Stretch's 60th

Hey if you guys haven't watched the video (link it here really- or just look at Chris's website, people) Chris made for Stretch you got to check it out. It's 20 minutes long but totally worth it. Stick around for the end, there's an extra special surprise.

What a stud! I love this guy- this is family history 21st-century style. I love that the music of The Brothers is playing at the beginning. You guys need to make a CD of all the fan faves: Rocky Top, The MTA, Sound of Silence... definitely those chart-toppers.

Uncle Jeffie

Mother steals the show at Spelling Bee

"It's mine, all mine!!!!"

Maricopa Elementary was the scene of unprecedented behavior last week, when Jenna Scoresby, local mother, housewife, and village idiot, stole the show at the local spelling bee in the midst of horrified onlookers. Scoresby, who appeared to reak of alchohol, stormed the judges table in an apparent rage over their alleged mistake of her son's word 'anoint.' Several parents had to restrain Scoresby, who apparently used some of her father's karate to finagle the Champion's trophy, who she believed belonged to her son. It was a sad, disgusting display of a helicopter Mom gone mad. One can only speculate the thoughts going through her son Conner's mind, as he sat there incredulously, wishing it all would end. And where was her husband during this abomination? At home, on the couch. One can only wonder what these children are forced to endure at home. As for Jenna, there's only one word she'll have to learn to spell for the next 3-6 months: incarceration.

Guitar Club

The elementary kids at Hibbard have been hounding me for months to have a guitar club, so I finally relented. We are going to meet each Wednesday at noon recess. The kids have to get their own guitar and have it brought to the school because they cannot be brought on the bus.

I developed a website for the kids to use, which has the music we will play as well as a video of me playing the music with them. They can email me with questions, comments, etc. We'll see how it goes.

If anyone wants to participate, just go to http://d321.k12.id.us/HE/GuitarClubII.htm and jump right in. In these tough economic times its great to have something that is free. I would embed the video here, but the accompanying sheet music wouldn't look the same. If you go to the website it is all there.

You may also visit our Hibbard Elementary Video Gallery at http://www.schooltube.com/videosearch.php?q=hibbard

Our top video was a Thanksgiving video where kindergarten children described how to cook a turkey. It has been hit over 800 times.

Other videos are about what third graders woud do if they were elected president. We also have the news, weather and sports that is a big hit. Some of the others were short videos designed to train teachers on different teaching techniques and programs. Three more are short videos I made to help kids get ready for the Idaho Standards Achievement Tests. They feature key vocabulary words kids should know in order to score well. We are not yet ready for Sesame Street, but the kids and parents love them regardless.

The sculpture of Abraham Lincoln video has been hit over 600 times, and the one where kids tell what they know about Abe has 661. If you go to the top and search you can find videos made that explain everything from long division to daily school announcements. We really like School Tube. It is well policed, clean and best of all, free.

So, come and join Guitar Club for some good, clean, free fun.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOZER

So there he was, the man I have trashed repeatedly, standing before me, as large as life itself. Awestruck? A little. Remorseful? Not really, I figure he deserves a little cricism. After all, he's a professional athlete! They brush it off like the never-ending supply of dog hair on Mom's couch. After a month long marathon of reading (and doctoring of the kids' reading slips, according to some naysayers), our school once again was one of the top 10 schools in the Wasatch front to win an assembly featuring a Jazz player. But hey, like Lavar Burton used to say, "Don't take my word for it..." So, here's KSL's story featuring Boozer's visit that ran on the 5 o'clock news. KJZZ and NBAtv were also there, so it was quite a media circus. How did all the news channels hear about this? Why email of course, thanks to yours truly. Unfortunately, I didn't appear on local news. However, I did a 5 minute interview for NBAtv for the NBA Cares program featuring athletes who reach out to their communties through various programs such as reading to kids. The guy doing the interview told me this footage could be on either a halftime show, or commercial on NBAtv, ESPN, TNT, or any other network that shows the NBA. So, I am famous after all! As for the reading slips, did I check all 1,100 slips that came in each week to ensure the kids could have a memory of a lifetime assembly that they'll never forget? Of course!!!!He was really tall in person, although I could easily take him in a game of one-on-one...

The real shock came when he was actually able to sound out all the words together resembling someone reading. I guess some guys in the NBA actually do get an education...

The real star of the assembly was the guy in the background...and Booz knew I was the go-to-guy.

Our school read a total of 1,819,264 minutes during the month of February. During this time, I did very little teaching, as most of my time was spent painting banners, delivering prizes, filling in the thermometer, and most of all... pushing the kids to read! As I told the kids each day..."Remember....KEEP READING!" (or telling your parents to sign your slip saying you read 10 hours a night just to make Mr. Shirley happy). As for winning three years in row? We all know who'll make that happen...

Karate Kids

You can guess what I found when rummaging around in one of my photo albums. That's right, out-takes from the Karate Kids! I am anxious to hear your comments on these photos. When were they taken?

I think this one was taken sometime in 1992, or possible 1993. Brett, Brandon and I were teaching karate in Idaho Falls. This is the collection of trophies we won at various tournaments. This is Brandon's black belt test. Brett and Brandon are going at it. I always had to watch out for Brandon's right hand. Brett had one of the fastest front snap kicks around. I was much taller at the time, but he still nailed me many times, and still does.

This is another shot of Brandon's black belt test. It doesn't look like Willy Green saw this one coming. Brandon liked to kick high. We were supposed to pull our punches. Opps, didn't say anything about the kicks. This is the presentation of Brandon's black belt. Brett and I already had ours. We found out that all a belt is good for is keeping your pants up. It doesn't even do that when you are wearing a karate uniform. I found it interesting that neither Brett nor Brandon liked to tell people that they were black belts. I think they took very serious the phrase we repeated each and every class period: "Karate is my secret, I pray I never have to use it."

February Idaho visit

So it was a few weeks ago that we went to Idaho, but here are a few pictures anyway, Ash was there, but wouldn't let me take any pictures of her. We encountered a horrible snowstorm on the way up, and I wanted to turn back several times, but didn't want to hear from Mom about how we never come up there... There was a lot of snow up there, luckily I didn't have to shovel any (not that I would anyway). Annie was fun to tease, but it was more fun to see Mom's reaction when I did... She'll never carry Cash's collar... I tried to train her, but she wasn't smart enough... No Idaho visit would be complete without a visit to Jud's, and they even shaped the bun like a heart! (to express their love for their best customer, of course) It's only fitting, since the 3 pounds of cholesterol I ate was soooo good for my heart.... Napkins? Who needs them... I should have ordered 2... Here's Dad's ice sculpture of Abe Lincoln at his school. I told him he didn't look honest enough. It was really 'cool' to see in person though...

Annie was completely worthless, not to mention how hyper and annoying she was, but that's what you get when you go to Idaho. It was a great visit though! Mom and Dad, see you again in 6-8 months (or more). Feel free to not comment on any of the pictures.