Conversations with Kids · Education · Local

The Man, the Myth, the Math Legend: Richard Baker Retires This Spring

I’ve had the distinct honor and pleasure of teaching next door to Mr. Richard Baker, Rick to some, but Mr. Baker to most, for the last 15 years of his 38 years as a math educator here at Lin-Wood Public School.  I’ve heard the clickety clack of his chalk on his chalkboard as he is… Continue reading The Man, the Myth, the Math Legend: Richard Baker Retires This Spring

"No Child Left Inside" · Accessibility · Adaptive Adventure · Adaptive Parenting (an adventure itself) · Family life · literacy · Mom is Doing Her Best · Through the Power of Sport · True North

Christopher and Dana Reeve Blog, March 26, 2018: “Tracking Our Character”

When I set out to write a realistic fiction novel, True North, I knew one of my main characters would be a dad with a spinal cord injury who was a good man, with a dark secret in his past, and a fairly significant character flaw. As a high school English teacher for 20 years,… Continue reading Christopher and Dana Reeve Blog, March 26, 2018: “Tracking Our Character”

Adaptive Parenting (an adventure itself) · Conversations with Kids · Education · Family life · Growing Up New Hampshire · Local · Mom is Doing Her Best · Politics Aside

Dearest March: Please Send April

This morning, in front of my first period English class, one of my female students innocently asks if I was wearing a new shirt. “Sure am,” and I’m thinking she will tell me she likes it.  And she does tell me, but not immediately. Instead she casually points out, “You still have the M sticker… Continue reading Dearest March: Please Send April

"No Child Left Inside" · Accessibility · Adaptive Adventure · Through the Power of Sport

Christopher and Dana Reeve Blog, March 13, 2018: “Meredith Koch: Ending Piano Violence, Ted-Talking and Swimming her way to the 2020 Paralympics”

I had just finished up an adaptive ski lesson in a collaboration between Spaulding Ski Club, part of the Spaulding Adaptive Sports Center, an arm of the Spaulding Rehabilitation Center, and New England Disabled Sports of Loon Mountain. Geoff, my husband, is the Technical Director for Loon’s Snowsports School, but on this day, he was… Continue reading Christopher and Dana Reeve Blog, March 13, 2018: “Meredith Koch: Ending Piano Violence, Ted-Talking and Swimming her way to the 2020 Paralympics”

Conversations with Kids · Education · Family life · Growing Up New Hampshire · literacy · Local · Politics Aside

Why We Walked Out Today…

The snow fell steadily.  Plows made loud noises around us.  Yet, amid the noise, amid the shuffle of life, 70-something middle and high school students standing in a circle held 7 minutes of silence and then shared bios of the people who were lost in Parkland, Florida during a school shooting.  This was a non-sanctioned,… Continue reading Why We Walked Out Today…

Conversations with Kids · Education · Family life · literacy · Mom is Doing Her Best · Politics Aside

Channeling Mother Teresa for Character and Barbara Washburn for Adventure on This International Women’s Day 2018

Today is International Women’s Day 2018, and I felt compelled to write something.  Anything.  However, nothing inspired me because, since Parkland happened, my brain has been cycling in this school safety- gun violence- rut.  I couldn’t think of a specific person or angle or clever hook that would suck in my audience with a positive… Continue reading Channeling Mother Teresa for Character and Barbara Washburn for Adventure on This International Women’s Day 2018

"No Child Left Inside" · Family life · Growing Up New Hampshire · Local · Mom is Doing Her Best · Through the Power of Sport

Dear Mikaela, Lindsey, Stephanie, Laurie, and/or any other Female U.S. Olympic or Paralympic Alpine Ski Racer Willing to Pass Down Your GS Suit to a Six Year Old…

Dear Mikaela, Lindsey, Stephanie, Laurie and/or any other Female U.S Olympic or Paralympic Alpine Ski Racer Willing to Pass Down Your GS Suit to a Six Year Old: Forgive the first name basis, Ms. Shiffrin, Ms. Vonn, Ms. Jallen, and Ms. Stephens.  You see, the other day my daughter asked me to write you a… Continue reading Dear Mikaela, Lindsey, Stephanie, Laurie, and/or any other Female U.S. Olympic or Paralympic Alpine Ski Racer Willing to Pass Down Your GS Suit to a Six Year Old…