Friday, January 29, 2016

Dear Kansas Legislature

Dear Kansas Legislature,
           
            I’m writing this to tell you, you are losing yet another great teacher. Yes. Another teacher sat at an in-service meeting and heard all the awfulness that could become of Kansas schools. And for the first time she didn’t feel bad, she felt at peace. This certain teacher felt at peace because she had made the decision to resign and get out of teaching just a month before this. Yes, Kansas is losing another great teacher.

            Let me fully explain the type of teacher you are losing. Please don’t take this as a self-righteous monologue, no. These are just the facts; the facts that have been noticed by her peers, teachers, and superiors. You are losing the teacher that sobs all the way home about her students’ broken homes. You are losing the teacher that spends hours of her own time developing amazing ways for novels to come alive. You are losing the teacher that brings humor and life into the classroom. You are losing the teacher who regardless what needs to be done in the morning spends her time hugging and greeting her students every day. You are losing the teacher that refuses to be sucked in to the “old” negative ways of doing things. You are losing the teacher who earned KEEN’s Teacher of Promise. You are losing the teacher who has looked into adopting students who have terrible homes. You are losing the teacher who helped feed five families for Christmas last year. You are losing the teacher that inspired a boy not to kill himself. You are losing the teacher who helped a girl see just how beautiful she was. You are losing the teacher who prepared her students for college and life. You are losing the teacher who says she loves each and every student as they walk out every class period of every day just in case they don’t hear it that day. You are losing the teacher who taught with every single cell in her body, to the point that she had nothing left to give her own family.

            Now I want you to fully understand why this teacher is leaving. It’s not the pay or lack of materials as some may think, no. It’s not any of that. Teachers are clear on the lack of these things before entering in their field. It’s also not because of the long hours invested in her subject or kids. On the contrary, she jumped at the chance to go above and beyond just to help a student. No, it’s not because of the long hours.

            This teacher is quitting because of all the extra “crap” she was forced to deal with each and every day.  This extra “crap” was mandated by you, the Kansas legislature and kept her away from doing her job. You made her worry day in and day out about consolidation, and losing her job. You made her worry that decision weren't being made for what was best for her students. You made her give pointless tracking tests like Aimsweb just for the sake of having “data” that was NEVER used. You made her sit through HOURS of training on state testing and common core just for them to not be used or be changed in the years to come. You have wasted hours upon hours of her time filling out paper work just for the sake of doing it. You have made her teach eight different preps in one day because of lack of funding in her school! You made her put her retirement into KEPERS just for her to know it won’t be there when she retires! You made her focus on everything else, besides her students!
You want to “fix” Kansas schools? LET TEACHERS DO THEIR JOB AND TEACH!!! Don’t consolidate the districts because YOU couldn’t balance a budget for our businesses. It’s a business; they expect taxes!!! Quit making students pay for your mistakes! How dare you take away our students’ futures!!! Our students should be our number one focus in this state. They are the future and the number one way people will stay in Kansas! Keep schools open, and then let your teachers teach!!!!

I love Kansas. I was born and raised here. I want to stay here and I want to send my child here. But with the way things are going, I just don’t think that’s going to happen.  PLEASE save our great state!

Yours truly,


Amie Avery
913-645-8112
amavery9@gmail.com



Monday, January 4, 2016

Ahh a new year.  The happiness of a new year drips from my pores. Everyone is focused, hopeful, believable. At this very moment we truly believe we can accomplish anything.
It’s like a brand new journal. One you’ve spent tons of time choosing in the book store. You found the perfect color, teal, not to green or blue. The perfect 5x7 size. Small enough to fit in your purse but not too small to not function.  You took extra time opening up every single journal that met the above qualifications checking the inside.  It must have lines, but college ruled, not wide.  Once you find it, you take it home and love the feeling of cracking it open. AHHHH.
Is this you? Have you spent time dictating the exact goals and things you are out to accomplish this year? We have. But for the first time, we’ve done this as a family. That excites me!  I am putting in my resignation tomorrow at school. That’s the first BIG change. It’s the first scary leap of faith we are putting into play this year. But we know God’s got this!  Here are our other goals.

Avery 2016 Goals
Arbonne:
·      Area Manager by March
·      Regional VP by December
·      Earn Atlantis Trip
·      Find ALL IN Business Partners

Family word: DISCIPLINE

·      Pay off Escape
·      Stick to BUDGET
·      Eat Clean
·      Exercise DAILY
·      Wake up early DAILY to have God time
·      Start Travis’s painting business
·      Find at least 1 EXTRA opportunity to give a MONTH
·      Prayer circles around the Promises of God
·      Learn MMA and how to shoot a Gun
·      Read 2 books a month -Amie
·      Write at least 2 blog posts a week-Amie
·      1st Book Published to Kindle
·      1 Date night a month
·      1 Family night a month
·      1 Family Vacation
·      Go to bed ORGANIZED
·      Amie: Run first Half Marathon (6 races)
·      Travis: Run at least 6 races
·      Coach at least 2 kids to state track
·      Charleigh: 100% potty trained, switched to big bed
·      Plan office
·      Send two “Thinking of you” notes a Month
·      Improve Family communication
·      Hold AWESOME Truth Conference!
·      PRAY for each other, together, at least 30 mins a day

So why am I writing these here on this blog? The blog made the list!!! I’m put on this earth to write and speak for God. I know that!  I’m reading a ton but I need to be putting writing into practice.  I will be posting on this blog at least twice a week.  My husband came up with an amazing first few entries. I’m going to attack what it means to be successful and begin interviewing people who I think have accomplished this title. Then I will write about them here. It is my hope by studying these amazing people I will become more like them.  Of course with the hope of becoming more like Jesus each and every day.


Here’s to a new year!!!