Was it the voodoo?

Last weekend, I bought a Mini Voodoo doll. She represents focus on the climb toward one's goals. Some situations this year have creeped into my thoughts and caused a setback in my focus and optimism. Why not give little voodoo lady a try?

I have been wearing her on my school lanyard all week. Today was such an overwhelming good-news day that I am wondering if she played any roll in it. 

My day started with a really good Insanity workout (the Max one, too). Usually, I struggle to get through Shaun T.'s madness, but today was a bit easier than normal. 

Shortly after I got to school, I received a message from my boss. The district head of the Bilingual/ESL/LOTE program emailed her regarding a colleague and myself. She said she had heard great things about us and was inviting us to attend a Title III symposium in May in Austin. Heck, yeah! I love new opportunities. 

A little while later, I received a message from a colleague at the high school we feed into. I have been nominated - by my principal - for a Girls Rock award. The award is presented to junior high teachers who work with female students and assist with the transition between junior high and high school. I have never even heard of it before, but how awesome!

During my sixth period class, I looked up at my doorway to discover one of my former students - and her baby. I didn't even know she had been pregnant. I got to do some baby holding and hugging and kissing in the middle of the day. I am a sucker for a baby. I have always said that if we had to teach while holding a baby all day long, we would be some very peaceful and smiley teachers. 

At the end of the day, our district director of curriculum and instruction came in to meet with those of us in my department involved in an instructional model pilot program. She kept raving about the work we have done and how excited we are about it. She then invited us to become part of a group of teachers to be trained as trainers for the program. The negative - it happens at the same time as the Title III symposium. But, it looks like we may still be able to attend a two-day session with the author of Seven Strategies of Assessment for Learning. She did mention trying to set up future sessions for us to become trainers. 

The director also let me know that she used my student self-assessment posters in a presentation she gave to principals in the district. 

On her way out the door, she also told a colleague and me that she would like to be able to come film our classrooms for use as examples with this program. 

Lastly, I lost my wallet last night. I looked through my car multiple times and thought it must be at school. It wasn't at school, so I called the grocery store I was at yesterday morning. Not there. So I knew it had to be at home, but when I got home, I still couldn't fine it. I tried the car one more time and found it peeking out from under my driver's side seat. Phew!

I am not used to days like this. It has all been a bit overwhelming. Blame it on the voodoo?