End of the Semester!!

I just finished the first semester of student teaching.. I think that's doing very well considering that it was only my second week ;) The students ended their first semester, and will return to school on Tues for the start of the 2nd semester. This means many of them will have English during a different hour of the day. It also means I have a professional day (can anybody say long staff meetings?) all day on Monday!
This week I did a lot of observing, and lots of little tasks for my teacher (i.e. handing back papers, taking stuff to the office, recording grades, etc. etc. etc.). Surprisingly the week still went by fairly quickly. I will say that I have discovered my least favorite hour! It's the one that happens before and after lunch. Meaning.. they come to class for 45 minutes, go to lunch (as do I), and then come back to class for 45 more minutes. That class, even with the nice little 30 min break in the middle, is the longest EVER! I swear.. it's like those kids come into the room and don't leave for hours. Fortunately, after that class is over, there is only one more left for the day. This semester the last hour groups for both Red and Blue days were super! They had great chemistry and worked so well together that their class breezed by. After that, I usually visit with my teacher, tie up any loose ends on work for the day, make sure we're ready for tomorrow, pick up the room, etc., then leave for the day!
I'm terribly unproductive at home. Most days I get little to nothing done. I facebook, talk with family/friends on the phone, watch tv, eat some pretty pitiful dinners, and am typically in bed before 9:30. I can already tell that this is going to be a semester of living for the weekends. I no longer can stay up way late, force myself to stay away during work/classes, and take a nap after they're over. Its a sad day when I realize those easy days are over. Will they ever return?
Good news for the week: I survived my first snow storm in Gillette!! It wasn't too bad. Mostly a TON of wind, and only 2 inches of snow (maybe). It's already mostly melted off the roads too--which is good for early morning driving. I also survived my first school board meeting. My mentor teacher is trying to expose me to as much as she can that fits the job description, and attendance at the occasional board meeting is one of those things. Once again, it was (can you guess?) long! There were some interesting parts to it.. including a heated professional argument/debate between someone from Pioneer Manor (senior citizen assisted living) and the school board. Apparently the Manor wants a site that the district owns to expand the Manor, and the district wants to hold onto it for obvious reasons (school buildings people!). The guy from the Manor was.. well it was an interesting debate. Manor 0, School Board 1+!!
I went to what had to have been the shortest FCCLA ever on Wednesday. I have been invited to attend the state convention with the SVJH chapter at the end of March. I can't wait! =)

 My personal desk (complete with name tag)

The classroom (25 desks, 10 computers; so many kids, so little room!)