The One where the long commute made me weary 1997-98

 THE ONE WHERE THE LONG COMMUTE MADE ME WEARY 1997-1998: *Wichita Public Schools: Earhart Environmental Magnet  K-5 Library

1997-1998 School Year Photo
Our oldest son had just turned 5 years old in early August and could have started Kindergarten. We decided to hold him back a year. Our only option was a local daycare that had a Preschool program. I used a reading program called Animated Literacy to teach Logan how to read when I was home two days a week. Brad and I also coached Soccer for our sons' team. Our busy life as well as the early 8:00 AM start was getting to be too much for this busy Wife/Mom/Librarian. I started asking about other part time library jobs closer to home.


Earhart Camping 
Our school eventually got more computers in the Library as well as a modem and an internet connection. Our building had one email address. I will never forget my students' excitement as we tracked live (as best as we could in 1998) the Winter Olympics. In my students eyes our internet connection was high tech and nothing like they had ever seen. If you are of a certain age you remember the sound that dial up made when you connected to the World Wide Web.  I used the Winter Olympics  as a research project. I have always loved teaching research centered around the Winter Olympics. If the 2022 Winter games occur I will do so one last time. 


 Archery was the best part of camping
In the spring of 1998 I applied for a position at something new that USD 259 had created at some of its magnet Schools. It was called Edison  Schools Inc. Edison claimed that it could run public schools for less money than school districts could, and that it would improve student achievement while making a profit for its shareholders. Edison attracted ideological support from backers of privatization and school vouchers. Honestly the only reason I was interested was that it was closer to home and had a 9:00 am instead of an 8:00  starting time. I got an interview and I knew within 10 minutes that it would not be a good match for me. I remember the Principal asking me if I could envision myself at his school. I answered honestly and said no and I thanked them for their time and left the interview. I did like the idea of all students having computers in their homes to use but was honestly taken back by the school's desire for parents to have access to staff members during after school hours.


Johnson family 1998
I did want a school closer to my home but I also wanted to continue using Flexible scheduling in the Library. The staff at Earhart had seen to it that we would be using a block schedule in the future. I knew how powerful flexible scheduling and creating a partnership was to a strong Library program. If only I could find a part time position with flexible scheduling that was closer to my home? I thought I had hit the jackpot when I applied for and was hired to be the Librarian at Lewis Open Magnet for the 1998-1999 school year. My new first year Administrator was very supportive of my use of flexible scheduling in the library. 


I REGRET having left Earhart
Years later I can honestly say that my leaving Earhart was a BIG MISTAKE, HUGE!  I naively thought that I could “run” from block scheduling. I do know that things in the late 1990’s began to change for Library in USD 259. It felt like the “glory days” of the school library were over. I regret leaving Earhart. I should have stayed and adapted to the block schedule in a school that I loved.  It is something I had to eventually do by the year 2002 when the block schedule along with a professional development day became the norm. 

Look for my next blog entry10/9/21 entitled THE ONE WHERE MY STUDENTS CALLED ME NATALIE 1998-1999: *Wichita Public Schools: Lewis Open Magnet K-5 Library

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