Work While It is Day

Jesus reminds us in John 9 to "to work the works of him who sent me (you), while it is day; night comes, when no man can work." As God's family we have a responsibility to do works as God directs us. The time will come, when we can no longer work. This fits into the idea of Parousia: the second coming. Students wrote a response in their journals to... If jesus was coming back today, how would I spend this day? Answers varied: ask for forgiveness, be good, live a full day, do what I am doing, pray, read the Bible. The Good News is that we don't know the day, but rather our focus should be to complete the "work" of each day.

We started English comparing how a simple literacy style (like Hemingway) differs from an ornate literary style. I used the visual: a simple Charlie Brown Christmas Tree vs. the full elaborate decorated tree on the White House lawn. Thus we read the short story, "The Lady, or the Tiger" by Frank Stockton. The language in this story is crafted with multi-layered pictureque adjectives and descriptive nouns. At the end of the story, we discussed why the author may use this style: paint descriptions, create a royal pompous setting, and feed the dilemma of jealousy vs. despair. The writing uses subtle exaggeration as a complement to the exaggerated behavior of the king. Students will construct a conclusion to the story (did a Tiger or beautiful bride come out of the door? )with ornate sentences.

Geography 7 were first given instruction about HIV/AIDS. Then students read a short essay by an 8th grade boy in Malawi telling about the impact of HIV/AIDS in his village. This young man was brought to the states 3 years ago to share his poetry. We felt sad to realize that his father (before he died) made only $5 a month. From our discussion, this great idea took shape. Let's gather money to buy an animal for a family in a third-world country. Yes, these are your students talking... thoughtful and aware that we can do something to make a difference. I talked to Mr. Eaton and he also thought it was a great idea. In fact, there was an article in a recent Catholic Digest talking about this opportunity through the "heifer project."
So stay tuned, we may be buying a goat, a cow, or a camel for a needy family. This is Advent...taking on the poverty of others (working while it is day).

Math 6 students did estimation with decimals. Their assignment due tomorrow is: problems 9-28 on page 67. All students arrived with Math books. Thank you. History 6 students read together info. about the Phoenicians. Next, we are on the Egypt and the Nile River Civilization.

English students were reminded at the end of the day that we will make a quick trip to the dollar store tomorrow after the spelling test to get wrapping, bags, etc. for the Winter Wonderland. If students bring a dollar or two, that is good. Also I alerted students to the possiblity of the heifer project. Advent begins on Sunday. This is a busy season as we enter the Church New Year.

Good luck to the basketball team tonight. Have a safe trip and enjoy the game! I expect to hear all about it tomorrow.

God-words and God-wisdom

Today in our opening devotions we talked about the end times. Jesus promises in Luke that "he will give his faithful disciples the wisdom they need in times of trial." (Children's Daily Prayer). God-words and God-wisdom will be there for us when we NEED it. May we continue to store up His words that they may spring "easily to our lips when we need them." (CDP)

Our faith-knowledge was increased today as Father Frank instructed us about the Franciscan Order of Saints. May we learn from their example of helping the poor by sharing with those around us. We may share gifts of money, clothes, friendship, words of encouragement. Father Frank invited us to attach our names and lives to holy living.

Geography 7 students presented Sahara Desert landscapes and their stories of living in the desert (Sahel or urban landscape). One student owned a camel train, another prayed 5x a day, another ate cheese, goat milk, drank tea, another was fighting with neighbors for water, some lived in tents, others in mud huts. There was evidence the DVD planted some facts in students. These creative landscapes will be on display in our hall by Friday. We concluded with the question, how does learning about the Sahara Desert influence our thinking and lives in Ashland? We discussed poverty, dust in our homes, value of water, better understanding of global concerns, importance of breast-feeding, etc. Thank you 7th grade scholars; you taught us about the nitty-gritty of desert life.

Math 6 students practiced the problem solving strategy of making tables. We looked at examples and then students were assigned problems at the top of page 65: problems 1-4. It is required to make tables to complete this assignment. Two students completed the assignment during class. For other students, it is homework.
I am having problems with students not bringing math books to class: left at home, lost, in my locker, etc. are excuses are hear daily. I will be deducting 10 points daily when a student does not bring the math book. Sorry if this sounds drastic, but it is essential for students to have books to refer to examples and to complete the assignments. Responsibility is a lifelong skill.

