Quirky Corner of Common Sense

Well, it is mid-June, and the children in the Dallas School District are STILL IN SCHOOL .  That is because the teacher strike last fall used up all of the allotted time that the union was afforded for the strike.  Then, even with multiple cancellations due to snow days, the state won't allow the district to extend the school year past June 30th.  But wait!  It gets more interesting... Parents were notified last week that the last three days of the school year will be half days .  What?  I'm sorry; did you say less learning in addition to missing 30-ish days because of the strike? How does that make any sense?  No, really. I'm asking someone to explain how that makes any sense. Teachers are educators because we believe in instilling a life-long passion for learning.  What kind of message does it send when the teachers are giving up when there is still so much to do?!?  Ethan's class stopped learning math last week.  There are still ...

Thirteen years ago, I was introduced to a lovely, talented, ambitious young woman.  She became my "adult ballet teacher" when I had decided to start dancing again.  Very quickly, she became my friend.  At the time, Kristen was using the ballroom at the Mary Stegmaier Mansion in downtown Wilkes-Barre, PA for her dance studio.  I paid her weekly for the lessons, and in return I gained confidence, strength, stamina, and poise.  Her fee for dance lessons was simply not enough for what I got in return. Eventually, Kristen started her own dance company, Without Walls.  She invited me to perform as part of her troupe, and I was elated - truly over the moon!  We rehearsed and performed many different pieces, from ballet to modern to tap.  Yes, at age 28, I learned how to tap dance! Along the way, the Mary Stegmaier Mansion was being used for many things - including monthly events where artists of all kinds were invited to share their work and their in...