When confronted with a Goliath-size problem,
which way do you respond:
"He's too big to hit,"
OR, like David,
"He's too big to miss"?
Friday, May 29, 2009
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Best Wishes
These three distinguished gentleman have been great to work with the past number of years. These are some of the best building principals you would ever want to have work with your kids and staff. I wish them the very best.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Craig Home
Craig arrived home on Saturday for a brief visit. He has a busy week planned seeing family and friends before he heads back to New York City on Friday evening. He will work in NYC all summer before beginning his junior year at FIT in August.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Last Day of School
Celebration Day at Osage City as we look back on the past 176 school days. Kids have a safe summer!
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Quote for the Day
"A fault-finder is a person with a bad memory who never remembers the good,
or with a good memory who always remembers the bad."
or with a good memory who always remembers the bad."
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
The Last Week
The last week of school.
Kids favorite words....mom's worst nightmare!
I hope the last week is a positive and safe time for everyone. I have many last week type things that will be difficult as I transition to my new position. It will be a tough week saying goodbye to my 700 kids and 125 staff members that I care about and have enjoyed working with.
As one of my bus drivers stated last week..........we have sure enjoyed the ride!
Kids favorite words....mom's worst nightmare!
I hope the last week is a positive and safe time for everyone. I have many last week type things that will be difficult as I transition to my new position. It will be a tough week saying goodbye to my 700 kids and 125 staff members that I care about and have enjoyed working with.
As one of my bus drivers stated last week..........we have sure enjoyed the ride!
Monday, May 18, 2009
Waymon Tisdale
On Friday, a little piece of my heart was broken when a former star basketball player from the late 70's passed away from cancer at such a young age. Waymon Tisdale grew up playing basketball in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He played for Tulsa Washington High School and was a Street and Smith High School all American. I played against Waymon on three occasions during the 1979-80 season. He was a freshman, but the starting center for his team and I was the starting forward from Broken Arrow. We had some great battles. I knew he would be a great player, but nothing like the scoring machine he became at the University of Oklahoma. I will never forget his smile and his positive outlook on life. He was not only a great basketball player but a great human being.
Former Oklahoma great Tisdale dies at 44
May 15, 2009
Wayman Tisdale, a three-time All-American at Oklahoma who played 12 seasons in the NBA, has died after a two-year battle with cancer. He was 44.
Tisdale died about 8 a.m. Friday at St. John Medical Center in Tulsa, hospital spokeswoman Joy McGill said.
After three years at Oklahoma, the 6-foot-9 Tulsa native spent 12 seasons in the NBA with the Indiana Pacers, Sacramento Kings and Phoenix Suns.
He first learned he had cancerous cyst below his right knee after he broke his leg in a fall at his home in Los Angeles on Feb. 8, 2007. His leg was amputated last August, but he had made several public appearances since then, including on April 7 at an Oklahoma City Thunder game.
After his basketball career, Tisdale became an award-winning jazz musician, with several of his albums making the top 10 on the Billboard charts. Last month, Tisdale learned he had been chosen for induction into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame.
In 1983, Tisdale became the first freshman to make The Associated Press' first-team All-America list, an honor he received again in 1984 and 1985. He averaged 25.6 points and 10.1 rebounds per game during his three seasons with the Sooners, earning Big Eight Conference player of the year after each season.
He still holds Oklahoma's career scoring record with 2,661 points and career rebounding record with 1,048. Tisdale also owns the school's single-game scoring mark, a 61-point outing against Texas-San Antonio as a sophomore, along with career records in points per game, field goals and free-throw makes and attempts.
Tisdale also played on the U.S. team that won the gold medal in the 1984 Olympic Games.
He went on to average 15.3 points per game during his pro career with the Indiana Pacers, Sacramento Kings and Phoenix Suns.
Tisdale's death was announced on the Oklahoma Senate floor Friday by Senate Majority Leader Todd Lamb, who led the Chamber in prayer.
"Whether you're a Cowboy or a Sooner, Oklahoma has lost a great ambassador," Lamb said. "He was a gifted musician, a gifted athlete and he just wore that well wherever he went."
Former Oklahoma great Tisdale dies at 44
May 15, 2009
Wayman Tisdale, a three-time All-American at Oklahoma who played 12 seasons in the NBA, has died after a two-year battle with cancer. He was 44.
