jess!

jess_suzanne @ 2008-07-05T18:39:00

2008-07-05T22:40:11Z

pat and i are looking up recipes for margarita popsicles.

summer.

jess_suzanne @ 2008-01-21T20:21:00

2008-01-22T01:30:57Z

!!!!! I haven't posted in here forever. HI!

Wellllll since August, things have been great, but busy! I have fairly quickly gotten adjusted to living in New York and fallen into a good place at my school. I have a class full of fairly uhhh, weird kids but I do like them and i LOVE my coworkers so I am really enjoying it. Everyday is a huge challenge but for the most part has been worth it and rewarding. I can impress my class daily with things like talking about when I saw Justin Timberlake and singing Soulja Boy!

I have two pretty exciting trips lined up! Next month I am going to Seattle to visit my oldest friend Laura and stay with her for a wonderful long weekend. WE are going to go hiking and make shrinky dinks and celebrate being awesome. In April, pat and I will go to BARCELONA and get awesome and see Sarah! I am taking advantage of all my big work breaks.

My best cousin had a little baby last month and today I got to meet him! I wish I had a picture. He was asleep the whole time I was there.

Here is a picture of me and an old friend:

jess_suzanne @ 2007-08-22T18:09:00

2007-08-22T22:12:56Z

Tomorrow I'm starting work in my classroom, even though we aren't supposed to until Monday. I have so much pent up energy and my apartment is exploding in school supplies. I am nervous and disappointed since everything seems broken: laminating machine, copier, printer, computers, etc. I have put more of my own money in this year than any other year, but hopefully everything will work out.

I just stumbled upon this article that got me excited to lug four car loads of classroom stuff up to my third floor classroom in the next week:

New York Sun: City Schools Try To Replicate a Successful Formula
April 7th, 2007 · No Comments

The New York Sun
December 27, 2006 Wednesday
City Schools Try To Replicate a Successful Formula
BYLINE: SARAH GARLAND -, Staff Reporter of the Sun
SECTION: NEW YORK; Pg. 1

Download PDF Clip

Parents in Clinton Hill had nearly given up on P.S. 11. Once the gem of the district, the school had faded since the departure of a beloved principal 15 years ago. It hemorrhaged teachers, most of whom were unhappy with the subsequent administration, and test scores were in decline.
Meanwhile, the neighborhood was changing, as an influx of young families snapped up million-dollar homes on the up-and-coming blocks surrounding the school. A group of residents - some with their eyes on enrolling their children in P.S. 11 - got together to help the school. Within a few months, they had raised more than $30,000 to renovate the library, putting in new furniture and shelves.
When a new principal, Alonta Wrighton, was installed in September, she recognized the potential.
“The first thing she did was to reach out to the community … it made everyone feel included and empowered,” a former PTA president, Clement Rand, who is now the parent coordinator, said. “There’s been a major influx of parents bringing their kids back to the school - the atmosphere is really great.”
The formula for turning a failing school into a successful one has long eluded leaders in the New York City public school system. Since 2002, Mayor Bloomberg and Chancellor Joel Klein have tried to accomplish what none of their predecessors could: to replicate what is happening at P.S. 11, only at the citywide level. They have staked their careers on turning around a school system in which only half of the students can read at grade level, constantly tinkering in the search for what works.
A few city principals seem to have pinpointed one of the magic ingredients: parents. At schools in neighborhoods around the city where gentrification has diversified student populations, principals are harnessing the power of middle-class parents who have the time and resources to pitch in.
Ms. Wrighton removed the maze of filing cabinets and clutter from the main office in an effort to make it more welcoming. She recruited a parent to pick out colors for a new coat of paint in the halls. She enlisted another parent to help her write the school’s comprehensive education plan.
Now the parent group is on to its next project: working with the school to raise funds to renovate the auditorium and add a new greenhouse for the science program. Although this year’s test scores haven’t yet arrived to show whether student achievement is improving, Mr. Rand is confident it is.
“When the adults in the building are working together and working toward one common goal, it’s definitely beneficial to students,” he said. “You see that in the work they’re putting out and the behavior.”

I CAN'T WAIT TO MEET MY KIDS. I wish that was happening already.

jess_suzanne @ 2007-08-01T16:21:00

2007-08-01T20:26:33Z

since last posting i have moved to brooklyn, ny. it's awesome but still kind of weird and i have a lot of stressful ties to the dc area that in the next few months, with any luck, will dissolve.

i got a job teaching at ps 11 in clinton hill. the principal is on her second year there, and super ambitious. this makes me more nervous that i would be to start working there. i will be teaching fourth grade, not first, but i am excited nonetheless.

tonight i will watch a dr. seuss movie i have never heard about in a park in long island city. tomorrow i go to the beach with my oldest friends. i am coming back saturday to see caroline! and hang out.

jess_suzanne @ 2007-06-09T17:51:00

2007-06-09T21:55:47Z

GUYS. There is so much going on!

