Snow on the Mountain and Lisa's Pizza

On Tuesday Nathan and I, and several teachers attended a funeral for a young man from the village.  He took his life on Thursday, Sept. 16 after a 24 hour standoff with troopers and SWAT.  He was 26.  Students were released early on Tuesday so they could attend the funeral.  The funeral was held in the Catholic Church and the Catholic Priest was in town.  Father Marios is Polish.  Nathan had a chance to meet Father Marios and attended the Mass on Monday evening.  It was a Catholic funeral and lasted two hours. 

Wednesday morning dawned cold and wet.  There was snow mixed with the rain and when the clouds burned off we were able to see snow on the hills to the north.  This was big news for the village.  The most frequently asked question on Wednesday was "Did you see the snow?".  The snow is coming.  

Snow on the Mountains (hills) across St. Michael Bay on Thursday.

Snow on the Mountains

 On Wednesday night Nathan and I looked at each other and said, "It feels like a pizza night."  So I made dough for the first time and we had pizza.  We had all the ingredients for Ranch Chicken Garlic Pizza.  We splurged and bought some mozzarella at the store.  The pizza was delicious!

Lisa's Pizza branch opens in St. Michael, Alaska!

I made two 9in  Ranch Chicken Garlic Pizzas with Scallions.  

Our first pizza night....a success!  Many more to come.

Thursday and Friday were district inservice days.  Saturday is a teacher workday.  We learned a new school assessment tool called STEPP.  From now until Christmas Break we will be assessing the indicators in each of the domains that determine our school's progress.  When we return from break we will begin writing the plan for our school to improve the different domains.

"Over and over again, the government has proven the need for better education." 

~Quote from Teacher Inservice

It has been great spending so much time with the teachers.  Being in a different building, a half a mile away, I don't get time to talk to and get to know the all the other teachers.  The dynamic of the staff is very different from schools in the lower 48.  The difference?  The teachers are quick to laugh, joke, and include everyone.  There aren't any rivalries or unsettled conflicts.  Everyone talks to everyone.  It feels like being around a large group of friends, or like extended family.  Why the difference?  We live together.  The teachers live in pairs and we all live in the same general area.  The old school (part of which is the Kawerak building where I teach) became teacher housing.  The housing arrangement facilitates many activities.  From watching football to LOST to women's Bible study to ladies' night.  This builds relationships between the teachers that isn't always seen in school staff in the lower 48.  This is a great teaching experience.