Tisdale died about 8 a.m. Friday at St. John Medical Center in Tulsa, hospital spokeswoman Joy McGill said.
After three years at Oklahoma, the 6-foot-9 Tulsa native spent 12 seasons in the NBA with the Indiana Pacers, Sacramento Kings and Phoenix Suns.
He first learned he had cancerous cyst below his right knee after he broke his leg in a fall at his home in Los Angeles on Feb. 8, 2007. His leg was amputated last August, but he had made several public appearances since then, including on April 7 at an Oklahoma City Thunder game.
After his basketball career, Tisdale became an award-winning jazz musician, with several of his albums making the top 10 on the Billboard charts. Last month, Tisdale learned he had been chosen for induction into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame.
In 1983, Tisdale became the first freshman to make The Associated Press' first-team All-America list, an honor he received again in 1984 and 1985. He averaged 25.6 points and 10.1 rebounds per game during his three seasons with the Sooners, earning Big Eight Conference player of the year after each season.
He still holds Oklahoma's career scoring record with 2,661 points and career rebounding record with 1,048. Tisdale also owns the school's single-game scoring mark, a 61-point outing against Texas-San Antonio as a sophomore, along with career records in points per game, field goals and free-throw makes and attempts.
Tisdale also played on the U.S. team that won the gold medal in the 1984 Olympic Games.
He went on to average 15.3 points per game during his pro career with the Indiana Pacers, Sacramento Kings and Phoenix Suns.
Tisdale's death was announced on the Oklahoma Senate floor Friday by Senate Majority Leader Todd Lamb, who led the Chamber in prayer.
"Whether you're a Cowboy or a Sooner, Oklahoma has lost a great ambassador," Lamb said. "He was a gifted musician, a gifted athlete and he just wore that well wherever he went."
Friday, May 15, 2009
Graduation Weekend
Graduation.
A time for change.
For many, an exciting time to look back on accomplishments and honors.
For some, missed opportunities.
For some, no graduation and no positive look towards the future.
Time’s about up. When I was a teacher, I would tell my senior history students that phrase many times during the last few weeks of school to remind them to get their semester projects turned in because time’s about up.
For the majority, students were well prepared and turned in everything looking forward to graduation day. But for a few, no hope, no aspirations, time was finally up.
Life is like that also. Time’s about up for all of us. I pray that we will use our time in a way to serve others and serve our God. Be in that relationship that you need to be in with your God, your spouse, your family, your business associates, your friends so you won't be disappointed on that special day.
A time for change.
For many, an exciting time to look back on accomplishments and honors.
For some, missed opportunities.
For some, no graduation and no positive look towards the future.
Time’s about up. When I was a teacher, I would tell my senior history students that phrase many times during the last few weeks of school to remind them to get their semester projects turned in because time’s about up.
For the majority, students were well prepared and turned in everything looking forward to graduation day. But for a few, no hope, no aspirations, time was finally up.
Life is like that also. Time’s about up for all of us. I pray that we will use our time in a way to serve others and serve our God. Be in that relationship that you need to be in with your God, your spouse, your family, your business associates, your friends so you won't be disappointed on that special day.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Osage City USD 420 Selects New Superintendent
This past week the USD 420 Board of Education interviewed candidates for the Superintendent of Schools position. It's now official, the Board hired William Orth as the new Superintendent of Schools. Mr. Orth is currently superintendent at Altoona-Midway.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Storms Hit Southeast Kansas
On Friday morning a strong storm packed with 129 per hour winds did considerable damage to the Columbus area.
Several homes and businesses sustained considerable damage. Several school buildings received damage.
This is the article from the Joplin Globe:
No injuries reported in Cherokee County after storm
By Roger McKinney
rmckinney@joplinglobe.com
COLUMBUS, Kan. — A heap of debris was all that remained of a mobile home struck by high winds in Friday’s storm as it moved south of Columbus.
Richard Green, who lives nearby, owns the mobile home. He said the occupant wasn’t home when the storm struck.
“He went to work early, or he would’ve been in it,” Green said. He said he rode the storm out in Chetopa, where he was when it came through. He mentioned casually that he had previous experience with bad storms. Julie Green, his wife at the time, died in a 2003 tornado.
There were no storm-related injuries in Cherokee County, said Sheriff David Groves.