Tuesday is my last day with the kids at school. I am pretty sad about this and got real weepy a bunch last week. TJ asked me to take him with me this summer. I wish I could! This morning I went in and Pat helped me pack up my classroom, it looks gross and empty now.

New York move is happening! We are signing the lease for 11th street and 6th ave in park slope on Monday! I can't wait to move. I also can't wait to figure out the job situation and hang with amazing kids every day, just like this year.

OH ALSO. My oldest friend ever (since we were 5) got engaged and I'm the most excited. So many awesome friends are getting married coming up.

going away party is june 22.

jess_suzanne @ 2007-03-28T16:05:00

2007-03-28T20:14:51Z

Last night I went to Philly after work to see Justin Timberlake with some awesome ladies. I had the best time, and it was totally worth it, even though I had to take today off work. Nosebleediest seats ever, but who cards. We could see everything. Dude is a serious entertainer and I loved it. I was in Philly last weekend also, to spend some time with erica and ride bikes.

I am trying to be productive; I called ten schools in brooklyn I want to work at found out the best way to get them my resume. I need some serious work on a cover letter, I'll give myself one week.

I spent a bunch of time reading Cloud Atlas and listening to the newest Eternals record in bed today. The book is difficult to get through and I am undecided on how I feel about the record.

Next week is spring break and I am going to spend some time with my family doing Passover stuff and getting paperwork in order for my NY teaching license. Everything is happening really quickly and I am trying hard to not be overwhelmed.

I need to get out a little bit more. I guess I have been working too hard and hibernating all winter.

drug eye for gross

2007-01-03T15:27:57Z

One of the girls in my class has pink eye and I'm terrified I will catch it. She's on medicine and I talked to her doctor so she should be here but EW.

Oh. I have an interview with NYCPS on February 27. YES. I am currently researching a list of schools in Brooklyn that sound good and I would want to work at.

jess_suzanne @ 2006-12-30T22:30:00

2006-12-31T02:30:19Z

Hi friends,

Tomorrow is New Years Eve and I'm really indifferent this year but extremely content. My winter break has been relatively chill and minorly productive and I am really not looking forward to going back to work on Tuesday.

Lots to look forward to though! I'll be in nyc the weekend of the 14th to check out neighborhoods to live in. weird. I have officially applied to the new york city public schools system and i'm hopeing they'll schedule an interview with me at the job fair here in February. I am starting to research schools so i can find somewhere I am really comfortable in. I'm nervous to talk to my principal about my leaving but I need to do that as soon as possible so I can get reccomendation letters and start calling schools to ask for interviews.

What else? I got a million excellent holiday gifts and feel like the luckiest ever.

I am planning on travelling on my spring break this year with Pat, hopefully to Barcelona but it depends on plane ticket costs. We'll see.

I got a great pair of adidas high tops. Today I played scrabble and right now i am going to have a glass of wine.

jess_suzanne @ 2006-11-21T09:20:00

2006-11-21T13:20:33Z

I have been...busy. I guess. I'm sort of sick of talking about it but I have been working WAY more this year than last year. I guess I finally am figuring out how much work running a first grade classroom takes. My kids this year are different, but real cute and pretty charming. Julian is wonderful, he likes rainbows and puppies and touching my shoes. The girls are girlier and want to touch my hair. My assistant principal is a jerk and this will continue until whenever i leave.

tonight is my birthday dinner with pat and birthday drinks with friends. tomorrow is my birthday dinner with my family and birthday drinks pt. 2 with my nj friends. i am into this!

I am going to do this grad program at columbia teacher's college in 2010 if i can pull off kind of the best move ever! I like to plan early!

"The Master of Education in sociology and education (with a policy concentration option) is an advanced master's degree pursued by students who already possess a master's degree in a substantive area of education or by students without a prior master's degree who want an opportunity to combine study in sociology and education with another area in education. The program involves study of sociological perspectives and methods in the context of contemporary educational policy issues. Current substantive areas that can be combined with study in sociology and policy include: evaluation and institutional analysis, human development, technology, curriculum, administration, and foundations. Students completing this program are prepared to assume positions as specialists in a variety of organizations devoted to applied educational research, policy making, advocacy, consulting, and management of educational activities."

