Sunday, April 14, 2013

A little about what's been going on lately...

So, I feel like I can't hold this in much longer!  I feel like I've been a little absent from blogging lately, but there's been A LOT going on that has kept me from my computer!  The first thing (and most exciting thing!) that's happened to me?  My husband and I have found out that we're expecting!!! :-D
I'm only about 7 weeks along, but boy oh boy am I feeling it!  School has been a drag, as well as that constant nausea all day.  I've resorted to showing some of my younger classes movies because I just can't seem to keep up!  I've also noticed that the more I talk, the more sick I feel at times!  This means our output of projects has slowed down a bit...I just keep telling myself 5 more weeks to go and I should be back to normal (just in time to put up the art show!).

The second thing that's happened?  Budget cuts at my district.  The very good news about this is that it appears that my position will not be affected in any way.  In the last 10 years, whenever there were cuts, a majority of them happened at the elementary end, so they plan on cutting more at the high school end.  The superintendent sent a list of discussed cuts that was created at the last board meeting, and I was not on there!  Whew!

There are two positions that are retiring this year that won't be filled, and it looks like they are offering an early retirement package to three others with the anticipation that they won't be filled, or at least won't be filled at full time.  Unfortunately, though, for the art department, (which was second on the cut list), they are looking at cutting art electives.  This really stinks because I was hoping to become full time after the art teacher retired so that I could try and liven up the high school end with some new electives!

It's not really known yet if I will become a K-12 teacher next year, but I'm guessing not.  It will depend on if the art teacher in the high school takes the early retirement package or stays on for another year.  If she decides to stay on, she'll be cut down from full time. :-/  At this point, I don't think they could get away with making me teach K-12.  I've done a little research and found the NYS requirements for art (when I talk about "the arts," this encompasses visual arts, music, dance and theater).

1.  Pre-K and Kindergarten programs must only include activities that revolve around the arts.  These can be done in the classroom.

2.  Grades 1-3 must receive instruction in the arts to the equivalent of 20% of the week be devoted to visual arts, music, theater, etc.  In 4th grade the time allocated must be 10%.  It is only recommended that a certified Arts teacher give this instruction
At the rate they plan on cutting positions, they would have to hire someone on just to teach these younger levels if I was made 5-12 art.  Right now art is used to give these teachers their daily free periods.  Because they're planning on cutting at music and gym as well, it would be impossible to pick up the slack if art class was eliminated from these younger grades.  Also, at the rate they need to cut, the aides will be taking over duties such as lunch detention, lunch monitors and in-house detention, duties that were rotated between high school teachers.  Now with the lower number of high school teachers per subject area, these teachers will lose their duties and gain another class or two.

3.  Grades 5 and 6 must receive 10% instruction in the arts taught by a certified arts teacher.

4. Grades 7 & 8 must receive instruction according to the NYS art standards.  1/2 the study must be art and 1/2 the study must be music.  Guidelines recommend that both be taught to students in 7th and 8th grade, however it can be split.  (In my district, 7th grade receives art for 1/2 a year only.  There is no 8th grade art.  Most students cover the music aspect by participating in chorus or band.)  Certified art teachers must provide the instruction at this level.  If AIS services are required, these amounts may be lessened, but the arts cannot be eliminated.

5. All students in grades 9-12 are required to complete one unit of art study in order to graduate with a diploma and must be taught by a certified art teacher. All public schools must provide students with the chance to participate in a 3-unit or 5-unit sequence in arts starting at grade 9.  The three unit gives students a chance to receive a regents diploma.  The 5-unit gives students a chance to receive a regents with advanced designation.  Now this is the part that interests me...if my district gets rid of art electives, none of their students will be able to graduate with a regents diploma.  I only say this because they are also talking about getting rid of music electives as part of the cuts (aside from band and chorus).  I don't think that the students can fulfill the arts requirement by only taking music courses past Studio Art...any NYS art teachers know about this?  Phyl, you mentioned something about this in my last post....  Plus, this makes students have to take music/band/chorus even if they don't want to in order to earn a regents diploma!

