Does anyone have any fun plans for their day off monday? My family is going to drive to an indoor waterpark for the day. I am really looking forward to it and so are the kids. My kids are a little young to understand the importance of the day, but I am looking forward to when I can teach them. Everyone enjoy the day off!
Our students have a half day...we'll spend some time on MLK's biography, a timeline of the events in his life...when the kids go home at 1230,teachers will break for lunch and then some PD to finish off the day.
My school is in session tomorrow and the grades are all doing service projects of some sort. At my middle school, 5th grade is going to nursing homes to visit residents, 6th grade is going to Kids Against Hunger to package meals and helping with some projects for Relay for Life this summer, 7th grade is making sandwiches for Project 363, and 8th grade is hosting a soup, salad, and breadstick lunch to raise money for their service-learning project to send school supplies to a school in Tanzania. I am really excited to see how all of these projects turn out and I really hope for a good turn out for the 8th grade lunch.
I probably need to stay home until my landline phone's tech guy comes out to fix something. My phone's had no dial tone off & on since Wed! I may get a car wash. I treat myself from washing it at times! Maybe go out again for my birthday! Watch the Austrailian Open pro tennis match. Relax!
Wow, I didn't even know schools are open on MLK day. I thought all schools, nationwide were closed. Hmmm?? You learn something new everyday.
I considered going in to work and then decided against it. I'll go grocery shopping around midnight, sleep in tomorrow morning, and then waste the majority of the day. Good enough for me.
I'm just going to spend the day at home doing some housework and relaxing with a book. I'm not doing anything work related. We don't get snow days so I have to take advantage of every day off!
I've been working on Sprout all weekend, as dh is out of town. He should be back tomorrow, so hopefully we'll do something fun together. As tempted as I am to work more on Sprout or the house, I need to force myself to just enjoy the day, as my work week is so stressful. An indoor water park sounds GREAT. I wonder if there is one around here...
I have a doctors appt in the morning and then need to get a bridal shower present and maybe the gym with dh he is off too. We cleaned and organized today and went food shopping, but still need to do laundry
The James A. Garfield home is having an open house for teachers with behind the scene tours and new field trip opportunities. Some teachers and I will go and then have lunch.
Kira was too sick to see Yogi Bear yesterday. So, dead or alive, I'm taking her tomorrow. Then at 3:30 I have a long distance phone call coming about freelance work.
My plan was to go to the town where I used to live, and meet my sister. It's about an hour and a half from me and it is half way between us and where we both went to college so it's a good place to meet. We were supposed to get Indian food, cupcakes, and then I was going to stop and stock up on seafood at a really good store down there since there is no where good for seafood around here. Well, first I found out the seafood place is closed on Monday. then I checked and the restaurant we wanted to go to is closed Mondays too. So we decided since we really wanted to go there that we would just reschedule. I am a little disappointed, but I also have to say it is nice to have a day all to myself that I didn't think I would have. Had a great weekend though. Today is BF's birthday. Last night we went out to dinner at a new restaurant and it was incredible. Then today we made dinner at home and I made these Paula Deen Orange Brownies that were AWESOME! Great for him because he doesn't like chocolate. http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/orange-brownies-recipe/index.html
Wow!! That's interesting but disheartening at the same time. Do you get other holidays off like Veterens Day, Labor Day, Memorial Day, President's Day?? Just makes me wonder why MLK day is not considered important enough to acknowledge.
Ours is technically not a day off either. It's a trade day and I had to work this summer to get it off.
I went to the college at which MLK earned his doctorate degree, and we didn't have the day off there. We didn't have the day off at my high school, either, but we also did not have off my any other holidays like that either.
We used to always get MLK day off, but our Superintendent decided that we should promote the "Day on, not a day off" philosophy and have service projects for all students to participate in. If there wasn't school, the students would probably not participate in any of the service projects in the community.
We are usually out of school by Memorial Day so that's not an issue. We don't get out of school for Veteran's Day, Presidents' Day or MLK day. We do have Labor Day off though. I am sure part of the rationale for not taking these days off is that we get out of school earlier but I am not sure.
Truthfully, it probably shows more importance when kids are in school engaged in dialog and activities about MLK rather than having the day off and playing video games, or shopping, or watching the most current movies with very little thought in their heads about why they are off... I think the ideas shared here about kids in school doing service projects, or reading and writing about Dr King's life are a perfect way to acknowledge the importance of this day. That said, for those who are off: Enjoy!
Wow- that is really fabulous with some schools doing service projects and the like. That is amazing- I wish my school did something like that. How awesome!
We have had three snow days so far and will be going on MLK day, Presidents day,a nd with one day added on at the end of the year (so far). They are now calling for 1/2" of freezing rain in the morning, so I might get it off after all.
It's been within the last few years that we've had the day off. Most years we worked, and some years we had teacher in-service. We've had the day off for maybe 5 years. I'm going to go in and work in my room tomorrow. I've got grades to finish and papers to copy. We were out all last week, so I need to tweak my lessons a bit.
See now that is what bugs me When I was in School we had Veteran's Day & Memorial Day Off because there was a parade and if you were in Marching Band you Marched! In Arizona Veteran's Day is mandated day off from school. My feeling about Martin Luther King Day is it should be a school day and Classes should be taught about Martin Luther King and the causes he stood for. Right now most of the kids just look at it as a day off.
We do not have Veteran's day off, but we do get the others. Today I am going to a free concert at the Mall and then doing a little shopping. I have a $40 gift certificate to New York and Co. and they have a coupon right now for 1/2 off a $100 purchase! Plus I have an Archiver's coupon to use before tomorrow. I might treat myself to sushi or a coffee while I am there since I probably won't spend much more than $15 for the other stops. It's gonna be an awesome day!
If the rationale is that students go to school to do "service projects" then I'm all for it. If the rationale is that it is just a regular day, then I am against it. Who regulates that students go to school on this day to be engaged in dialogue and activities about MLK? Is it built in the curriculum?? In the pacing plans?? We really don't know, we're just speculating. Who regulates that ALL teachers who taught class today spent the time to "educate" students about this important figure in history? There is no way to regulate it, that is the issue in my book. All in all, I still stand strong that it should be considered a day we observe to remember his legacy, just like we do for Veterens Day and President's Day and Columbus Day. For the districts that don't observe these other holidays, then that makes sense.
