Grand Opening!

As I told you before, I am MOVING to a brand new school next year! I am so excited, I can hardly wait for to get started on my room!

Today was the Dedication Ceremony for the new school. I was amazed at how many people came. It was humbling! There are some great people who are counting on us to take care of their most precious things next year and it overwhelms me. It's true anywhere you teach, but it comes to surface when there's something new or different going on.

Here are a few pictures for your viewing pleasure. This school has some great features, like a water fountain that has room to refill a water bottle. Awesome!!!

Front of the School

Commons Area (Blurry, sorry)

Detail of the stair rails. Those are recycled magazine strips. Very "green" building.

My classroom, with a sink AND a bathroom! And cubbies!!!

So, I need some help! I've never had the built in type closet before. How do you organize your stuff? I threw a ton of my old stuff away, but I'm not sure how to organize my stuff. As many ideas you can give me will be appreciated. I think I'm going to go with a rainbow/primary colors kind of theme since my floor is BLUE! Also, I need to buy a carpet. Any advice in that area?!

I'd love to hear from you!

I'm Moving!!!!

This post has been a long time coming, but I can finally say it....

I'm moving!!!!

To a new school, that is. I have been teaching at the same elementary school for the past 16 years. And I think the building had been there for about 200 years before I ever arrived.

Ok. Maybe that's a slight exaggeration, but only a slight one. Everyone was aware that the district decided to expand and they have built a beautiful new school down the road. There was already a lot of talk about who would be going there and such and such. Then, in February, my current principal announced that SHE would be going there! Wait, wha...?!?!?! I was shocked. As you may remember from previous posts, I love my principal. She is not only my boss, but my friend AND she just happens to be awesome at what she does. So, this was not something that I was counting on, but I have been desperate for a change for a couple of years now. So I immediately decided to ask for a transfer to the new school and after a VERY LONG PROCESS (I mean, months, people) I finally found out last week that I will be going with her!

I am so excited for this new opportunity. But of course, it is bittersweet. Over 16 years I've made a lot of great friends, many of whom are staying at my "old" school. It will be very hard to say goodbye to them, but I know we will keep our great friendships.

In the meantime, have you ever opened a new school before?

When I say I've been at my last school for 16 years, I am talking about my ENTIRE TEACHING CAREER!!!! I have had many titles within my building, but I have always been at the same school. And I'm not only moving, but opening a new school! What have I done?! Any advice would be very helpful. I've been reading Debbie Diller's Spaces and Places which I highly recommend and there is a section in there on moving. I've splurged on real boxes from Home Depot (not just assorted acquired ones) and I've been trying to catalog my personal books as I go. (Do you have the Book Crawler app? I'm going to have to post about it at another time. It's awesome!!!)

What else should I be doing?????

After our work day today, we are going to tour the new building!!! Not that I'm excited, but I have been up since 3:30 thinking about it! I will try to post some pics if I can. If it's not illegal. I'm kidding. Sort of...

Teacher Talk Tuesday

I have been trying to figure out this instagram thing. I know how to follow people and look at their pics, but I was struggling to figure out how to post my own pics.

Apparently, a colored button, that is the only colored button, is not enough for me. Maybe if it were flashing and saying, "Tap Here! Tap Here!" I would've found the button.

Good news. I found it. So I can join this link that is all over blog land! Yay!!!

You can follow me on Instagram at oneberryblog. Makes sense!

If you need some Instagram help, you can ask me. I might be able to help.

Here's my page thingey. Complicated, I know. Aren't you confident I could help you?!?!

FOLLOW ME! FOLLOW ME! FOLLOW ME!

I wish it was flashing.

You need a little love???

So, we're in the middle of test prep week. Can we say booooorrrrrrrr-ing!!!!!

I'll be happy if we can get through the week and none of my kids have followed in Calvin's footsteps...

I can't blame them, though. There has got to be a better way to assess 7 year olds.

But there was a bright spot in my day.

In the middle of all the- 

Make sure you fill in the bubble completely!  

What answer would make the most sense? 

NO! Don't Mark on the Paper!!!!!

One of my sweet little guys made me something.  This is where the love comes in.

He put it on my table and said, "I love you Mrs. B."

This was the something he put on my table.

Awwwww.......ummmm....is it just me or does it look like.....

It didn't help that when he put it on my table he put it on upside down.

That's just so sweet.

You know it's a tree, right?! 

Of course it is.

What did you think it was?!

Thank you Hobby Lobby

As you may know, we were on Spring Break last week. And I know many of you are on Spring Break this week. 

Are you in need of something to do with your own kids?  

Unfortunately for us,  the weather which was awesome last weekend, decided not to cooperate. 

The first few days weren't bad, but since Tuesday afternoon, the highs haven't been over 45.

That being said, this mama needed some help keeping the kids entertained. There are lots of choices for my 6 year old, several for my 2 year olds, but not too many for BOTH ages.

We went to Hobby Lobby hoping for inspiration and as usual, it didn't disappoint.

I was able to pick up some Spongebob workbooks and coloring sheets for my older son. And I found these for my 2 year olds.

Oh my goodness! I can't tell you how wonderful these things are!!!! 

Honestly, the little pen that it comes with is not the greatest, but when I just gave the twins a little paint brush and a cup of water, they had so much fun!!!! 

They loved it because the picture appears as the water "erases" the white cover/film on the picture. They felt like they were really painting the pictures. And the best part?!?!

You can stand the book up on its side to dry and after about 10 minutes, they can paint the picture all over again. 

What?!?!

It's the best!!!

I've found the Sesame Street book, but there's also Disney Fairies, Spongebob, Dora, Mickey Mouse. Many styles to choose from, if Elmo isn't your child's thing.

I highly recommend these for any of you moms who need something to do with your toddlers.

Two thumbs up from me!!!

Now run right out to Hobby Lobby and pick one up!!!