English 8 students wrote letters to classmates from last year. They worked on this while I talked to a perspective Spanish teacher. It looks hopeful to offer 8th grade Spanish! All students turned in final persuasive essays!

History 6 students did a worksheet as a response to an article we read yesterday about Mesopotamia (Babylon). We are finished with this unit. On to a new civilization.

Thanks again basketball teams and coaches for some great ball playing last night. Our OLL students play hard and well. Be proud of them.

Parousia: The Second Coming

I am posting this on MY computer in MY classroom. Thank you Brother Tom.
We started the day with instruction about the church calendar and how we are in the last days of this calendar year. A time to talk about Parousia: When Jesus returns (the second coming). Students shared Bible passages about the "second coming" and made symbols to help us remember: surrounded by angels, in glory, life-giving water, as a thief in the night.

For English we returned to Mrs. Punjak's classroom to check the second drafts of her students. There were many improved narratives and some still to be worked on. I think on the second drafts we felt the tension of "trust" that defines the writer-reader relationship. Some students did not address the suggestions and felt relunctant to have their papers marked. Some changes 8th graders did not point out. I felt a little frustrated with the 8th graders (I shared this with them), but after discussing the situation, I realized that they were feeling the sensitivity and subjectivity that goes with editing another person's writing. It is important to keep "talking" and giving value to the perspective each person (writer and reader) brings to the paper. As peer editors, we do not want to squash the creative spirit of young writers or be too harsh. 8th graders were more in tune with this than I had detected. I realized that I needed to apologize... and I did. What a blessing to be attached to a school family that practices forgiveness. Thank you 3rd grade students and 8th grade students for your good work.

7th grade geography students finished up desert landscapes and fictional accounts of their lives in the desert. These will be presented in class tomorrow.

6th grader students (3) will present their visuals of Mesopotamia. If we have time, we will read from the Jr. Scholastic magagine an article about Mesopotamia.

8th grade English students at the end of the day will use the time to type final persuasive essays. These are due tomorrow.

Be sure to attend the OLL home game tonight. You will share their joy about their new sweatshirts....awesome!

God's Perspective

Welcome back students! How good to be together again.
We opened with prayer and thanksgiving for safe keeping of all students and staff. We also included in our prayers Pope Benedict's upcoming trip to Turkey. For our Gospel lesson we read the story of the widow's offering of two small copper coins. Jesus honored her gift as he pointed out that "she gave our of her poverty." This story certainly plants a challenge in our understanding of faith and raises the question: What is the full-meaning of poverty in this passage? As Christians, we continue to seek and re-seek God's perspective (not the world's) to order our lives.

8th grade students shared some of the events of this 5-day break. Some great stories of hunting deer, eating turkey, watching movies, time with relatives... and some needed "down" time.
For English, 8th grade students went to Mrs. Punjak's Third Grade classroom to help young writers on their first personal narratives. Mrs. Punjak went over the assignment expectations with us and then students teamed up one-on-one. One of the best ways to become a better writer is to teach others how to write. Thank you Mrs. Punjak for inviting us to partner with your students. When we returned to the classroom, we briefly shared our experiences and talked about how letting someone critique our writing can feel risky. Our first objective is to "encourage" writers. Thank you 8th graders for your support through good questions and conversational editing of 3rd grade narratives.

Weekly vocabulary words were given to 8th grade students. The remainder of the period was used to work on this assignment or type final persuasive essays on
Tears of a Tiger rough drafts that were returned with suggested corrections. This assignment is due on Wednesday. Today all CD book reports were turned in.

Math 6 students did a review math problem that emphasizes the "order of operations." Then we reviewed the interpretation of numbers to the right and left of the decimal point. Students did a worksheet regarding averages of NBA players.
This is due Wednesday. Also 3 students will present Mesopotamian visuals tomorrow.

Geography 7 students worked on Desert landscapes. Tomorrow they will work out their narrative stories about "daily life in the desert." Wednesday landscapes presented with stories are due.

Hope you caught the article and picture of Ms. Shields and her buck in the
Ashland Daily Press. A nice tribute to a hard-working Mother and Teacher at OLL.