Dana Hilderbrand had walked with her youngest son Friday morning to the school-bus stop. When the storm’s intensity increased, they walked back to their mobile home, next to Faulkner Grain.
Once they were inside the mobile home, one of the large, metal grain bins blew loose, striking the glass door and entering their kitchen. The mobile home was moved about two inches off its foundation while she, her husband and her two children were home.
“It was just a weird storm,” Hilderbrand said. “We didn’t think it would be this bad.”
Hilderbrand joked that the only time Faulkner has as much traffic as it did Friday was during harvest.
Several businesses in downtown Columbus were damaged by the storm. Roof material and bricks were hanging from the top of a row of buildings on the north side of Maple Street, which is home to Columbus Tae Kwon Do and the offices of Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services.
Sherry Conner, Westco manager, had the help of several friends sweeping glass from the broken front window on the sidewalk on the south side of Maple street. Conner said the broken glass damaged some of the furniture, lamps and other accessories.
She said the business would be open today, if electricity was restored.
Just south of Westco, John White, owner of White’s Garage and Welding, was waiting for the insurance adjuster. The wind had peeled the metal roof off the building.
“I’ve got one car in there I need to get out,” he said.
Several other businesses had broken windows.
The press box at the Columbus High School football stadium had toppled onto the bleachers. Campers were damaged at H&K Camper Sales.
In Galena, a tree uprooted by the storm had landed on the front porch of a house along Seventh Street. Another tree also was uprooted nearby.
Sheriff David Groves said other damage to houses and buildings was reported in Scammon and Weir. He said Southeast Kansas Railroad had reported that the wind had blown a train off the tracks in the northern part of the county.
Crawford County
According to the Crawford County Sheriff’s Department, the communities of McCune and Cherokee sustained some of the worst damage in that county. In McCune, 63 buildings were damaged. A semi-truck sitting in a parking lot was blown over and the driver sustained minor injuries.
In Cherokee, 130 structures were damaged, including the roof of Southeast High School.
Another 20 structures in the county also were damaged.
The preliminary damage estimate for the county came to $1.1 million, according to the sheriff’s department.
Emergency shelters have been set up at the McCune Community Center, 410 E. 5th St., and the First Baptist Church in Cherokee, in the 200 block of Vine St. The Salvation Army also will provide lunch today at both shelters for community members and volunteers.
Several homes and businesses sustained considerable damage. Several school buildings received damage.
This is the article from the Joplin Globe:
No injuries reported in Cherokee County after storm
By Roger McKinney
rmckinney@joplinglobe.com
COLUMBUS, Kan. — A heap of debris was all that remained of a mobile home struck by high winds in Friday’s storm as it moved south of Columbus.
Richard Green, who lives nearby, owns the mobile home. He said the occupant wasn’t home when the storm struck.
“He went to work early, or he would’ve been in it,” Green said. He said he rode the storm out in Chetopa, where he was when it came through. He mentioned casually that he had previous experience with bad storms. Julie Green, his wife at the time, died in a 2003 tornado.
There were no storm-related injuries in Cherokee County, said Sheriff David Groves.
Dana Hilderbrand had walked with her youngest son Friday morning to the school-bus stop. When the storm’s intensity increased, they walked back to their mobile home, next to Faulkner Grain.
Once they were inside the mobile home, one of the large, metal grain bins blew loose, striking the glass door and entering their kitchen. The mobile home was moved about two inches off its foundation while she, her husband and her two children were home.
“It was just a weird storm,” Hilderbrand said. “We didn’t think it would be this bad.”
Hilderbrand joked that the only time Faulkner has as much traffic as it did Friday was during harvest.
Several businesses in downtown Columbus were damaged by the storm. Roof material and bricks were hanging from the top of a row of buildings on the north side of Maple Street, which is home to Columbus Tae Kwon Do and the offices of Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services.
Sherry Conner, Westco manager, had the help of several friends sweeping glass from the broken front window on the sidewalk on the south side of Maple street. Conner said the broken glass damaged some of the furniture, lamps and other accessories.
She said the business would be open today, if electricity was restored.
Just south of Westco, John White, owner of White’s Garage and Welding, was waiting for the insurance adjuster. The wind had peeled the metal roof off the building.
“I’ve got one car in there I need to get out,” he said.
Several other businesses had broken windows.
The press box at the Columbus High School football stadium had toppled onto the bleachers. Campers were damaged at H&K Camper Sales.