I just have to get through today and then fun will start. Tomorrow morning I take the train to nj. I can't wait to chill with everyone!

jess_suzanne @ 2006-09-26T10:05:00

2006-09-26T14:14:37Z

School started a few weeks ago and since then everything has been pretty insane. I have twenty kids in my class, the biggest class in the grade. I also have Rafael, the most imossible student in the history of students, and i'm trying my hardest to get a handle on everything. Thankfully I have a really supportive team to help me out. I do have a bunch of other great dudes in my class, though. Julian is the best, he loves butterflies and puppies.

I was out of town a bunch of weekends in a row, at the bay, in chicago and camping.
this is my favorite from camping:

This past weekend I did some serious chilling out and watched 12 episodes of lost.

October is going to be insane but the most fun ever! Two weddings, nyc and a weekend of hiking in the blue ridge mountains.

I am busy. busiest but really excited about everything going on! I start a grad class in balaced literacy tomorrow and i know it's really going to help my teaching.

I would like to take a nap under my desk.

¿donde esta el purro?

2006-07-15T20:22:12Z

We are in northern argentina at the most beautiful mountain town ever ever, Purmamarca. We are staying in this other mountain villiage a short ride away and the hostel we are in looks kind of like a treehouse!

Everything is the most amazing and magical ever and i wish i could upload pictures here and show them off.

Tomorrow we leave for Bolivia and i can't wait. Everything just keeps getting better and my mind is blown.

jess_suzanne @ 2006-06-20T10:13:00

2006-06-20T14:23:34Z

There is so much happening!

The kid's last day of school is THURSDAY. I have to come in Friday for a few hours to sort stuff out and then I am done! I am really excited to finish school but sort of uneasy to leave some of these kids. I know their teachers for next year and unfortunately, there are two clown second grade teachers and i'm worried some of the kids are going to get overlooked next year. I can't believe I got through my whole first year feeling like I did a pretty great job. I'm so proud of myself.

This weekend some great buddies are coming into town to hang and I can't wait. This is also my last weekend working at Nana until September maybe so that'll be good.

We leave in a little over two weeks for Argentina. I have started really looking into places I'm trying to go, specifically in Peru. There is so much to see everywhere! I haven't seen Sarah for almost five months and it'll be really great to have a long crazy hang.

Oh yeah! And we all went to NYC this weekend for the Renegade craft fair! It was awesome and I spent way too much money. Everything my friends had in it was so impressive and great and I am in awe of everyone there! YES

jess_suzanne @ 2006-05-09T07:47:00

2006-05-09T11:56:43Z

Today is some weird like, school spirit day at school where all the teachers are supposed to wear sunglasses all day. I'm not really sure how this is going to go over, but I hope my kids can take me seriously while I give them their first grade end of the year phonological assessment and then teach them some geometry in my huge sunglasses. I just counted though and there are less than 7 weeks left of school left!

That means in 9 weeks I leave for South America! I am continually overwhelmed and REALLY pumped as it gets closer. Next week I go for my shots and today after work i'm going to REI to start buying the billion things I need. This summer is going to go by the fastest, with this and with all the fun stuff like camping, hiking and tubing trips Pat and I are planning!

This weekend was Kara's birthday at the bay and even though it was missing some seriously crucial team dudes I had an awesome time. Fire pit, margaritas in the pool, and a serious sunburn. '

I am looking forward to so many awesome things coming up that I am having trouble concentrating on all my end of the year stuff at work, especially this technology portfolio that if i don't start this week I am seriously fucked. My lip was swollen this morning for an unknown reason but it's gone down a lot and I only look like I SORT OF got punched in the face!

jess_suzanne @ 2006-04-06T07:44:00

2006-04-06T11:54:57Z

Chicago was amazing last weekend. If anything was worth going there for, it was this wedding. Most fun ever. Flying with Erica was great and Kristen and Jessica were the best hostesses and I want to go back, the soonest! So many buds were there at the same time and it was the best reunion ever!

Today is the last day of third quarter. Tomorrow I need to come in for like, 3 hours and finish report cards and plans and then SPRING BREAK! I'm driving up to New Jersey and then leaving Saturday afternoon for Italy. I'm not really excited yet because there has been so much work pressure this week but I know tomorrow I'll drive 250 miles singing along with like, Chisel and the new Ghostface the whole way with the biggest smile. Dudes, Italy! What?

More about travelling: Cat and I bought our ticets to South America last week. Five weeks! I can't wait. Best summer, 2k6. HELLO.

Tuesday we took the first graders to the Natural History museum. It was so chill. JR was scared the whole time and wouldn't let go of my arm. Yesterday I got a new kid named Warner. I keep calling him Warren. Who is named Warner anyway, besides that boyfriend in Legally Blonde.