Magnify God with Thanksgiving

We are called in faith to practice thanksgiving. As we give thanks, it transforms our lives and enlarges the view of God for others: um... interesting faith formula. Sounds like a win-win. Today 8th graders read verses about thanks and thanksgiving. We talked about how thanks can be a noun as well as an action verb. Students then sprung into action and wrote letters of thank-you to our Franciscan clergy. Becky also organized our class to write a get-well card to Father Conan. I will deliver this on my way home today.

Thank you Ms. Shields for sharing your 6th grade actors and actresses in a "reader's theater" on the book BFG by Roald Dahl.

Our schedule has been shifted around today. This is good. We had some time to get outside to enjoy the beautiful weather. What a thanksgiving gift!

Reminder: 6th grade World History students will present their Mesopotamia visuals on Tuesday; 3 still need to present. There will be no more class time for this project. 8th grade English students: CD book report is due on Monday and final Tears of a Tiger essay (typed) is due on Wednesday. Plan to turn in rough draft with the final. (I check to see that you addressed the corrections that were defined on the rough draft.)

Our students and myself wish all of you a wonderful Thanksgiving. May your plates be filled abundantly and your hearts be filled with the love of family, friends and our God. We also pray for those who feel the loss of family members during the holidays. I am thankful to be a teacher at OLL and to share this journey of faith with our students, their families, and my hard-working colleagues. Happy Thanksgiving.

It is good to give thanks to the Lord

We started this short week talking about the value of giving thanks. It is good for us and good for others..."to show that the Lord is upright." Ps. 50: 15a It is good to "declare God's steadfast love in the morning, and His faithfulness by night" Ps. 50: 2

8th grade students then shared with the class what they did this weekend. Some were hunting, visiting relatives, watching movies, etc. It sounded like everyone had a good weekend. We included special prayers today for Joe, Connor (hunting), Sam (visiting relatives) and Mrs. Trapp and Mrs. Newago.

For English, we then walked down to Vaughn Library. It was easy to give "thanks" today walking in the beautiful sunshine. Then we headed over to the Black Cat Coffe House for hot chocolates, sodas, etc. I shared some of my favorite poems with the students: On Reading Poems to a Senior Class at South High, The Tyger, On Turning Ten, The Red Wheelbarrow. We talked about our first responses and what we noticed about each poem. "On Turning TEN" by Billy Collins triggered memories of how our perspectives changed at age 10 (childhood to new awareness). Life didn't seem so happy after 10.
It seems only yesterday I used to believe
There was nothing under my skin but light
If you cut me I would shine
But now when I fall upon the sidewalks of life,
I skin my knees. I bleed.

This cozy atmosphere seems more hospitable for sharing poetry. Students got back just in time to go to U.S. History class.

History 6 students presented Mesopotamia landscapes and posters. James and Nick: Wow, again an outstanding response to an assignment. These young men used time at home to construct models of a Mesopotamian village that included some of the inventions of this creative group of humans.

Geography 7 students are working on Sahara Desert landscapes. This truly is a "nitty-gritty" assignment. The landscapes includes 3 layers of the desert.

Thank you God for these outstanding young scholars.

A Shelter from the Storm

Aaron led our morning devotions. We were reminded in the Gospel to heap kindness on others including our enemies. Thank you Aaron. In addition to our morning prayer, we included special prayers for the Trapp and Newago family. We made and signed cards today. The past two weeks have brought sadness and loss to several families at OLL. We keep them in our prayers. We talked about God as our "shelter from the storm and a shade from the heat" (Isaiah 25: 4c). He is with us in all seasons.

8th graders did their spelling test, shared their word sentences and turned in vocabulary words. Also student submitted typed persuasive "rough draft" essays today. Please applaud this class that everyone got his/her work in on time. Looking at some rough drafts, this class continues to show progress in writing. I am now addressing "clarity and fluency" and focused introductions and complete conclusions to push them even higher. The thesis statements in their essays are solid and well defended (quotes and surveys). Students also worked on their Tears of a Tiger CD book reports: 8 character song titles.

Later today 6th grade math students will make grids to visually show decimals. They also will have time to work on their Mesopotamia boards. These boards are due on Monday.