14 comments:

  1. Congratulations!!! Glad things are getting more settled on the job front... I went through 2 pregnancies, working full-time and extremely nauseous. three months with my son and 5 months with my daughter! you need to find what makes you feel better. For me it was moving slower than normal and having a banana and glass of oj in the morning. At school i had a constant supply of saltines and frosted mini-wheats, when i was feeling a little nauseous I had a few. The kids were sweet, they actually could tell when i was starting to feel icky and would ask me if they could get my snacks for me! I had a high chair with a back brought in to my rooms and sat when i needed to ( which was a lot!). You will find your new groove and everything will be great! Take care of yourself! :)

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    1. Thanks! I've officially tossed my cookies twice so far...and I've discovered that I can't force myself to eat breakfast until around 9, 9:30. I drink a glass of water in the morning (or orange juice) and I take a big Tupperware container of Cheerios to work with me to munch on when I'm ready! I've never really been that big of a breakfast person, unless it's a bagel with cream cheese...and right now cream cheese just isn't that appetizing to me! My biggest problem seems to be all the extra phlem I have...lol. It's gross! It gives me extreme nausea in the morning until I can get it all cleared out. Then it's just this nagging "blah" feeling all day. Luckily I'm not craving any junk food. I actually am really into pears, carrots and cucumbers. Although I haven't been able to go near meat (particularly chicken) for over a week. I'd really like a nice, extremely well done steak, but I don't know if I could handle it! Red meat in general makes me icky.

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    2. Craved salads and everything healthy with my son! couldn't even look at anything sweet or fried! When i was pregnant with my daughter i knew something was up because i could barely force down healthy and CRAVED junk and red meat!! Hes a super good eater that loves veggies and such, she would eat junk food and steak all day if I let her! So weird! Its as if they were telling me ahead of time what kind of foods they like!!! Hang in there! :)

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  2. Congratulations! I was super nausaous too. The pharmacist told me that in other countries they have an anti nausea medicine which is similar to the sleeping pill unisom. He told me to take half a pill a day. It did work for me and it didn't make me too sleepy. Maybe try it on your day off to see if it works. Another thing was making sure that you take your prenatal vitamins NOT on an empty stomach. It will pass eventually.

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    1. I've been taking this vitamins at dinner time. They don't make me feel I'll right now, but I've been warned that that can change!

      My doctor actually said they can prescribe a pill for the morning sickness if it's too bad to handle if I need it. My mom suggested emetrol. That's what her doctor had her take, but it is so sickening sweet to take that it doesn't really work! I have my first sonogram on Thursday this week and then I meet with the doctor for my first full exam the week after, so I'll see how I'm doing between then and now.

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  3. Ahhh... alittle baby. You're in for some wonderful times. Enjoy it all. Eat lots of crackers and sip gingerale!

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  4. ugg I had horrible morning sickness...like take the trashcan into the hall and hurl for weeks level, I found acupressure bands to be very helpful...like the kind you would get to wear on a boat...I think they were called sea bands and I think I saw some more fun ones called psybands?

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  5. Congratulations!!! That is just the best news ever!

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  6. I'm so happy for you!! Congrats on the pregnancy! Your life will never be the same again, in a good way. (Can you tell that I adore my 'baby'? Even though he's not much of a baby at age 24?)

    As for the high school sequence question, let me do some 'research' and I'll get back to you! Be patient; I am currently on vacay in the Bahamas!

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  7. Congratulations! I can obviously only speak from a husband's perspective.. but becoming a parent is the best : )

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  8. Congratulations! That is so exciting! I bet you're getting excited to spend your summer nesting! :)

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    1. Yes and no...lol. My art room will be becoming the baby's room! All of my stuff is in the process of being condensed down and moved into our guest room, so at least it won't be far...in the even that I might actually have free time to use it once the baby gets here! Funny how we thought a 3-bedroom house would be big enough for us! ;)

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  9. Congrats on the baby news! Best of luck with the morning sickness!

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    1. Yesterday was a pretty good day with that...today however was not! I guess I really can't brush my teeth in the morning...

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