Sarah Perry: There is a sweet package coming your way, hopefully the soonest.

I haven't been sleeping enough and I feel like I am in this perpetual fog. The other night I rode my bike into a curb. oops.

jess_suzanne @ 2006-03-27T08:29:00

2006-03-27T13:34:12Z

i had a really awesome weekend. today i'm tired and this morning i overslept a little bit.
here is a list of things i'm looking forward to:
-chicago this weekend, soonest
-italy in less than two weeks (WHAT)
-buying my ticket to south america this week. this is intense. we leave in slightly more than THREE months.
-RUNNING at least two times this week. i got new shoes. they're so good.
-hiking and camping this spring
-friends having babies, friends getting married.

two things

2006-02-19T22:41:06Z

1. Emmanuella, this girl in my class, totally looks like Flavor Flav.

2. Last night I had a dream that I had triplet cousins who were all John Stossel.

jess_suzanne @ 2006-02-15T16:16:00

2006-02-15T21:20:01Z

1. dudes, life is pretty awesome lately.

2. i got romantic last saturday at a party in an awesome green dress.

3. last night i was riding my bike on columbia road between 13th and 14th and some kids hit me with a snowball. jerks.

4. i'm going to philly this weekend to hang out with awesome buddies.

5. sarah is in b.a. now being awesome and yes, i'm so pumped for her. even more pumped that cat and i will be there visiting in only FIVE MONTHS!

6. i am going to italy with my mom in april. Rome and Venice, i think. best!

7. evan and jean got married today!!!!!

8. i got so many funny valentine things from my kids, including a card that says: i love you like a duck loves water.

9. i had a shitty day at work today but i'm trying to stay positive for the awesome night of yoga and project runway ahead!

10. hello!

steady tiptip

2006-01-17T02:21:47Z

I got back from Chicago tonight and I feel pretty great about the trip. I was sort of sad to return home and away from being constantly surrounded by amazing people.

Staying with Tal was amazing, #1 best best hostess in the world. I got to spend great quality time with almost everyone I wanted to, bought some records, walked around a whole bunch and ate some really delicious food. Everyone there is doing really amazing things and having so much fun and I am in awe of them and so glad to be a part of it in some small way.

tomorrow I have to return to work and my normal world and try to pull myself together and do a billion things. On Friday I have to go to nj for this bullshit bridal shower and things seem to be pretty insane for the next few weeks: taking a grad class for work, sarah is leaving (two weeks, what?), end of the quarter, etc.

now jennifer and i are watching the golden globes and talking about how celebrities look and there isn't much else i would want to do than this.

jess_suzanne @ 2006-01-02T20:47:00

2006-01-03T01:56:05Z

Tomorrow I have to go back to work after a really awesome 12 day long Christmas break. I hung out in New Jersey for awhile, outlet shopping with my mom and seeing movies and eating delicious food. I came back to DC, spent a few days in a weed haze and had a really awesome new years eve dancing in a classy outfit.

For this new year I am trying to see one new movie per week. It's something I haven't made enough time for in the past. Today I watched Y Tu Mama Tambien and loved it, I was disapointed I waited so long to see it. Please tell me your favorites that I need to see. I am also going to try to work 7-4 most days and do my job better. Sometimes I feel like I take too many shortcuts because I am falling into some patterns and I don't want the kids in my class to have a disadvantaged learning experience because of that. I need to be more conscious, I guess.

January is going to be the busiest month for me: this weekend Sarah and I are driving to Charlotte, NC to hang out and relax. I am really looking forward to that. Next weekend I am visiting Chicago, as are Chris, Cam and Jennifer Potter. The following weekend I have to help put on this Bridal Shower for my cousin and I sort of hate this whole, overblown wedding production.

I have been sick for more than three weeks and I have been sort of too lazy to 100% acknowledge it and I think it's going away. I promised myself that if it's still bad on wednesday, I'll call the doctor.

jess_suzanne @ 2005-11-24T10:28:00

2005-11-24T15:34:14Z

I am at my parents house right now. For the first time I can remember, I had the BEST TIME EVER out on the night before Thanksgiving. Seriously best #1 which ended with us leaving the bar and it was starting to snow and we were all so happy and laughing so hard on the way home. There were a lot of talks between me and laura and michele and jess about the general: why isn't it like this all the time?! and I'm really happy. In my usual trend of extending my birthday celebration as long as possible, I didn't pay for drinks and was in my party attitude. YES

Also Joe P #1 best dude EVER.