Last night, I was able to be at the 8th basketball game with Drummond. Wow, our students hit the floor running and didn't let up until the final buzzer. Not only do they play with hands and feet, they play with their hearts. Several students played almost the entire game. Thank you coaches and players.

FYI: Yesterday I posted my blog to save as draft, but with internet connection difficulties, it got lost. Yes, this happens to teachers too.
The all-school Thanksgiving meal we had was delicious and festive. I appreciated getting to know some elementary students better. The table decorations added to this festive occasion and I can't say enough about the full menu of tasty food. Thank you Ms. Nancy and Mr. Mike, our gourmet chefs in the OLL kitchen. Also Ms. Shields and Mrs. Marita along with a few students worked diligently to set-up and clean up. How wonderful to have Mrs. Anich join us. I am thankful to be part of a school family that strives to keep our faith community strong. Thank you Mr. Eaton for your leadership and spirit of service to all of us.
Next week several students will be visiting relatives and/or deer hunting. Students, who will be out, already have their assignments or understand they will make up the work upon their return. May God keep everyone safe.

Lives of Faith

Today we started the day with pledge and prayer. We then joined the 4th grade before Liturgy to practice songs. Father Henry's homily reminded us today that in our lifestyle of faith in God we should be: obedient, peaceable, gracious, and thankful. Let us not grow weary of serving God and others.

Geography 7 students started their desert projects today. These models will feature 3-layers of a desert: barren desert, sahel, and village life.

Math 6 students will do the unit test today. For history, they will start on their Mesopotamia "artifact" boards. Some students may choose to do a model of Mesopotamia.

Tomorrow is our school Thanksgiving feast. Please have your student dress up for this special occasion. We will enjoy many blessings tomorrow as a community of faith. Everyone will share in the work and enjoyment of this special dinner.

This blog is short, but I hope sweet. Many of us have special friends and family that need our prayers. May we be faithful prayer warriors. Brother Tom continues to exhibit incredible patience as he masters the "bugs" in my classroom computer. Success is close at hand.

p.s. I had to revisit this blog to inform you that our persuasive speech elections did not go as planned. We are not sure who won and we are not sure who voted. What we do know is that the election did not work right. Perhaps there is a learning experience here beneath the surface, but it is not obvious to me. If you feel confused, ask an 8th grader to explain it you. Then you will realize that what I wrote is very clear! We do all agree it was fun.... well... almost! Congratulations to the winners (we think): Quin and Clare

Nothing Can Separate Us from the Love of God

We started our day reading the verses from Romans 8 that assure us God is with us for the long haul. Nothing can separate us from His love. This promise also holds true as we consider the story of the church: tribulation, peril, sword, death, etc. Today we read how the Meditteranean Sea offered access to spread the Gospel in European countries during 500 A.D. - 1000 A.D. There were set-backs, but the Gospel continued to transform the lives of those connected to this unchanging love of God. We continue to live this promise today in God's church on earth.

English 8 students read their autumn poetry. We felt poetry with our senses: see, smell, taste, touch and hear. Northern Wisconsin is God's masterpiece of seasonal changes. Students were then instructed in the correct uses of apostrophes and did a practice lesson in the book.

Geography 7 students watched Michael Palin's Sahara Desert series. Good information that gives us a window into a lifestyle entirely different from our.

History 6 students practiced the meaning of the word "midden" (trash heap, garbage). This garbage becomes a treasure store for archeologists. Students made lists of 10 items that may be "dug" 1000 years from now that tell about our culture in 2006.

This past weekend I attended the Ashland High play Pride and Prejudice. There was our student from last year on stage, Jenny M. Great job Jenny. Nice to see you.

Please join us in praying for people who need God's healing presence and touch in their lives: Sarah F., Don K. and many others that we keep close in our heart.

Grassroots (monastic) Movement

Welcome to Monday. A new week in the second quarter of our academic journey. Today we got back to our Church History books. We read about the beginning of the monastic movement in the 4th century: a grassroots movement by devout laypeople. We talked about this phrase... the monastery became "a powerhouse of prayer and work." What does this mean?

English 8 students were given vocabulary words for the week. Test and vocab. are due on Friday. Plans for a persuasive essay were returned and the 5-paragraph rough draft (typed) is due on Friday. Tuesday 8th graders will read their typed sensory autumn poems. Students also completed a fairy-tale homonym worksheet.