In Galena, a tree uprooted by the storm had landed on the front porch of a house along Seventh Street. Another tree also was uprooted nearby.
Sheriff David Groves said other damage to houses and buildings was reported in Scammon and Weir. He said Southeast Kansas Railroad had reported that the wind had blown a train off the tracks in the northern part of the county.
Crawford County
According to the Crawford County Sheriff’s Department, the communities of McCune and Cherokee sustained some of the worst damage in that county. In McCune, 63 buildings were damaged. A semi-truck sitting in a parking lot was blown over and the driver sustained minor injuries.
In Cherokee, 130 structures were damaged, including the roof of Southeast High School.
Another 20 structures in the county also were damaged.
The preliminary damage estimate for the county came to $1.1 million, according to the sheriff’s department.
Emergency shelters have been set up at the McCune Community Center, 410 E. 5th St., and the First Baptist Church in Cherokee, in the 200 block of Vine St. The Salvation Army also will provide lunch today at both shelters for community members and volunteers.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Happy Mothers Day
Dedicated to the greatest mom in all the world. I Love you!
Mom, I loved you yesterday, I love you tomorrow and everyday. You were there for me my first day of school, to hold my hand and give me courage to go.You listened to me when I needed to talk, you talked to me when I needed to listen. You let me grow and learn from my own mistakes.You never left my side when I was feeling down, I knew you would be there to pick me up.I wish there was a way I could repay all the things you have done for me, but there's nothing great enough to repay the greatest mother of all.
Mom, I loved you yesterday, I love you tomorrow and everyday. You were there for me my first day of school, to hold my hand and give me courage to go.You listened to me when I needed to talk, you talked to me when I needed to listen. You let me grow and learn from my own mistakes.You never left my side when I was feeling down, I knew you would be there to pick me up.I wish there was a way I could repay all the things you have done for me, but there's nothing great enough to repay the greatest mother of all.
Happy Mother's Day!
Friday, May 08, 2009
Our New Home in Columbus
We officially signed the contract on our new home in Columbus this past week. It's a 4 bedroom/3 bath home with a huge family room and office area. It will be a great place for our family gatherings and having friends visit. It sits on the end of a dead end street with a 80 acre pasture to the south. We have about a half acre lot with several trees and flower beds. We hope to call it home around June 13.
We would appreciate your continued prayers as we try to sell our house in Osage City.
Thursday, May 07, 2009
The Flint Hills
I will miss my monthly trips to Wichita and the beautiful changing scenery of the Flint Hills. I believe its one of the most scenic trips in America as you drive the Kansas Turnpike.
Wednesday, May 06, 2009
Osage City Superintendent Interviews
Today begins the superintendent interviews for Osage City. I'm excited for the school and community as they select a new educational leader. Be praying for our board to select the best possible candidate. The plan is to have someone in place by the weekend.
Tuesday, May 05, 2009
Reception
On Sunday we had a great time hosting a reception for Brian and Allison at the Central Church of Christ in Topeka. With the wedding being held in Texas we wanted to have a reception for them with all of our Kansas friends that couldn't make the long trip south during February.
We had a great turnout with friends from Kansas City, Ottawa, Conway Springs, Wellington, Osage City and of course our church family from Topeka. We saw friends that we haven't seen in years.
Allison and Brian enjoyed meeting people and hearing stories about the past.
Thank you to all who made the day so special.
A big thank you to Herb for taking all the pictures. It made the occasion very special.
We had a great turnout with friends from Kansas City, Ottawa, Conway Springs, Wellington, Osage City and of course our church family from Topeka. We saw friends that we haven't seen in years.
Allison and Brian enjoyed meeting people and hearing stories about the past.
Thank you to all who made the day so special.
A big thank you to Herb for taking all the pictures. It made the occasion very special.
Monday, May 04, 2009
8 Wonders of Kansas Cuisine
The Kansas Sampler Foundation in Inman has announced its 24 finalists for the 8 Wonders of Kansas Cuisine, and voting is now open.
Director Marci Penner said the finalists, which includes Homer’s Drive Inn in Leavenworth, were chosen because they collectively represent all that Kansas has been in the past and what it still is today.
“If someone dropped in to Kansas on a parachute and went to every one of these 24 restaurants, they would know our history and people pretty well by the time they waddled back home,” she said.
