I had an interesting experience at school today. I've been asked to proctor core tests in the 5th grade because our elementary has received a math grant. I am the only one who can handle the test booklets. I have to pick them up in the morning, pass them out, wait in class until everyone is done and then gather them up at the end of the test period and take them to the next class. Then they get locked up in the principal's office. I thought it was pretty lame, but then I was actually thinking about how really lame it was today. So, just because our school got some extra money we are under a close watch to make sure the teachers don't help the students and the students don't cheat. What about all the other schools? I mean I understand that money is at stake here, but doesn't it matter if another school had a bunch of cheaters in it? Shouldn't everyone be proctored just to make sure that we're providing the very best education possible? Maybe the opinion of our teachers isn't all that high since it's a consideration that they might help their students cheat. It's all very confusing to me, but hey, I'm just the aide, I do what I'm told.

Also, another funny thing happened to me today. I am going to be over my hours this week because core testing takes longer than planned, so I went in to let our principal know. She said it was fine and then pointed to a huge box under her desk. She says she really needs me to do something for her. I open the box and it's like 330 of those foam visors from oriental trading. She wants me to count out enough visors for each class and let her know if we're short anything. So I spent like 45 minutes on the floor of the office counting visors and making sure that no bag had too many blue or pinks in it. Our principal walked by and said, "This really is a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time." Yeah, I know. So then Elisa called later and asked what I was doing and I told her that I had had a very taxing day of counting. She said, "Oh you've been with the lower grades?" Um, No. I've been counting foam visors, and getting paid. Lovely.

The pictures are just some random ones. Alice and Miriam hanging out. Madison in her "teacher outfit" holding Claire. It's actually her Easter dress, but she thinks it makes her look like a teacher. And of course, Madison and Blue Boy. He was eating grass out of her back pocket and following her around the corral. It doesn't really look like that though...

The other one is of Madison and her certificate at Character Counts. She always gets the friendship one.