Math 6 students did review problems as a preparation for the unit test. They did problems 24-40 (even) and 41-48 (show work) on p. 55. This is due Wednesday. The test will also be on Wednesday.

Geography 7 students read and discussed the lifestyle of the Tuareg tribal people in the Sahara Desert. We talked about ways to conserve the soil in this fragile ecosystem. We then got somewhat sided-tracked talking about racial differences and stereo-typing groups of people. This conversation is actually closely related to geography as we consider other "perspectives" and ways of viewing our world.

Students not in choir at the end of the day used the time to complete work.

Thank you everyone for your great support for our school bazaar. I know that several students from jr. high volunteered their time over the weekend. Great photo in the press today!

The Word Became Flesh...

We started our day with the Children's Daily Prayer. We read John 1: 14 The Word became Flesh and dwelt among us. We remember Saint Leo the Great; he helped people to understand that Jesus is 100% God and 100% human. Students journaled what this 200% Jesus means to them and our world. Many good thoughts were recorded: Our world would not be the same, this defies logic, seeing is believing, hard to accept, Jesus knows what we have to go through, God cared enough to give His Son. Yes through faith, we participate in a dynamic mystery that invites us to grow in joy and understanding in our walk with Jesus.

English 8 students did the Friday spelling test and shared their drawings of vocabulary words. All students turned in their persuasive essay PLANS... yay! Then it was back to Santa's workshop as student packaged fudge, crafts, etc. for the bazaar. (gentle reminder: typed autumn sensory poems are due next Tuesday. Some are already done.)

Math/History 6 students will have today to catch up on all work due this week. For those who are done, they will help with holiday bazaar signs. A couple students will leave early to get ready for the veteran's program.

Looks like a wonderful Veteran's program this afternoon. I hope that many of you will join us to say thank you to so many who gave so much.

Thank you to all parents who came last evening. I appreciate your support and deep love for your children and your concern for their academic growth. I hope that I listened well and will respond to your concerns. Please keep this coversation going.

Be sure to come to the bazaar for some great Christmas items. We have something for everyone... and also will be serving some wonderful food. You not only get a head start on Christmas shopping, you are helping our school to meet our ongoing financial needs to raise up holy men and women of God, who can make a difference in our needy world. See you at the Bazaar!

Thank You

It is Thursday evening and I am home. I extend a thank-you to all parents who came to our teacher-conferences this evening. It is a privilege and pleasure to be in a school family where students are supported with such love and concern. Your questions were good, your concerns were heard, and I remain thankful that you include me (and others) in this journey of life and learning with your children. Thank you for coming.

Earlier today I had to be out in the morning. Mr. Eaton, our Principal, filled in on a-last-minute notice. Thank you Mr. Eaton.

These are some assignments due:
8th Grade on Friday: spelling test, vocabulary worksheet, and 5-paragraph persuasive essay PLAN. Remember too, that next Tuesday you have an autumn/Thanksgiving sensory poem (typed) due.

Math 6: page 54 Sets A and B odd numbers. We usually spend the first 15 minutes of class doing warm-ups and examples. This gives students enough time to finish most of the assignment so I can address their questions and offer support.

Tomorrow at 2 p.m. is the Veteran's Day program: an opportunity to say thank-you to those who served our country on our behalf.

Thank you again for your support to our students in many ways. Don't forget the holiday bazaar this weekend. Our rooms look like Santa's workshops with ornaments, food, glitter, glue, and ribbons. I am sure there will be something for every shopper who comes to the weekend bazaar. Come and enjoy supporting the creative energy of our students... and the generous contributions of so many supporters of our school.

The Good Fight of Faith

Our day started with a reading from 1 Timothy 6: Fight the good fight of the faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called... I thought of this verse last night watching our OLL basketball athletes in their match against AMS. No we did not win, but our students played to win up the last minute. Even when weary, our students did not let up. Even when fresh players came in from AMS, our students fought hard to get the ball and make points. I truly felt proud of the passion and determination that defined our team last night. I even enjoyed thinking how students at our school get quality "play time." They are more than token players; they are in the game (of basketball, volleyball, life, faith) to make a difference. I felt like I started the day as a cheerleader. So go OLL: Fight the good fight of faith.

