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Showing posts from August, 2026

A Natural Sanctuary is about to unfold.

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A dead tree creates a natural bridge in Grove's new city park The chaotic hum of modern life has a way of trapping us in a state of constant survival. We rush through schedules, carry the heavy mental static of daily worries, and forget what it feels like to simply breathe. Partly because we are always carrying and worrying about our phones. But we won't go there. But sometimes, the antidote to our collective stress is waiting just across the street from my work. On a crisp morning before the blistering heat, I stepped onto the newly carved dirt paths of our town's developing park. To the casual observer, it’s a plot of native land nestled right in the middle of town, sitting quietly opposite the local school buildings. But to a weary soul, it is a living sanctuary. As my feet pressed into the fresh trail, the ambient noise of a busy town began to fade, replaced by a grand, welcoming canopy. Yes, my white tennis shoes got very dirty, but it was so worth it. The investigativ...

Learning forever. Why I am heading back to the classroom.

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  Back to school starts in most of our community next week. How did that happen? Summer flew by again! Teachers and staff go back on Monday, and so will I. I’ve already spent hours in my classroom just putting everything back where it should be after the summer cleaning and floor waxing. Being careful not to drag anything and scratch the floor, I keep forgetting I am retired! Yep, getting older is quite the adventure. Anyway, as I ponder what my school year will be like, I am still incredibly grateful and excited this opportunity dropped in my lap. It’s a different position. I'm not technically a teacher, but I have a classroom. My title is paraprofessional, but I feel like I am more than a TA or an admin. It’s going to be interesting, to say the least! I will have kids in my classroom working towards graduation, but I won’t be lecturing. They do their classwork online, and I am mostly there for supervision, help, support, and encouragement in our Alternative High School. Mahatma G...