Finally A Wiki that I like

I have been trying to find a wiki--any kind of wiki outside of Wikipedia--that serves its users well. I particularly would like to see a class wiki, but I haven't seen many that I liked or that the purpose was obvious. A lot of my friends use Moodle, which is not really a wiki or a blog, but rather a more combined approach. But most who use them have them password protected (for good reasons) since their kids openly post and comment, or edit the site in its wiki sense. (I feel like I'm speaking a foreign language.) Here is a wiki that truly makes me "get it." It gives me something to show at SLI to ensure the principals or other administrators who haven't quite grasped Web 2.0 what it is, what it's capable of, and what its potential is. Check out his wiki from Princeton Public Library.

Thanks

I have decided not to come to the end of the year/Fond Farewell get together at Julia's. I have a ridiculous amount of things to do, and quite honestly I don't feel like answering a lot of questions--there's nothing to report yet anyway. All that those who support me can say is "We don't understand." No worries though because I am happy and relieved. It's just another leap of faith, and I honestly believe I will land on my feet. No, I'm not interested in the NHS job---why try to go where you been declined twice before? I'm no longer interested in being in Rock Hill anymore. And actually, I don't even know what I want, because I withdrew my name from one I had already interviewed for Monday. I guess I'm just being selective now. My five years here have made me a significantly stronger person, and for sure a better teacher librarian. I can attribute some of that growth to working with this group. Thank you. I have a good solid offer, but right now there isn't a job my husband is interested in. And it will require us to move. So I do not know for sure what I will do. But I totally have my family's support. That's a good feeling too.
My principal summed it up nicely at our end of the year get together:

• In August, it will be stated with shocking accuracy that Miss Nelson is Missing
• NS will miss their grant writer, collaborator, and technology with my absence
• In short--everyone will miss her, because of ENN--Everybody needs Nelson (ENN is our in house news show, the Explorers Network News)
  

For Lucy and Susan, we will all miss your enthusiasm and grace. You know we all bring our gifts, and each you have yours. Lucy, I can remember several times my first year calling you to inquire how to do things in Follett--you were the first outside of Liz to offer me assistance. Thanks eternally for helping me adjust. I did have a difficult time making the transition. Susan thank you for being a role model for grace. You have been the most graceful person I have known. You are a great role model, and I only hope to learn to be graceful like you. It is easy to see why your teachers will greatly miss you. I will too.

I will miss the informal get together's too. You are all fun to be around. I got to know some of you better this year than any other year. Karen, check with me at conference time next spring, and maybe you can room with me again.

Please understand and support my decision, folks. And pray that wherever I am and whatever I am doing, that I am successful and happy. I have decided no matter what, its not about the money or respect, and I am not working to be paid well (though that doesn't hurt) or regarded highly for any accomplishments. I just want to feel that I make an impact and kids are better for it.

Thanks to Ebinport and Sullivan

Last week I was in a dilemma over a missing box of books intended for our annual field day book give away. I emailed the group trying to find a book fair so I could purchase enough books to get us through our day. On this day every kid gets to pick put a free book, and I wanted to be sure we had enough since we were missing one whole box (roughly 100 books.) Lisa R. of Ebinport and Betty J. of Sullivan managed to sell me some books at great discounts. From Ebinport I picked out a ton of discount books ($2.00 or less) and from Sullivan we selected a good number that were buy one get one free. Thanks ladies for bailing us out for our ever important annual book give-away on field day!

Update on the missing box: They were delivered Monday, April 16, and signed for--six boxes. We later determined that box number 1 never got in the building. But because we (our office staff) signed for them, it is our loss. The box still has not shown up. My thoughts are the delivery folks would have gotten in trouble if they got back to the warehouse with an undelivered box of books, and so the box was either dumped or busted open and put in an outgoing or incoming book fair. But that's just a guess. We will probably never know, even though we paid for them....Tsk, Tsk.