Father Frank's homily was a perfect fit for our thinking. He challenged us to put aside grumbling, and be ready to take on the chores/responsiblities that we are called to do. Let us refer to the example of our basketball players last night when we grow weary.

Geography 7 students were to turn in Desert term definitions/drawings today. We read information text about the Sahara Desert and then watched part of a video on Desert Animals and How They Grow. The video is designed for a younger audience but cute and clever enough to be entertaining as well as informative.

Math 6 students were struggling with 4-operation problems. I demonstrated step-by-step two problems. Students were required to write the steps down with me. Then they were assigned problems 16-19 on p. 50. This is due tomorrow.

English 8 students were given instruction on writing a 5-paragraph persuasive essay. We used wearing uniforms as our example. Students were given an assignment sheet on writing a 5-paragraph essay on whether Tears of a Tiger is a good book to read in 8th grade. Students will turn in an essay 5-paragraph plan on Friday. This plan clearly layout what students will cover in their paper and what evidence they will use to support their opinions.

History 6 students are presenting their Mesopotamia stories using cuneiform words. If time permits, they will do a word-search on terms for this unit.

Don't forget parent-teacher conference tomorrow. I look forward to sharing this time with you. Check in the office if you are unsure of your time slot. Thanks...we are in this "good fight" together. God bless.

Come and Dine

After pledge and prayer today, we sang Happy Birthday to Aaron. Another wonderful OLL student is celebrating the beginning of a 14th year of life.
Students then wrote in their journals about who they would invite to a grand banquet. Our guest list included celebrities, sports stars, singers, relatives. We then read from Luke 14 Jesus' story of the grand banquet. The host prepared the best of food and sent His servant to tell the guests to come and dine. They all had excuses (even some good ones) why they could not come. The host then extended the invitation to everyone (many regarded as losers). We see God in this story. He invites everyone (no limitations)TODAY. We may be tempted to make excuses and say "wait", we are not ready. The table is set and God is our host. May we wake up each morning saying "yes" to God's invitation.

For 8th grade English, students wrote sentences that demonstrate the use of: they're, their, and there. These homonyms are often used incorrectly and spell check does not signal the writer. Sentences were checked by two peers. We then finished reading Tears of a Tiger. It has a sad ending that leaves the reader thinking. We will be writing persuasive essay responses and doing a CD book report.

Geography 7 students talked about "colors" and how the use and meaning of colors can vary from culture to culture. Students shared their favorite and least favorite colors.

In World History 6, we discussed the first written language: cuneiform by the Sumerians. Cuneiform means "wedge-shaped." Literacy skills meant a good job. Is this true today? Students were given an example sheet of 12 words in cuneiform. They are to write a story (at least 10 sentences) using 10 of these words. Students will read the story to the class. Please be creative!

8th graders attended the Book Fair to browse. They will go again on Thursday to purchase any books they may want.

Don't forget. Basketball game tonight at our gym. Parent-Teacher conferences Thursday. Please contact the school is you do NOT know your scheduled time. Saturday and Sunday the holiday bazaar.

We again close with prayer remembering the Johnson family. Joe's and Sarah's grandmother was laid to rest today. May God comfort the family and all who mourn the loss of Mrs. Johnson.

A Great Day to go to the Library

Today is a Monday... a beautiful November Day. We read the Beatitudes (Matthew 5) as a choral reading and then discussed each "bless are those who....." We recognize that God-values do not match the world's message of what is success.

8th grade students were then given vocabulary words for the week and a poetry assignment that is due one week from this Tuesday. Students will present a poem about autumn and/or Thanksgiving that helps us see, hear, taste, touch, and smell autumn. In this spirit, we walked to the library so we could take in the scent, sights, etc. of November. Students returned some books and checked out new ones. Most 8th grade students continue to read book-after-book.

6th grade math students worked on problems 8-15 on page 50. We are getting near the end of this unit so we are "checking in" to see what we know... and what we still need help with.

7th grade students worked on geography desert terms. Students are to define each word and draw each word.

FYI: Tomorrow is the end of quarter one (can you believe it?). Tomorrow night the OLL basketball team plays Ashland Middle School at the OLL gym. Thursday is parent-teacher conference. On Friday, we will have a Veteran's Day program. This coming weekend is the Winter bazaar. Lots to do... so join the fun! Thanks for all your support.

