AVID Path Training Day 1/First Day of Staff Development

Today was the first day of staff development for this school year. Garland ISD has paid for all of us teachers to receive special AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination - see more information here about AVID) Training. We are the first district anywhere to receive this district-wide intensive training for AVID. I am participating in the "Student Success" Strand of the Training. The teachers receiving training in this strand with me are all "specials" teachers - band, choir, orchestra, theater, foreign language, special education, etc. so the training is geared for us specifically (not like other staff development workshops that are geared towards the core subject teachers). I was asked to be the point of contact/helper for the presenters in my room. I was asked to arrive at the school at 7:00 AM this morning and help out with directing to the restrooms, fetching snacks or water for the presenters, etc. I helped set the tables up with all the books, handouts, markers, pens, post-its..., but beyond that didn't really have to do much more. I wrote down all kinds of ideas for my "toolbox" though - I'll have to share those with you when I'm not so tired. 

On a side note, my husband and I went to the opening of Kick Ass 2 last night at the Alamo Drafthouse in Richardson - in costume. It was a blast. [But this is why I'm so tired.] Here's a picture I took of us in the car on the way to the movie theater:

I had taken off the mask - it was too uncomfortable; and I had to wear this headband thing to keep my wig on right - I need a better wig for this costume! I do think I want bangs now though. 

Anyway, I also enjoyed getting to know a couple of my fellow teachers better at the staff development today. We went to lunch together and were able to chat at out table a bit. 

Just when I was about to leave to go home today, the french horn student who has been coming to band camp this week showed up. She said she didn't know that we were not meeting today (she must have not really been paying attention when I told her multiple times that we did not have band today). Lol. I appreciated her enthusiasm though. So even though I was tired and ready to go home, I spent an hour giving her a private lesson. It was worth it though because she was prepared and made a lot of progress. She can play through both All-District etudes already. She is playing the first one pretty well - just needs to speed the tempo up a little bit. The second one needs a little more work, but she's well on her way. I'm very proud of her. She told me that she was practicing this morning with her sister (her sister played clarinet in school). I told her yesterday that I've enjoyed getting to know her this week. We've told stories, laughed together, played music together, and she's learned quite a bit about reading music this week. 

I have another day of AVID Path Training tomorrow - 7:30 AM call time. I'm then going to "get groomed." I only call it that because our furry daughter, Dottie, (our dog) got groomed today - bath, teeth, and nails. I need to color my hair, get my hair trimmed, and get a pedicure. It'll be nice to pamper myself a little before school starts. 

On a closing note, my apologies for skipping around. I hope you didn't get too confused. I just need some sleep. :) So, goodnight my friend. I'll write again this weekend.

This was post was completed on Friday, August 16th at 9:37 PM.