So today we are going OUT FOR THANKSGIVING and I'm glad my brother is with me when we discuss how depressing it is and it's ok to be babies about it. Since my Grandfather is dead and my mom doesn't speak to her brother or sister anymore, my grandmother is too depressed to deal with a big thing for just five people. Ugh. I'm planning on hitting up Michele's Thanksgiving after ours mostly just to eat stuffing and pet her dogs.

yes!

oh yeah, and awesome kids

2005-11-21T18:57:16Z

one of my kids today made this sort of brilliant observation that his eraser that sits on top of his pencil looks like darth vadar's helmet. he said, "may the force be with you, ms. meller."

so good.

3 ring

2005-11-21T15:01:13Z

So I guess I sort of celebrated my birthday this weekend. My brain is still in a fog from everything and I am struggling to keep it together at work today. I overslept AN HOUR late this morning and ran around the house and got to work just as the kids got here.

I need to make a final decision if I leave for NJ tomorrow after work or Wednesday morning. I am so easily guilted into doing stuff like leaving early.

Yesterday, after a big hangover and a gross brunch, Erica and I went to georgetown and I got a lot of craft supplies. I came home and made a jewelry box and started a scarf and listened to records from like 6pm to 10pm. Best thing. I also saw Harry Potter Friday and it was pretty chill.

I am excited to spend time with my family even though I just saw them like, a month ago.

There is a teacher in this school whose license plate says JZIZ4ME. And oh yeah, Sarah is going to Buenos Aires and it's so awesome for her and also I will visit and I am so excited.

jess_suzanne @ 2005-11-09T19:02:00

2005-11-10T00:11:37Z

I am reading the new Jonathan Kozol book and can't put it down even though i can't stop crying. It's a little less personal and intimate than his last book, which is a bummer but it talks about how the school systems have instituted a sort of unsaid apartheid. I can see this happening, very slowly, where I work (#1 most "diverse" school in a very diverse district) and it is horrifying.

That being said, one of my favorite kids had his last day in my class today. Housing prices are so high their family is moving about 30 miles south. I got really upset and so did a lot of the other kids, except for Emmanuela who just burped. She's so frustrating.

On a positive note, I have Friday off of work and don't have to be in until 8:30 tomorrow! Caroline is going to be in town and I am really looking forward to spending some time with her. Things have been busier than I would prefer and I am trying to focus on the upcoming holidays, my birthday, and some time off of work.

If you're reading this I probably miss you and would like to see you more than I do. Let's hang.

jess_suzanne @ 2005-10-12T11:42:00

2005-10-12T16:04:29Z

After reading Sarah's entry, I am got reminded of how lazy I have been as well. Working all the time, and working super long hours is really wearing me down. When I finally get home after leaving the house at 6:30, I'm so tired that all I feel like doing is laying on the couch and reading and drinking tea. Then I want to eat and go to bed. Everything else seems to take all this extra energy I just don't have. Again, it could be the weather. Whatever. Last weekend was sort of a bust because of this. Whatever is going on I better snap out of it, and soon.

Highlights of my days include reading George's Marvelous Medicine to my kids and being sort of ridiculous and make them laugh. Jerson is my project. I know if he gets more confidence he'll do better. So he sits at my desk and I work with him a lot. I think it's working well. I have so much planning time today since my kids are in science lab for AN HOUR and I just get to hang. Best thing.

This is going nowhere but I guess, even though I'm tired and workign a lot, I feel pretty fufilled because I'm actually seeing progress and accomplishing something with these kids. I wlll post a picture of them soon. The next three weekends are going to be super busy (Sarah's bday, NJ to see my family, Philly to hang and see Ghostface) and I can't wait.

Oh yeah, I still work at Nana on the weekends. I have to pick up the kids now.

jess_suzanne @ 2005-09-05T11:04:00

2005-09-05T15:11:14Z

Tomorrow school starts. After spending 10-13 hour days working on my classroom last week, I feel more or less ready to go. I had a good weekend that included a lot of visitors, some semblance of a party, a show, a museum and a small doggy.

I talked and thought a lot about this upcoming week, how I can't pronounce half of my kids names, the 8 or so different countries the 17 of them are from and the fact that I met three of them on friday. They were, of course, the cutest little guys ever. We're going to have so much fun tomorrow.

I hope I spend today eating a burrito, buying groceries and finishing my lesson plans. They told me not to worry about teaching science or social studies for the first month, but I'm going to try to squeeze in something next week. The assistant principal is supposed to be scary but I sort of like her. Last week I fell off the window ledge but I didn't get hurt.

I need to drag myself out of bed and make some coffee. I can't stop thinking about the dog that was here. Or Anthony and Tal and how they're the best people ever.