Thank you God for the Sunshine

I usually drive along Highway 2 to take in the view of the Lake each morning. What a beautiful Friday sunrise today.

Clare led our devotions this morning. After pledge and prayer, we talked about Saint Martin de Porres. He is often referred to as the Saint of the Broom for his willingness to do the lowest of tasks and help people who were "outsiders." We were reminded again this morning of the roles and examples of saints to help us love and care for each other and live holy lives.

For 8th grade English, students wrote thank-you notes to Mr. Grubisic and then we did our weekly spelling test. Students shared high-quality sentences demonstrating the use of their assigned word of the week. After that we read Tears of a Tiger.

We continue to remember the Johnson Family on the death of their Mother/Grandmother. Mrs. Johnson had been a teacher at Ondossagon. May God bless and keep their family.
I enjoyed the basketball game last night. Hope the loss was not too painful. It is always good to see students working together as a team and that was well demonstrated last night. Thank you Mr. Masterson and Mr. Lulich for your commitment to coach our highly capable athletes.
Hope that many of you can make it to the all-school Mass on Sunday. Don't forget our big bazaar is coming up next weekend.
Have a wonderful weekend.

All Soul's Day

We started our day with reading Hebrews 12:1... we are surrounded by a cloud of witnesses. Each student drew what they thought a soul might look like. We noted some similiarities and acknowledged that we don't know what a soul looks like... but we sense there is something eternal deep within us that holds that spark of faith. Each student then wrote a journal response to someone who has died that is a "witness" for them. It could be a Saint... or family member, etc. Someone who is a role model of Christian living.

Today Mr. Grubisic came and talked to the class about his career as an Ashland County Deputy Sheriff. He talked about driving laws, consequences for breaking laws, being safe passengers (buckle up) and safe drivers (be attentive). This information is good for our safety... and complements our reading of
Tears of a Tiger. In our book, Andy was the driver of a car that killed one of his best friends. The story is about Andy's journey of grief.
Thank you Mr. Grubisic for the facts you shared and your reminder to us to be courteous and honest with police officers and other emergency team people. They are here to help us and others stay safe. Mr. Grubisic also shared several facts that do not match what we usually see on TV. Again I feel so grateful for parent volunteers and their willingness to help students take their learning outside the classroom.

For Geography we read about the Sahel landscape on the fringe of the Sahara Desert. Again we are challenged to consider how to be "stewards of the earth" and to understand the challenges that people face who live in extreme poverty in difficult conditions.

For 6th grade math, we discussed the "order of operations" assignment: First do operations in parentheses, clear exponents, multiply-divide from the left, add and subtract from the left. Students did some of the practice problems with calculators. They are not ready to lauch on this on their own yet; we will do more practice on Monday. For 6th grade history, students used textbooks to write 5 artifacts they would expect to find from the Mesopotamia civilization. We also read about the different social classes... and talked about how literacy gives people an advantage.

8th graders used the last hour for work due tomorrow (spelling) or some down time to rest up for the game tonight. Be there to cheer on OLL against South Shore.

Also FYI: School is a half-day tomorrow. Friday already! Can you believe it? I can't.

For All The Saints

Today we celebrated All Saints Day at the school mass. It truly was a celebration of all those who have gone before us to help us navigate our faith. Thank you 8th graders and all OLL students for all the banners, crowns, paper mache' heads... that helped us to realize how many men and women have chosen to practice holy living. May we place our feet in the footprints of their walk with Jesus.

7th grade geography students shared two facts about Africa that they know... and think other students should know. This is part of our introduction of moving onto a new continent.

6th grade math students are practicing exponents as a way to express multiplication. Their assignment is to complete all problems 8-28 on p. 47.
For World History we will continue our reading on Mesopotamia in our textbook.

Thanks OLL basketball team for an update on your game with Northwestern last night. Sounds like you played hard... and enjoyed the games. Thank you Mrs. Panasuk for inviting us to sing with your students today. Thank you Nancy and Michael for the wonderful cookies today after the All Saints Mass. And Happy Birthday Clare. We are grateful for you...and the blessing that is ours for sharing life with you.

(Sorry my blogs are running lean... still computer problems. Surely the connection will improve.)