The 8 Wonders of Kansas Cuisine is the fourth out of eight rural culture element contests the Kansas Sampler Foundation will sponsor. Winners in architecture, art and commerce have already been chosen, with the Moon Marble Company of Bonner Springs earning a spot in the 8 Wonders of Kansas Commerce category. The next four contests will be those in the customs, geography, history and people categories. An overall 8 Wonders of Kansas contest was also held and winners were announced on Kansas Day of last year.
To be a finalist in the 8 Wonders of Kansas Cuisine, each restaurant had to originate in Kansas and it had to have been open for at least 10 years. Other criteria included that it couldn’t be a national franchise and that it had to be well known outside of its home base.
In alphabetical order, the 24 finalists are:
• Anchor Inn, Hutchinson
• Bobo’s Drive In, Topeka
• Brookville Hotel, Abilene
• Carolyn’s Essenhaus, Arlington
• Charlie’s Mexican Restaurant, Leoti
• Cozy Inn, Salina
• Crawford County Fried Chicken, located in four cities in Crawford County
• Crazy R’s, Goodland
• C.W. Porubsky’s, Topeka
• Free State Brewing Company, Lawrence
• Fritz’s Union Station, Kansas City
• Grand Central Hotel, Cottonwood Falls
• Guy and Mae’s Tavern, Williamsburg
• Hay’s House 1857 Restaurant and Tavern, Council Grove
• Hibachi Hut, Manhattan
• Homer’s Drive Inn, Leavenworth
• Josie’s Ristorante, Scammon
• NuWay, Wichita
• Olive Tree Bistro, Wichita
• Paolucci’s Restaurant, Atchison
• Pho Hoa, Garden City
• Prairie Nut Hut, Altoona
• Trapper’s Bar and Grill, Simpson
• WheatField’s Bakery, Lawrence
Voting, which will close at midnight June 15, can be done by paper ballot or via e-mail at 8wonders.org. Each person voting by e-mail may vote up to three times, but must vote for eight different places each time. For more information, visit kansassampler.org/8wonders.
Director Marci Penner said the finalists, which includes Homer’s Drive Inn in Leavenworth, were chosen because they collectively represent all that Kansas has been in the past and what it still is today.
“If someone dropped in to Kansas on a parachute and went to every one of these 24 restaurants, they would know our history and people pretty well by the time they waddled back home,” she said.
The 8 Wonders of Kansas Cuisine is the fourth out of eight rural culture element contests the Kansas Sampler Foundation will sponsor. Winners in architecture, art and commerce have already been chosen, with the Moon Marble Company of Bonner Springs earning a spot in the 8 Wonders of Kansas Commerce category. The next four contests will be those in the customs, geography, history and people categories. An overall 8 Wonders of Kansas contest was also held and winners were announced on Kansas Day of last year.
To be a finalist in the 8 Wonders of Kansas Cuisine, each restaurant had to originate in Kansas and it had to have been open for at least 10 years. Other criteria included that it couldn’t be a national franchise and that it had to be well known outside of its home base.
In alphabetical order, the 24 finalists are:
• Anchor Inn, Hutchinson
• Bobo’s Drive In, Topeka
• Brookville Hotel, Abilene
• Carolyn’s Essenhaus, Arlington
• Charlie’s Mexican Restaurant, Leoti
• Cozy Inn, Salina
• Crawford County Fried Chicken, located in four cities in Crawford County
• Crazy R’s, Goodland
• C.W. Porubsky’s, Topeka
• Free State Brewing Company, Lawrence
• Fritz’s Union Station, Kansas City
• Grand Central Hotel, Cottonwood Falls
• Guy and Mae’s Tavern, Williamsburg
• Hay’s House 1857 Restaurant and Tavern, Council Grove
• Hibachi Hut, Manhattan
• Homer’s Drive Inn, Leavenworth
• Josie’s Ristorante, Scammon
• NuWay, Wichita
• Olive Tree Bistro, Wichita
• Paolucci’s Restaurant, Atchison
• Pho Hoa, Garden City
• Prairie Nut Hut, Altoona
• Trapper’s Bar and Grill, Simpson
• WheatField’s Bakery, Lawrence
Voting, which will close at midnight June 15, can be done by paper ballot or via e-mail at 8wonders.org. Each person voting by e-mail may vote up to three times, but must vote for eight different places each time. For more information, visit kansassampler.org/8wonders.
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