Paddling with Troop 2

Paddle with Troop 2 was a great time for Zack and me.  We arrived at their camp late Friday and had a great night's sleep in the tent.  Zack was up early Saturday and exploring before hitting the water.


We paddled from Two Rivers to Powder Mill.  Seventeen boys, four leaders, Zack and I were off for a great day on Current River.  After some quick instruction I took the lead boat position.  The conversation among the boys was interesting and they wanted to race.  After a bit we pulled over on a nice gravel bar to let the boys swim. The temperatures were much cooler than they had been all summer, so there was some shivering.


Another stop for lunch and I went to the rear of the pack to help two scouts finish canoeing merit badge.  They had not gotten it complete at summer camp.  They were left with what I think is the most difficult requirement for small boys--entering the boat in deep water with assistance.  It took us a couple of times, but the boys were successful.  I also demonstrated some alternate methods.


After another stop it was time to help some scouts with kayaking merit badge.  One of the leaders is a merit badge counselor for the badge, so I was the helper.  We took four boys through the paces on the water.


One of the boats was a Dagger Response.  I watched it being paddled all day and wondered if I would fit in it.  My height is a disadvantage in trying to fit in a nice whitewater boat.  I was curious if I would fit.  After adjusting the foot pegs I was able to crowd my legs in.  What a fund boat to paddle and easy to roll without a skirt.  Might have to investigate finding a used one.


Thanks to Troop 2 for letting us join them for a nice day on the river.

August Paddle

Several months ago a good friend asked if I would join Troop 2 on a float trip this coming weekend and serve as a canoeing instructor.  I was looking forward to it and helped him a bit with the trip planning. 

Each year I donate an outfitted canoe trip to our scholarship auction.  The same guys buy it each year and we have a good time.  In trying to schedule a mutually agreeable date we ended on the weekend following the Troop 2 float.  I didn't think I could swing two weekends in a row away from the family so I backed out of the Troop 2 float.

Then came a nice bike ride earlier in the week where Zack and I discussed getting away for a last weekend before school started.  We decided a paddling trip was in order, so I'm back to paddling with Troop 2 this weekend and the auction guys next weekend.

The Troop 2 float will be from Two Rivers to Powder Mill on the Current River.  Zack had paddled the 40 miles upstream from Two Rivers earlier in the summer so he'll get to pick up another 7 miles.  Don't know that I know any 7 year olds that have paddled that entire stretch.  We'll need to do Baptist Camp to Akers when the water is nice.

Can't wait to paddle with Troop 2 this weekend.

What sells?

Recently I had a conversation with our local newspaper editor about an observation I made regarding the Olympics.

My observation was that the ratings for the Olympics were quite high and that the Olympics are what could be considered good news.  We get to watch people at the pinnacle of performance and learn about the work that got them to this point.  I argued that people do like good news.

The editor's response was one of facts.  The paper had recently done two very different stories as headlines.  The first was a good news story about Governor Nixon visiting a local advanced manufacturing plant to given an award.  The second was a story exposing some potential conflicts of interest in the city government of a neighboring town.  Guess which sold more papers?

There are educators doing great things in classrooms across this country every day.  These supermen and superwomen are getting blasted daily in the national media by those who seek to privatize public education.  We're not going to improve education as an institution by throwing rocks at the people in it.  Our teachers have earned better treatment.

Student Engagement

Middle and High School teachers are back today with two days of training on Kagan strategies.  Teachers had two days of training last summer including coaching throughout the school year.  Soon after the start of the year students were asking who this Kagan guy was.

New Staff

New employees (teachers and support staff) started orientation this morning.  They are in district and building level meetings throughout the day.  We visit as a group again next week and have new teacher induction sessions throughout the year.

Data Institute

Teachers and administrators at West Elementary working with data to develop interventions and enrichments for the upcoming school year.

Our collaboration around student data, and subsequent actions, have led to significant gains in student achievement.  Thanks to our staff for their work this week.

Worst Congress?

This article was referenced in a recent presenation I attended.  Sounds very much like what I saw on a recent visit to DC.