June 24, 2013

Top of Mountain at Copper - rode the ski lift up - beautiful!

Hello My Cute Little Megan, I hope you are having a good week! I had a fun but tiring week. I attended TIE Conference in Copper Mountain. We raised money this year and rented a house for the teachers at Hulstrom to stay in. There were only 10 of us but we rented a beautiful house and had a great time attending the conference and brainstorming ways this applies to our school. We think we are going to push a one to one policy at Hulstrom as soon as we can - perhaps getting parents to purchase an iPad or computer for their kids for Christmas.  Speaking of which, we are wondering what you would think of sending Jake with your laptop until you return. He got an iPad but we think that between the two of you coming and going that the technology will be outdated and you will want a new one anyway - we would help you get a new one. How do you feel about that? The technology I was exposed to at this conference is incredible - curriculum is moving ahead and I hope that I can keep pace with all that is happening! There are 3-D printers now that actually print out a plastic model of whatever you want copied. People are printing out chairs and tools to try in plastic before making them out of steel. They are also printing in chocolate, human tissue and plastic - crazy! There are many new things to use in education. I went to one class where they pushed everything out to your iPad - so the teacher controlled what you were looking at and you could take a quiz, read a passage, draw for understanding, take a picture of something and work together all as a class - incredible! I am going to try that! I am going to use infographics as one menu item for kids to create presentations with. Researching is also taking on a whole new look with research built right into your google docs and the citation created instantly. I will have to show you a few things when you return.  I rode my bike with Tara and Christina to the top of Vail pass - 6 miles straight up! Crazy - well I had to walk my bike a little bit. It is 1,000 foot increase in elevation from Copper to the top and it only take 5 mintues to get down - crazy!! I sent you a few pictures from TIE from my phone - hope you got them.  Today was my first day as Primary Chorister - Dad helped me make a punch the primary song board - the kids punch into the cups covered with tissue paper with slips of paper telling kids what song to sing. It was an odd day though- we only had a two hour block because there was a special training from SLC for Mission Presidents and Ward Councils. We tended the boys so that Cory and Heather could go to the meeting. They said it was about more changes in missionary work. Missionaries will be using more technology, answering text messages and staying in the church building so that people can come and take a tour of the building if they want to. Interesting changes. Are you hearing anything about this? Dad is leaving on a business trip to St Louis tomorrow - pray for him to have success - they are having some trouble with the sensors at Hormel and need them all to work so that he can get this sale! Right now we are listening to a huge thunder storm with much lightening and rain - it is kind of fun although the Ellis boys were scared!  I am finally home this week and am going to try to finish our China Slide Show so hopefully you will get to see it next week. Jake and Rachel are back in the work groove! Sean was fired from Northglenn this week - apparently for having a pocket knife n his locker and complaints about a hostile work environment under him. We aren't quite sure what the truth is but the hired Collin or someone like that. Jake is trying to find a day that he can take a drug test so that he can supplement his income with side life-guard jobs. I'm not sure what to think about Northglenn. Rachel is loving Waterworld. Anyway, Sean is going back to Provo to work at the same place he worked before and hopefully to get back on track. His dad told your dad that he kicked him out and that it was time for him to get on with life. Sad..... Well, the lightning is still going on - crazy!  Take Care, start making a list of what you want to do when we come to the Netherlands. Do you know if we have to get a VISA? I am going to start planning!  Love you! Mom Sent from my iPad
Dear Sister Israelsen,   Well, this week has been a little boring. Not much to report.   I guess Shawn Lungren was asked to resign from his Northglenn because several of the workers complanined that he creates a "hostile work environment" and then they found a pocket knife in his locker. So now he as moved out of his parents home and moved back to Provo and is working at guess services or something. I asked his Dad if he was going to chalk up this year to a learning experience.   Mom has been at a tech conference all week up in the mountains. I think she had a blast and got a lot of new ideas for teaching next year. Rachel seems to have a "save" at waterworld about once a day and is very glad that she is not working as a garbage clean up person. Elizabeth started back at Mathnazium this summer this week and she loves it! She has been swimming with the snapper swim team since we got back from China and she has her first swim meet on Saturday. She doesnt really want to swim in the meet but I think it is good for her. So we signed up for her event today online.   This week I was home with the kids while mom was at her conference. Its hard to keep everyone busy and do my work. I am still suffing from a little stomach thing ever since I got back from China. I started taking an antibiotic that i got from the doctor before I left for China which is supposed to help with stomach virus'.    I am traveling to St. Louis tomorrow and ending up in Minnesota to work on my big order some more. We have had some problems but hopefully we are back on the right track. The whole company is working hard to win Hormels business. I hope it works.   This summer I am planning to reread the BOM again. I am really looking forward to teaching it this year. What is your favorite section or chapeters of the BOM? and why. What advice would you give to students learning about the BOM this year? Did you guys play any games that you liked in seminary that I may not know about? I really need to figur out how to  make my class more fun and interesting.   Be faithful and follow the Spirit and the Lord will bless you, hopefully in a way that you can find a perfect potential member.   I love you!!!   Dad