone! I'm posting pictures of what I've done on the walls. I'm still looking for a hutch to go on the red desk so that wall is blank. There are things that show my personality, but it is sort of office-y. I don't really have groups at this level (I would go to a classroom or just use my table planned for cafe) and there are a couple of chairs in front of my desk for students to sit. The first picture is a file cabinet given to me about 11 years ago. We had it sand blasted and painted a cream. The person didn't do a very good job, it was multiple shades of cream and it was peeling off in places. It's been in storage for three years (I didn't use it in my previous counseling office). There was no place to put college information or military information in my new office (a previous office remodel lowered the ceilings and the shelf no longer fit in the office). So my husband painted it black and I think it looks better than ever! The middle picture is just a collage of things I've bought or made to decorate and show a little bit of my personality. The bottom picture is the same thing on a different wall, something I've made, the corner of my red desk I painte and brought in, my fridge and on the adjoining wall, my certificate and diplomas.








Tomorrow is Thursday. I'm going for a pedicure with my wonderful daughter after school. Friday evening we are leaving for Canton, TX. We're spending our Labor Day weekend there, attending the Trade Days. Since our new/first grandbaby was born this past summer we didn't take a vacation. I am so looking forward to the long weekend and a little get away!